save endangered
species, exploring rainforests, learning life-saving medical skills,
working toward sustainability and globalization, all while forming
lifelong friendships with people from all over the world, gathering
invaluable life experiences, and working to make the world a better
place.
The Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is home to
unique floating villages, where homes, schools and gardens are designed to
float
in order to accommodate the changing water levels. Rustic has several
anchor villages over the 80 miles of river where they have established
relationships and support a range of community projects.
First
spend time in Phnom Penh learning about Cambodia's turbulent recent
history, visiting the Genocide Museum, the Killing Fields, and the
Royal Palace. Only then can you truly understand life in Cambodia
today.
Your
service tour of rural Cambodia begins in Kampong Cham, your home for
the next couple of nights. Here you can spend time working with one of
Rustic Pathways' sister organizations, a local non-governmental agency
called the BSDA. This innovative organization works to support women,
children and marginalized members of the community in areas of
education, health and income generation. You'll join in a series of
educational activities designed to boost the education of the children
who depend on this center to open opportunities for their future. The
BSDA is also improving the grounds of their vocational training center
and you can work alongside them to help them meet their goal.
While
the Cambodians that live on the rivers are able to catch enough food
to survive, access to basic services is limited and schools lack basic
materials to support children's education. Rustic Pathways has partnered
with local schools and communities, helping to repair houses, leading
English workshops, and even building some floating gardens. After
school, local students come by to play games, blend up some fruit
shakes, and just enjoy spending time together.
Siem
Reap, a quaint and diverse town, is home to Angkor Wat and some of the
world's most exotic temples. Here it is easy to take in the kingdom's
ancient splendor. Marvel at the intricate carvings in the stone
fortresses as you visit Angkor Thom, Bayon, and Ta Prohm (also known as
the Tomb Raider temple). Cap off your trip watching traditional
Apsara dance, feasting on exotic local fare, and grabbing your last
minute souvenirs, before you say goodbye to this beautiful country and
the many new friends you have met here.
From
the children in Kampong Cham and the floating villages that line the
Tonle Sap waterway to the splendor of Angkor Wat, this is a trip you'll
never forget!
The Faces of East Africa
Immersion in Tanzanian village life on a one-of-a-kind
community service adventure
Visit
Tanzania and make a difference in the lives of local children during
service at a village school. You'll immerse yourself in the rich
cultural traditions of this East African country and have a chance to
explore
the
nation's spectacular scenery. Tucked in the shadow of stunning Mount
Kilimanjaro, Njoro village welcomes you with open arms.
Your
goal in your host village is to help improve the learning environment
and the general quality of life for the local people. You will become a driving force in making it happen!
You
will spend much of your time working at the local school, creating a
positive learning environment for local kids who don't have much beyond
the very basics. Arts and crafts, educational games, sports, and
English classes are all rare treats here. Your projects inspire these
kids' imaginations and ensure they receive the individual attention
they deserve. They happily welcome you into their school, and they may even
teach you a little Swahili in addition to some local customs in
between English lessons! When you aren't working with the kids you'll
be completing work on two new classrooms, including adding floors,
plastering, and painting, to help transform the school into a welcoming
and positive environment for students.
The Faces of East Africa
program was designed for those who want to experience Tanzania's rich
culture while participating in worthwhile community service
projects. You can spend your vacation immersed in a vital, ongoing
effort to support, educate, and develop a community, and gain a real understanding of another culture.
Lake Titicaca Service Adventure
The ultimate community service tour through southern Peru,
featuring the stunning Lake Titicaca
Shrouds
of morning mist rise to reveal the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu.
Llamas and alpacas quietly graze on the altiplano, and condors soar
past the snow-capped peaks and jagged cliffs of Colca Canyon. Local
fishermen push off into the tranquil blue waters of Lake Titicaca.
Young children happily giggle while
herding
sheep out to pasture, and brightly clothed women tend to cooking fires
in dimly lit adobe homes. These are the sights and sounds that will
greet you in Southern Peru.
Your
service tour starts in the Andes, where you'll overnight in the town of
Ollantaytambo. Stroll the streets of this 'living city of the Incas,'
relax, and adjust to your new surroundings before heading to Machu
Picchu, one of the true cultural treasures of Peru. An early morning
climb through one of the seven man-made wonders of the world is the
perfect way to acclimatize to the high-altitude Andes and prepare for
the next two weeks of community service and adventure.
Cradled
between the snow-capped mountains of Bolivia and the high altiplano of
Peru, Lake Titicaca is one of Peru's legendary highlights. Traditional
villages that exist much as they did 100 years ago are scattered along
its shores, and you'll immerse yourself in the traditional way of life
of the hardworking people who live here. You'll participate in a
variety of community projects developed by local people. These projects
include teaching English to eager students who have never had native
speakers as instructors, refurbishing classrooms, and painting
educational murals alongside local students.
Then
take a boat to visit Lake Titicaca's island inhabitants. Thousands of
visitors come to these floating islands each year - islands which are
constructed entirely of reeds - but you'll visit a few of them that
rarely see tourists. The people living on these seldom-seen islands
subsist much as they have for centuries, and we are honored to be
invited to share in life here. A floating field will provide a unique
setting for a rousing game of volleyball against local children - an
experience you will never forget! Then head off to more solid ground a
t the nearby community of Taquile.
This
island of approximately 2,000 inhabitants is home to pre-Incan ruins,
world-renowned textiles, and a truly egalitarian community that has
maintained customs and traditions dating back hundreds of years. You'll
settle into the tranquil life of the Taquileños while you're here.
Play games with and teach English to colorfully capped children before
watching the sunset with these island dwellers - the perfect end to
your day at the world's highest navigable lake.
After
leaving the high-alpine lakes, the altiplano slowly morphs into Peru's
canyon country. Colca Canyon plunges to twice the depth of the Grand
Canyon and is home to soaring Andean condors, terraced valleys, and
snow-capped peaks. After rising early for condor sighting and mountain
biking, soak in local hot springs and reminisce about the past two
weeks of travel and service in Southern Peru. This is a trip that you
will surely remember forever!
