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.

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.

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.

This past summer I went on the trip of a lifetime to Northern Thailand. I had been eyeing this trip for 2 years, but my parents wouldn't let me go because of their concerns about safety. They weren't comfortable with me going alone to the other side of the world, with a group of people I had never met before. Although this intimidated me, I'd been eager to travel somewhere farther and more unique than anywhere I'd ever been. My parents eventually decided to let me go on this trip with my older sister, and tears of joy came when they surprised me with the trip! We began our travel journey of 35 hours and halfway through I began to wonder if I had picked the right trip or if I was stepping way too far outside of my comfort zone. I didn't know any of the people in the airport and everyone was very anxious about their next 3 weeks traveling. After a very very long day of traveling, we arrived late at night at the base house where I would be staying for the next week. Everyone was very apprehensive and nervous when we arrived, but after a good night sleep, we began "orientation" the next morning. By learning everyone's names and walking around to meet the staff, I knew my next couple of weeks would be incredible! The friendlyness of the staff made the homesick feelings go away almost immediately. Over the next 2 weeks in Thailand, I had the best time of my life. I met people that I would've never thought I'd be friends with and made friends that I am still very close with 3 months later, and I know they will be life long friends. The service experience we did there was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but it gave me a new look into how other people live outside of the bubble that I live in at home. This brought me new and important experiences, and teaching english was so humbling to do to children who need to learn it in order to get a job to feed their families in Thailand. Everything we did over the weeks I was in Thailand made a huge impact on how I view the world and how I see different situations. I would not trade this experience for the world, it made such an impact in my life. The friendships, people, and experiences I had on this trip will continue to shine through my actions in my daily life and I will never forget them. If you are apprehensive of going on a trip through Rustic PAthways, don't be! I felt completely safe the entire time and the whole trip was wonderfully put together. If you get the chance, definately go through Rustic Pathways, as they made my experience in Thailand absolutely unforgettable.

On this trip I dove deep into the belief system surrounding Islamic faith and the Arabic language. In Morocco I was able to explore the roots of stereotypes to promote peace and build empathy by engaging with Muslims in Morocco. I traveled across Morocco for 16 days to twelve different cities and the Sahara Dessert with ten other students and a professional photographer and was able to develop a portfolio that captures the diversity of the beautiful country and learn new skills to develop as a better photographer. I created a documentary series focused on changing the negative perspectives the world has towards Islam through positive engagement and understanding cultural and religious differences while emphasizing the peace and wonder of the community. I had the absolute best time and I could not recommend Rustic more! After going on two trips with this program it has shown me how amazing the world is and how I can create my own impact on the world through experiencing new cultures and new places.

This was my favorite Rustic Pathways trip I have been on. I love the other trips I went on but they were nothing like Maji Safi. This trip had the best leaders and local staff that were so supportive and knowledgeable. My favorite parts of the trip are almost too hard to choose from but when I look back on the trip I would choose the community service. Whenever we did service work the whole group loved it and everyone was so involved. The hours would always pass by so quickly too because we would always be talking to each other and laughing. Another one of my favorite parts is when we would have dinner we would all sit at this one long big table and it would be like a huge family meal. Then after everyone would hang out together before bed. At the end of the trip, we were one big family.

As a first time traveler to Asia, I had few expectations but an adventurous spirit as I took off for my trip around the world to Laos. Looking back, I am so unbelievably glad that I chose this trip. Not only did I build some of the greatest friendships that I've ever had, but I got to experience a culture that is completely different from my own (participating in cultural ceremonies/rituals, eating traditional foods, visiting temples, supporting local businesses, etc.) and provide service for people who truly deserved it. When working to build a fence around a school in a village, local children were always hanging around, being friendly, and offering to help. This was consistent throughout the whole trip with every local person we encountered; the atmosphere was always so welcoming of foreigners. There are countless amazing things about my experience on this trip of a lifetime!

I went on the Intro to Community Service trip in Costa Rica and it has made such an impact on my life. What made this experience truly unique was the people I met. Whether they were fellow student, staff, or local, they all made me feel so welcome. I was able to connect with so many people and learn so much from them. If you want to make a difference in not only your life, but the life of others then definitely travel with Rustic Pathways.