#RecreateResponsibly and Irresponsible Tourism

Since quarantine began back in March, many full time vagabonds, outdoorsy folks, guides, climbers, etc… have been begging for campgrounds, trails, and parks to reopen. And now that they are, many of us are finding that things are not turning out the way we imagined. The outdoors have always been my safe space, my place for finding myself close to nature, dipping my toes in rivers, and hugging trees. I live and breath Leave No Trace, and have personally told people in National Parks to stop littering, or nicely explained to them why they should stay on the trail. As lovers of the outdoors, it’s what we do, to keep these places beautiful, and the way we found them (or better).

Death Valley National Park, CA

But since lockdown began in early spring, and with US citizens on further lockdown from the rest of the world, many people are taking to the road and exploring their own country for the first time during the summer months when they would normally be traveling overseas. This has lead to an influx of visitors in National Parks, National Forests, State Parks, trails, and even dispersed camping areas that full time vanlifers and nomads depend upon. This makes for a complicated decision. Of course I’m all for more people getting to explore the outdoors, and learning to see value in these places, but the problem is, it is clear that that value is not being seen by these visitors. Many of these people are leaving piles of trash that the National Parks can’t clean up due to understaffing, using the restroom in places they shouldn’t (leading to a shutdown of National Forest dispersed camping… again), and simply overcrowding areas that are normally a peaceful getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

What is #RecreateResponsibly?

The hashtag #recreateresponsibly popped up amongst National Parks, outdoor gear companies, and outdoor enthusiasts a few months ago, when parks were starting to open up again, with the goal of teaching people how to recreate in a world where COVID exists. However, many of the suggestions that went along with the original Recreate Responsibly list mirrored those already reflected in the popular Leave No Trace list that outdoor enthusiasts follow. The new suggestions however, included choosing less crowded destinations, keeping 6 feet from other people, and working to make sure that you are maintaining a healthy environment for the communities you might be visiting.

We are all familiar with social distancing, but the amount of people me and other outdoor lovers have been witnessing at normally empty spaces is a huge problem. Why is this a problem, you might be asking. Well, read on.

Sequoia National Park, CA

Why People Are Ruining the Outdoors

Crowds are something we all have to deal with, especially in the summer months. But the fact is, more people = more litter, more poop (sorry, but it’s true), and less of an ability to social distance.

It’s okay to be new to the outdoors. In fact, I welcome it, as long as you are willing to learn to respect it. There is a very specific etiquette that comes with visiting outdoor spaces, and while most people might not already be familiar with it, it’s easy to learn and execute.

The problem is, people are treating these places like Disneyland. They’re bringing in and leaving trash, they’re creating crowds and lines, and they’re approaching animals like they are visiting a petting zoo. It’s important to remember that these places are wild. Incredibly wild. They don’t follow the rules of your domesticated world, so it’s important to learn to respect them, so that you can get the most out of them.

When people don’t respect these places (and each other while visiting them), it makes it easy for the government to decide that they need to close them down again, thus making things more difficult for those of us who actually depend on them to survive.

Yellowstone National Park, WY

What is Leave No Trace?

I actually have a whole blog post about Leave No Trace (LNT) principles, so I’ll make this quick! Leave No Trace is the guidelines for recreating in the outdoors, and it is what #recreateresponsibly is based on. There are 7 LNT principles:

1: Plan ahead and prepare

2: Travel and camp on durable surfaces

3: Dispose of waste properly

4: Leave what you find

5: Minimize campfire impacts

6: Respect Wildlife

7: Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Valley of Fire State Park, NV

And to add a few for COVID times: Wear a mask when in a crowded area, stay 6 feet away from others when possible and safe (ie: it wouldn’t involve anyone falling off a cliff), and avoid crowded parks and trails if you can. However, these lie in the “respect others” category in my opinion.

When people don’t follow these guidelines, it makes it really hard for everyone to enjoy the outdoors. Because of course, these are public lands—no one is forbidden from exploring them—however, it is important that you treat these places with respect, so that they can stay to be explored by others for years to come.

