Fiji: Sun, Sand, and Island Service with Rustic Pathways

This summer with rustic in Fiji changed my life! It was the best experience! My trip leaders were amazing and I made lifelong friends with everyone on my trip! The itinerary was the perfect balance between not so rustic and 'roughing it' rustic, making the trip super enjoyable. This program in particular was the perfect balance between adventure and service; I recommend this trip to any one that loves people, adventure, and the ocean! I have nothing bad to say about this program or rustic; it's truly a life changing trip every one deserves to experience.

My personal favorites on the trip were Somosomo and Sasa. In Somosomo, the safari tents are fine, but in such a beautiful place I wanted to sleep outside at night, so I brought an eno, and it was so magical sleeping under a million stars right by the ocean. When you take the sunrise hike, don't complain about waking up early, because the hike is one of the best parts of the trip. In Sasa, it's chilly at night, so don't neglect the packing list and make sure to bring a light sweatshirt. Definitely pack less than you need, I know it sounds scary but trust me. Also, for when your in the village and have to cover up, elephant pants are really nice to have because they're lightweight and cute too;).

When your on your trip, take advantage of every opportunity! Live every moment to the fullest because it'll be over before you know it. GO SKYDIVING! GO SCUBA DIVING! GO UPSIDE DOWN ON THE ZIPLINE! I know I would have regretted it if I didn't do everything. Make sure you enjoy every boat ride, you'll miss them; I sure do. Jump off of every big rock you can, never stay in the boat when you can get in the water, and never stand still when you can dance! This trip has inspired me to change the way I look at the world. I'm already trying to convince my parents to let me take a gap year and travel. Adventure and experience is the most valuable thing any young adult can have.

I felt so much life and love on this trip! Thank you Rustic for making these experiences possible for us!

This summer I went on Big Fiji Explorer. It was my first Rustic Pathways trip, and my first time truly being away from my home for a long period of time. I can not recommend this trip enough. It was the perfect amount of time to see Fiji. We were able to explore so many aspects of the country in just 16 days. We stayed in a variety of accommodations, all of which were different from each other. You were on the move from place to place every few days, however it was exciting to be able to stay in a hotel in the city one night and stay in the mountains the next night. Throughout the 16 days we were there, we participated in so many awesome activities, from zip lining to snorkeling to taking the “leap of faith” at a high ropes course. Each activity we did was always so fun, and it brought us so much closer with our group. One thing I can not commend Rustic Pathways enough for was allowing us to totally immerse yourself in the culture. We always had the opportunity to talk to locals. While on this trip, we visited the village of Somosomo, and this was the most amazing experience of my life and something that I will never forget. At this village we participated in service, and we also got to go to a school to play with the village children and got to take part in a Sunday school service. These kids were so cute, and it was obvious that they all had an impact on all of us. Somosomo was definitely my favorite part of the trip. Overall, this trip was so amazing, and if you are even considering going on it, I would encourage you to! The opportunities we were able to take advantage of were opportunities that you won’t have again. I can’t recommend this trip enough!

The Intro to Community Service program was my third program that I had done with Rustic. And like my previous programs, it was an absolutely amazing experience like no other. I got to go step out of my comfort zone and go skydiving, I got to interact with the local community, and I got to have fun while doing service.

First, most of the Fiji groups stay in the Eco Lodge base house. I loved having not only my service group there, but also meeting all the other kids that were on a range of programs. On the first day we all went to the beach to get to know each other and it was like we were already best friends by the end of our time on the beach. There's a huge sense of community and camaraderie with every single person, wether it be a student or a program leader. I think that having people in a base house together, interacting with a bunch of different people, while still doing service with your primary group, is great and I got to be friend with so many people that way.

One thing that I loved was that all groups have a local Fijian person as one of the leaders. This gives you the opportunity to ask them questions and really dive deep into what life is like in Fiji. I honestly learned so much about the customs and different practices that Fiji has from my leader Villie. I also got to know the other local, Fijian program leaders really well, because all of the different programs that are at the base house becomes one big family and community. My Fijian program leader even wrote us a song at the end of our program! I was crying and I loved the song and it definitely came from the heart!

With all the service, you will absolutely be working with the community and kids. On the second day of service, we got to go to the Laloma house, a women's shelter, and cook a meal for the women and children there. We cooked the meal before going with Shilini, one of the base's chefs, so that we could spend as much time with the kids as possible. When we got there, all the kids ran up to us and immediately wanted us to pick them up and play. We all danced, played duck, duck, goose and had a great time before dinner. We then served them dinner, talked with the mothers about their life, served them ice cream, said our goodbyes, and then went back. I usually don't do service with kids when I'm in New York, so I really enjoyed grtting to play and dance with a bunch of kids.

If you like kids, then you'll love to hear that there's a day where my program got to teach a local kindergarten. We spent a long time working on our lesson plans and preparing to teach the kindergartens and then the day came and it was amazing. We worked one on one and with the whole class to teach them our lesson plans. After teaching, we got to play with them outside for recess and the moms even made us lunch. We spent a long time running around and playing with the kids. I loved that day, because teaching the kids and playing with them was so much fun.

Another example of Rustic really engaging the community is when we did service in the Bavu Village. This was personally my favorite day, because of how much my program interacted with the community. We first drove to the village with Rajesh, Shilini's husband and a local carpenter. When we got there, we immediately participated in a welcoming ceremony in our Sulus with the village chief and spokesperson. I've never seen a village chief before, so it was a very cool experience. After the ceremony, we went to work for the day. Throughout the day, we were never working by ourselves, because Rustic really believes in including the village in its service projects. One of the most memorable moments from that day was when I was shoveling cement into the mixer and I looked up and the village spokesperson was shoveling right next to me. We then got into a conversation about the banana tree that was a few feet away from us. I was in awe, because a person that is in such a high position is working right beside me and having a normal conversation.

