Summer High School Programs in Costa Rica with Rustic Pathways

BEST. TRIP. EVER!!!! Leaving home behind and traveling with Rustic Pathways had been the best experience of my life: better than any vacation to a foreign country, better than sleepaway camp. The experience changed me for the better and I will never forget the magical night sky at the wildlife refuge. Underneath the shooting stars and the Milky Way, I would lay on the sand and collect the mama turtle’s eggs as she lay them. At that moment I finally realized that it only takes one person to change the world for the better. You matter. From dancing at the refuge, to picking up plastic, to surfing and coffee and dolphins, this was truly the trip of a lifetime. Let go of any doubt and sign up because IT IS SO WORTH IT!

I went on the Intro to Community Service trip in Costa Rica and it has made such an impact on my life. What made this experience truly unique was the people I met. Whether they were fellow student, staff, or local, they all made me feel so welcome. I was able to connect with so many people and learn so much from them. If you want to make a difference in not only your life, but the life of others then definitely travel with Rustic Pathways.

In 2017 I traveled with Rustic Pathways to Costa Rica where I surfed and learned what the true meaning of community service is. After a few card games and friendship bracelets, we became a family to take on the waves and building sidewalks together.

Being a new surfer I was nervous as I looked out into massive waves. Soon this fear went away as the leaders taught us how to surf and we started off at the small waves. The group was the perfect mix of half of us being first-time surfers and the other half being experienced. On the last day, everyone could paddle far out and surf the amazing waves.

We also learned how community service is not about "helping or saving" people that have less than us, rather it is about supporting communities. We build sidewalks and ramps in a school because there was a new law that required them. Rustic Pathways asked the community how we could support them the most and building ramps was the answer. In past years there this program has build houses and ect.

Whale watching and white water rafting were amazing days! We saw so many whales and all got to hang out on the beach together. On the 2nd to last day where we went white water rafting, we all made nicknames and had a great time going over rapids, jumping off rocks and swimming in huge waterfalls!

The food is awesome, I loved trying new fruits! The coconut water is the best thing ever!! The base house is also awesome as it was very clean and we could walk to community service and say Pura Vida to EVERYONE who we crossed paths with. This program is perfect for anyone who is a first-time traveler! (or experienced)

this rustic pathways trip changed my life. Before i came
to costa rica, i was someone who was fairly entitled. after completing this trip, i learned so much about how fortunate i am, and how grateful i need to be for this. in addition to this the staff were always supportive, even in emergencies. the service felt incredibly impactful, especially when you were able to see results. we were lucky enough to have the community show us their gratitude, and every single bit of hard work is worth it. you feel the impact of all of your service.

I went on the Heart of the Jungle trip in early June. I can honestly say it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. The activities we did were so fun and exciting. I learned so much through working with some of the locals and the people we met were the nicest people and the country was so beautiful. I met some of the most incredible people through Rustic. I would highly recommend this trip and Rustic Pathways to anyone.

This program genuinely changed my life. The counselors were amazing and helpful. I made many great friends from around the country that I still talk to and visit. The activities that we did were top of the line and very fun. As for the service, I feel like it was unorganized and not helpful towards the community. We did do work that the real workers didn’t have to do but I feel like we barely did anything. The whole experience was amazing. I will remember it forever and I can’t wait to do another one. I know I will be doing rustic for every year possible. 10/10

I was so excited to go on my trip for into to community service. That was until I got to the airport. I realized that maybe I made a mistake. Half of the time I felt very left out at base camp because of my social status. There lacked minorities and people of lower economic standing. The kids were privelaged, made awful jokes, and didn’t care if the things they said were hurtful. A lot of kids came in groups or partners too. It was hard to meet people when they all came together. The service however was wonderful. I enjoyed supporting the community I was at. The activities were unbelievable. Zip lining was amazing, and I’m afraid of heights. White water rafting was personally my favorite thing. The staff were so great. They were kind and they listened and they genuinely cared about each and every one of us.

We did a lot of fun activities all around Costa Rica. We learned about how the Costa Ricans lived, the food they ate and their slang. We also spent an amazing 6 days with the Costa Rican kids which were definitely not long enough. We really connected with the kids even though we hardly spoke their language. I am still in touch with some of them today. The food was also amazing. Every single meal was so good and they were very accommodating about food restrictions.