You want to take a gap year. You want to explore, learn outside the classroom, and gain real life skills. You’re ready to go, but there’s one small step left—you have to convince your parents. If you’re nervous about broaching the subject, have no fear! A little research goes a long way, and there are…
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…
In January 2015, I quit my job and packed my bags to trek through Southeast Asia. During this time, I led Come With Nothing programs in Laos and Thailand with Rustic and recently started full-time as Thailand Program Manager this past January. Read my revelations from the road here, and check out photos from my adventure below:…
How I quit my job to travel through Asia: One year ago, after much apprehension, I stepped out of a comfortable career and watched a whole new world open up for me. I had worked as a policy analyst in Washington, DC for three years, a great job by conventional standards, but there was this nagging…
When I was 15, I got on a plane by myself for the first time and flew to LAX from Ft. Myers, Florida, to meet up with a group of Rustic Pathways students. I couldn’t have been more excited for my Rustic Pathways program. I was going on an adventure of a lifetime! I knew…
Two weeks ago 113 Rustic Pathways team members from around the world gathered in Ohio for our largest company gathering to date. The mission of the week was to bring everyone together to share in the vision of where Rustic Pathways is heading and to prepare for our busiest and most exciting travel…
Rustic Pathways supports sustainable development. We work with community partners to develop projects that address important social, health, and environmental needs, enabling our students to take a hands-on role in creating change. If you are traveling with us this summer, we ask that you do not bring general donations for the communities you are visiting…
Being rustic is being your authentic self, putting cliques and stereotypes aside, trying new foods (and toilets!), and having an absolute blast while doing so. Being rustic is not being afraid to get dirty. It’s laughing until your face hurts. It’s putting down your phone and taking in the most stunning views with a mental…
Dear Students, We are going to ask you not to use your cell phones on your Rustic Pathways program. Before anyone panics, we want to explain our reasoning and hope you will commit to going phone-free while traveling with us. Every minute you are on your phone—texting home, sending Snaps, choosing an Instagram filter—is a…
We want you to meet Sasha. Sasha traveled to Cambodia and India with Rustic Pathways in 2010 and 2011, and has gone on to become an epic citizen of the world. Sasha was originally inspired by her Rustic experience in Cambodia, and now we are inspired by her. In March, Sasha invited us to…
Dear Parents and Family Members, Most of us working at Rustic remember traveling before smart phones and WiFi hotspots. We packed our bags, said our goodbyes, and disconnected from friends and family as we embarked on our own adventures. We returned home inspired and transformed from our time abroad, ready to take on bigger challenges…
This month, our Alumni Spotlights are two international Gap Year semester students: Zoe, hailing from north of Sydney, Australia, and Camila, from Mexico City, Mexico. In spring of 2015, Zoe joined us in Africa; traveling to Ghana, Morocco, and Tanzania. Camila traveled with us on a Gap semester in Southeast Asia in the Fall of…
Aam: The Hindi word for mango—also called the “King of Fruits.” Summer is mango season, bringing with it roadside stands overflowing with these sweet, juicy delights and offering fresh juice to beat the grueling heat. Bollywood: It may be named after America’s Hollywood, but Indian cinema has been around since 1913 and has its own…
Allison Kuney has been a Program Leader for Rustic Pathways since 2014. She has led programs throughout Fiji and the South Pacific and is currently leading gap year students on the South Pacific Service and Ocean Skills Semester. Read on to learn more about Allison! Tell us how you became a Rustic Pathways Gap Year…
I'd like to introduce you to Lauren Dahlhauser, a talented photographer that helped guide students through Moroccan cities and deserts throughout our 2015 summer season and captured its magic and mysterious beauty along the way: Hello, I'm Lauren! I'm a lot of things, but above all, I'm an adventurer, a risk taker, an inspiration seeker, a…
In honor of today, we’re highlighting a few of our high school summer programs that focus on water!
In 1992, the United Nations founded World Water Day as an opportunity for people around the world to learn about water-related issues. 663 million people are without access to clean and safe water. That’s one in ten people in the world, and twice the population of the United States! In addition, one in three people…
“I want to make it to 80 [years old] and be exhausted because I have been alive and awake every day.” That is exactly how I want to live my life. I love this video and I wholeheartedly agree with everything Jedidiah says in it. As human beings, we’re wired for discovery. We’re innately curious…
There are a lot of ways a Rustic Pathways program adds value to your students’ education. When traveling with Rustic Pathways, you can select from a menu of incredible and welcoming countries, from immersive experiences, community driven service projects, and the world’s most breathtaking sites. But I’ve seen other travel websites – I know this…