My Experiencd With Rustic Pathways

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.