Program Reviews

This summer I traveled to the Dominican Republic with Rustic Pathways. This was my second Rustic trip, and definitely not my last. The program was life in the Batyes, on this program we worked on building a house, latrines and floors in communities called Bateys. This was a critical Issues program, meaning we also learned about the issues and the history of the Bateys, the sugar cane industry, and workers. We also got a chance to run a summer camp for the kids from the Bateys, and we had some time to relax and great beaches. Throughout this program the work was satisfying and meaningful, we developed wonderful relationships with the people from these communities and among our student group. It was so hard to leave the Batey on our last service day, and say goodbye to everyone at the airport. The program leaders are inspiring, kind and very knowledgable they took great care of us 24/7. I have never felt so at home with strangers. I felt happy, safe and secure the moment I met my PL's and my group. On this program you learn so much not only about the Bateys and their history, but you live it by being a part of the community where you gain an understanding of what is truly important in life. Since the moment you sign up for a Rustic program to years after, Rustic makes you feel like part of an amazing community. I am so thankful for the opportunities Rustic has provided me. I am looking forward to next summer to create more wonderful memories with them.

My trip was amazing! I did the Highlands & Islands trip and I will remember it for the great of my life. When they say it’s a life changing trip, they mean it. This trip made me change my perspective on third world countries. On my trip, I did a home-stay which was the best. The family that you stay with is so glad to have you there! My host parents gave up their bed for me and my homestay buddy. We had a little sister who slept in the floor with her parents when we were there. We got to help out the village is ways that seem small to sit but can change their lives. I also got to go out to the island for some beach days. We got to go scuba diving and sky diving! (Its all very safe, don’t worry.) This trip is what prompted me to get more involved I’m my community, finding ways to help more people. I am so excited for my next trip with Rustic!

Living in New England, everyone that I know of goes to Florida for spring break. In spring 2018 I traveled to Fiji with Rustic Pathways for a week that I would always remember. Fiji is the most beautiful place ever and worth the plane ride -I didn't come for the Instagram photos but, I ended up with way too many to post. I came to Fiji for the perfect mix of community service and fun, which was better than I imaged. The community service was meaningful, we helped build a house, made and delivered food for a children's home and farmed on the eco-lodge. One day when we were walking away from the house that we were helping build I saw the mother of the household crying. For that morning we hammered wood and played with her 2-year-old daughter and know that we were apart of helping them get back on their feet is an amazing feeling. When we delivered dinner to the children's home, we spend the night playing games with them and learning more about there culture. Fiji has so much culture to it that was so cool to learn about like it is disrespectful to touch someone's head. Also, there is plenty of time to step outside of your comfort zone, explore Fiji and have fun. With my 10 new best friends and 2 amazing group leaders, every time was the best time! The place we stayed at also had an amazing pool and food! We went to the beach, hiked the beautiful sand dunes, zip lining, went in caves, went to the local markets, went to a mud bath, snorkeling, went island hopping and some of us went skydiving! Island hopping was my favorite as we spent the whole day in a boat seeing all the beautiful islands. Rolling out of the plane 14,000 ft in the air was also amazing too.

There is something special about spending a week in an unknown place with a group of people that become your family, I left Fiji with way too much inside jokes and smiles.
I came to school refreshed with a new perspective of the world, ready to take on the rest of the year.

If you have any questions feel free to reach out, my email is mcgrathh19@kua.org or hannahmcgrath444@gmail.org :)

(also my computer is broken so my photos won't upload):

BEST. TRIP. EVER!!!! Leaving home behind and traveling with Rustic Pathways had been the best experience of my life: better than any vacation to a foreign country, better than sleepaway camp. The experience changed me for the better and I will never forget the magical night sky at the wildlife refuge. Underneath the shooting stars and the Milky Way, I would lay on the sand and collect the mama turtle’s eggs as she lay them. At that moment I finally realized that it only takes one person to change the world for the better. You matter. From dancing at the refuge, to picking up plastic, to surfing and coffee and dolphins, this was truly the trip of a lifetime. Let go of any doubt and sign up because IT IS SO WORTH IT!

My Souks and Service program was absolutely life-changing. If you are interested in full cultural immersion and a great deal of service and hard work, this is the program for you. Every moment, from Atlas Mountain village to bustling Marrakech, left me in awe that I was building relationships and having a lasting impact on people living 4,000 miles away from me. One of the things I am most thankful for during the program were my Rustic leaders, who worked incredibly well with our group. With their help, we were able to have rich and eye-opening discussions, get to know everyone on a deeper level, and fully immerse ourselves in a culture we hadn't even heard of until we stepped off the plane. Having such knowledgable and open minded leaders really set the stage for fruitful service learning and an unforgettable experience.

