<p>Four years ago, I went on a Rustic Pathways trip to Thailand. I hate to say it, but the other posters hit the nail on the head. I was looking forward to finding "like-minded people," to borrow my mom's expression. Instead, I found myself in the midst of a swarm of wealthy L.A. kids. They would be the first to tell you that their parents had sent them to Thailand to keep them out of trouble (and the notion that the trip would give them a leg up in their Ivy League applications). I was a rising freshman in college, but there were several students in my boat, so that wasn't an issue. </p>
<p>But here's the really big thing. They lost me. I was barely 18, and the group left me behind in the Thai countryside several hours from our house with no phone number to call, no passport, no money. I learned a great deal from that experience. A creepy Australian man offered to give me a ride on his motorcycle; I sent him packing. I took a leap of faith and got a ride with a family of Japanese tourists to a nearby town, where they dropped me off at a police station. I googled Rustic Pathways to find a phone number, used a cop's cell phone to call the US office, got a phone number to call one of my leaders in Thailand, and finally someone picked me up. I got back to the house eight hours after they had lost me. When I got back, one of the leaders told me to call home because he wasn't sure if anyone had told my parents. At this point, I was two weeks into a month-long trip, and as much as my mom wanted to fly me home immediately, we couldn't afford it. She didn't sleep for the next two weeks as she awaited my return. She was furious with Rustic Pathways for allowing this to happen, and she tried calling them several times. They never called her. </p>
<p>I realize that this is a long post, but I think it's something you need to see before you send your kid across the world. There are other, better organizations, such as Putney Student Travel (I went on two trips through them while still in high school). If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.</p>
<p>What a lousy experience, Dory. Well, at least you learned you could deal with a difficult situation! </p>
<p>A small plug for Putney Student Travel. My D did community service programs through Putney during two summers in high school. Both programs were very good. Obviously, the accomodations are not luxe when you're living/working in poor communities. But she/we had absolutely no problems with the Putney organization.</p>
<p>hi i am currently applying for a position in rustic pathways costa rica. I want to be on of the guides. I a a college grad who will be entering med school this fall. what's your opinion on working for them. all good things? is there anything i should be worried about?</p>
<p>If anyone has any additional information about Rustic pathways please let me know. My DD wants to go to Asia to do community service. And, yes travel is involved. I told her to just travel, but she doen't want to be a tourist only. DD wants to learn the culture and interact with locals. And, by the way, we're not rich in any way.
After reading the posts here, I'm getting worried about rustic pathways. Anyone knows anything else about them?</p>
<p>
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Landmark Volunteers looks to be a legitimate organisation
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</p>
<p>This is what i found at the Landmark website today. How sad.</p>
<p>Landmark Suspends Operations
It is with great sadness that Landmark has decided it must suspend its operations for 2009. We are just one of many organizations that have been affected by the economic downturn. The rising costs of maintaining the quality of the Landmark programs have become an increasing problem, but it is the prospect of substantially reduced enrollment in the current economic environment that has forced this decision upon us. </p>
<p>Since 1991, Landmark Volunteers has offered community service programs to more than 8,000 high school students, giving them an opportunity to make an impact in the world around them. In addition to providing over 800,000 hours of work to hundreds of important nonprofit organizations across the country, the volunteers were able to make new friends, learn new skills and develop a sense of purpose. </p>
<p>We want to thank you for your continued support over the years and to let you know that we deeply appreciate the confidence you have placed in Landmark Volunteers. Because of your belief in our mission, we have been able to instill a sense of pride and accomplishment in the thousands of volunteers who have made a difference in the world.</p>
<p>D1 (college freshman) went on Rustic Pathways to Fiji last year; she was very disappointed with the behavior of the staff (and felt that they were wayyyy too young)...said that some of her "supervisory staff" didn't know what was going on day to day.....</p>
<p>If your kids are really interested in these programs, find out who their "counselors" are going to be....and make sure it's not just "warm bodies" that they could find who were interested in travelling for the summer....</p>
<p>we were very thankful that our daughter was 18 and that stuff doesn't really bother her, but she really felt like she was on her own.....wouldn't send another kid though......</p>
<p>Rodney, thanks for the heads up. My D is very mature. But it's really tough to be in a country when you cannot read/speak their language. D is trilingual, but she doesn't know any Asian languages.</p>
<p>In summary, is Rustic Pathways a safe and reliable program for teens? if not, could someone recommend another program that combines travel/community service?
