Rustic Pathways

I met people from all over the world, and this trip opened my eyes to new places and people. In addition to being in a new country, the people on my trip and program leaders expanded my knowledge of the world around me. It was a great 9 days. I loved the people I met and everyone was so welcoming and nice. The chef and cleaners were lovely local people and were so accommodating about my difficulties speaking Spanish and tried to help me. The food was also great! I wish laundry was free, but it’s okay because if you pack enough you won’t need to do it. BRING MULTIPLE TOWELS!!!! Things do not dry in Costa Rica!! I also saw many new animals and things I never see back home, like wild sloths, tucanes and monkeys. I also loved to try new foods- the pineapple in Costa Rica is incredible- and the staff at rustic pathways is very accommodating and understanding of everyone’s dietary restrictions and choices. One thing I was a bit annoyed with is that they list the trip as 9 days, but it’s only 7 because you leave very early in the day so it’s not even close to a full day in Costa Rica. Besides that, it was very fun! I also wish I had a little more independence- we were watched over like hawks! We’re teenagers! Let us have a little fun sometimes! Besides all of this, I would still consider it to be a great trip, and a once in a lifetime opportunity. Rustic is a great organization and I never felt unsafe or like it was sketchy. The staff was very nice and I loved everyone I met. Everyone was inspiring, and I got to practice my Spanish a lot. If you are in intro to Community service in Costa Rica- be ready to meet the best dog ever! Paco is the local dog there! He is the best. Despite it being a bit overpriced, I had a lot of fun and would recommend it

My experience with Rustic Pathways has created some of the most fond and influential memories of my life. Over the course of two weeks in Australia, I was introduced to different cultures, foods, people, music, etc. I broadened my horizons by going skydiving over Uluru, planting trees in the Daintree rainforest, and visiting the Sydney Opera house, just to name a few. The memories I made and people I met on this trip will be with me forever and have shaped me into the person I am today. I 100% recommend Rustic and you would be silly not to sign up!

This summer was the best summer of my life and I owe it all to Rustic Pathways. If I could give a higher rating than 10, I would.

First of all, I never would have considered going to Morocco, had I not traveled with Rustic Pathways in the past. After doing two prior trips, I realized I wanted to go somewhere that was unlike any place I would ever go. Morocco hit that on the nose.

From the first day at the quaint guesthouse in Sbiti, I knew I was in for an incredible journey. Doing service there opened up my eyes to a whole new world. It brought me the greatest amount of joy to see the smiles on the village kids' faces as we helped build them a new part of their school. From the casual high five to an elaborate handshake that they taught me, I will never forget them.

Next, we embarked on our journey to the Sahara, stopping at Ait-Ben-Haddou, the filming site of Gladiator. Though the journey took two days it was far beyond worth it. The Sahara is the coolest place I have ever been to! We were all jovial as we sat atop camels and admired the massive sand dunes all around us. We tried our hand at sandboarding, (which I was pretty good at) and stayed up talking and staring at the stars for hours. I cannot stress enough how amazing this place was and the whole time there I was just in awe.

From the Sahara, we made our way to Marrakech, but not without stopping in Dades and at Terres D'Amanar. The drive through Dades Gorge was breathtaking and I had an amazing time on the zip lines and ropes course at Terres D'Amanar. When we got to the Red City, I was immediately impressed by the bustling Jemaa El Fna Square. From the hundreds of vendors to the snake charmers it was such an exciting place to walk around. Our time in Marrakech was spent shopping in the medina, eating great food, and viewing the historical sites.

We finished the trip in the European feeling town of Essaouira. Here we had two super fun surfing lessons on a perfect beginner beach. We spent our final night buying gifts for each other for "Secret Tzatziki" and then ended with a super posh restaurant with great food and live music, the perfect ending.

The leaders were so knowledgeable and fun, yet safety was their number one priority.

Once again, this trip was the best trip of my life. The entire group became so close so quickly and we still talk every day, 3 months later. This program is an absolute must if you want lasting memories and friendships.

I went on my first rustic trip this summer. It was the best two weeks of my life. I met so many amazing people and was able to explore and see awesome parts of Costa Rica. I also completed Service on my trip. It would be impossible to get better program leaders. They were very approachable, fun, and just overall amazing. Even from the first day everyone was so kind and sweet. On my trip I’ve met some of them the most amazing people and I know that I will remember my rustic trip for the rest of my life. I could tell the service we did really did make a difference and I had so much fun doing it. I would recommend for anyone to go on a rustic trip! It is so much fun and an amazing experience!

My trip with rustic pathways to the ricefields base was absolutely incredible. It was an adventure of a lifetime and a trip that will forever stay with me. The base house was such a luxury place to stay, with good showers/bathrooms, beds and even air conditioning! The people who work at the base house were so incredibly kind and I grew very connected with much of the Thai staff who came on many of our adventures together. The service programs were oh so fun but also rewarding. We did lots of manual labor, which was a big workout and many of the service programs revolved around kids! My personal favorites were teaching kids how to swim at the basehouse and teaching them English during a class at their school. These kids were so bright and lively and brought lots of happiness to my heart. We had many hours of service but also many hours of fun! We really got to explore Udon Thani with a tour of the amazing city and we also did lots of fun activities such as going bowling, to the mall, waterpark and the night markets. The food was also so tasty here, probably some of the best I have had. They always provided us with delicious meals and tropical fruit, and I loved any meal time since I got to enjoy the food with my friends. One of my favorite parts of this trip was the people I met here. These teens from all over the globe and states were so kind hearted and adventurous and I grew so close to all of them. This program let us have free time and I felt like I really got to know all of my fellow group members. It was the hardest thing to say goodbye to them, but I know that we will all forever cherish our time together in the most incredible place. I cannot reccomend this program enough! Please come to the land of smiles with rustic pathways to experience this adventure of a lifetime for yourself! Here more about my experience on my personal blog: https://littlelinnbigworld.wordpress.com/2018/07/10/travels-to-thailand/