You visited country X. You were impacted by global issue Y. And you returned home with fire in your gut determined to tackle that issue. Then...life got in the way. More often than not life DOES get in the way, but it didn't get in the way for a group of Rustic gals who traveled…
It’s OK if there’s something you don’t know as you prepare for your Rustic Pathways trip, or even if you’re nervous about traveling abroad. Everyone is thinking about something, and probably the same things you are. We asked members of the Rustic Squad, a group of dedicated Rustic alums, what they wished they had known before…
The Rustic Pathways Foundation is excited to announce our first-ever Alumni Advisory Board. This is an exciting new initiative aimed at engaging our most active alumni, providing exciting skill-building opportunities, and helping to push the Foundation toward our highest-impact year. The Alumni Advisory Board is comprised of six inspiring Rustic Pathways students who were among the top fundraisers for…
Did you know we spend about nine hours a day consuming some type of media on our phones? That number startled me until realizing I read this statistic on one of the eight tabs open on my Macbook while snapping on one of my iPhones and scrolling through Instagram on the other. Whether I’m texting…
One of the most amazing things about travel is who you meet and the connections you make along the way. You learn that all people are basically the same. We have the same hopes and dreams, the same concerns and fears. It doesn't take long to realize that we're all connected by a shared humanity.…
Gaining a global perspective should be something you do when you're 18, not 67. Seriously. Think about it. Why wait until you're retired to explore the world? If you travel after graduating from high school, you'll not only be able to apply what you experience to the rest of your life, it will shape who…
The Rustic Pathways staff who operate our programs in more than 20 countries where students travel have a ridiculous amount of travel knowledge. Many have worked in multiple countries so we thought who better than them to ask about what programs to recommend? If you're still trying to decide between summer travel experiences, check out the…
With the latest news this week in Washington, we want to reassure families that Rustic Pathways programs are open to all students — including those who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming. As an organization, we have been committed to these principles of inclusivity for decades. In 2014, we established a formal policy that outlines…
Ten years after traveling with Rustic Pathways, we caught up with Rustic alum Heather Lyon to find out how traveling as a teenager forever changed the trajectory of her life. In 2006, Heather traveled to India and participated in two programs with Rustic Pathways. She enrolled in two more programs the next summer in Peru, including Sacred Valley…
Feb. 20 was the one-year anniversary of Cyclone Winston, the strongest storm ever recorded in the southern hemisphere. The storm left a trail of devastation across many of Fiji's 332 islands, killing 44 people and impacting 350,000 others. The total estimated damage reached $1.4 billion. We wanted to take a look back and share with…
Last year, Rustic Pathways students completed 1,351 service hours with Baltimore City Community College's Refugee Youth Project. Those students served 100 refugee youth, one-third of the 4 to 21 year-olds the Refugee Youth Project supports each year. We're proud of that, but we need your help to continue our work with the Refugee Youth Project…
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. In this session, we also address safety concerns about traveling abroad right…
Ingrained in the mission of Rustic Pathways is creating a world where all people are connected through a shared humanity, and all decisions are made with a global perspective. In light of today's growing global security concerns and the unique political situation we find ourselves in, now more than ever, educating and building awareness for the…
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…
Taylor Brennan, of Montclair, New Jersey, brought a smile and a beam of hope into our inbox and we think she’ll do the same for you. Read Taylor's full email—and how travel inspired her passion for helping others—below, published with her permission. [caption id="attachment_18066" align="alignright" width="640"] Taylor with a student during her time spent on the Sacred…
How do you know you're a Rustic parent? You know when... Have you heard the news!? Star Alumni is back now through February 14! Check your inbox for more details on how to use your exclusive special rate—don't miss out. Or email hello@rusticpathways.com for more information.
We wanted to know what really makes a RP alum. So we asked the experts. You know you're a Rustic alum when…. Want to submit your idea? Comment below for your chance to be featured! Also, don't miss out on your opportunity to take advantage of your Star Alumni special rate (It's BACK!),…
We got an email yesterday from a student alum named Carey Davis, a high school senior from Northborough, Massachusetts, and we had to share it with you. Carey told us, "My travels with Rustic have taught me that to accept and understand cultures and people disparate from my own is to cultivate global harmony. That…
Rustic Pathways CEO Chris Stakich joined Rustic's Evan Morgan for a Facebook Live Q&A that included a short walk around San Francisco and a tour of the Rustic office. Check out the video and find out why Chris loves being Rustic's CEO, his advice to someone just starting their career, his personal philosophy, and so…
If you're reading this, you're probably familiar with the Rustic Pathways ethos: Education, Travel, Philanthropy. We pride ourselves on being a leader in student travel and providing young people with life-changing educational experiences, and we think we're pretty darn good at that. What you may not know is that we are also an impact driven company that believes…