Program Reviews

Rustic Pathways is the most amazing program you could ever go on a trip with. Even though you are there to be helping with the communities, they always make you their first priorities. On the first day when you get there, they have a one on one talk with each person individually so they can do whatever they can to help make your trip goes smoothly. Everyday they make sure that you have enough food and water and you having fun is always their first priority. Rustic Pathways introduces you to people from all over the world and gives you some of your best friends. They help you to step out of your comfort zone to try new things that you wouldn’t be able to experience back home. Whether I was doing service work or jumping out a plane I was always having the best time. Overall, Rustic Pathways has given me the best summers and the most incredible experiences of my life.

I went to Fiji with Rustic this past summer (2019), along with Thailand in 2018, and can say with confidence that Big Fiji Explorer was the absolute best program I could have picked. The group was 18 people, which was the perfect size. The itinerary provided online was almost perfectly reflective of what we did on the trip, which was wonderful. Another thing that is nice about Fiji trips is the wide variety. My trip was a travel trip, meaning we didn't stay more than 3 nights in a row at the same place. This was, we saw a larger portion of the island and were immersed in several different communities. However, some people (first time or younger travelers, for example), might be more comfortable staying at one central location. The base house programs, mainly community service-based, are perfect for that! There are options all around.

I spent this past summer in Fiji on a two week service program. Those two weeks were some of the most powerful and meaningful weeks I've ever had. Throughout my time in Fiji, I built houses and animal pens, painted a school, and formed relationships with local kids. One of the best parts of this program was the wide variety of opportunities I had in terms of service. It was so hard to get bored being that every morning I'd wake up to a new task. Looking back on all I did, I am amazed at all of the new things I learned. Getting to experience living in an environment extremely different from my own was eye-opening and made me appreciate all I have. In addition, the kids who participate in the program are from all over the U.S. and getting to create these relationships is so valuable. I am still in touch with all of the friends I made and look to them for guidance and comfort when my friends at home are not providing that for me. Finding a program in which you can learn, help, socialize, and step out of your comfort zone is not an easy thing to do. In all of the programs I have done through Rustic Pathways, I have always felt as though I got each of these components out of them and I continue to come back every summer.

I've spent my past two summers traveling with Rustic Pathways to three different countries, Costa Rica, Fiji, and Australia. Each one was incredible and unique in their own way. Through Rustic I have been so lucky to get to know and love people from all over the world. As cliche as it sounds, I came back from each trip a new person.

Fiji was something special though. I had dreamed about going to Fiji since I was in fifth grade and this summer that dream became a reality. From the second we stepped foot in the airport we were greeted with a big BULA!!!! I knew this trip was going to be a good one.

The Base House: Staying at the Base House was so cool because we got to meet and interact with so many kids outside of our program, not to mention it was beautiful. There is so much to do there that it's impossible to get bored! I found joy and value in everything I experienced.

The people: The people I met on this trip are definitely what made it so memorable. Our program leaders were some of the coolest people I've ever known and they made us feel so welcomed right away. We were also so lucky to have had several local rustic program leaders at the base house with us. I became extremely close with one in particular, Lolou. We still keep in touch! The locals in Fiji were the most kind-hearted, generous people I have ever met. Every single person wore such a genuine smile and authentically went out of their way with a big 'Bula' everywhere we went. The kids!!! The highlight of my trip was the kids club in Momi Village. I have never experienced a level of complete and utter joy as I did during my time interacting and playing with the children in the village.

The love and compassion the people of Fiji have for others is something that will resonate with me forever. They live each and every day with gratitude and they taught me that's it's not always about where you are, it's about who you're with.

Community Service: I chose the Intro to Community Service program because I wanted to help the community as much as possible and also experience the Fijian culture, the lifestyle, and to explore the beautiful island. The community service we did touched on a little bit of everything and I can say with all my heart I loved it all. We took part in a beach cleanup, we worked on home improvement projects, had the blessing of working in kids club, we did meal prep for a women's shelter and also worked on a school. Besides the kids club, I loved doing the meal prep for the Navakai Hart women's shelter. We first walked about 5 minutes from the base house where we met our host for the day who has been doing meal preps for the women's shelter for years. She talked to us about the women's shelter and why she does what she does. It was heartfelt and inspiring. Every single person in my group was so excited to make and deliver the food. The women at the shelter were beyond grateful for us and the food we had prepared. Our stay there wasn't long, but the impact they had on us will be.

Activities: We did a wide variety of activities. Island hopping was definitely the most memorable. Getting to go to cloud break was one of the coolest things I have ever seen/experienced. We also went to a hot spring, hiking through Fijis only national park, learned clay making, walked around downtown, went to a local market, stargazed (the stars in Fiji are like a dream), hung out at the beach, and so many other little things in between community service and at the base house.