After we were finished with our service we then got to do a Kid's Club with the children in Bavu. We got to play soccer, rugby (which I found out I'm really bad at), talk to them, sing songs from Moana, and overalls just have a great time. The kid's club sadly came to an end and we then concluded our welcoming ceremony. That day happened to be on of the other student's birthday, so during the last portion of the welcoming ceremony, the women in the village surprised him with a cake, tea, bread, crackers, and a bunch of treats. That's when I really understood how great of a connection Rustic had with the local villages that they work with.

There are so many more examples of the great interactions that Rustic has with the local community. I loved my experience in Fiji and now I see why so many people do a Rustic trip in Fiji. The people were so nice, the service was amazing, and I got to step out of my comfort zone.

On my second Rustic Pathways program, I opted to embark on a longer journey than my first , this time to Fiji. Fiji is thriving with culture, from the guitar players in the airport to the locals in the villages. My first experience of the Fijian lifestyle was my first Kava ceremony in the village of Somo Somo, where we spent the nights sleeping in beachside tents. Kava is a drink extracted from the root of the native Kava plants. Fijians use it to welcome new people into their village and as a beverage similar to alcohol. It is customary for those visiting the different villages in Fiji to greet the village chief with the root of a Kava plant, as we did. The chief instantly ground the root up, mixed it with water, and made a mud colored drink. The locals raised a glass and greeted us with “bula” (welcome). From this point on, I knew my trip would be remarkable. I enjoyed conversations with the locals about their way of life along with visiting the local church. My group and I bonded instantly, leading to an amazing trip. I was able to see both sides of Fiji, the beautiful beaches and also the village life style. Fiji was an amazing cultural experience where I also met life long friends. I have done multiple Rustic Pathway programs and highly suggest that everyone goes on one.

This program is perfect for people wanting to experience the 'real' Fiji but not leave all the comforts of home. Sun, Sand and International Service was a perfect balance of service and activities, letting us experience both the beautiful culture and sights of Fiji all in two weeks. The base house is the center of social interactions, meeting the local staff and making new friends was a highlight for so many of us at the base house. The service we participated in varied daily, all projects being significant in their own way. With the guidance of our amazing program leaders we were able to grasp an understanding of just how valued the tasks such as preparing a meal was to the people we were serving. There were daily activities to be involved in ranging from kayaking and relaxing at the mud pools in the afternoon and bonfires and fire dancers of a night. There was never a boring moment on this trip! The option of side trips added another element of immersion no matter what you chose. From the highlands to the islands weekend trips there was always so much to learn and experience. Personally, the highlands was a weekend of so much growth for me, being out of your comfort zone but still in a safe environment are rare attributes that rustic put together so well.

Overall, sun sand service was the trip of a lifetime and an experience I will never forget. Fiji is home to the most welcoming people I have ever encountered and the environment that the Rustic staff create allows each student to grow in their own way. I got off the plane in Fiji expecting to leave some sort of impact on the places I encountered, instead Fiji left a lasting impact on me.

I loved this trip because I felt very immersed in Fiji and felt that I saw a side of Fiji that not many people get to see. We stayed in a village with no electricity and in very rural homes. We got to stay with a family and see how these people lived on a day to day basis. In the mornings and afternoons, we would go up to the school and mix cement to build a footpath for the teachers. I liked this work because I could see that I was making a difference to these people and I got an appreciation for how difficult it was to live without being able to just call someone to do a job for you. After we left the village, we went to do service on a farm near a dam. This was another highlight because I got to bond even more with the other people on the trip which was great because I didn't know anybody at the start of the trip. At the dam, we were cutting trees into poles to make a fence for the farm. Finally, we went town and then to one of the smaller islands of Fiji to spend a few days relaxing and hanging out as a group. This is the part that I liked most -- not because we were relaxing, but because I got a chance to hang out with these great friends I made. I also felt like I really connected with my group as a whole to the point that we still talk to each other every day. I strongly encourage you to go on this trip as you will learn about the world and make great friends along the way.

I remember being so nervous before I went on this trip- I had no expectations whatsoever. Right from the start of the trip- at the airport- I knew this trip would be one I'd never forget!! All of the people who went on the Sun, Sand and Service program were so incredibly welcoming and friendly. I'm still talking to my group of girls who I hing out with, and it's almost a month later! All of the program leaders are so friendly and outgoing. They help you feel right at home! I especially loved the local staff! My sister and I ended up becoming so close with them that they bought us necklaces (shoutout to Wani). The staff was so incredible and helped you through every step of the way.
We also did such amazing service!! We volunteered at schools, made a meal for house for women and children and we painted a building that Rustic built for a local school called Ratu Namani. On our off time, we kayaked, went to the mud pools and chilled at the beach. This was the perfect blend of service and leisure and I wish I had the opportunity to repeat this program 5000x more. My sister went from hating people before the trip to becoming a people person afterwards. This was definitely a once in a lifetime experience and I would recommend it to everyone! No matter if you are a first time traveller or if you've been all across the globe, you are guaranteed to love the Sun, Sand and service program!

This program was absolutely amazing. It's hard to put into words how incredible the people, activities, and locals all were. Between the amazing trip leaders and the other students on my trip, I got to be part of something magical, something unexplainable. On my trip, I did an intense community service program where in the mornings we would go out and do community service, and in the afternoons we would explore Fiji! The bonds I made with the locals and other students on my trip are irreplaceable. I definetly recommend this trip to anyone looking for a life changing experience.