Congaree National Park, SC

Why #RecreateResponsibly is Being Aimed at the Wrong Crowd

Answer these questions: are you an outdoorsy person? Do you follow outdoor brands such as REI, Backcountry, Merrell, or Patagonia on Instagram? Do you follow any National Parks on Instagram?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, likely, you’ve heard the term Recreate Responsibly thrown around in your internet world in recent months. You might even be getting tired of hearing it because you know not to litter and to stick to less popular trails. You even have local secrets that have always been empty… until now. And the reason for that is, Recreate Responsibly is being aimed at the wrong group of people.

Indiana Dunes National Park, IN

The people who need to learn to recreate responsibly are those who are new to the outdoors, those who have never visited a National Park before, those who are venturing out for the first time. We welcome these people in our favorite outdoor spaces. I firmly believe that it’s hard to think about preserving our environment when you don’t have a connection with the outdoors, so welcoming newcomers is something that I’m all for—it will teach them that nature has something for them to love. But without the proper education, it’s hard for people to treat these places any different than if they were visiting a local zoo.

When you enter a National Park, you are often handed a map, and sometimes a flyer with Park information. Would it be so hard to add the LNT principles to that flyer? Would it help the problem? And what about National Forests, BLM Land, and the backcountry? These are questions that I’m not sure I have the answer to, but it’s important to consider them. More education is absolutely needed when it comes to keeping our wild spaces wild, and therefore, keeping them accessible to both those who have always loved them, and those who are discovering them for the first time.

Badlands National Park, SD

If you are planning your first trip to a National Park, and want some help getting prepared for your trip so that you too can #RecreateResponsibly, reach out to me on Patreon. I offer trip planning services that can help you to be prepared for anything the outdoors might throw your way. Click the button below to sign up so we can start chatting!

Your Guide to Our Public Lands

During my time on the road, I’ve spent a lot of time on public land. From my slight obsession with the National Park Service, to using BLM and Forest Land to park my van overnight, I’ve experienced just about every type of public land there is in the United States. The thing is, all these terms can get confusing, and I’ve seen it happen more than once where state parks and BLM land are mistaken for National Parks. Each type of public land is vastly different, has different rules and expectations, and are run by different sectors of the government. This is a complete guide to exploring public land in the United States.

Dispersed camping on BLM land in California

National Parks

National Parks are easily the most popular and the most commonly referenced public land in the US. Many people believe that all public land is Park Land, which is an easy mistake to make. I used to think the same thing! But really, National Park only refers to the 419 sites run by the National Park Service. This includes sites with “Park Status” such as Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone, as well as National Monuments (Devils Tower), National Military Parks (Gettysburg), National Historic Parks (Harper’s Ferry), and other natural sites, such as National Lakeshores, Recreation Areas, and Seashores.

The National Park Service (NPS) is my personal favorite because they truly go out of their way to protect their land. National Parks are zones free from hunting, lumber, fishing, and more, and are solely used for recreation, conservation, and education.

Bryce Canyon National Park, UT

Camping is only allowed in National Parks if you are in a developed campground. Lots of NPS campgrounds can be reserved in advance, but some are first come first served, so check on the Park’s website before visiting. Backcountry camping is allowed, but like with all public lands, you must have a permit.

Most National Parks require an entrance fee to visit, and this can range from $20-35 depending on the park. I highly suggest purchasing an America the Beautiful Pass if you are planning on visiting more than 3 National Park Service sites per year.

Glacier National Park, MT

National Forests

While the word “national” often means National Forests get lumped in with National Parks, they are vastly different from each other. The main difference is that National Forests are run by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), not the NPS. National Forests are not necessarily actual forests. They often don’t actually have trees! They’re just called forests by the USDA. Oftentimes, National Forests surround National Parks, and they’re recognizable by their brown and yellow welcome signs.

National Forests are always free to visit, as they often surround roads and highways. You will, however have to pay to camp in most developed campgrounds, and sometimes there is a parking fee for trailheads and picnic areas. An America the Beautiful Pass will waive parking fees for National Forests, but not camping fees.

