Program Reviews

My main piece of advice for Rustic Pathways trips is to choose a trip that will push you out of your comfort zone. It may seem scary, daunting, and, frankly, like you won’t enjoy your time, but I guarantee you, no matter what, you will have the most amazing time on a Rustic Pathways trip. Throughout my high school years, I have been on two different trips with Rustic. First, in the summer of 2018, I went to Thailand on Elephants and Amazing Thailand, and secondly, I went on Moroccan Wanderer in Morocco in the summer of 2019. Both trips were amazing. I started my journey to the airport before my first trip in 2018 worrying about making friends. I have never been an extrovert, and, although I do have many friends, I have never been one to eagerly associate with others with as much enthusiasm as some of my friends, something that scared me when entering an environment with people I had never met. Yet, that’s the beauty of these trips. Student travelers are all likeminded kids. We are all seeking out new experiences and want to learn about the world. Although I have met many types of people throughout each and every trip, coming from different political views, backgrounds, and cultures, many of which, having very different personalities than my own, Rustic has a way of bringing people together. To this very day, I consider many of my fellow travelers to be my best friends, talking to many of them every day. That is just one reason why I have continued going on trips with Rustic Pathways, as not only were the staff members some of the most amazing and understanding people I have met, with so much experience to share about life and careers, and not only for the fact that the trips as a whole were an amazing experience fit with athletic activities, new foods, and new languages and cultures, but that it has helped me break out of my comfort zone and create new friends that I now consider family.

This trip was amazing. I made friends from all over the country, got to experience a new culture, try new food, and work with Asian elephants hands on. The program leaders were all amazing and so supportive, making the trip a lot more fun.The first part of your trip you are at the elephant conservation center, you start your day by getting your elephants from the jungle and giving them a bath, and the end the day the same. You are able to do many activities that the mahouts (elephant caregiver) do on a daily basis. Being able to work with elephants, in their own environment, is something many people don't get the chance to experience. The second part of your trip you travel around Thailand, trying new food, seeing their beautiful temples, and getting the chance to walk through some of their markets. If you love animals, especially elephants, and want to experience a new culture by traveling around a new country, this trip is perfect for you.

In just a span of two weeks, I was able to create lasting friendships, make a direct impact on the environment and alter the way I view the world. The Marine Life and Coastal Restoration allowed me to really appreciate the environment and see what impact humans can have on the planet. In general, I learned about conservation in a way that I never imagined possible. For the first week, we snorkeled either picking up trash or identifying parrot fish and collecting data for FunDeMar, a local organization. I learned so much including that parrot fish and coral reefs are crucial components of the ecosystem. Even more, not only was I directly helping the ecosystem, but I was also creating lasting bonds with those around me. I never knew it was possible to connect with so many people in such a short amount of time. Rustic Pathways allowed me to open my eyes and view the world in a completely new and exciting way.

Having the privilege to travel throughout my high school career has given me the ability to see the world through a different lens. By experiencing other cultures and meeting new people I have been given a deeper understanding of global interaction. Through this understanding, I have also been able to develop a stronger sense of empathy. I believe empathy is an incredibly important aspect of finding global peace. Traveling with Rustic has lead me to pursue a career in International Development at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. I also believe being able to travel with Rustic at such a young age forced me to mature earlier through the experiences I had on my trips and understanding what life is like for those living outside of my small hometown bubble. Overall, Rustic has been an incredibly positive force in my life and being able to travel made me a better person.

I chose this trip at random. From the pictures and short blurb on the Rustic Pathways website, Off the Map: Mongolia seemed like the greatest adventure, requiring the most adventurous spirit while providing the most rustic accommodations. I have no regrets. On my trip the seven other students I traveled with and our three leaders quickly became a family. We had fun living in the moment and seeing where our three week adventure would take us. This trip has been one of the most accurately, culturally immersive experiences I have engaged in as a student traveler. The homestays, while not what I had anticipated, were exciting. We lived in yurts--or traditional gers-- with the other members of our trip. These homes were set up by families who were willing to host the group as a whole, not the individual. We ate all of our meals together and spent all freetime bonding with the parents and their children, or the greater town population. If you are looking for a once in a lifetime trip and lifelong friendships, Off the Map: Mongolia is waiting for you.

Morocco, a unique country with an ancient history and a rich culture. I embarked on the Moroccan Wanderer program during the summer of 2019 through the Rustic Pathways program. This trip offers just about all you could possibly want when exploring and learning about a new country. On this trip we learn alot: the fundamentals of Islam, the history of Morocco, and the cultural climate within the country. Some valuable skills are learned as well through teaching the kids by developing our own lesson plan, along with the construction work done. These valuable parts of the trip are only half of it, the scenery and architecture in Morocco is incredible and extremely unique. This trip covers almost all climates of Morocco, as you travel from sub-saharan Africa to the windy coasts. The amenities throughout the trip were also excellent. We were served authentic Moroccan food throughout the duration of the trip, it was fantastic! Along with this the sleeping arrangements were always of a good standard while still keeping an authentic nature about them. I highly recommend this trip for anyone interested in learning about a new country, as you will be fully immersed in the culture and come away with a meaningful experience.

