Program Reviews

After spending 2 weeks in Fiji I am dying to go back! The country has much more to offer than only pretty beaches and islands. The highlight of my trip was getting to know the people and their culture. My group was small but that allowed me to get to know everyone which was great. It was one of my favorite experiences to spend time with new people while also going on fun adventures. Small things like bus rides and watching sunrises/sunsets were one of my many favorite parts. Learning the culture being another one. Fiji has many traditions in their culture that you have to be there to understand. And not everything went our way but it is helpful to be open minded. For example it poured on the day we went island hoping. But if you make the best of everything you will have lots more fun.

After spending 2 weeks in Fiji I have become attached to much more than just the beaches and the country. The highlight of my trip was learning about the culture and getting to know the people. Fiji is a country you have to go to to understand. The people and community there are so welcoming and what to teach you their culture. As far as my program went, it was very small but I got to get to know everyone which was great. We had a fun new adventure everyday, but not everything went to plan as you can’t expect it to be. On the day we went island hopping it poured rain and we just had to make the most of it. It is always helpful to be open minded to changes because you can’t control everything. But the overall experience was very memorable and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Over the summer I went on a 26 day trip to Thailand and Laos with Rustic Pathways. I did the “Come with Nothing” program and it was the best thing i’ve ever experienced. Rustic Pathways made me feel safe and cared for throughout the entire duration of the program. We spent our time in the villages and lived with Thai families. Almost every day we had service. The service was challenging but it was worth every single second. Nothing will ever beat the fulfillment that you get from seeing your hard work truly pay off. The Rustic staff and the other kids in my group became my second family. I never expected to love a group of people so quickly. I would recommend and and all Rustic trips if you want to create amazing and life changing memories!

Everyone I was surrounded by in Morocco, from the villagers to the leaders, constantly proved to me that the smallest things make such a difference. Before my trip I took a lot for granted, but this trip showed me that even a simple smile makes such a difference. Being with the children in Morocco made me fall in love with teaching and how excited the children are to learn. The places we explored in Morocco were absolutely beautiful from the peaceful Atlas Mountains to the bustling city of Marrakech there was always something exciting to do. My guides were amazing and taught us so much history about Morocco and lead us on many tours throughout the country. Sara is the most genuine and caring rustic leader and if you get her as your leader you are in amazing hands! I recommend this trip to everyone!

I went to Thailand this past summer to work with the Thai Elephant Conservation center and to explore Thailand. I went on the Elephant and amazing Thailand program. On this trip I explored my love for animals and the environment. I loved working with the mahouts helping bathe and feed the elephants. My favorite memory was giving my elephant, Pratita, a bath in the lake while my mahout splashed me with water.and I made incredible bonds with the mahouts and my elephant. Continuing my trip by exploring Thailand I was emerged into a new and exciting culture while making long lasting friends. I loved seeing the temples and trying new foods. I even tried friend bugs! I made amazing friends that I am still close with. Everyone was so friendly and encouraging.

In Costa Rica not only did we get to play and care for several turtles but we also were enriched in the Costa Rican culture. Everyone in Costa Rica is so genuine and friendly, in the streets there is always music playing and people dancing, And don’t be surprised if a Costa Rican grabs your hand to dance as well. In the first half of the trip it was more community service based. We helped to clean up beaches from plastic and save/relocate turtle eggs. At night we would walk the beaches looking for turtles ready to give birth, and if so we would help them. The last week of the trip was all adventure we went to water falls and several different communities to meet people. Overall, this trip was life changing, I learned so much about the environment, the culture, and asking the way made life long friendships. I highly recommend this trip to newer travelers looking for fun and adventure.

The experience with Rustic Pathways doing surf and service in Costa Rica was incredible. The trip was a combination of watersports such surfing, kayaking and swimming along with doing service work helping to build a new sports facility for a local school. Every aspect was well planned out and the staff was amazing. Traveling there was somewhat complicated but the Rustic team too all the stress out of the planning and the journey was fun. Working with the local community opened my eyes to the world outside of Los Angeles and I feel we made a difference in improving the lives of the people we worked with. The surfing was world class and the instructors helped us improve while ensuring we had fun. It was such a great experience that we have signed up again for next year.

This summer, I traveled to the Dominican Republic to work in a summer camp for thirty local children ages 9-13. The Summer Camp Leadership program was one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had. I went on this trip alone and I was very scared to meet new people. I was nervous that no one would like me or that I would get homesick. It is nerve-racking to go to a completely new country, not knowing the language, people, or culture. Straight off the bat, I felt welcomed by the amazing program leaders and the other caring students. We all really connected by doing ice-breaker games and bonding over our many similar interests. Aside from the six-day summer camp that we ran and the consistent volunteering opportunities we had, this trip consisted of camping in the beautiful mountains, swimming in the crystal clear water, and exploring the cities of Jarabacoa and Santo Domingo. When I signed up for this program, I did not know what to expect. I knew that I wanted to work with children but did not fully understand how I would approach this foreign community. Throughout these 16 days, I learned how to communicate with people from different backgrounds and, most importantly, I learned what it means to be a leader. I realized that communication is the utmost important part of being a good leader. As I learned from the first couple of days of running the summer camp, communication is the key to creating a successful and inclusive environment. Although this program was challenging, mentally and physically, I am extremely thankful that I had the opportunity to experience a completely new culture with a new group of friends. I knew that I could always count on the program leaders and my new friends to be by my side throughout the two weeks. Thanks to this trip, I felt a true connection to the people around me and to the work I was doing. I really recommend this trip to anyone who is passionate about being a part of a new community and enjoying every aspect of it.

going into the trip, i was so so nervous that I wouldn’t make many friends and kept thinking to myself, “what a i getting myself into?” turns out, it was the best decision I could’ve made. you meet people and make friends instantly, right when you get to the airport. we spent most of the 16 days working on building a kitchen for students, and also spent time teaching the students English which was so rewarding. I love playing with the local children for hours- running around with them and laughing is something that I will never, ever forget. i think that by going on this trip, I was able to see a side of Tanzania that you could never get just going on vacation there... we visited local farms, cooked with women of the village, and spent time in a village that you would never even know was there if you just went on a family trip... making this experience so special.

My Rustic Pathways experience in Hawaii was incredible! We traveled all over the Big Island, staying at an amazing ranch, a unique hostel, and camping under the stars. The Aloha Service trip allowed my fellow travelers and I to learn about the diverse ecosystem and effects of invasive species on Hawaii’s environment. We weeded, planted, and learned from experts. Not only did we work alongside passionate members of the community, we also were able to snorkel, surf, and hike in some of the world’s most beautiful places. We saw black and green sand beaches and amazing wildlife like sea turtles and eels. Rustic Pathways is a life-changing program that gives students like me a chance to meet new people and grow as a confident individual and steward of the earth.