Broadening Horizons of Friendships

A unique aspect of my Rustic Pathways trip over the summer of 2019 was not just meeting teenagers from across the United States, but in other places such as Vietnam and Hong Kong. I was very glad to meet two people that were from outside of the US because on my previous Rustic trip, everyone was from the States. It’s not often that you get to meet some really cool people from across the world. As the program progressed day by day, I learned about the Vietnamese and Hong Kong cultures and what their lives were like back at home. These topics lead to lengthy and intriguing conversations. So all in all, I was learning about the Hawaiians, the Vietnamese, and the people from Hong Kong, all at once! Establishing friendships and connections around the world, whether that be Texas, Chicago, New York, California, or Vietnam, etc. can be beneficial to have in the future.

If someone is considering this program, they should keep in mind that it did rain just about every day in Hawaii. However, it depends what areas of the island you’re on and at what elevation. For example, within the lower level elevation areas by the beaches, it was always hot and sunny, but up in the mountains where the base house was and where we camped, there were frequent yet light rain showers. That didn’t keep our spirits down, it’s just something to keep in mind.