I traveled to Fiji with Rustic Pathways at the beginning of June 2019. This was my second time to travel with Rustic, the first being to Costa Rica on Intro to Community Service. Big Fiji was easily one of the best trips of my life. The opportunities that Rustic provides on trips would not be possible on an ordinary trip. Rustic also gives you the chance to meet people that you will never forget about. My favorite memories from both of my trips are not the big, high adrenaline moments, but more, the time spent with the amazing native people and my new friends that soon become family. The relationship you make with the Fijians is amazing and teaches you so much about yourself and the world around you. Also, the leaders are so supportive and high energy. Some of my favorite activities over the two weeks include: long van rides to different cities while listening to Fijian music on the radio, watching sunsets on different islands and in the highlands, hiking to the top of a mountain on SomoSomo to watch the sunrise, floating down the river in Fijian built boats and visiting a local village, visiting a local school and playing with the children, hiking the sand dunes, and playing volleyball with the locals in the Highlands.

My trip to Fiji was hands down the coolest thing I have done to date. All of the experiences were so special that I will remember the journey long into the future. Despite almost missing my connection in Bangkok when my plane got delayed, the entire trip was both relaxing and exciting. The first thing we did the day we got there was to go to the beach. The beach was beautiful, the sand was warm, and the waves were perfect. I did the Spring to Fiji trip, which is a mixture of service and adventure. In the mornings, we helped rebuild the house of a family who lost their home in a wildfire. We learned the ingenious method of dealing with rain, which was to make one side of the roof 6 cm higher than the other, allowing rainwater to run right off. In the afternoons, we did everything from cooking to ziplining and from going to the mud springs to kayaking. The people were fantastic and incredibly fun to be around, especially our counsellors, Emily and John, who were always so happy and excited that we could not help but be happy and excited too. I highly recommend this trip to anyone regardless of travel experience; the people at Rustic Pathways are so helpful and will make sure that nothing bad happens to you.

I traveled to the Dominican Republic with Rustic Pathways in June 2019. My time in the beautiful country is one I will always cherish. Before this fantastic trip to volunteer, I have never traveled without my family, so I was a little nervous. Though, the Rustic Pathways traveling team was with the other kids and me the whole time, which made me feel safe. When I arrived in the Dominican Republic, our group's lovely leaders met up with us. On our bus ride to the first place we were staying, they told us more about this country I would call home for the next week and a half. On my trip, I helped with the black water treatment system. This is a system that would help re-use water and clean it. Since freshwater is not found all over in the Dominican Republic, this system would be able to help out the community so much! Other places I volunteered during my duration in the Dominican Republic were helping at a local garden, cleaning a beach sadly ridden with trash, and my favorite, re loacting mangroves. Each time volunteering made me feel so good knowing that I was helping the people and the Earth as well. Rustic Pathways is very good at teaching kids on their programs about helping out whenever you can. Before my trip, I did volunteer around my community, but, after my journey, I have more than doubled how much I help out in my community. No matter where you live, there can always be places to go and help out the earth/community. I started my Rustic Pathways trip nervous of what would happen. I left with a new understanding of the world I live in, life, long friends, and memories that will always hold a dear place in my heart.

This past summer, I had the amazing opportunity to travel abroad through the Rustic Pathways "Service Off the Grid" program. Initially, I will admit I was very nervous. Will I make friends? What will the program leaders be like? 5 days without my phone?! Reflecting back on my trip, I must say that I got pretty lucky. I was able to bond with all of my peers and program leaders. To this day, my group continues to stay in touch! Cell phone separation anxiety was a real thing, but the lack of service brought my group and me closer together and forced us to bond with the community. I can't even begin to describe the kindness I was shown by the locals. Every meal, every dance party, every hike, etc, they took us in with open arms and showed us what it meant to live a happy life. Although the language barrier was difficult at times I was still able to make meaningful relationships with people of all ages, races, and economic classes on the island. 9 days in the Dominican Republic was not long enough! Every Rustic trip has something unique and special about it, but what you make of it is the defining factor. I know for a fact that all the program leaders and other staff at Rustic Pathways are working their hardest to guarantee that each traveler gets the best experience possible. My experience embodies the phrase, "A trip of a lifetime", and I would strongly encourage others to take advantage of the many opportunities Rustic Pathways has to offer.