Program Reviews

The leaders really made the trip so fun and i hope i get to meet them all again. They made it so easy to do everything and even during hard times they made it a lot of fun. Also the lead it really well and guided us to be better people. They were also serious when then need to be which made me feel safe and like they know what they were doing. Also they made fun activities and switched up things when weather did not comply. Overall i would love to see the leaders again. And i think they did a great job.

I had an awesome time on my trip to the Dominican Republic. It was one of the most fun weeks of my life. Rustic certainly helped to make that experience complete. We had awesome group leaders who showed us all the coolest places. There isn’t really much I would change about the trip. It was well put together and it was certainly a profound experience for my life. I was able to grow as a person and create new memories with my friends. I got to learn a new culture and improve my Spanish as well. Overall it was a great trip.

This program was a great experience. I would love to travel on a Rustic Pathways trip abroad, however due to my other commitments I am unable to block out the time to do so. I found that the GIDC program was a great substitute and I still learned tons of new information about different parts of the world from within my home! I was able to learn about different remote areas and how they need assistance, while also building my own person skills throughout all of the group work that we did. Recommend!

I was hoping that other students could participate more, however the teachers were very supportive. I loved how supportive and fun the Fiji team were. The activities were fun and faculty has shown great support in guiding me through the process of creating my prototype. I really enjoyed learning the Fijian culture and language, it has inspired me to go to Fiji and do physical improvements rather than digital ones. Overall because I celebrate New Years the timing was a little bit uneasy for me, but it was still very engaging and I do not regret doing it at all.

I travelled from Perth, Western Australia to Brisbane to take part on the You a roo' and Australia Zoo program. It was such an amazing experience not only to work at australia zoo which is a dream of mine as some passionate in zoology but also the bonds i made with all the girls and my program leaders. Although such a small group i have extremely fond memories of every single person on trip which made an already amazing person ten times better. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone passionate about animal conservation.

Despite the fact that the program I did only lasted for a week, it is undoubtedly one of my favorite trips ever. I enjoyed every single bit of the program. I enjoyed the time spent with the local community, playing with those innocent kids. I enjoyed the moment I threw the football with perfect spin for the first time, having fun with a group of kids in the village. I still remembered the day when our group went to one of Rustic Pathways' construction project and painted the wooden pillars with pink paint under the blasting sun. It was just such a great time that I could totally recall every single moment.
Indeed, the scope of the volunteering programs held in Fiji goes far beyond merely community service. We served the community, but we also had a ton of fun doing it. The program leaders always kept us busy having fun with all sorts of activities after dinner. We had karaoke, bonfire, dances, and so much more.
Since then, I fell in love with community service, truly.

My Rustic Pathways trip showed me a new way to look at the world. As the trip progressed, each day I started to put more and more into the tasks at hand. I realized how satisfying my hard work can be. Through the trip, I learned that even a little work on a project is a start in making a large difference. Although my trip was only 10 days, my perspective of volunteering changed. I was pleasantly surprised by the other teens’ commitment to our work helping the environment. My Rustic Pathways experience changed the way I view my carbon footprint and it has pushed me to make myself a better person and citizen of the world.

My rustic experience was life-changing. I spent 18 in rural thailand, the first half of my trip I spent in a small village in Mae Sariang and then we went to an elephant sanctuary for the second half. It was so incredible to see different ways of life and be able to help out in places of need. When I came home from this trip, I immediately felt like a different person. I have become so much more aware of the world and how important it is to be thankful for everything you are given. It is an incredible opportunity to be able to visit and help out people in different countries in need. My perspective on life has developed substantially and Rustic Pathways can take full responsibility for that. I would most definitely recommend this program or any rustic program.

My trip to Fiji with Rustic Pathways was absolutely amazing! I couldn't have asked for a better experience in my life. When I first thought about going overseas to Fiji, I was very nervous about flying and going to a country where I knew no one. However, when I met my Rustic staff at the airport, I felt like I was in the best hands. I always felt safe and never worried about not being safe. When I arrived, it was the most welcoming experience I could have ever imagined. Being far away from home made me feel nervous, but the Rustic staff made me feel at home. One thing I take away from my trip to Fiji is that I never had a bad memory or experience. I made life-long memories with life-long friends. I am so proud of myself for taking this huge step and will never regret it!

This was by far the most unique experience I've ever had when traveling.

Traveling abroad with Rustic Pathways taught me that coming out of my comfort zone to trying new things and learning more about myself can really develop who I am. I learned about traditional Thailand culture and values all while being able to help the community.

One of the most rewarding parts of the travel was being able to assist those in Thailand. My personal highlight was being able to teach English to grade-schoolers on one of our last days there and it was a memory I'll cherish forever. Another lesson that they really emphasize is the importance and power of self-reflection. The team at Rustic gives you a couple of opportunities to reflect with each other and it helps build character development and also a stronger bond between everyone.