I talk about Fiji so much and so often I think my friends are just a little sick of it...lol. But that's what this trip will do to you. It will leave you with lifelong connenctions, an endless amount of unforgettable memories, lessons and experiences that speak to your heart, and a love/hate relationship with Kava. This trip will be something you can't stop talking about. Your heart will ache and you'll want to go back. The people, the culture, the beauty....Fiji is simply unforgettable.

This was an amazing trip! I got to experience the real culture of Fiji alongside many other like-minded teens in the highlands of Nausori Village. I stayed in a homestay for part of the trip, doing community service in the village during the day and hanging out with my village family at night. The last few days of the trip were in islands of Somo Somo where we got to relax and swim, while experiencing the island life of Fiji.

Rustic pathways has broadened my horizons and views of the world. By traveling to new locations with other teenagers I have made meaningful connections with not only my group but the community as well. I have learned the importance of giving back and that sometimes a friendly smile or wave can be worth more than money. When coming back to my everyday life after my two Rustic Pathways trips, I have learned to take everything in with a grain of salt, be grateful for everything and everyone in my life, and most importantly live in the moment!

Going to Thailand was the most rewarding experience of my life. I went to the Marine and Rainforest Conservation program. I learned so much and had so many unforgettable experiences that have changed my outlook on life. I got to connect with the locals and discover how they were approaching their conservation efforts and help them. Every day was jam-packed full of exciting and rewarding activities. I got to experience so many different aspects of the culture that was new to me while also learning about the ecosystem there and most importantly having a blast. Being on this trip felt like a personal paradise. The food was incredible. The staff was incredible (shout out to PiNeNe and PiSonia). Every experience was incredible. The people at the homestay were incredible too. At the homestay, I stayed with Bang Doni and his wife and got to spend time with his adorable daughter NaNa. Two kids who lived in the village, Nai and Apun also accompanied us on many of our activities. (They both play a mean game of volleyball too) The time I got to spend with the villagers was my favorite part of the trip which I was not at all expecting. I also loved the jungle hikes, beach clean-ups, river rafting, and the elephant sanctuary. Overall, this program was the best time of my life and I would give anything to go on this trip a second time.

My time with Rustic Pathways in Peru was an experience I will never forget. It was my first time going on a trip with Rustic, and also my first time traveling alone. My sister went on the exact same trip the year before, and as soon as she came home I wanted to sign up immediately. The night before I left I was so nervous, I called my sister in tears crying about how I was terrified that I wasn’t going to make friends and didn’t want to go. Little did I know that I would have the experience of a lifetime that would change me in so many ways. I was greeted with big smiles at the airport and instantly made friends that I still talk to on a daily basis. We had a very small group, which I loved because we were very close from the start of the trip. There were 4 girls and 8 boys on my trip which is very rare, so the four of us girls got super close super fast. In Peru, I got to meet new people, experience a new culture, step way out of my comfort zone, and had the best time of my entire life! It was mentally and physically challenging at times, but I think that is why I grew so much as a result. If I could give one tip to someone traveling with Rustic, I would say go into it with a completely open mind, because you never know what you will experience—be open to new friendships, new cultures, and new adventures!

This past summer I spent two and a half weeks in five different regions in Morocco with Rustic Pathways. I learned about the history and culture of the this beautiful country, while discovering the countless amount of things I had in common with the sixteen other boys and girls in my group. While in Morocco I had the opportunity to teach younger Moroccan children English, ride camels, discover mosques and other historic building, hike undiscovered mountains and drink lots of tea. Each day was a new adventure and no day was like the last. My group was led by three incredibly knowledgeable and genuine group leaders who made my experience so much more meaningful. I am eternally grateful to Rustic Pathways for introducing me to my best friend, someone who I would never have met if it was not for Rustic.

I absolutely loved this trip from the moment that it began! My group and group leaders were amazing and helped me learn so much about myself as a global citizen. The trip itself was the perfect mix of intense community service, adventurous excursions, delicious food, and cultural and historical experiences. I also loved how small the group was and how almost no one knew each other before the trip, making it easy to make deep and meaningful connections with the people around me. I am sure that my new friends and I will stay in touch! The most impactful part of the trip for me was our group's discussions of what meaningful community service is, which helped me redefine what my notion of helping others. I realized that rather than thinking that we ourselves were transforming the town, we instead were supporting the community and working as best we could alongside them.

Rustic pathways was an all around amazing and life changing experience. I have grown up in the same place my entire life, so this opportunity to explore and learn about different places and cultures is so new and exciting to me. There is nothing I would rather do with my summer. The special thing about Morocco is the connections I made with both my fellow travelers and the people who lived there-I never knew how easy it is to break through a language barrier! I was still able to play and connect with the children and adults through expressions, laughter, songs, and even dance. Making relationships with fellow Rustic travelers was so amazing as well, since I got the opportunity to meet people of similar interest but of different backgrounds. This trip was truly life changing, and I know I will never forget it.