With the recent changes in Washington many parents are asking themselves "is it safe for my child to travel abroad this summer"? Watch our most recent info session to learn more about how we keep your child safe on a Rustic Pathways program.
Have you heard? Star Alumni is BACK and we're beyond excited! We love providing our stand-out alumni with the ability to join us again because a second (or third, or maybe even fourth!) Rustic experience gives you the opportunity to improve both the cross cultural and personal skill sets you started to build on your…
As a parent, you want your child to succeed, not just in school but in his or her interpersonal relationships, post-graduation plans, and future career. Most of all, you want your kid to be happy; to know who they are and where they fit in the world. But we all know that when you’re a…
As 2016 draws to a close, here's a list to inspire your next adventure. We chose these destinations with the idea that unique experiences will always beat run-of-the-mill vacations. To me, the best way to travel is to step outside of your comfort zone and explore. So while you won't find any all-inclusive resorts on…
Discover essential tips for adventure travel in Tanzania and successfully climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Learn from our experiences and prepare for an unforgettable journey.
It's not hard to find anecdotal reports about the benefits of student travel. Knowing that students return from our programs having experienced some type of growth wasn't enough for us. So we created a framework to intentionally design our programs and assess what and how students learned from them. According to the results from our…
Experiences make us happier than things, according to science. "The good life, in words, may be better lived by doing things than by having things," psychologists Leaf Van Boven and Thomas Gilovich first wrote in their research paper titled To Do or To Have? That Is the Question. It's not a new concept. The New…
Resources: Why You Should Spend Your Money on Experiences, Not Things Hill Tribes of the Golden Triangle Intro to Photography in Cuba The Refugee Youth Project Spanish Language Immersion Pacific Adrenaline To give the gift on an experience, start with Rustic's 2017 catalog.
Alex Biddle, a Rustic Pathways program manager in the Dominican Republic, uses her Spanish on a daily basis. While she manages service projects and oversees adventure programs, she frequently has to think on her feet and switch between two languages. Alex hasn’t always spoken Spanish, though. She began to learn the language during a ten-month…
Three schools co-created their school group travel programs with Rustic Pathways. Learn more about it here.
Together we're building a world that celebrates diversity, inclusivity, acceptance, and peace. These photos remind us that we live in an amazing world where diversity and a connected humanity should be celebrated.
I thought my first visit to Cuba would be like visiting a country down on it’s luck. I expected to see abject poverty and crumbling infrastructure, a country struggling to feed and house its people. My ideas couldn’t be further from what I expected. I was transported back in time, but in a way I…
The following photo series from Rustic Pathways staff member, Mary O'Connor, depicts life in the Prek Toal floating village in Cambodia. The friendly faces of the villagers, the vibrant colors of the produce, and the majesty of Angkor Wat at sunrise will make you feel completely at home. [caption id="attachment_11541" align="alignnone" width="640"] A woman paddles through Prek…
Discover effective tips for fundraising for a service learning trip. Learn proven strategies to raise funds and support your educational journey.
What you can expect from partnering with Rustic Pathways Group Travel. We understand that by planning a trip for your students you’re taking on extra responsibilities to provide an incredible learning experience beyond the classroom. Rustic Pathways will take all of the work off your plate so that you can focus on what truly matters,…
If you check out #traveldeeper on Instagram, you’ll find a slew of beautiful, vibrant travel photos. But what does it mean to “travel deep”? What’s the difference between capturing a well “liked” photo and having an authentic, culturally immersive experience? We can tell you it has nothing to do with the filter you choose. Actually,…
Supporting your child in their choice to take a gap year isn’t always easy. You might be worried they won’t return to school, nervous about them traveling abroad, or wondering if the investment is really worth it. We understand taking a gap year is a big decision for both our students and our parents. However,…
From the land of pura vida, good vibes, and gallo pinto, this A to Z list will give you some insight and fun facts on what to expect when you visit Costa Rica.
Name: Max Veenema Gap Year Program Leader: South Pacific Service and Ocean Skills How did you begin working for Rustic Pathways? I started working with Rustic in the Fiji Islands. I had come from California, where I spent much of my time in the Pacific Ocean. I wanted to experience a new culture while still…
Why does someone choose to take a gap year? What do they really learn about themselves and about the world? Hear three of our alumni, Kelsey, Sharif, and Lance, speak about their gap journeys. Check out our newest video: The Impact of a Gap Year