Cathedral Rock, a trail maintained by one of Sedona, AZ’s many National Forests

The USDA is very different from the NPS in the way that they protect their land. Often, people can secure fishing or hunting permits in National Forests (but, please don’t. You know, respect nature). The USDA will use parts of National Forests for lumber farming, so land is not as protected in a National Forest as it is in a National Park.

The main plus-side of National Forests is something I discovered in the vanlife community, but anyone who camps often will benefit from this as well. National Forests usually allow dispersed camping: camping in undeveloped areas. This means you can park off of just about any dirt road in the Forest, and camp for free, so for overlanders and car campers, this can be a great way to never have to pay for a place to stay during a long road trip. Disclaimer: check the USDA website for the Forest you are in to check if there are any specific dispersed camping regulations in the area.

Fun Fact! The USDA and National Forest sector of our public lands is home to the only National Grassland in the prairie region of the United States. The Sheyenne National Grassland is located in North Dakota and it is absolutely gorgeous and unexpected if you happen to be going through the middle of the country.

Sheyenne National Grasslands, ND

State Parks

Believe it or not, people often also confuse State Parks for National Parks. State Parks are incredibly different from National Parks. State Parks are not run by the federal government like the other public lands on this list. State Parks are run by their state’s specific state government, so their rules and laws depend on those of the state, versus those of the federal government. State Parks are often smaller (other than the beautiful Anza Borrego Desert State Park in CA), and all of them require entrance fees averaging at about $10 across the country. The America the Beautiful Pass will not grant you entrance to a State Park (believe me, I’ve tried, many times), and instead, you must purchase a state parks pass for each separate state you visit.

State Parks include State Forests, State Historic Parks, and State Beaches, and we can just go ahead and lump County Parks and similar in this category as well.

Valley of Fire State Park, NV

BLM Land

BLM Land is one of the most confusing concepts for most people. BLM Land is not run by the National Park Service, or the Department of Agriculture, but is instead run by a completely different sector of the United States Federal Government—the Bureau of Land Management.

BLM Land is mostly for camping, rather than other types of recreation. While BLM Land does have developed campgrounds, it’s most often referred to when speaking about dispersed camping. Just like National Forest developed campgrounds, BLM Land developed sites do usually have a fee, and are usually first come first served. Dispersed sites can be found on the sides of secondary (dirt) roads, and are usually unmarked.

Parked on BLM Land in Alabama Hills, CA

Disclaimer: Dispersed camping in both National Forests and on BLM Land is not for everyone. While “free” might sound enticing, these spots have no facilities, no water, and no bathrooms. You must properly dispose of waste (trash and… you know), and Leave No Trace whenever using these sites.

LEARN LNT PRINCIPLES HERE

While public land is everywhere, it is a concept that usually confuses people. Not all public land is the same, and it’s important to know the difference before you go out and use any of it. But the main thing to remember, as with all public land, it’s important to be respectful. Do some extra research on specific destinations prior to visiting, and leave sites the way you found them. Safe travels!

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Looking to plan a road trip that takes you to public land sites in the US? My 3 month, 48 state road trip route is now available in the SHOP!

National Parks and National Emergencies

Visiting Death Valley During COVID-19

It was only a matter of time before I had to start addressing COVID-19 on here. As a travel blog that specializes in adventure travel, the world has felt a little weird lately. People can’t go outside, trails are closing, and only a few National Parks remain open. While certain small and high traffic parks have closed, such as Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, and White Sands, some do remain open with modifications.

I am currently living on the road full time. What this means is that I carry my house with me, like a snail, and have been isolated on public land for the past almost-week. While California does have a “shelter in place” order, it was stated that driving no more than an hour to spend time outside is okay, so since the public land I’m calling home was one hour from Death Valley National Park, I wanted to take the opportunity to go in, see the park for the first time, and address how the world has had to make modifications due to this global pandemic.

Golden Canyon Trail

Currently, all National Parks are free to enter. Please keep in mind that National Parks are different from National Forests, which are run by the USDA, rather than the NPS. Largely, National Parks are not staffed right now. Visitor Centers are closed nationwide and bathrooms, campgrounds, and other facilities like parking lots that need to be maintained are locked. While Death Valley remained open, it felt like a very different, almost eerie experience to visit during this time. With only one ranger sighting throughout the entire park, multiple road closures, and 40MPH wind gusts, visiting a National Park during a National Emergency was an adventure to remember.

