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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 a 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: Website: https://www.operationgroundswell.com/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/operationgroundswell/   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