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…
Happy National Coffee Day! Bravotv.com celebrated the holiday by highlighting the 8 Best Places in the World to Travel If You Love Coffee. Among them was Costa Rica. Many Rustic Pathways Costa Rica alumni met Matias Zeledon, owner of Down to Earth Coffee in La Fortuna. Matias, who harvests and roasts his own coffee, has…
Grace Wickerson is passionate about creating awareness of what a healthy relationship looks like. Her non-profit, Kickin’ Violence educates adolescents on respecting boundaries, healthy relationships, and self defense. The organization also provides Survivor Packs--care packages with essential toiletries, journals, and notes of encouragement--to victims of domestic abuse. Grace’s work with Kickin’ Violence earned her a…
Summer is coming to a close meaning it’s time to switch gears, break out your fresh notebooks for the school year (Moleskines are our go to), and start planning your next big adventure. We should confess, we’re planning them too, and we can’t hold in our excitement any longer. We are thrilled to share that…
The Nasivikoso School in Fiji is now equipped with brand new furniture in the school and teachers’ houses thanks to the more than $10,000 raised by RP Foundation Development Ambassadors in 2015. The school purchased six beds with mattresses, three dining tables with chair, four dresser tables, thirty school desks with chairs, and three teachers’…
Our dedicated Development Ambassadors raised more than $16,000 in support of the Sacred Valley Project in Peru last year. The project provides a safe living space, nutritious meals, and supplementary education to young women in rural communities in the Andes so that they can avoid the often dangerous and time-consuming journey to and from school,…
A lot of progress has been made at Nambark Ethnic School in the last year. The construction of a two-story dormitory, an indoor bathing room, and a new toilet block is complete. Rural students in Northern Laos, especially members of ethnic minorities, often struggle in their pursuit of secondary education. Some high schoolers travel long…
The elementary school in Prek Toal, Cambodia, is sinking. In a demonstration of its commitment to this project, the Rustic Pathways Foundation has pledged $25,000 from its discretionary fund to support the construction of a brand new, five-classroom, cement schoolhouse, adding to the over $15,000 already raised by our passionate donors and Development Ambassadors. This…
Back in March, our CEO, Chris Stakich, was featured at #TEDxYouth@LAS. In this inspiring talk, he shares with us his views on the myth of Linear Progression and reminds us there are many paths to, and many definitions of, success. Chris shares his own story about how he realized that you don’t have to set…
We are excited to announce that 75 additional students in Kampong Cham, Cambodia will receive scholarships thanks to over $16,000 raised by our Development Ambassadors in 2015. We are proud to partner with Buddhism for Social Development Action (BSDA) on their initiative, Education for All. Founded in 2005 by a group of Buddhist monks, BSDA…
The Rustic Pathways Foundation is proud to announce that its 2015 end-of-year campaign was its most successful fundraising campaign in the organization’s history. Nearly 170 staff, alumni, and friends of Rustic Pathways volunteered their time to fundraise for the foundation’s six projects, in addition to its general fund. An astounding 1,050 new donors were generous…
OLLANTAYTAMBO, Peru—Sacred Valley Project Founder and Rustic Pathways Peru Country Manager Alex Ball was recently highlighted in an article published by Matador Network. He was hailed as a “hero working to empower women throughout the world.” Also highlighted in the article was Malala Yousafzai, the women’s education activist who was shot for defying the Taliban…
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,…
Achieving independence is perhaps the most important milestone in any country’s history. It makes sense then that these countries’ independence holidays are characterized by large celebratory events (like fireworks parades, concerts, and contests) and unique patriotic displays you won’t find for any other holiday. Read on for more about how these countries celebrate their independence!…
In an effort to learn about the religion, culture and economy of Southeast Asia, Andrew, Matthew, and William Liner went on an educational trip to region with Rustic Pathways during the summer of 2013. They were interested in discovering how children in other parts of the world live and how this differed from their own upbringing.…
Last month, we addressed some common fears and worries that both first time travelers and seasoned travelers alike could relate to before embarking on a new adventure. We then took this list of apprehensions and dug a bit deeper by asking our greater Rustic family for their advice. Rustic Alumni from all different years, countries, and…
Summer’s finally here and that means almost three whole months to get outside, dive into a good book, hit the road for an adventure of a lifetime, and explore! Check out this list of must-dos and get excited for our favorite season. [caption id="attachment_14289" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Photo credit: Lance Oppenheim[/caption] 1. Plug into your surroundings Challenge yourself…
A collection of Peruvian quirks and attractions from A to Z to give you a window into life in Peru.... Alpaca. Alpaca everything, everywhere. Alpaca socks? You bet. Alpaca leggings? Of course. Alpaca steak? Even better. A common cuisine in the High Andes, alpaca is similar to buffalo in taste. Backpacking. A backpacker’s destination, Peru…