Please note: it is inadvisable to travel to National Parks during the COVID outbreak. I live full time on the road, mostly on BLM land, where I am able to isolate. I did not travel to go on a vacation in the National Park. This is my lifestyle, and I am treating it no differently than if I was in a house driving an hour to hike a local trail.

Zabriskie Point

About Death Valley:

Death Valley is the largest National Park in the lower 48, and spans across both California and Nevada. It is most commonly accessed through the west, and we entered through Lone Pine, CA, which is where we are camped. Death Valley is a bit of a mismatched park. It has a little bit of everything, from mountains to desert, and each of its main attractions don’t really feel like they should fit together. From sand dunes to the lowest elevation in the United States at the Badwater Basin Salt Flats, Death Valley is a unique park that should be added to your list for future trips.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

Restrictions in the National Park:

While Death Valley remains open at the time of the publication of this piece, there were restrictions within the park. Most visitor centers nationwide are closed right now, as are all public restrooms, lodging/camping, and pay stations. In Death Valley specifically, we were surprised to see that Panamint Springs was open, meaning we could get gas on our way into and out of the park. All parking lots were barricaded, so street parking was our only option for the sites that were open. There were also unexpected road closures, which caused for some disappointment as we tried to access Artists Palette, Dante’s View, Natural Arch, and Devils Golfcourse.

Badwater Basin Salt Flats

What was accessible?

Despite the restrictions, quite a lot was still accessible, and due to the lack of visitors, it was completely possible to still be isolated while in the park. We did not come into contact with any other people, and as avid hikers and outdoorsy humans, we always leave no trace, and that includes the spread of COVID (hands were washed often and we were careful to only touch the natural features of the park).

We were able to access the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Badwater Basin Salt Flats, Golden Canyon trail, Ubehebe Crater, and Zabriskie Point, so we felt like we got a decent overview of the park, even though we had less than 12 hours there altogether.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

The thing is, this trip to a National Park was incredibly different from any other National Park trip I’ve taken in the past. While this was my 35th park, it didn’t feel quite the same without a trip to the visitor center, open roads, and maps to collect. But the thing is, although we visited out of convenience and a need to get outside during this self-isolation, the park isn’t going anywhere. I can always go back and experience it in full. It’s time to let mother Earth heal first, and then the adventure can continue.

-HWS

The Other Side of the Planet

Finding Home in Ban Sop Chem

“I was never not coming here. This was never not going to happen.” -Eat Pray Love

From the moment I landed in Laos, surrounded by mountains and green, something in my soul felt like it had slipped perfectly into place. Back before I started traveling, I spent a lot of time struggling with the meaning of my life and what I was doing. I didn’t think that what I was currently doing had the power to make the impact I wanted it to. So, I went searching, and I found myself in Laos, a country I’d never heard of before signing up to go.

Both times on the boats, when we were arriving in and leaving Sop Chem, I cried. I expected to upon leaving—I hate goodbyes, I always try to frame them as a “see you later,” and this time around I really hoped it was true because the moment we arrived, no, before we arrived, when we were simply traveling down the Nam Ou River with mountains as tall as Montana’s glaciers casting shadows on the water and our boat and the trees, I suddenly felt a whisper of “oh, this is why.”

View from the restaurant in Sop Chem

Why I came here, why I didn’t feel like what I was working on before had much purpose, why I was put on this planet. I was supposed to do something bigger. I arrived as a volunteer, and I left knowing I needed to come back.

I spent the week with the locals, getting to know them by name and spending more time with them than I would ever spend with my neighbors back in California. We were able to connect without language. I played games with children who just wanted to learn from us, I made emotional connections with the village’s women, I tried their food, and stayed in their homes. I pet their dogs, and ate lunch with views of their river, a river that would always symbolize the act of arriving here.

