Summer High School Programs in Tanzania with Rustic Pathways

going into the trip, i was so so nervous that I wouldn’t make many friends and kept thinking to myself, “what a i getting myself into?” turns out, it was the best decision I could’ve made. you meet people and make friends instantly, right when you get to the airport. we spent most of the 16 days working on building a kitchen for students, and also spent time teaching the students English which was so rewarding. I love playing with the local children for hours- running around with them and laughing is something that I will never, ever forget. i think that by going on this trip, I was able to see a side of Tanzania that you could never get just going on vacation there... we visited local farms, cooked with women of the village, and spent time in a village that you would never even know was there if you just went on a family trip... making this experience so special.

I traveled through Rustic Pathways on two programs in Tanzania, spending a total of three weeks in the country. From the moment I got into the airport to when I landed back in the US I always felt like I was in very capable hands. My first program was focused on building infrastructure for a school on total Tanzania.While there we were immersed in the culture and made amazing memories. We were able to enjoy a wide variety of cultural activities from making traditional foods to learning how to build with mud while also interacting with the children. My second program focused on sight seeing through safaris in mainland Tanzania and traveling through Zanzibar. I saw sights I never thought I would see in my lifetime and had amazing experiences.

This past summer I traveled to Tanzania on Rustic Pathway's Culture and the Crater. I was nervous about the trip, questions such as "what if I become homesick, what if I am too young for this, should I have brought a friend?" raced through my mind as I drove to the airport. As soon as I met my flight leaders and the other kids on my flight, my nerves began to fade. Once we arrived in Haydesh village and met the elders and students, it felt like another lifetime that I was nervous and apprehensive about the trip. I couldn't feel nervous about things like homesickness because the village soon felt like home. My other fears such as being too young also faded. I was one of the younger kids on my trip since I was only 15 and most of the others were around 17; however, the group you travel with becomes a family as you partake in this once in a lifetime opportunity together, and I never felt too young. As for bringing a friend, I couldn't have been happier that I traveled alone. Most of the kids on my trip were sole travelers and it allowed all of us to become closer. It also allowed me to immerse myself in the culture more since I didn't have any attachments to home. The hardest part of my trip was leaving. As cheesy as it sounds, Haydesh became my home and the villagers, my family. Leaving it all behind was one of the most difficult goodbyes I think I will ever experience. That is why, when I got home I became an impact ambassador, and I encourage anyone who is considering getting involved with the Rustic Pathways Foundation to do so. The foundation has allowed me to still feel connected with Haydesh even if I can't be in direct contact with the amazing people who call the village home.

Rustic Pathways opens your eyes to a world you didn’t think existed. Yes, you knew Tanzania was in Africa, maybe you knew that the city of Karatu existed, but you probably didn’t know that the small school in the village of Haydesh was lacking a kitchen. Being out there in the middle of no where with people you’ve never met before is exhilarating. You can visibly see the change you are making and you learn more about the rich culture of this country than you could in any history class or safari. You see the way they interact with each other, you hear their language with the unique pronunciations that only people who’ve been speaking the tongue since they were born have mastered. It’s an experience that is worth every hard effort put into it and I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to have their life changed.

I participated in the Njoro Village program and it was amazing. I was definitely nervous going into it because it is so far away, but I felt safe the whole time. Days are busy, so there isn't any time to be homesick anyway. It was a lot of work (make cement, digging, etc), but so rewarding. It's amazing to be able to see tangible results of the work you do. But it's not all work, it's really fun too. My group was 7 (I think) people and I shared a room with two other girls, so you definitely get really close with everyone really fast. The program leaders are awesome too, they treat you like equals so it's not like they are your babysitter, they're just like another student on the trip. Obviously they were still really helpful in accommodating meals and making sure everyone is safe and healthy. Apart from working, we hung out with the locals and learned a lot from them too. We learned to cook a traditional Tanzania dinner and how to make clay pots. We also went on a safari where we saw giraffes, monkeys, zebras, and so much more. It was awesome. I had an amazing time and definitely recommend!! And even if this trip isn't for you, Rustic Pathways is an amazing group and has so many other programs to participate in!!

On this program we built a kitchen for the primary school and I loved working on one main service project the entire time because we got to see our major progress and impact. We also got to teach English in the school which was amazing. The local children are so fun, kind, and curious. We would play with them for hours upon hours after our service was completed. On this trip you get to participate in so many cultural experiences such as going to the local Church, cooking with the local Mama's, having an interview with the elders of the community, walking to the nearest water source with donkeys, etc. It is such an immersive experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the real side of Tanzania, a truly beautiful country filled with amazing culture and people.

Having the privilege to travel throughout my high school career has given me the ability to see the world through a different lens. By experiencing other cultures and meeting new people I have been given a deeper understanding of global interaction. Through this understanding, I have also been able to develop a stronger sense of empathy. I believe empathy is an incredibly important aspect of finding global peace. Traveling with Rustic has lead me to pursue a career in International Development at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. I also believe being able to travel with Rustic at such a young age forced me to mature earlier through the experiences I had on my trips and understanding what life is like for those living outside of my small hometown bubble. Overall, Rustic has been an incredibly positive force in my life and being able to travel made me a better person.

Traveling to Tanzania with Rustic Pathways was one of the best experiences of my life. The sense of community and friendships I made on the program are incomparable. They made the labor of building a kitchen from the ground up fun. Lifting rocks, mixing cement, and laying down bricks are some of the fondest memories I have from the trip because of the other students and the masons. Music was always playing when we worked and the Tanzanian masons ensured we were both safe and helpful. Another highlight of the trip was the Tanzanian children. Immediately after walking out of the bus, the children greeted us with smiles on their faces. All 40 of them shook our hands and greeted us. The relationship that I formed with 2 children in particular, Regina and Apiyo, were especially significant. Every day they would run up to me with the brightest smiles and ask me to play a game with them. Although it was always a simple game, it was so fun. The unique aspect of this trip was the cultural trips that we took. On the Culture and the crater trip, we were able to hunt with the Hazabe tribe, one of the last true hunter and gather tribes, go on a safari, cook ugali, a traditional Tanzanian dish, with local mamas, and see how the mud houses are made. Rustic pathways truly provided me with a truly unique experience.