Program Reviews

This past summer, I went on a Rustic Pathways teen tour to the beautiful country of Costa Rica. The program was a Spanish Immersion Program where the goal was to leave speaking much more Spanish than when the program started. Before I left, I was naive about what was going to happen while I was there. I was unaware of the amazing program leaders that would be there to help us enjoy ourselves, the other students that I would form long-lasting friendships with, and most importantly the lessons I would learn about life in general. We learned that there is a large difference between a traveler and a tourist. A traveler goes to a different country and learns the different customs and culture. A traveler tries new food and embraces the fact that they aren't in their home country anymore. A tourist goes on a vacation and acts as if they were in their own country with no changes. Rustic Pathways and their program leaders taught us that it was important to experience different cultures because we are more isolated than we think we are in the United States. We are in a bubble and it is amazing breaking out of that bubble and experiencing what life is like outside.

Within the program itself, we had a daily Spanish class for a couple of hours each morning. In the group, there were 4 travelers and a Costa Rican native Spanish speaker teaching us the language. It helped us practice our conversation to a point where we were comfortable using it to speak to the people around the city. After this, we did some activities such as white water rafting or visiting local coffee farms. During the night, we stayed with a host family and they cooked us a delicious dinner. It was very fun practicing our Spanish skills with them. I would certainly recommend Rustic Pathways to other students because it really changed my thinking about many things and burst the bubble that I was inside of.

When I first signed up for the trip to the Dominican Republic I did not know what to expect, since I didn't have any prior knowledge about the country. This trip with Rustic Pathways was my first time visiting the Dominican Republic, and I have to say it was a very interesting experience. I am from Mexico, and I decided to embark on this Rustic trip with a couple of my friends. It was a lot of fun to go on a trip like this with my friends from home, but another part of a trip like this that is a highlight is getting to know other people, which for me are from a different culture. It was a really fun and enriching experience to get to know a group of new people so well and work alongside them on service. That was another highlight of my trip, the service. As a group, we got to work on tons of different service projects in the country. We did beach cleanups and coral reef observations with an organization called FUNDEMAR. Here we got to see the beauty of the ocean that surrounds the Dominican Republic, and the environment we were trying to help protect. Another part of the service was planning and executing a day camp for some kids at a local school. I am lucky enough to be bilingual and being able to understand the kids was interesting for me because I got to get a better understanding of their lives, and the similarities between the Caribbean and Latin American countries. Although, this doesn't mean that you have to speak Spanish. Quite the contrary actually, the English speaking members of my had an even more interesting time laughing while they tried to understand the kids and have the kids understand them. Overall, this program was a lot of fun, and it allowed me to experience the culture and the environment of a new country.

My program was unique because it was specifically designed for wilderness first aid education and at first this made me think that it was a better suit for students who are interested in medicine. This was something that made me nervous at first because I don't want to study medicine in future :) However, as I went to Thailand and got to know the project and my friends better, I have understood that not only this program makes you love medicine, it also reminds its participants that WFA is an education that everyone needs to get, regardless of whether they are medicine students or not. Therefore, I advise the future participants to not feel insufficient for this program if they are not interested in medicine, because as a student who has her own WFA certificate right now, I feel really proud for challenging myself to do something that I had considered as boring in past. Also, one of the best things about this program was that we turned a disadvantage into an advantage. Normally, less people prefer these kind of projects that are focused on specific areas, such as WFA. Our program consisted of only 9 people, including me, while other community service programs could go up to 40 people. With expectations to meet a lot of people from all around the world, at first I was disappointed. However, later on, I have seen that not only this was a chance to get to know your friends more closely, it also made our connections much more lasting and intimate. Spending a full week with 8 people was a chance for me to get to know everyone of them closely and build stronger friendships. This taught all of us the importance of friendships and once again reminded us to appreciate how this program brought us together, since we are still in contact :)