Working with the children was one of the most fulfilling moments for me. I arrived in Southeast Asia expecting to put most of my energy into permaculture—it was sustainability that brought me out there in the first place. But the truth is, the connections with the people is what made me want to stay. In Laos, I worked with the young boys to teach them English. I picked them because I have a little brother, and I knew most people would want to work with the girls anyway, and the boys deserved that attention and love too. I knew they’d be a handful, but sometimes mischief is fun, and it turns out, my favorite students were the troublemakers.

Some of my students, playing in the river

Of course, I loved all of them, and I’m incredibly proud of the progress they made just in the time I was with them, but the ones whose names I’ll forever remember are Khan and Leek, to the older boys (about 8 or 9) who came to the intermediate class to learn English on their last 3 days of winter break. They were mischievous, but that meant they were smart. They didn’t have to be there—they showed up because they wanted to. They came and went as they pleased, but still enjoyed a good coloring book and sticker at the end of the day. Khan can give a high five that will knock your soul straight out of your body. Leek is soft at heart, I can tell, but he likes showing off—being the center of attention.

At the end of the school day, the boys disappeared, like children of the jungle and the mountains, dispersing into the hiking trails and roads and trees, while the girls stick around to play games. Phun is the girl who always picked me as her partner for games, and later in the week, for dancing. She’s about 7 years old and she was never my student. She just learned my name when her friend Noona asked. I wanted to ask her why she always picked me, but she doesn’t know enough English and I don’t know enough Lao and “why” is a hard question to answer in any language, so I’ll just go with the idea that she either liked my energy or my pants. I hope that one day I can ask her, but the truth is, even when I do eventually find my way back there, the odds are, she probably won’t remember me the way Noona would, who remembers every volunteer from the past three years. They’re best friends, those girls, and I wish I could have given them so much more.

After the Baci Ceremony

I sat, on one of my last days in Sop Chem, hanging in my hammock in the restaurant where we always ate our meals, looking out over the Nam Ou River for one of the last times until next time (whenever that may be). My legs were bug bitten and bruised and my Teva tan was back and my soul felt so at peace there that the thought of leaving and never coming back broke my heart. I’d never wanted to stay somewhere longer than I wanted to stay there. I didn’t feel like I was on the other side of the planet from home. It felt like my soul had always been trying to find this place.

My last morning in Sop Chem also happened to be my birthday. The last night of my year had been spent dancing to an hour long remix of songs from my childhood under the stars, barefoot, in the center of a village in the center of mountains with Baci chords tied around my wrists for good luck. I felt so full, that day, even knowing that the morning meant leaving, and as we did, back on the boats that brought us to our new home in Ban Sop Chem in the first place, it didn’t feel like the people on the shore of the river were saying goodbye, not forever, at least, not for me.

What It's Really Like to Volunteer Overseas

The Truth About Voluntourism

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of talk about voluntourism online, and the majority of it is, unfortunately, negative. There is a huge stigma being created by the western online community telling people not to volunteer overseas for a number of reasons, but the truth is, volunteering overseas is the most effective way to travel as a conscious consumer and practice true responsible tourism.

I recently had the chance to volunteer with GIVE Volunteers in the Southeast Asian countries of Thailand and Laos. In both countries, I worked on sustainability, permaculture, and English education projects with locals, and experienced what life in these countries is like. Through my work, I’ve gained global citizenship through bringing together people who never would’ve met in an effort to create a better and more connected world, and I’ve become so close to the cultures of these countries that the remote Lao village of Sop Chem started to feel like home.

This is the truth about voluntourism, from someone who has actually done it, been to the countries, and seen the strife and kindness of their people firsthand.

Mueang Khong, Thailand

What is GIVE?

GIVE stands for Growth International Volunteer Excursions. I first learned about GIVE when a recruiter named John came into my Economics class during my senior year at my university. He handed out probably 500 flyers just to that one class, but when I showed up to the info session, only about 10 people sat in the room. Him and my now good friend, Jess told us about the program and its goals to “inspire growth, empower global citizens, and ignite sustainable change worldwide.” I had my heart already set on Thailand, but Jess convinced me to also do the Laos program, even though I hadn’t even heard of the country prior to receiving that flyer. Jess ended up being my guide in Laos, and the trip inspired me to continue creating change with my life. I realized that what I do matters, and can have a larger impact than what I was doing back at home, and because of that, I can genuinely say that GIVE changed my life, and I’ll get to how in the following sections.

