Program Reviews

In 2017 I traveled with Rustic Pathways to Costa Rica where I surfed and learned what the true meaning of community service is. After a few card games and friendship bracelets, we became a family to take on the waves and building sidewalks together.

Being a new surfer I was nervous as I looked out into massive waves. Soon this fear went away as the leaders taught us how to surf and we started off at the small waves. The group was the perfect mix of half of us being first-time surfers and the other half being experienced. On the last day, everyone could paddle far out and surf the amazing waves.

We also learned how community service is not about "helping or saving" people that have less than us, rather it is about supporting communities. We build sidewalks and ramps in a school because there was a new law that required them. Rustic Pathways asked the community how we could support them the most and building ramps was the answer. In past years there this program has build houses and ect.

Whale watching and white water rafting were amazing days! We saw so many whales and all got to hang out on the beach together. On the 2nd to last day where we went white water rafting, we all made nicknames and had a great time going over rapids, jumping off rocks and swimming in huge waterfalls!

The food is awesome, I loved trying new fruits! The coconut water is the best thing ever!! The base house is also awesome as it was very clean and we could walk to community service and say Pura Vida to EVERYONE who we crossed paths with. This program is perfect for anyone who is a first-time traveler! (or experienced)

I went on this trip because I received a magazine in the mail about a similar travel organization, I looked more into student travel and I came across Rustic Pathways, everything about Rustic Pathways was so great, the website was so easy to use, the people who work there were so beyond helpful and sweet, and the programs all look so incredible. I finally chose the program that stuck out to me the most! I was so excited and I couldn't wait for the trip, I was also extremely nervous as well. I had no prior experience with being away from my family for that long so I was not sure how it would go. When time came to get ready for the trip, the packing lists were so helpful, everything you need is on it and when they say don't over pack, I wish I listened to that more because I re-wore clothes and we were constantly buying souvenirs and elephant pants so I had so many clothes at the end of the program. I would recomend bringing an extra bag though for souvenirs and other things because it will be very helpful at the end when your packing. Anyway when I first arrived at the airport it was very organized and it was really easy to meet new people, especially when we were waiting for our bags to get checked, it was so easy to start conversations with people! This boosted my confidence and it made the long travel, layovers and flights much better. When we arrived, I was nervous at first about being away from home, and started questioning myself asking if i had chosen the right program, shortly after we arrived at the base house though I had the opportunity to meet some of the local staff, program leaders and other students who were so sweet and really great in making others feel comfortable. Whenever I felt anxious the program leaders were there for me and really helpful in making me feel better. Once the service trips had started, all of my worries had washed away, I had so much fun in the markets buying food, teaching the kids English and swimming lessons, and helping to build the house and playground! The service trips are split into smaller groups so I was able to meet some really awesome people and get close to them fast, I honestly had such a blast on the service projects and it was so rewarding to know that you were helping to make someones life better! Each and everyday after that I had so much fun, learned so much, and meet such amazing people who I got so close with. Every activity we did I learned something new about the Thai culture and we got to see such beautiful parts of Thailand wherever we went. Words can not describe how incredible this trip was, it truly was life changing! Going to the "land of smiles" made me smile every second I was there. We had so many opportunities and I was grateful for every second. I loved how the program also ensured that we had rest time, side trips, and other fun excursions alongside the incredible service projects. The side trip to Laos was so much fun and such a great opportunity to get closer to the other students on the program. Each second was such a fun adventure filled with breathtaking sights! The hard work that we did whenever we went on a service project was so amazing and rewarding, I had never sweated so much and loved every second of it before! I learned how to build a house, teach kids to swim, make thai curry, and so much more with those projects, I also got to learn Muay Thai boxing, meet monks, go to a thai waterpark, save and release turtles into the pond at Ricefields, get massages, visit a cave and China Town. There were so many activities, places we saw and things we did that there are too many to mention! When it was time to leave I was actually heartbroken, I could not believe how much fun I had and how close I had gotten with people I did not know at all in 2 and half weeks. It was so hard to say goodbye to everyone especially the incredible staff! I got so close to the local staff, program leaders and other students and I still talk to them everyday even after leaving the trip! To sum this experience up, it was truly life changing, I came back with a sense of how other people in this world live, I thought it was so incredible how people with so little can be so grateful and happy with what they have, which made me happier and grateful for everything that I have! I truly am so grateful i faced my fears and decided to travel with Rustic Pathways because it has open the doors up to new possibilities in my life and I now know that I want to travel the world and work for Rustic Pathways when I am older. If you are questioning whether or not you should go on this trip for any reason, the advice I give you is DO IT! Considering I only went on one trip with rustic as of now, and I loved every second of it, imagine how amazing it would be for someone to start when they're even younger than I am and travel to even more places and see the incredible world we live in! I wish I discovered Rustic sooner because I only have one more summer left before I graduate and I hope that next summer will be as amazing as this summer was and I already Know it will be!! I hope you decide to change your life and do a rustic pathways program because if you don't I'm telling you, you'll regret that decision for the rest of your life!

