transportation, and helping the group plan their free time. Megan must spend every other night with the clients, but she says, “There are times when I just so much love the social interaction with my passengers that I’ll go out with them every night.”


HER SHINING MOMENT: “I form some true friendships. Yes it’s my job, but it doesn’t feel like a job. I genu- inely just love the moments and going out and doing something crazy—from karaoke in random local bars to being in the back of a local truck in adverse condi- tions—yet we’re all bonding.”


NAME: Megan Hassett


OCCUPATION: Tour Leader AGE:


38 BASED: You name it!


Australia-native Megan Hassett, 38, has worked as a tour leader with Intrepid Travel for three and a half years. She leads tours of up to 12 people in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Tibet, Mongolia, Japan and Borneo. She says she loves being on the road and meeting new people on the way, and calls her job “a rock star lifestyle.”


THE DAY-TO-DAY GRIND: Pre-trip briefings with pas- sengers, coordinating all group activities and


NAME: Grahame Russell


OCCUPATION: International Law AGE:


47 BASED: USA and Guatemala


Human-rights lawyer Grahame Russell, 47, is the founder of Rights Action Canada and co-director of Rights Action USA, an organization that advo- cates for disadvantaged populations in Central America. The course of Russell’s life was changed back in 1984 when he was studying Spanish in Mexico and confronted widespread poverty for the first time. He returned a year later and worked in an orphanage. He now dedicates himself full- time to seeking justice and equality for people in need.


THE DAY-TO-DAY GRIND: Russell visits with partner groups in Central America and gets updates on their situations. He fundraises, educates North Americans about global issues, does advocacy work for partner groups in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico.


HIS SHINING MOMENT: “Perhaps of all the projects we have worked on, the most moving is to pro- vide financial and legal support to the victims of Guatemala’s state repression and genocide. It’s enabling them to carry out mass grave exhuma- tions (to finally be able to properly rebury their loved ones), and to seek legal and moral justice against the military officers and political officials


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TOUGH MOMENTS: Taking someone to hospital, and having to break up a fight between two adults. “You have to be prepared to live out of backpack, a hotel, guesthouse or jungle—or wherever the tour is. Even though you’re not with the group the whole time, you’re responsible for them so you’re constantly on show.”


TRAVEL TIME AND LIFESTYLE: “It really suits more of a single, free-spirited person. I don’t think it’s the life- style for someone who has a husband, wife or family at home, and those kinds of commitments. You can be any age, but it’s for someone who’s at the point in their life—young or old—where they are just free and able to give it 100 percent.”


WHAT YOU NEED TO GET INTO IT: The application process involves a lot of hypothetical situations (how you’d cope in different situations), questions about your personality and travel experience. Foreign languages help, and while a formal education isn’t required, you


responsible for the political crimes and human rights violations.”


THE TOUGH STUFF: Russell was taken hostage in Guatemala back in 1995. He was released unharmed. Surprisingly, he says that it’s the emotional challen- ges of his work that are hardest. “These are difficult issues to work on, on an ongoing basis—and quite invisible from, even if connected to, daily life in North America.”


TRAVEL TIME AND LIFESTYLE: Russell’s sense of home is split between north and south. He spends about half his time in Connecticut with his children, and the other half in Central America.


WHAT YOU NEED TO GET INTO IT: In addition to a law degree, language skills and experience overseas are assets. “If you are interested in international human-rights law work, as opposed to international commercial, investment and trade law, then before you begin, try to figure out where you might like to end up. There are not a lot of jobs available, unfortu- nately. Also, be ready to work with NGOs that do international human-rights work, though they might not necessarily use legal strategies.”


THE PERSONALITY FACTOR: Have clear convictions as to why you’d like to work for human rights and environ- mental justice. Understand that most global human rights and environmental struggles are systemic and historical in nature, and change requires patience and perseverance. “A thick skin helps—if you do this work seriously, you will definitely step on the toes of individuals, governments, companies, banks, investors, etc.”


THE MONEY FACTOR: Salaries are low compared to legal RESOURCE SERIES verge : 25


have to be up-to-date enough to hold a conversa- tion with passengers who are mostly educated professionals.


THE PERSONALITY FACTOR: Tour leaders have to be able to cope with anything from a death on the trip to a natural disaster—some of it comes down to your personality and your ability to work in this kind of capacity. Logic and organization skills are key. Passion is crucial. “The passion has to be genuine. People are paying a lot of money to come on the trip of the year or the trip of their lifetime, and you have to give them the best value for their money if possible.”


THE MONEY FACTOR: Many tour leaders receive a daily wage plus a local allowance. In Hassett’s case, she lived off her local allowance and tips which allowed her wages to accumulate in her savings account.


OTHER OPTIONS IN THE FIELD: Managing leaders who are guiding trips, destination managers (in the field), marketing, finance, reservations and sales.


WORDS OF WISDOM: “Your heart really has to be in it. Some people use the job just to travel, and you can’t do that because the passengers will see through it. You have to genuinely want to live that lifestyle, want to be in the country that you’re leading in and enjoy it. And I think as soon as that wears off, it’s time to get out. I look at those years of my life and think that they’re truly some of the best years.”


work in North America. “To work in this area, I would think someone is making a life choice and commit- ment, not a financial one.”


OTHER OPTIONS IN THE FIELD: Russell says that oppor- tunities to work in international human rights law can be hard to come by; there tend to be more opportunities in international commercial, invest- ment and trade law.


WORDS OF WISDOM: “I find myself compelled to do this work because the vast inequalities between life possibilities disturb me; because we in the global north are very much linked to these issues; because I am in a position to do something about these injustices; because I have met so many amazing people who suffer great injustices and yet keep on working for a more equal and humane global order.”


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