(If you sign up for a GIVE trip, make sure you put me, Halle Homel, down as a reference!)

I decided that this trip was a good fit for me because, as a full time traveler, I’m always looking for ways to incorporate as much responsible tourism as I can, and volunteering overseas truly is real responsible tourism. Responsible tourism is more than just Leave No Trace, being a conscious consumer, and even working in your destination to create change. In my eyes, responsible tourism combines all of these things with cultural immersion, so that you as a traveler, have the education to truly understand the place you’re visiting through the eyes of its citizens, which will allow you to really be able to help in the way that they need. GIVE is incredibly good at communicating with the locals in the villages we worked in (Mueang Khong, Thailand and Sop Chem, Laos), and finding out exactly what they needed help with, which included everything from help composting the permaculture plots in Thailand to teaching the children of Sop Chem how to say “tomato” or ask for help in English.

Sop Chem, Laos

How sustainable is it, really?

We all know that flying isn’t the most sustainable form of travel, but giving back to the country you’re visiting is a great way to offset that carbon footprint. What I loved about this trip was that everything we did was based around sustainability, and every excursion wasn’t simply an excursion with a pretty view—each one had an educational purpose that would open our eyes to the culture a little bit more (for example, going caving where Sop Chem villagers hid during the Vietnam War, or trekking for elephants with their mahouts to learn about responsible elephant tourism). But on top of our excursions being beneficial to us and the country, we were working specifically on a lot of sustainability projects.

Permaculture stands for Permanent Culture and Permanent Agriculture, meaning the entire point behind permaculture is to create long lasting agriculture that can help a society move forward in its development through creating independence. On top of that though, our permaculture projects involved caring for plants (hello oxygen), and building a house out of earth bricks (made from mud, sand, and rice). These projects are so good for the planet, and will help move these communities further down the path to development as time goes on.

We also worked on projects with FORRU, a forest restoration group in Thailand, to make sure that new trees were able to grow, and Free the Bears, an animal sanctuary in Tat Kuang Si National Park in Laos. Free the Bears rehabilitates moon bears rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, often from malnutrition, and keeps them safe from hunters. Without both of these groups, our environment might be suffering quite a bit because moon bears are a keystone species, and, well, we know we need more trees.

One of our permaculture plots in Mueang Khong, Thailand

Traveling as a Local

I see a lot nowadays about traveling as a local, and when you volunteer overseas, you’ll have the chance to truly do so. Because your purpose for being in the country is to help out communities that need you, you’ll be living in those communities while you’re there, which will let you get acquainted with the locals on a more intimate level. In Sop Chem specifically, we spent an entire week off the grid, living in the local hostel and becoming fast friends with the locals. We learned how to weave and make rice wine from the people in the village, did a homestay for one night, taught the local children and women English so that they would have more job opportunities as adults, and hung out with the local puppy, a good girl named Bagel. We learned plenty of words in Lao too, and by the end, found it hard to break our habit of saying “Sabaidee!” instead of “hello.”

Local children in Sop Chem playing by the Nam Ou River

How much adventure is there in a volunteer trip?

I know many people travel for site seeing, not to work, or sleep in a local’s home, but the thing about GIVE is that you get a little bit of both. You’ll get that true cultural immersion, but you’ll also get plenty of opportunities for site seeing, as well as excursions you wouldn’t get as just a backpacker since you’ll already be in more remote places.

In Thailand, we got to experience the Buddhist temples, caving, waking up for sunrise, learning to make Pad Thai, weaving with the Karen Tribe, and basket making with the Lasu Tribe, all before building our own bamboo rafts to take down the river from the village of Ba Ko Lam to Pong Nyen, with an elephant trek in between.

In Laos, there was definitely more time to chill in the hammocks or walk down to the river, but we also went caving twice, hiking multiple times (once to the Power China dam being built in Sop Chem and once to Pha Deng Peak in Nong Kiaw), to Kuang Si Falls in Tat Kuang Si National Park, and learned local skills from the people of Sop Chem. We also participated in the morning Alms Ceremony and learned to meditate from a Buddhist monk (and friend of one of our guides).

