There’s a theory I carry with me – and I mean that literally. It’s stitched into the seams of my backpack, which has followed me through humid Malaysian cities, across alpine switchbacks in Switzerland, and into the sun-baked streets of Barcelona. The theory goes like this: the lighter you travel, the deeper you go.
As I prepare for my overseas placement in 2025/26, I’m reflecting on what kind of traveller I want to be – not just where I want to go, but how. For me, sustainability in travel isn’t about perfection. It’s about intention. Small choices, made consistently, can add up to something meaningful.
In Malaysia, I learned that slow travel creates space for connection – with people and with place. Taking local buses instead of taxis didn’t just lower my footprint; it taught me patience, adaptability, and how to read a bus schedule in a language I didn’t speak. It forced me to pay attention. To be present. That’s where the value of travel really lives.
In the Swiss Alps, hiking taught me how much effort it actually takes to move yourself. To reach a viewpoint using your own two feet – no carbon emissions, no petrol, just trail and time. The silence of the mountains made me think about the cost of our convenience. About how easy it is to take from the planet without even noticing.
Barcelona showed me something different: how sustainability and culture can coexist. I stayed in shared accommodation, bought produce from local markets, and chose experiences run by locals – not curated for tourists, but rooted in everyday life. It was more affordable, more immersive, and it supported the community directly.
That’s the version of travel I want to commit to: one that values presence over pressure, impact over Instagram. I’m not interested in ticking off landmarks. I want to be intentional about what I consume, who I support, and how I move through new spaces. I believe that sustainable travel is also more meaningful travel – because it asks you to slow down, look closer, and make conscious choices.
My overseas placement will be another opportunity to apply these lessons – and grow them. I’ll continue to travel with a reusable kit, avoid single-use plastics, walk or cycle whenever I can, and stay in places that value sustainability. I want to reflect, learn, and share along the way – not to be perfect, but to be better.
That’s why the BUTEX Sustainability Abroad scholarship resonates so strongly with me. It aligns with the values I already hold – and the ones I want to carry forward.
My backpack might be light – but my commitment to sustainable travel isn’t.