Over the past two summers, I have been going on Rustic programs, and it has completely changed my life. Rustic has taught me how to be myself and be comfortable in situations that I would not have willingly put myself in before. Two years ago, I did a photography program in India with Rustic, and I made great friends and had an amazing time. I was able to step out of my comfort zone, because as I am generally a very quiet person, I was able to be myself around my friends. I never thought that I would be the type of person that would travel the world in a setting like this, but pushing myself to do it was a great idea. While in India, I got to learn about other cultures. I remember how much I learned about Buddhism that I found so interesting. The highlight of the trip by far was when we got to see the Dalai Lama on his birthday at a celebration. We also got to stay with a semi-nomadic tribe, where we learned about their way of life. When I returned from the trip, everyone could see that it had changed me.
This past summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Tanzania and participate in the African Wildlife Conservation trip. When the trip began, I did not expect myself to be as interested in the topic as I was. It was a Critical Issues Program, where we studied the topic of wildlife conservation, specifically chimpanzees. We worked alongside the Jane Goodall Institue to study chimpanzees and learn how our actions have made them endangered. We worked to plant trees in order to create a habitat where chimpanzees could pass through to get to other populations of chimps. Our service in the area culminated in a trip to Gombe National Park, where Jane Goodall conducted her research. We went on a hunt to find the chimpanzees, which resulted in a long hike, but once we saw the them, it was worth it. We also got to go on a safari, where I saw all of my favorite animals! (Besides chimps)
My trips with Rustic Pathways were the best experiences of my life. They taught me so much and I am beyond grateful for having the opportunity to go on these programs.

Before the trip, I was excited, yet frankly very nervous. I had never traveled out of the country without my family and was scared of a culture shock. But what I expierenced in Fiji was nothing what I could’ve ever imagined. My outlook has changed immensely from my trip; experiencing new culture and seeing how one thing may seem tiny but made an enormous positive impact put everything in perspective. We often take many things for granted, like running water, restrooms, and even shelter. But, after helping to build compostable toilets I was able to see how much change one person can make. I know it may seem far fetched or dramatic, it really isn’t. Once you take a trip to an amazing and welcoming culture, like Fiji, your eyes will he opened. It wasn’t just service, but even the service was fun and very rewarding. We were able to go island hoping and even to the highlands, which is the “real” Fiji; most people just think of beaches or resorts and look past the locals lives in the villages in the mountains. We took a caravan to our home stay, where we were instantly accepted. The people are just the nicest and friendliest people you’ll ever meet, there’s no words to explain how at home you’ll feel in just a few short weeks. I loved my trip and would do it again in a heart beat.

The two sweet weeks I spent in Fiji were beyond life changing. I always look past these cheesy posts after international service trips, but it’s one of those things where you have to see it to believe it. I don’t have the vocabulary to express how extraordinary my time there was, but to be honest I don’t think anyone in the world does either. The service did not even feel like service when you were surrounded by so much love and especially so many Bula smiles :) There is not a second of that trip that I will ever take for granted. Going into the trip I was extremely nervous to make friends, but I can confidently say that I am much better friends with the seven people that were in my group that I am with some of my friends back here in Canada. They are so amazing that we are all planning another Rustic trip next summer :). If you do plan on joining the Rustic Family, it will 300% be worth while. PS if you choose Fiji, say Bula to the crew for me :) - T dawg

My experience traveling with Rustic Pathways was the best experience of my life. I learned so many valuable lessons, made so many new friends (who I still keep in touch with to this day), had SO much fun, and learned so much about myself and the world around me. To be honest, I was nervous before going on this program. I've never traveled without my family before, and I wasn't sure if i was going to connect with the other kids going on my program. But as soon as I met everyone in the airport, I immediately became comfortable because everyone was just so kind and welcoming. I ended up having the best week of my life, did some really meaningful service, and had so much fun. One of my favorite parts of the trip was skydiving, which was absolutely incredible. I still look back on my experience to this day and smile, because I've never been happier than I was on that trip. I wouldn't trade my experience for anything!!

