Myanmar: Service on the Irrawaddy

Arrive into Yangon International Airport (RGN) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Visit the country’s pride and joy, the famous golden Shwedagon pagoda, learning the legend behind it and why thousands of Buddhists make the pilgrimage to this site every year. Join the group for dinner at the former office of General Aung San, Myanmar’s national hero, and join your Program Leaders for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture. Minglabar!

Catch a flight to Bagan, where you’ll split up into small teams for a market scavenger hunt. While ticking off your list of items and challenges, interact with vendors and sample local fruits and snacks. Visit a language center supporting Burmese teenagers and university students. Get to know these students and help them improve their English fluency by serving as an English conversation partner.

End the day wandering the dusty plains exploring the hundreds of temples and pagodas that dot the landscape. Cap it off with one of the most picturesque sights in Myanmar, sunset from the roof of a pagoda!

Take a chartered boat across the Irrawaddy River to a small island rarely visited by tourists—home to several of Rustic Pathways’ staff members and their extended families. Learn about the village, their connection with the land, and how life is impacted by the river levels and flooding. Enjoy a delicious homecooked meal made with local ingredients for dinner. After learning about the lives of the locals, get your hands dirty on a service project prioritized by the local community.

Return to the island village to continue working alongside the locals on the community service projects. Potential service projects related to infrastructure improvements or water sanitation will depend on the needs and concerns of the village. Spend your evenings in Bagan relaxing and enjoying traditional Burmese food. Join your group for a post-service debrief in the evening, discussing what you experienced and learned through hands-on work in the community.

Explore local lacquerware galleries and stock up on gifts to take home to friends and family. Set off on foot or two wheels to explore some of the hundreds of temples in the area. End your day by a bonfire listening to Burmese acoustic music as you marvel at the stars above.

At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.