Program Reviews

This summer I went on my first trip with Rustic Pathways and had an incredible experience. Before my trip I had never traveled alone before but I was pleasantly surprised with how safe I felt with Rustic's staff helping me at every step of the way. Once in Fiji, I bonded with so many amazing people I met on my trip. I was very nervous about the social aspect of the trip because I knew I was going to be one of the youngest people there. My nerves were quickly calmed once I met the people I would be spending the next 16 days with. The group leaders on my trip were so welcoming and fun. They were great at keeping everything organized and running smoothly while also having tons of fun. With the leaders and amazing organization I never once felt unsafe on my trip. The service part of the trip was so great. It was hard work but I loved every second of it because I was with awesome friends and I knew how helpful my work was. I strongly recommend traveling with Rustic Pathways and hope that everyone has and incredible time like I did!

This summer I went on my first trip with Rustic Pathways and had an incredible experience. Before my trip I had never traveled alone before but I was pleasantly surprised with how safe I felt with Rustic's staff helping me at every step of the way. Once in Fiji, I bonded with so many amazing people I met on my trip. I was very nervous about the social aspect of the trip because I knew I was going to be one of the youngest people there. My nerves were quickly calmed once I met the people I would be spending the next 16 days with. The group leaders on my trip were so welcoming and fun. They were great at keeping everything organized and running smoothly while also having tons of fun. With the leaders and amazing organization I never once felt unsafe on my trip. The service part of the trip was so great. It was hard work but I loved every second of it because I was with awesome friends and I knew how helpful my work was. I strongly recommend traveling with Rustic Pathways and hope that everyone has and incredible time like I did!

I had the most amazing time on my trip to Thailand this summer. We stayed at the Rustic Pathways Children’s Home, where students can stay if they don’t live close to good education. In Thailand, we spent time teaching English at local schools and workingg to build new classrooms. I think one of my favorite parts of the program was meeting my Thai buddy. Upon arrival, I got paired with a Thai student staying at the children’s home to talk to and show me around. We became friends quickly and still talk today. My experience in Thailand was incredible and I couldn’t recommend it more.

My trip in the Dominican provided me with the experience of a lifetime. I got to meet some lifetime friends while working with a local NGO called Fundemar, but also got my eyes opened up to the impact of climate change on our oceans. The programs allowed me to create valuable and close social connections with fellow program members; and the program leaders passion for this cause drove my heart towards this cause as well. Thank you Rustic for giving forever friends and an unforgettable experience.

My trip to Peru this summer was some of the best days of my life. My friend and I traveled to Peru for the first time and at first I was worried. My friend Lexi, has traveled with rustic before and this was my first time. As we landed from Toronto into Miami we were instantly greated by smiles and the kind airport staff that made both me and my parents less nervous about the upcoming travel. As my group and I landed in Peru, we were met by our program leaders who made the whole trip a great experiance. Every rustic staff that I had met during my experiance was kind, helpful and understanding. Throughout the whole trip the staff helped push us out of our comfort zones and helped to make the trip the best it could be. One of the things that I was most worried about the people, however the people that I have met have become some of my closest friends. As my group was small, we were able to become very close in the short amount of time which made it very hard to leave at the end of the trip. I am a picky eater and the food on the trip was not a challenge for me, where it most of the time is. Rustic made sure that the food provided had many options to choose from and the food always tasted great!! My rustic experiance this summer was by far the best travel experiance that I have had and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for adventure, service and new experiances.

My experience in Fiji was amazing, not only did I meet amazing people, but the country itself is beautiful. I truly do miss waking up to the sunsets and the quiet all around, where every local there is so full of life and happy to be there, which shows such a big contrast with the world I live in. The way of life was completely different there, however, I adapted quickly and realized that the little things in our life were nothing, because people here live in such a different way that it inspires us to change how we live and not be so focused on things that do not matter. Being in Fiji for three weeks really did inspire me, being disconnected and far away from home, I was able to look at life from a different, eye-opening perspective. Now that I have this new perspective, I feel like I can accomplish so much more.

Rustic pathways allows young students to have the best experience of their life. I went to the culture and the crater program, and I want to go back but I can’t because I just graduated from high school. I would recoment this program to anyone who is willing to step out of their comfort zone and helm those who need it most. Rustic pathways allows students to have fun, help, get to know different people, cultures, traditions and food.

I not only got to enjoy a week of practicing Spanish, making memories with local children, creating great bonds with my group members, and practicing leaderships skills during the time running the summer camp, but I also got to see and adventure around the country. This program was the absolute perfect mix of service and adventure and it was so easily the best 2 weeks of my summer. It was an amazing first time travel experience because I constantly felt safe, while also getting to live like a local. I so so highly recommend this program, especially as a first rustic trip or if you’re looking for some seriously fun (and tiring haha) community service.

I went on this trip by myself and it really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I used Spanish and got to experience life in a different country, from the beautiful sights to the locals. My life is forever changed because I now know what it’s like to step out of my comfort zone, and now I crave it. It is exciting now and it never has been before. I’d recommend this program to anyone who wants to learn and make a difference, supporting others who may not be as fortunate as you are.

I don’t know where to start!! My program was amazing and was such a relief opening experience. It’s been almost a month since I went on my trip and I would do anything to be with my group again. In the summer leadership program, I was able to get so close with the people in my group and the kids we supervised. I highly recommend traveling with rustic because they accommodate to your needs and make you feel safe throughout your whole trip. The people I meet I will never forget and I will forever cherish the memories I made with the most amazing people in the world.