Thanks a bunch.</p>
<p>My 2 teenage Ds went on Rustic Pathways trips, first year to Thailand, second year to Costa Rica. They had very positive experiences, especially in Thailand. The counselors they interacted with were very good and they felt safe the whole time. They are pretty independent kids. We are very middle-class, come from a small town, kids go to public school, etc. Both kids commented on how eye-opening it was to interact with many of the really rich, privileged kids in the programs. When they were up in the rural Hill Tribe area of northern Thailand in homestays, some of the kids had a really hard time with the rustic conditions and weren't happy. I think they worked pretty hard, and got some real satisfaction from the work they did in helping in some impoverisded Thai communities. the Costa Rica trip had much more of a travel/tourist vacation and they were disappointed. My older D wrote one of her college essays about her experience in Thailand, with the focus not so much on the Thai experience, but on the experience of observing the huge dichotomoy of the typical rich American and the rest of the world, and how we must be viewed from people in 3rd world countries. It was quite perceptive.</p>
<p>They have 3 basic areas: travel, community service, and language immersion. I've only done the travel part of it, but my friends who've done the community service have LOVED it.</p>
<p>They make it a priority that the teens on the trip are safe at all times, while still making it a great experience. The counselors are young (20s), but they take their jobs seriously, and there's always at least one person who speaks the language of the country that you're in fluently. And if they don't, they hire someone who's a local in the country(ies) you're traveling to who does.</p>
<p>I've made amazing friends and have had amazing times at TFT. Enough that I went back every summer of high school.</p>
<p>If you want more info, check out travelforteens.com</p>
<p>My travels with them were honestly the best experiences I've had.</p>
<p>I don't know about Rustic Pathways specifically, but I think that the adcoms who have broad-based objections to students performing "community" service abroad are way off base. Yes, there are critical needs nearer home, and people should be trying to meet them. But to argue that service abroad is therefore somehow off limits seems to me to reflect an attitude that is awfully blase about the world's suffering.</p>
<p>mom60, the dragon programs seems to be very interesting, thanks.
runningmom, thanks. my D wants to go to Asia so it's very helpful to know about your D's experience.
lilygraces, thanks for the web address
I think my D has to do a lot of reading to see what she likes best. She's into community service/travel. Again, thanks all.</p>
<p>I join those recommending Putney Student Travel. My daughter spent a month on their program in Cambodia engaged in service. It changed her life, deepening her understanding of the devastating poverty plaguing women and children and the general population in that country, as in many third-world nations. She read extensively about the history of Cambodia prior to her trip; readings were recommended by Putney. She looks forward to spending time again in Cambodia on a self-designed service project during college. She had no knowledge of the Khmer language prior to her trip. One of her trip leaders was Cambodian American and fluent.</p>
<p>I found some of the Putney programs (global awareness?) particularly pretentious - - hs students spending a few weeks in a third world country and then "convening" at a "summit" at Yale to discuss solutions to global problems. And all for a mere $5-6K.</p>
<p>Hello,
I have to say that I take exception to the statements that these programs will be rejected by adcoms because they seem “elitist”. Perhaps there are some individuals who hold that view, but in the end, the student is still choosing to spend their time in a foreign country, immersed in the culture, and they are doing a service project. We are looking at the summer camp leadership program in Costa Rica. In this program, the kids create and run a camp for local Costa Rican children. Yes, it does have the 2 days of white water rafting and a day at the beach (quite frankly, I would skip so many days of the “adventure” activities), but they are trying to create an experience where you mix work with fun. If you think these programs are mostly for “rich kids”, then I guess my question would be - would it be better for the “rich kids” to just have fun over the summer? Why penalize the rich kid who wants a work + fun summer activity? And, bottom line, if the kid is rich, he’s rich - with or without the summer program.
My own opinion is that the benefit of this depends on what the kid takes away from it. I interview kids for my alma-mater, and I’m sure my interview has a very small impact on the admissions process. But, I have to tell you that I am very impressed when a student has done something like this and describes it with maturity and sensitivity. If the child has taken away a lot from the experience - if this has somehow inspired them to follow a certain path, or to adopt a more compassionate view of humanity, then I am moved by that. However, if the student talks about this as an entitled, shallow kid, then I am turned off (btw, the entitled, shallow kid may still get into the top school and be successful in life - that’s just the way it goes!)</p>
<p>These are my thoughts but I’d be interested in knowing what you think.
Right now, my biggest concern is safety of the program. So, would appreciate your thoughts on this. My daughter has never been away for more than about a week, and all within driving distance. She will be 17 this summer. I’d love to send her (and she is thrilled with the program), but I am in a panic over the “what could happen” aspect.</p>
<p>paulag5000
Welcome to CC. the above thread is over a year old, so you are unlikely to get responses from some of the original posters. you may want to start your own thread on the parents forum with specific questions you have about summer programs.
However, the reason many posters[ and college ad coms] feel these type of “faux” community service programs are “elitist” are 1] they are expensive and most colleges know that only wealthier families can afford them, 2]the best community service experiences are “paid for” with a students time, not a parents $, 3] they are not “exclusively” community service programs and 4] there are many ways a student could do community service closer to home. A “rich kid” should find ways to contribute his time that don’t require his parents to fork over thousands of dollars for the privilege.</p>
<p>Yes, I’m still surprised and I thought the comments were particularly critical toward RP. The RP programs are priced a little less than other similar programs (Visions, Global Works, Cross-Cultural Solutions, Dragons, Travel for Teens, etc). The program I looked at is $2600 and the others can be $4-6000.
Also, some RP programs are 99% fun (there is a surf program, e.g.) and others seem to devote more time on the service projects themselves (the program we selected is 70 hours of comm service). So, are the negative RP comments a little harsh in this context?</p>
<p>Anyway, I’d be interested in learning about other comm serv programs, either in the US or very close by, that are supposed to be “better” as well as less costly. Maybe I’m missing something but, when I looked up almost every other program mentioned above, it was the same cost or more than RP. Would “other programs” mean something more community-based, like Habitat for Humanity, Fresh Air Fund, etc?</p>