The Life in the Bateyes trip in the Dominican Republic was my first experience with Rustic. I went alone in the hopes of meeting some new people, as recommended by Rustic itself. We had 13 people, a group of 4, 2 groups of 2 (one of the groups of 2 knew the girls in the group of 4) and 5 people who came by themselves. With so many sub groups, it made it difficult to bond as a group as well as talk and connect with individuals. One of our trip leaders actually complained about it numerous times (not to us of course). Our base house was amazing! It was a NGO that worked to provide documentation to undocumented immigrants as well as legal representation for laborers. Meeting the nuns and learning what they do was extremely enlightening. The building itself was very nice and was beyond what I could have hoped for (minus warm water though it was so hot it didn't really matter). The service work was my favorite part. At some points though I didn't always feel that we were making an impact. All the work that we did though was sustainable which assisted in making us all feel like we were making a lasting difference on the bateye of Monte Coca. The packing list was pretty accurate for this trip. I did tend to wear more pants (blue jeans, capris, cargo pants) but I wasn't quite as effected by the heat as some of my fellow group members. Our trip leader were very conscientious of our health and always made sure that we drank lots of water and checked in with students to make sure that we didn't get any of the common illnesses that foreigners tend of get in the Dominican. When I got a splitter from a shell in the water on beach day, Angelica (one of the trip leaders) immediately put antibiotics on it and took out the piece that was lodged in my foot. Rustic is also very conscious of the many ways it can leave a minimal impact of the environment. Our base house was powered by solar energy and all the food that we ate was grown on the property. On our last few days in country we stayed at what is called an ecolodge, which is a whole mini resort if you will that has zero impact. Energy from solar panels, food from property, recycled rain water for sinks, toilets, etc. All in all I would recommend this trip to any high schooler as a way to practice some Spanish, learn about a different culture, and make a positive impact on someone life.

this rustic pathways trip changed my life. Before i came
to costa rica, i was someone who was fairly entitled. after completing this trip, i learned so much about how fortunate i am, and how grateful i need to be for this. in addition to this the staff were always supportive, even in emergencies. the service felt incredibly impactful, especially when you were able to see results. we were lucky enough to have the community show us their gratitude, and every single bit of hard work is worth it. you feel the impact of all of your service.

I cannot rave more about my trip to Cuba with Rustic Pathways. I have been fortunate enough to do a photo exhibit in my high school to share my Rustic experience. I have been able to share my story many students, faculty, and people in my community. I get so excited talking about the program because it has impacted me in so many positive ways. From adapting to a new culture and trying new things, to meet so many new faces, I have had endless opportunities on my journey through Cuba. I highly recommend this program, and the leaders made the trip even more exciting.

I had the best time ever on my trip to Fiji this summer! We completed 60 hours of community service on this trip, which sounds like a lot, but every hour was well worth it. Some of the service activities we did included working in an animal shelter, building bathrooms in villages, making dinner for single mothers and their children, planting mangrove trees, picking up waste on the beaches, and painting a house. With so many different service activities, everyday is different so it never gets boring. There is also an opportunity to do a weekend side trip, and I highly recommend going on the highland side trip because you get to do a home stay and get really close with your host family. I unfortunately got sick on my program, but I am only mentioning this to recognize how wonderful the doctors were at the medical clinic. My doctor at home was in complete agreement with how the doctor's in Fiji were treating me, so you should have no concerns over sending your children to Fiji, they are in very good hands. Overall, I learned so much on my trip to Fiji that I never could have even imagined. Fijian culture is one of the most warm and welcoming cultures I have ever witnessed, making it all the more difficult to leave their beautiful country. Even though they may not have much money or material possessions, they are the happiest and most loving people I have ever met, which was something truly great to experience. If given the opportunity to come on a Rustic trip to Fiji, I would strongly encourage you to go on the trip.