Welcome!

Hello!
My name is Leah and I have caught the travel bug with a severe sickness of plastic!

I graduated from Newburyport High School in 2015 and after spending the summer working at a local Pizza joint, it was finally my time to depart to Siem Reap, Cambodia! For the next year of my life I lived/traveled throughout Cambodia, the United States, and Peru.
My year abroad ended way too quickly (as good times always do) and my summer was filled with long but amazing days of latte art and walking dogs (full time... yes, who knew you could make good money and rake in the hours walking dogs)!

Now I embark on a four year bachelors program in Global Studies. The world will be my classroom as my professors take me into the roots of global issues as they relate to/are caused by economics, politics, the environmental and human culture. Getting a real live bachelors degree to travel and learn? Yup, I have won the lottery and am grateful for it every morning, night, and minute in between.

Over the next four years (and hopefully nomadic years to follow) I will be attempting to be both a traveler and a student living a TOWARD ZERO WASTE lifestyle-- and want to share my tips, tricks, and failures with you!


Traveling is becoming accessible and desirable to more and more people in today's global world. And with apps making buying plane tickets, learning about visa info, and booking hostels completely hassle free, it is important to remember that it is still necessary for you to take time and do research before buying that big-booty backpack and making the world your oyster!
Before entering lands of others, the responsible thing to do is to step back and look at the footprint you will be leaving at the departure gate when your time as a tourist ends. This begins with having the utmost respect for the people and the land in your destination(s). Learn some of the language, respectfully chat with every local you possibly can, make people smile, and DON'T LEAVE A TRAIL OF SMELLY GARBAGE BEHIND YOU!!
I know, I know, plastic is everywhere and almost completely unavoidable--or is it?  Believe me when I tell you even the smallest of actions can add up and make a difference (I know, I'm cheesy.. deal with it).
Always start with REDUCING, because the best way to reduce the trash you leave behind is to just avoid having it in the first place. You never know what kind of recycling systems, if any, are implemented in the places you are-- so be respectful and leave behind as little as you can. You don't have to be perfect, nobody is, but it is important that you try.

I am going to fail a lot over the next four years, but each time I fail I also learn and improve (ahh, speaking like a true college kid). If you are at all interested in learning to travel with a smaller footprint than the backpacker next to you, please read on and use some of these tips! Learn with me and comment with any ideas that can help me succeed in this journey!!

Thanks loves xxx,
Leah