How did you end up joining the Rustic Pathways team, and how has your international experience evolved to make you an even more valuable addition to the organization?
While studying abroad in New Zealand, I was fortunate to meet lots of people who had dedicated significant time to traveling the world. Time and time again, these intrepid travelers rated Thailand among their destinations – so after graduating college I saved up some money and bought a one-way ticket to go teach English here. With a stroke of luck, I got a job at Chiang Mai University, and ended up teaching there for two and a half years. I was also able to get involved with a network of small NGOs in my free time, where I was able to help with grant and report writing, email correspondence, and more. Through this work, I learned a great deal about complex issues facing indigenous communities in the mountains and border regions in Southeast Asia. I joined survey visits to villages that had been relocated by the government, befriended young people who were growing up in Thailand without citizenship, and learned about how different tribal groups managed land use and crop rotation in their farming practices – among many other things. I made lifelong friends who didn’t speak any English, and developed a real appreciation for indigenous cultures and traditions.
Although I wanted to help, I started to understand that really helping would require years to learn, observe, and carefully plan in order to really get things right. As fate would have it, I just so happened to cross paths with Rustic Pathways a short time later after fully immersing myself in all of these issues affecting northern Thailand for years. Rustic Pathways was just starting to design our first Come With Nothing, Go Home Rich programs, and my prior experience and extensive network of connections allowed us to plug right in to welcoming villages who already had solid leadership and organization, and who were in need of assistance.
Come With Nothing, Go Home Rich has been a key part of our operations for over fifteen years, and we have accomplished a number of projects during that time. In recent years, we have shifted our focus toward projects aimed at increasing water storage capacity to help provide our partner villages with access to running water year-round. We are proud to employ a full-time, local Community Impact Manager who manages all of our village relationships and helps make sure that every project starts with the needs and wishes of our partners. I am very proud of what we have accomplished on the ground here over the years, and I am just as proud to see the amazing people that so many of our program alumni have grown up to be!
How long have you been working with Rustic Pathways?
15 years.
What do you like most about Rustic Pathways?
The people. We are blessed to be a part of an amazing collection of human beings spread across the globe who are driven by a common set of values and a belief that responsible travel really can help make the world a better place. We work hard for each other, we love the places where we operate, and we love what we do!
How did you first go about getting a global perspective?
Throughout my travels and time living abroad, I have met some of the most amazing people with simply incredible life stories. I discovered through hours of conversation how much I had in common with all people–from all different backgrounds, all across the world–and I started to really embrace the idea of a shared humanity. Working with Rustic Pathways over the past fifteen years has allowed me to continue to forward that vision every single day. The work we do is all about designing and implementing experiences that are authentic and designed to help enable real connections between people from much different backgrounds in a way that is mutually beneficial. We help young people discover the fascinating world they live in while helping to support developing communities around the world – how cool is that?
What makes Southeast Asia the perfect place for international volunteering?
It is commonly said that the people make the place, and I absolutely think that is the case in Southeast Asia. Culturally, Southeast Asia is incredibly rich and so different from the rest of the world. Because there are so many different cultures and histories in a relatively small area, people are generally very respectful of differences. The communities we work in across the region are very open hearted and happy to make friends from far away places. When we establish partnerships with villages and organizations, we make it very clear that we have no agenda other than wanting to help them however we can. In fact, our groups often consist of students from various religious and cultural backgrounds themselves, and they are mostly interested in learning about local life. And once they understand our mission and vision, they are fully bought in and excited about the possibility of working with likeminded people from around the globe. Many of our clients are absolutely blown away by the hospitality and kindness they experience when first visiting this part of the world, and it is easy to see why!
Above is where it starts, but the list of why Southeast Asia is an ideal destination for student travel goes on and on. There is so much to explore in Southeast Asia, and with more direct flights between the premier destinations in the region all the time, travel is remarkably efficient. This is a big reason why family and group travel is so popular in Southeast Asia – you can immerse yourself in incredibly diverse cultures and activities–while enjoying world-class and cuisine–in a concise amount of time. Thailand–the Land of Smiles–is home to some of the most beautiful beaches, fascinating landscapes, and exotic wildlife. In Cambodia, Angkor Wat steals all of the headlines, but visitors quickly discover beautiful and resilient people. Vietnam’s dizzying economic development helps to tell the new story, while Hanoi and Hoi-an maintain their old world charm. The lush forests, charming people, and waterfalls of Laos always make it a favorite destination, and the Buddhist history and ancient ruins of Myanmar exudes mystique. Whichever destinations you choose to visit, one thing is for certain–you’ll be thinking about your next trip before you even depart!
