Emma is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a dual degree in Spanish Language & Literature and International Relations with a focus in Global Environment & Health. Upon graduation she headed to Madrid, Spain to work in a public school supporting a bilingual program, working with students from 3 years old to 18 years old. Passionate about education, sustainability, and travel, she joined the Rustic Pathways team to combine these passions and continue working with students and families to support their development outside the classroom. While not working, Emma enjoys reading, hiking, and being on the beach whenever possible.
What have your own international travels entailed?
As a university student, I had the privilege of traveling first to Madrid, Spain to study a half-semester in Spain’s capital where I fell in love with the people and the culture and returned the following year to participate in a full semester at the University of Granada in southern Spain. As the year was 2020, we were unable to finish out the semester due to Covid-19.
After graduation from university, I returned to Madrid where I stayed for three years to work as an English language assistant to support a bilingual education program in a public school. During my time in Spain, I was lucky to have the opportunity to travel around the Iberian peninsula and to many of Spain’s autonomous communities.
During the summers between the scholastic years, I had amazing experiences working in hostels in Southern Portugal; Asturias, Spain; and Tenerife, Spain where I had the opportunity to work with and interact with travelers from all over the world.
What makes you proud to work at Rustic Pathways?
While living and traveling around Europe, I have seen firsthand the damage that the tourist industry can create in local communities. I am proud that Rustic Pathways guides the next generation in responsible and educational travel and educates program participants about local communities and creates long-term mutually beneficial relationships rather than leaving a negative impact by just passing through.
Cultural exchange is perhaps the most important step of becoming a global citizen by breaking down barriers and learning from each other. Rustic Pathways does an excellent job of supporting these relationships and ensuring that we are working WITH local communities rather than for or at the expense of them.
Why do you view travel as an essential part of every education?
After working in classroom education for three years, I have seen that there are parts of a child’s development that cannot flourish without an experiential education supplement. Continuing education outside of the classroom gives students the opportunity to widen their perspectives by seeing cultures and meeting people different from themselves and from what they know. It gives students the opportunity to develop as individuals, test themselves away from the comfort of their homes, and become more independent, confident, adaptable, and resilient.
How has your international experience evolved to make you an even more valuable addition to the Rustic Pathways team?
My experience first studying and later living abroad has made me a more valuable addition to the Rustic Pathways team for the skills that come with navigating an entirely new cultural context. I am constantly learning and developing myself as a professional, a person, and as a global citizen.
Throughout these years living in Spain, I have learned to humble myself as a visitor to a local community and integrate myself in the most respectful way possible which is important to keep in mind when participating in cultural exchanges outside of our own communities. These experiences have equipped me with the necessary skills in supporting students and families in their search of their own life changing experiences to develop as global citizens in their own right.
Read more about the Rustic Pathways team. Learn about Rustic Pathways summer travel programs.