This post is dated July 24, 2021 - I just never got around to posting it. As an update, my Big Island trip is completed and I am back in the Pacific Northwest. Currently spending time with family, friends, and killer whales on San Juan Island before I head down to Santa Cruz to start my next chapter.

Hey! It’s been donkey’s years since I’ve last posted and I wanted to share a cool adventure that’s in the works. This is a different style of trip than I’ve done before, and I’m excited to switch it up. For the next two weeks, I’ll be guiding a high school service trip for 16 students from around the country (and a few from around the globe!). I’ll be working through Putney Student Travel and Nat Geo Student Expeditions, two awesome organizations that host epic service-focused and educational adventures all over the world. Although my leader orientation was remote this year, I can tell that this company brings together remarkable individuals to create life-changing experiences for the adventurous high schoolers that embark with us. SERIOUSLY. They have a knack for it. I met another guide in Maui while she was leading a middle school trip, and she was literally in the middle of through-hiking the Appalachian Trail when she took a break to guide this Putney trip. SO COOL.

Right now we’re in Kona, but after surf lessons today we’ll be transitting to Waimea for six days before heading to Hilo for the final week of our trip. This is a really cool opportunity to connect with 16 students who are on the brink of their own next life adventure - junior or senior years of high school, or college. My co-leader Chris is a friend from Maui who I met while working for Pacific Whale Foundation. He’s also a whale enthusiast and is a marine biologist who does a lot of work with National Geographic (see, this company attracts the coolest people!).

The last time I was on the Big Island was back in 2017 with Dad. We took a 7-day trip over here from Maui and explored a bit of Kona and Hilo, which was incredible. Before that, I came for a quick 2-day jaunt with friends after crossing over from Maui on Ali’i Nui, a commercial catamaran that needed to go to Kona for dry dock. I’m excited to be back for an even longer period of time and hope we can get in plenty of ocean activities/hiking alongside our service work. If you want to follow us on our adventure, check us out here: https://shawaiic.goputney.com/category/2021/. Students will be posting blogs regularly.

Keeping that aloha vibe going as long as possible….

Xx,

Lauren