Alumnus André Mershad is among the students who have fully embraced the concept of getting off the beaten path. During his high school years, he selected travel programs that had him living on a boat for a week and traveling over rough terrain to see parts of countries most people never see. On his last trip with Rustic to Southeast Asia he says he was wowed by the scenery and the people he met when he got away from tourist locations.
Laos Photo: André Mershad
“I experienced a hilarious friendship with Soe Than, one of our local leaders whom I still think of often. We took two boat rides and a long hike in deep mud to reach his village, where his people greeted us with open arms and a delicious meal,” Mershad said. “I still crave the peanut and tomato salad to this day, and still cringe when I think of stinky beans.”
Rustic programs are designed to give students this kind of experience – the journey to places that give students lifelong stories and lessons to share. Here are just some of the rustic spots students are able to treasure during their programs:
The Floating Villages of Cambodia
Close to the resort town of Krong Siem Reap there is a floating village that many travelers think is fake and where complaints about scam artists are high. This is not the destination where Rustic students go.
Many years ago Rustic Pathways established a relationship with villagers in Prek Toal and Bak Preah. Prek Toal is about a two hour boat ride from the tourist floating village experience. Over the decades, Rustic students have traveled there to work on service projects with schools and homes, including an early project when they helped with a school that was sinking.
Students only have access to squat toilets and bucket showers there, but they also get a very different perspective on life, as a number of Rustic alumni have noted.
“Cambodia is one of the most interesting and beautiful places I’ve ever been to,” Julia said. “The best part about my trip was getting to stay in the floating villages and stay on a boat. The way of life in this village is drastically different than anything I’ve ever seen before.”
The Remote Regions of Western Mongolia
The Off the Map: Mongolia program lives up to its name, taking students to rugged regions where they stay in traditional gers without electricity, wifi, or showers. This program is one of the longer ones, spanning 22 days to give time to explore the vast expanse of this country.
The trip includes a journey to the Bayan-Ulgii province, which is home to the Kazakh ethnic minority. Students learn about nomad cultures and spend time with the last remaining eagle hunters.
