Traveling With Rustic Pathways Is An Unforgettable Experience

I traveled to the Dominican Republic with Rustic Pathways in June 2019. My time in the beautiful country is one I will always cherish. Before this fantastic trip to volunteer, I have never traveled without my family, so I was a little nervous. Though, the Rustic Pathways traveling team was with the other kids and me the whole time, which made me feel safe. When I arrived in the Dominican Republic, our group's lovely leaders met up with us. On our bus ride to the first place we were staying, they told us more about this country I would call home for the next week and a half. On my trip, I helped with the black water treatment system. This is a system that would help re-use water and clean it. Since freshwater is not found all over in the Dominican Republic, this system would be able to help out the community so much! Other places I volunteered during my duration in the Dominican Republic were helping at a local garden, cleaning a beach sadly ridden with trash, and my favorite, re loacting mangroves. Each time volunteering made me feel so good knowing that I was helping the people and the Earth as well. Rustic Pathways is very good at teaching kids on their programs about helping out whenever you can. Before my trip, I did volunteer around my community, but, after my journey, I have more than doubled how much I help out in my community. No matter where you live, there can always be places to go and help out the earth/community. I started my Rustic Pathways trip nervous of what would happen. I left with a new understanding of the world I live in, life, long friends, and memories that will always hold a dear place in my heart.