Morocco: Moroccan Wanderer with Rustic Pathways

Everyone I was surrounded by in Morocco, from the villagers to the leaders, constantly proved to me that the smallest things make such a difference. Before my trip I took a lot for granted, but this trip showed me that even a simple smile makes such a difference. Being with the children in Morocco made me fall in love with teaching and how excited the children are to learn. The places we explored in Morocco were absolutely beautiful from the peaceful Atlas Mountains to the bustling city of Marrakech there was always something exciting to do. My guides were amazing and taught us so much history about Morocco and lead us on many tours throughout the country. Sara is the most genuine and caring rustic leader and if you get her as your leader you are in amazing hands! I recommend this trip to everyone!

This program was incredible. I got to see parts of the world that I never thought I would, but more importantly, I met people (both locals and those on the trip with me) that I will remember for life. Apart from the actual experience of being in Morocco, the activities we did as a group helped me learn so much about my new friends as well as myself. It allowed me to return home with a new perspective. The fun things we did regarding the Moroccan culture and landscape only accentuated this gained perspective. I still keep in touch with the friends that I made, and the memories that I made in Morocco will stay with me forever. The leaders were also incredible; they were always focused on our safety and enjoyment. They didn't feel separate from the students on the group; we were all one family.

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.

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.

The Moroccan Wanderer program was truly the most enriching, adventurous, and fun experience of my trips through Rustic Pathways. Every day of this trip entailed something completely new from the day before and the constant moving and exploring made it impossible to get bored. What made this trip so unique and special was the perfect balance of fun, community service, and educational opportunities that were given to us all throughout the trip. Although Morocco may seem like a dangerous country to some (and parents may be concerned about sending their kids there), I never felt like I was ever in any danger, moreover, I felt extremely safe all of the time and our leaders always made sure to use the utmost caution in order to ensure safety for us in every outing or activity. Morocco may seem like its main attraction is simply the Sahara Desert, but this trip entails so much more, including zip-lining through the mountains, surfing, hiking, and so much more.
Further, I made the most amazing friends on this trip and getting to be travel with these wonderful groups of people on Rustic Pathways truly makes the experience the best it can be. Morocco is an amazing country and Rustic Pathways enables students to experience it the way it should be experienced.

My first Rustic trip was on August, 2019 and it was a wonderful, amazing, and unique experience. Obviously I was scared at first but when I met the staff and my group, all those nervous feelings left since they were such great people. Everyone that goes on these trips and programs have one thing in common, and that is learning from and helping others. I figured this out since you never would feel alone because everyone was willing to help others. I learned so much from my new friends, from the people in the community we did service at since they were so encouraging and helpful with every aspect of the service we did, and also from my leaders. I believe that this was definitely one of the best trips of my whole life so I would recommend it to anyone who is willing to go on a Rustic program.

My main piece of advice for Rustic Pathways trips is to choose a trip that will push you out of your comfort zone. It may seem scary, daunting, and, frankly, like you won’t enjoy your time, but I guarantee you, no matter what, you will have the most amazing time on a Rustic Pathways trip. Throughout my high school years, I have been on two different trips with Rustic. First, in the summer of 2018, I went to Thailand on Elephants and Amazing Thailand, and secondly, I went on Moroccan Wanderer in Morocco in the summer of 2019. Both trips were amazing. I started my journey to the airport before my first trip in 2018 worrying about making friends. I have never been an extrovert, and, although I do have many friends, I have never been one to eagerly associate with others with as much enthusiasm as some of my friends, something that scared me when entering an environment with people I had never met. Yet, that’s the beauty of these trips. Student travelers are all likeminded kids. We are all seeking out new experiences and want to learn about the world. Although I have met many types of people throughout each and every trip, coming from different political views, backgrounds, and cultures, many of which, having very different personalities than my own, Rustic has a way of bringing people together. To this very day, I consider many of my fellow travelers to be my best friends, talking to many of them every day. That is just one reason why I have continued going on trips with Rustic Pathways, as not only were the staff members some of the most amazing and understanding people I have met, with so much experience to share about life and careers, and not only for the fact that the trips as a whole were an amazing experience fit with athletic activities, new foods, and new languages and cultures, but that it has helped me break out of my comfort zone and create new friends that I now consider family.

Morocco, a unique country with an ancient history and a rich culture. I embarked on the Moroccan Wanderer program during the summer of 2019 through the Rustic Pathways program. This trip offers just about all you could possibly want when exploring and learning about a new country. On this trip we learn alot: the fundamentals of Islam, the history of Morocco, and the cultural climate within the country. Some valuable skills are learned as well through teaching the kids by developing our own lesson plan, along with the construction work done. These valuable parts of the trip are only half of it, the scenery and architecture in Morocco is incredible and extremely unique. This trip covers almost all climates of Morocco, as you travel from sub-saharan Africa to the windy coasts. The amenities throughout the trip were also excellent. We were served authentic Moroccan food throughout the duration of the trip, it was fantastic! Along with this the sleeping arrangements were always of a good standard while still keeping an authentic nature about them. I highly recommend this trip for anyone interested in learning about a new country, as you will be fully immersed in the culture and come away with a meaningful experience.