India Gap Block Month

I spent a month in India with Rustic Pathways during my gap semester and it was the trip of a lifetime. The service work was fulfilling and always interesting, and I had the opportunity to interact with incredibly moving individuals -- I even got to hear the Dalai Lama speak! My trip advisors were two Rustic employees from the U.S. and two from India, and all four made me feel extremely comfortable and safe, while making sure that we were always smiling and having a great time. (Side note: they were also all hilarious and the best entertainment during long bus rides.) I participated in three home stays throughout the month, and all three families welcomed me into their homes as if I was their own child. I was so moved by how each family treated me and how close I grew to each of them in such short amounts of time.

I've always dreamed of going to India, and I couldn't have picked a better trip to live out the dream through. I honestly feel as though I got to see all that India had to offer -- and I mean all of it. Rustic's itinerary was so well balanced, and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for an adventure that will open your eyes to new cultures and take you off the beaten path to life changing places.