Me and Mai Boon Si, one of our two elephant friends in Ba Kao Lam, Thailand. Stay tuned for a whole piece on elephant tourism coming soon.

What about the children?

Okay, if you’ve read literally anything about voluntourism prior to this, you’re probably yelling at me for volunteering with children at all overseas. Many people believe that it is cruel to give them our attention and then leave (I do plan on returning to Sop Chem though). But the truth is, these kids rely on us. We didn’t get to work much on the education projects in Thailand due to them being on winter break, so I’m going to talk mostly about Laos here. In Sop Chem, there is no English education program in the school, and yet a Lao person who speaks English is more likely to get a higher paying job as an adult. Sop Chem only has a primary school, and their teacher does not get paid. Their English classes are only taught by volunteers, and the classes are not mandatory, so the children choose to be there, to better their education. Without volunteers, they wouldn’t even have that choice. When the students show up enough, they earn points that GIVE keeps track of so that some children can earn scholarships for secondary education (high school), as they have to go to a neighboring village and live in the dorms to do so. The families of Sop Chem make far less than the national average (only about $1000 USD per year. You can support the women of Sop Chem HERE), so the opportunities of these children are minimal.

Volunteers help to make those dreams a reality, and for some children, like a girl named Noona who liked to hang out and play cards with me in the restaurant where we ate our meals, that education would allow them to become the person they dream of being. For Noona, she remembers every single volunteer by name from the past three years. She is about 7 years old, and speaks some of the best English in the village. If GIVE hadn’t given her that opportunity, she might never realize her potential, and might not have the chance to continue onto secondary school.

The mountains of Sop Chem, Laos. Good vibes to another beautiful day in paradise.

How can voluntourism change your life?

I said earlier in this piece that volunteering overseas changed my life, so before I finish up, I just want to touch on that a little. It’s so easy to only travel comfortably, but that’s never quite been my speed. I easily could’ve just booked a tour around Southeast Asia during this time, instead of spending the majority of my winter sweating in the dry-season humidity building earth bricks and carrying bags of corn husks. The thing is, in college, I had this huge need to feel like I was doing something purposeful with my life, and so I wanted to figure out a way to combine travel with sustainability. Once I actually got to Laos, though, after already having been through the entire Thailand trip, there was a larger feeling of purpose that came to me that was only perpetuated by the connections I made with the villagers.

When I sat learning how to weave from my new Lao friend named Phan, I realized how possible it is to simply be human through interacting without language. We knew exactly what each other meant and felt, without knowing more than a few words in each other’s tongue, and that moment kind of defines global citizenship to me. We are all on team human.

But overall, my trip to this country I’d never heard of opened my eyes to everything that is possible in our world. I saw myself providing education opportunities to more children in the future, helping Free the Bears provide better care for wildlife, and helping to expand the permaculture plot more in future years. There is so much impact you can make in your life—make sure some of it is to help others.

Pong Nyen, a remote village in Thailand, and the childhood home of two of our Thai guides

If you are interested in volunteering with GIVE and have any questions, feel free to email me or comment below. When you sign up, make sure you put me down as a reference!

More posts coming soon about elephant tourism, where we went in Luang Prabang province in Laos, and responsible tourism/global citizenship.

Why It’s More Important Than Ever to #LeaveNoTrace

As we go into 2020, welcome a new decade, and watch the birth of the 62nd National Park in the US (welcome, White Sands!), it’s becoming increasingly apparent how important it is to take care of our wild spaces. Climate change is real, it’s happening, and it’s greatly affecting the places we love and the big one we call home: Earth. This means it’s more crucial than ever that everyone do their part to at least reduce your own personal carbon footprint, because, the truth is, but the old adage goes: if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem, and in 2020, so much is accessible that you’re honest missing out if you haven’t adopted at least one better for the planet habit. Now, I don’t want to get all sad and depressing on you while we welcome this new year. Instead, I want to talk about why Leave No Trace should be trending, and I don’t just mean on the internet.

Note: this post may contain affiliate links

Big Sur, CA

What is Leave No Trace?

