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!

Traveling on the Big Fiji Explorer program was a remarkable experience that will never leave my heart. Fiji itself is filled with many charms such as beautiful mountains, crystal oceans, wildlife you name it (see pictures)! Another charm is the amiable nature of the Fijians: From the moment the flight lands in Nadi, the Fijians will welcome you like family. To the people of Fiji, you are not a stranger; we all bleed red so we must be family right? If you reciprocate this point of view, you will immerse yourself in a culture that is so distant from home and even learn about how you can enhance your life at home.
On the trip, day to day there was something new, exciting, and surprising. Those surprises will have to wait until you travel to Fiji. But something that lays beyond the charms of Fiji is the people you traveled with. Those are the people that will impact and inspire you. Going into the trip, my mind was locked on how beautiful this place would be, which it was. But I didn't even think about the people I would be meeting, and quite frankly, the people I met made this experience 10x more unforgettable. Rustic Pathways ensures that this happens, your group leaders will take you under their wings as if you are their own. Rustic Pathways allows their students to be themselves, which establishes an environment of pure happiness.
If you are hesitant about enrolling on a Rustic trip, don't be! It will forever change your life!

The people of Fiji are truly the most interesting people you will ever meet; they are kind, funny, and welcoming. You will also never meet a Fijian who cannot sing. Even though I was on the opposite side of the world, I always felt surrounded by my family. My program leaders made my experience even more special, as they became my family over the course of two weeks. Traveling with Rustic Pathways provided unique opportunities that would not have been available to me if I traveled with my family. I got to stay in remote villages and know the locals. I made many friends and I enjoyed getting to experience the lifestyle of many Fijians. We went to Somosomo, for instance, where I befriended many Fijian children. The people are not the only beautiful part of Fiji, however. Fiji's waters are the clearest I have ever seen, and the marine life is truly unique. Almost every single day we were swimming in the ocean, and we got to swim alongside manta rays and other extraordinary marine life (even though we got stung by many jellyfish). I cannot wait to return to Fiji and make more memories with the place and the people.

This experience was really fun and overall a great place to learn different cultures and travel the world. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is open to becoming culturally involved and would like to experience the beauties of nature. This trip was life changing for myself and I wouldn’t want to share this experience with anyone else. This program really changes you and changes your perspective in many different ways. You will create special bonds with people and will never want to leave them. The locals in this country are very kind and caring and you will never meet anyone else as inclusive as they are. If you love the ocean and seeing cool varieties of marine life, this is another place to discover many interesting creatures the oceans have.

My Fiji trip was an experience I will never forget. Being able to experience Fijian culture and truly understand it is a priceless experience. I was welcomed with open arms and big smiles into the lives of every Fijian I met, and I will never forget how they made me feel at home thousands of miles away from my hometown. The people on my trip and I share a bond unlike any other. We laughed and learned and cried together, and the trip made us such close friends in only 16 days. The people I met on this trip are some of the best I know, and I’m sure I will remain friends with them for years to come. To experience real Fiji, in all its mud and beauty, is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. This trip taught me so many lessons that I took home with me, and it made me a better person in all ways.