Blog

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…
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…
It’s one thing to learn about a different culture and country from a textbook, and then it’s completely different to experience them firsthand. Hear about the power of service learning from Mark Pim, a teacher from Springbrook High School, and why he takes his lesson plans and students out of the classroom and into the world.
On January 1st, you said 2016 was the year you learn something new, venture out of your comfort zone, and go on more epic adventures. January is almost over—are you still committed to your goals? If you need some inspiration to keep those New Years resolutions alive, check out this video. It will have you packing your bag…
2016 is here! Were you one of the millions of people who made a New Year’s resolution? Well, according to Statistic Brain, only 8% of people who make a resolution are successful in reaching their goals. People go strong for the first few weeks but then slowly lose focus, with only half of them still…
Every month, we highlight awesome alumni that have made an impact in their community since their program, shared their favorite #sorustic memories with us, or have great advice to pass along. This month, our Alumni Spotlights is shining on Eric Mathewson, a Service Scholarship recipient who filmed his adventures in the Dominican Republic this past summer…
The other night, my wife and I were talking about raising our three sons and how important we feel it is to take a family Gap Year. In 2022, when our sons hit ages eleven, nine, and seven, we will journey around the world by planes, trains, boats, bikes, rickshaws, tuk-tuks, and our collective 10…
The holidays are quickly approaching, and if you're not done with your holiday shopping, you certainly aren't alone. But don’t panic—we have all the travelers on your list covered. Be a gift-giving hero this year with a curated list from Rustic staff with gift ideas from their own holiday wish lists. Day Packs These smaller…
This month’s spotlights are shining on three awesome girls whose programs in Morocco, India, and Thailand far exceeded their expectations. Hear about their eye-opening experiences and the connections Nabilla, Sarah, and Maggie discovered within their new environments. Nabilla traveled to Morocco with Souqs and Service as an Ambassador scholarship recipient. She had the unique experience…
As 2015 quickly comes to a close, we wanted to look back on the past year and see how we impacted our global community. In collaboration with Sustainable Travel International, we've compiled the data and numbers into our 2015 Impact Report, which gives an overview of our service initiatives around the world. 2015 was a…
One of the greatest aspects of travel is the feeling of a welcoming community in an unknown place and meeting people who will help you adjust to their culture, food, and language. But what if you were forced into this new life? What if you had to leave your home behind to live in a…
Lance Oppenheim is a talented photographer and videographer who was awarded one of our Gap Year Global Ambassador Scholarships. While traveling throughout Southeast Asia and India, Lance was captivated by the beautiful landscapes and unique cultures he encountered. He was also surprised by the prevalence of cameras and phones, and questioned the significance of these…
Photographer guide and Rustic Crew member Michelle Kanaar worked with us in the Dominican Republic last summer, where she spent time in the bateyes, marginalized Haitian-Dominican communities mostly populated by sugarcane workers. Kanaar recently wrote an article for the Miami Herald about the hardships faced in these communities, most notably the ongoing struggle to get…