The Leave No Trace Principles, or LNT, are guidelines for all people to follow when they’re exploring wild places. They originated in the US, and gained popularity in the public lands (NPS, USDA, and BLM), but could and should be applied to every place on this planet. There are 7 LNT Principles:

1: Plan ahead and prepare

This just goes with the old boy scout saying: always be prepared. This will allow for your own safety as well as the safety and preservation of the land you’re exploring.

2: Travel and camp on durable surfaces

The idea of principal number 2 is to keep you away from areas that could be severely damaged by your footsteps or tent. Of course, this doesn’t always mean you have to stay on trail—and sometimes you simply can’t, but look out to make sure you’re not damaging any of the land you’re walking on.

3. Dispose of waste properly

This one should be a no brainer—throw away your trash! You wouldn’t just leave garbage on the floor in your house, so don’t do it in the woods, desert, beach, or anywhere else either. Better yet: leave it better than you found it—pick up any trash you find on trails or in campsites as well.

If you’re interested in joining an awesome volunteer group with the goal of cleaning our wild spaces, become a Wildkeeper! Applications open on the Keep Nature Wild website this month. (I am not an affiliate of KNW, I just love and support their cause and have worked as a volunteer with them for over a year.)

Me at the Grand Canyon wearing a shirt I got from Keep Nature Wild (you get a huge discount for joining the ambassador/volunteer program too!)

4: Leave what you find

Have you ever heard the saying “take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints?” I think that pretty much sums up principle number 4, and most of them, actually.

5: Minimize campfire impacts

The last thing you want is to start a wildfire. Make sure that your campfire is only in designated areas such as fire rings when you’re camping so that you can prevent any sparks from flying.

6: Respect wildlife

This is a HUGE one. I see so many people approaching animals in National Parks, and it’s not only incredibly dangerous for them, but it also puts the animal in danger. Please keep your distance from all wildlife, and keep dogs and other pets on designated trails to prevent foreign substances (you know, poop) and bugs from affecting local animals.

7: Be considerate of others

Don’t be the person who’s flying a drone in a National Park. While your shot might look cool, you’re ruining the experience for everyone else who came out to be in nature. Make sure that you’re respectful, and try to avoid traveling to busy spots on holiday weekends.

This deer crossed my trail in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota. I patiently waited for him to return to the woods before I continued hiking.

Why LNT is so important in 2020

Especially with tourism in our natural spaces being at an all time high, it’s more crucial than ever to leave these spaces better than we found them in order to preserve them for more generations to come. That way, California will still have its oceans, Montana will still have its Glaciers, and the Grand Canyon will still be just as beautiful, even years down the line.

Grinnell Glacier, Glacier National Park, MT. If you look closely you can see the waterfall of melting ice on the right hand side.

What other ways can I help respect my wild spaces?

I’m glad you asked! There are so many ways you can help protect nature at home. Aside from practicing LNT when you’re outside, you can definitely reduce your carbon footprint in your everyday life. Here are some of my favorite ideas:

Don’t buy products with plastic if you can avoid them (shop zero waste products here!)

Shop second hand or ethical clothing (check out one of my favorite ethical clothing brands, Wholesome Culture)

Eat plant based as much as possible (January is a great time to make the switch to a vegan lifestyle!)

Support brands that support our planet when you do need to buy new stuff, like Madera Outdoor, Eco Roots, and larger companies like REI.

Responsible tourism: make sure that when you travel, you’re not impacting the communities you’re visiting in any way, and maybe even find a way to volunteer.

Unplug, go off the grid, run off solar, do whatever you can in your everyday life that makes sense for YOU!

The planet’s tallest trees in Redwood National and State Parks, CA. Let’s plant more in 2020.

Being kinder to our planet is incredibly crucial when it comes to having a cleaner Earth. And this goes much further than simply picking up your trash (but please don’t stop doing so!). It has to do with simply being respectful of our natural places, and doing our part to make our own impact as insignificant as it can be. Making sure that we’re being kind to wildlife, other visitors, and the land we walk on is the best way to make sure that we start taking care of this planet the right way, and truly “leave nothing but footprints.”