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…
The role of Photographer Guide allows one to take a step beyond observing your subject, but experience and connect in the moment. Creating an image, freezing the moment in time, and allowing this moment to be shared is what photography is all about. The images below are from Louis Bryant, Spanish Immersion and Service Photographer…
On February 20th, the islands of Fiji were hit by the worst storm to ever strike the southern hemisphere. The devastating Cyclone Winston killed at least 42 people and left tens of thousands without homes. Rustic Pathways has worked in Fiji for over 20 years; our community partners in both the highlands and islands are members of…
Avocado: Thought you’d miss creamy avocados and guacamole while traveling in East Africa? Think again. Tanzanian avocados are delicious and abundant. Occasionally, trees drop avocados to the unsuspecting passerby below, so be ready with the rest of your picnic! Bantu People: Long ago, the Bantu people were a homogenous group; however, now the label encompasses millions…
This month’s Alumni Spotlight is shining on Cailey Newton. She is a three-program Rustic veteran after traveling to Peru, Thailand and Laos, and fundraising for the programs on her own. Upon high school graduation and being accepted into numerous colleges, Cailey found herself researching taking a Gap Year and, ultimately, taking the leap. Cailey spent…
During this past winter of 2015, our non-profit organization Rustic Pathways Foundation launched the biggest fundraiser to date. Nearly 170 staff, alumni, and friends volunteered their time to fundraise for causes they felt passionately about—resulting in more than $120,000 raised.
If we had to guess, we’d say about 95% of high school seniors aren’t totally sure what they want to do, where they want to study, or what career path they want to follow. (We’re pretty sure many adults are not so positive either.) If you’re reading this, saying to yourself, “I think I fall…
Our application for 2016 Program Leaders will be closing on February 10! We could give you a hundred reasons why working with us this summer would be an incredible experience, but we figured you might want to hear it from an actual program leader—someone who guided programs last summer and is coming back for round two. Emily…