About
About Me
Hi! My name is Emma and I’m All Over the Place.
Growing up on a small island in the Pacific, I witnessed firsthand the impact tourism can have on local communities and ecosystems. While travel can be a powerful way to connect people and cultures, I also saw how the industry often takes more than it gives. These experiences shaped my perspective and sparked my desire to find a better way to explore the world.
These ideas led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Sustainability at the University of Oxford, where I researched sustainable futures for the tourism industry.
I first started traveling internationally at 18 while in college. Now at 26, I’ve visited and financed travel to over 50 countries on 6 different continents. How? Well contrary to many people’s first assumptions, I don’t have a trust fund or bottomless pockets for travel. No mysterious benefactor is sending me lump sums of money each month (though applications for this position are open). Instead, I focus on optimizing travel hacks and finding the best ways to earn money while studying and living abroad.
I created All Over the Place as a space to explore more sustainable, thoughtful ways to travel. Tourism, as I’ve seen from my own home in Hawai’i, is often an extractive industry, and can do a lot more harm towards communities and the environment than good. My goal is to share alternatives—ways to explore that respect the places we visit, while supporting the communities and ecosystems we encounter along the way.
Why “All Over the Place”?
The name ‘All Over the Place’ came from a common phrase that some naysayers use to describe me. They may say that I’m ‘too much’, or ‘all over the place’, and they’re right. I am. I am interested in exploring just about every corner of the world while also working to create something positive and influential.
My goal with All Over the Place is to learn as much about the world as I can through travel, and share my advice and experiences. I strive to post helpful and authentic destination guides as well as stories about the mishaps and surprises that make travel interesting.
Most importantly, I want to be able to grow All Over the Place into a resource that promotes sustainable and conscious travel. Growing up on an island, I’ve seen first-hand what damage travel can have on environments, economies, and communities if left unchecked. I want to see the travel industry develop to become more environmental and culturally sustainable, and I hope one day to be a part of that transition.