Begpacking is 100% also done in America. Berkeley, the East bay in general, San Francisco…all of these cities have scrappy white kids with tattoos and backpacks, shaking a cup at you to fund the next leg of their journey. I sometimes wonder if they are the victims of abusive families. If they are addicts. If I have any right to judge them.

I’m not saying traveling abroad to begpack isn’t an example of white privilege. But to be 100% clear, begpacking happens on “home soil” as well.