Two summers ago, I went to Thailand with Rustic Pathways. Shortly after I returned, I decided to go on the Mystery Trip. This program did not provide us beforehand with an itinerary or any clue of what we would be doing, but this was the beauty of the program. Although knowing the plan ahead of time can be calming, not knowing proved to be better! It allowed us to open ourselves up to new opportunities and enabled us to appreciate every day and every experience. Each morning, we would get clues and try to figure out where we would be heading that day. On my previous trip, I spent a lot of time looking forward to certain parts of the program that didn’t happen until later in the trip. While this excitement of the future made me eager for the rest of the program, it also made me forget about other aspects of the trip along the way.
I discovered that India was the mystery destination when I arrived at the airport. I could not believe I was finally getting to travel to India because it is on the list of places I wanted to visit. On this trip, I got to see so many fascinating parts of India, the famous as well as small pockets. Of course, we saw the Taj Mahal, but we also went to unique and lesser-known places that showed an entirely new part of India that I didn’t even know existed. After my trip to India, I genuinely feel like I can say that I experienced as much of India as possible in the short week that we were there.
The Rustic Pathway Staff made me feel safe in an unknown country while still pushing me to leave my comfort zone. The staff encouraged us to try new things, especially food, while understanding if we did not want to.
If India is on the list of places you are looking to travel, I highly recommend traveling with Rustic Pathways. I have been on many trips with and without Rustic Pathways, and I genuinely believe that Rustic Pathways is the way to go. There is nothing like a Rustic Trip, and I promise that you will not regret traveling with them!

This past summer, I spent 2 amazing weeks in Thailand. In the first week, I learned about the gender equality issues in Thailand through talking to professors, NGOs, and homestay in the country. The second week, we were in the Rustic base house where we met with people from Vietnam and Cambodia and learned about the topic they focused on which we later formed groups and created our own projects.
These 2 weeks have been lifechanging in many ways. I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried things I've never tried before. This trip also made me see the problems that we have more clearly and gave me a better idea of how I can help in my own way. It expanded my horizon and gave me the chance to see things from other people's perspectives as well.
I also loved how the group was really international and I was able to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds and formed some lifelong friendships during this trip.

I’m my group as all girls, and I was afraid it would be cliquey but quite the opposite happened. The first night all of us went into one room together and shared laughs and stories. I’ve never in my life felt so close with people I barely even knew! There was never a moment when I felt excluded because everyone was friendly with everyone. I initially wasn’t excited about the all girls part but it actually enhanced my experience! The group dynamics was a huge part of why this was my favorite trip. I did another rustic trip the year before which was still an amazing experience but the group dynamics really made the experience memorable. The group leaders also weren’t just adults to me but friends who I had fun and light conversations with because they treated me like a person and not a job kid to babysit.

This program was incredible. I got to see parts of the world that I never thought I would, but more importantly, I met people (both locals and those on the trip with me) that I will remember for life. Apart from the actual experience of being in Morocco, the activities we did as a group helped me learn so much about my new friends as well as myself. It allowed me to return home with a new perspective. The fun things we did regarding the Moroccan culture and landscape only accentuated this gained perspective. I still keep in touch with the friends that I made, and the memories that I made in Morocco will stay with me forever. The leaders were also incredible; they were always focused on our safety and enjoyment. They didn't feel separate from the students on the group; we were all one family.

My Rustic Pathways experience was incredible. From the moment I met my fellow travelers in the airport, I was overwhelmed with a sense of community and excitement. Throughout the trip, it was completely life changing to see the different ways of life in these developing communities and it gave me perspective. Not only did my Rustic experience change the lives of the communities we partnered with, it changed my own life significantly. While I was living in this new country for two weeks, learning Spanish from community members, and developing teamwork, I found confidence and fueled my curiosity. I would highly recommend this program to any traveler looking to broaden their understanding and perception of the world, complete deeply meaningful community work alongside new friends, and indulge themselves in a unique culture.

I have traveled with Rustic Pathways for two consecutive summers. They have simply been the best summers of my life. First I traveled to Australia where I was able to work in the famous Steve Irwin Zoo. This past summer I traveled to Thailand. While I was there I met some of the most amazing people and creatures. Although I love the luxuries that I take for granted every day such as air conditioning, comfort foods, and wifi, I did not miss them a bit on this trip. Rustic does not lie when they say that they will get the student on the trip fully enveloped into the local culture. Although for some it might sound gruesome, it is something that I honestly am very blessed to have been a part of. I firmly believe that without some of the people I have met and the experiences that I have had through Rustic, I would not be the person I am today.

My trip to Fiji was one of the most memorable trips of my life! I made countless friends from all around the globe, many of which I am still in touch with months later and I expect to be in touch with many years from now! Rustic provided a safe and comfortable living situation at the base house, while still allowing all participants access to real, authentic Fijian culture in multiple villages-- an experience that not many people who travel to Fiji get. The service aspect of my trip was extremely rewarding and I believe that there is an inherent value in immersing yourself in another person's culture and then working alongside them. The staff was not only welcoming but over the two weeks I was there, they became a second family. I would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone regardless of how out of your comfort zone it is, because there is no doubt in my mind that the Rustic staff will make it comfortable and worth it for you!