To take full advantage of the Northern summer’s endless daylight, Marissa will squeeze every last minute of hiking, running, splashing, and climbing into her outdoor adventures through Iceland and Scandinavia. Bananas and coffee are all she needs to fuel up for marathon-treks through rugged mountains, thundering waterfalls, jagged cliffs, and rocky fjords, though trying to keep her two sets of clothing clean in the process might be one of the greatest challenges this world has ever known. Marissa studied engineering and environmental policy, with lifelong goals of saving the world’s glaciers, oceans, forests, and wildlife from the perils of anthropogenic climate change. When she isn’t busy reading about solar panels and cursing modern consumerism, Marissa enjoys rowing on the Charles River, stopping to pet every dog she ever sees, running the occasional marathon, and cooking plant-based feasts for forty at the Dudley Co-op/commune. Her favorite legume is decisively the garbanzo, for its incredible versatility and protein-packed punch.
Marissa's Latest Posts
Surfing and Clubbing My Way Around Sweden (Part II)
This blog post follows Part I of the same title, which, if you don’t feel like reading (honestly I don’t blame you, my blogs are pretty haphazard), is about couchsurfing with strangers in a foreign country. More recently, I’ve decided to treat myself to real beds in hostel dorms—living the high life, as some would […]
Surfing and Clubbing My Way Around Sweden (Part I)
*Silky smooth narrator voice:* Ah, summer vacation. Sandy beaches, catching waves, dancing the night away in trendy nightclubs… the classic post-college Euro-trip, right? *Turbulent Marissa voice:* …Almost. Though certainly no less enjoyable, the surfing and clubbing I’ve been doing has looked a little different—as in, couchsurfing and running with running clubs. As a shoestring-budget travel […]
‘Why won’t anyone talk to me?’ and Other Midnight Half-Marathon Musings from Iceland
To cap off two incredible weeks of adventuring around Iceland, I looked forward to running Reykjavik’s summer solstice half-marathon under the midnight sun. Though bummed to return cityside after loving life in the boonies, the race was one last chance to make memories before an early flight to Sweden the following morning, and a unique […]
One Thousand Ways to Experience Iceland
When I first got my country assignments for Let’s Go research this summer, I felt fairly hesitant about Iceland: traveling the Ring Road requires a lot of driving, and until then, I’d driven maybe 100 miles in my entire life. Sources can confirm that I was a little bit nervous. But this was a chance […]
Responsible Tourism in Iceland
Over recent years, Iceland has become a hotspot for tourism; chances are, you know at least one person who’s taken cheap flights there to see the Northern Lights, bathe in geothermal lagoons, or admire its stunning landscapes. Following an economic downturn in 2008, low prices in Iceland and cheap international flights through Reykjavik put this […]
5 Outdoor Activities To Add To Your Boston Bucket List
Google maps or Yelp can easily guide you to the best brunch and ice cream spots in the city, but what about Boston’s lesser-known natural beauty? These fun outdoor activities will have you experiencing Boston in ways most tourists tend to miss, and all of them are free! Picnic on Charles River Esplanade The Charles […]