By the end of this trip, your eyes will be opened to the endless benefits and lessons of travel, and become more aware of who you are and who you will become as a person as a student of the world.

My trip to Fiji with Rustic Pathways was unbelievable. It was truly life-changing from all the service we accomplished to the fun days with new friends just hanging out at the base house. Although hard to pick just one, one of the highlights of my trip that will stick with me forever is when we did our first day of service. My group started their service with a beach cleanup. I remeber not knowing anyone and that beach clean up gave us the most time to connect with all the girls on my trip while still picking up 20 pounds of trash. Little did I know right then that those 11 girls would become my new best friends and people I still stay connected to.

This summer I traveled to the Dominican Republic with Rustic Pathways. This was my second Rustic trip, and definitely not my last. The program was life in the Batyes, on this program we worked on building a house, latrines and floors in communities called Bateys. This was a critical Issues program, meaning we also learned about the issues and the history of the Bateys, the sugar cane industry, and workers. We also got a chance to run a summer camp for the kids from the Bateys, and we had some time to relax and great beaches. Throughout this program the work was satisfying and meaningful, we developed wonderful relationships with the people from these communities and among our student group. It was so hard to leave the Batey on our last service day, and say goodbye to everyone at the airport. The program leaders are inspiring, kind and very knowledgable they took great care of us 24/7. I have never felt so at home with strangers. I felt happy, safe and secure the moment I met my PL's and my group. On this program you learn so much not only about the Bateys and their history, but you live it by being a part of the community where you gain an understanding of what is truly important in life. Since the moment you sign up for a Rustic program to years after, Rustic makes you feel like part of an amazing community. I am so thankful for the opportunities Rustic has provided me. I am looking forward to next summer to create more wonderful memories with them.

Sacred Valley service is a life changing experience,
While in Peru our community service work was to dig trenches and lay piped that would soon be used to transport fresh water to local villages. Not only was it amazing to do physical work that would soon change live but it was awesome getting to stay with one of the families that would later be positively impacted by the work we were doing. Not only were we doing community service but we were hiking, camping, staying with host families, went zip lining and so many other out of this world experiences. I made so many long term connections in Peru and getting to meet and share experiences from people all over the world is amazing. I would 10 out of 10 recommend this life changing experience for anyone who is willing to go!

On the plane ride to the gateway airport, I had a mix of nervousness and excitement to meet the other students on my trip, but once I got to LAX and met the other students, all of my nervousness instantly faded into all excitement. The flight leaders were very helpful in making sure everyone felt safe and knew what to do getting on the plane and through customs once we arrived in Australia. To shake off our jetlag on the first day in Australia, we went on a short hike to the top of Mt. Ngungun, which was one of my favorite memories. The view from the top was incredible, and I felt so accomplished after completing the hike. Our time spent at the zoo was incredible! Within a few hours of being at the zoo, we had already met kangaroos and two giant tortoises! Over the next days, we got to shadow zookeepers and do everything from helping them prepare food and feed the animals, helping them clean the enclosures, and helping them with their daily encounters and shows. We got to shadow zookeepers from the five different departments, but my favorite department had to be the exotics department where I got to meet dingos and wombats. I also really enjoyed our off time from the zoo where we hung out on the beach, went snorkeling, and tried sandboarding!! To end our trip, we spent two days at the Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation, & Education center in Toowoomba. This whole center with over 100 animals is run by one woman, named Trish. The experience with Trish and the whole program changed my life and inspired me to pursue environmental studies. Prior to the trip, I was unsure of what my passion was and what I wanted to do in college and life, but the conservation parts of the trip made me realize my passion for the environment and sparked my interest in environmental studies.

My trip to Thailand was extremely meaningful, and despite how corny this seems- it truly was life changing. In two short weeks in Thailand, the relationships I made were with people I would call my best friends, and even family. We disconnected from technology, and that combined with how fun and beneficial the trip was, and the study of Buddhism- I returned home a truly different person. Service anywhere can be very gratifying, but to work with children and have the instant satisfaction is a feeling unlike no other. Except working for elephants- this was truly magical to work with these majestic animals. To learn about our impact on the earth to and how we can help conserve and protect is truly something I couldn’t learn anywhere else. The service, fun, friends and learning all combined could not have taken place in anywhere better than Thailand and have as rewarding of an impact.