Mar 1, 2021
My guest this
week is Lauren Chu, the communications officer for Operation
Groundswell. OG is a travel company with a conscience, leading
backpacktivists to experiential learning opportunities around the
globe (when we *can* travel, that is).
Ethical travel and responsible international volunteering is
at the heart of all that they do – both abroad and at home. But
what exactly does that mean? I'll link their manifesto in the show
notes, but I want to share two of the nine points that particularly
spoke to me.
FULL LIFE LIVIN’:
The world has infinite opportunities for wonder and enjoyment.
Every tree can be a playground, every street can be your dance
floor. We squeeze the sweet nectar out of every opportunity the
world throws at us. “Gee, that mountain seems impossibly high,” to
which we would respond, “That must mean that the top is impossibly
beautiful!”
Leadership: We are training the next generation of positive
leaders. There are enough leaders in the world that tell people how
to think. We believe the greatest leaders are the ones that teach
people how to think for themselves.
I could not agree more.
It is against this backdrop that I discovered Lauren Chu. You
know on this podcast I like to interview people whose careers
are...let's say...nonlinear. Lauren started her career in
manufacturing at PepsiCo.
Despite studying engineering, Lauren much prefers valleys and
mountains over valves and mechanics. She once planted 7000 trees in
a day, cycled the length of Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City,
and has been on a 500km hike through the Appalachian Wilderness. In
the summer you can find her on canoe trips or hike & bike
adventures; in the winter, playing a pick-up hockey game on outdoor
rinks or flying down a mountain on a snowboard. Lauren is keen to
marry a passion for education with a love of travel with OG!
Links:
Application to work with me: https://forms.gle/7FcFxCFBQE6cpDVg8
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckybrett.live
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrett3/
Music: iScream by Brendan Caldwell
Labyrinth drawing originally created by artist Kathy
Pullen