Wish I had seen your question earlier since you are probably already on your trip. But I'll answer so you'll have ideas for next time! First, you shouldn't ever flush a tampon down any toilet because it will clog the plumbing.

Second, you shouldn't ever feel embarrassed about your period, hun! It's a normal function of a healthy adult, female body! I know you probably are still getting used to having a period at your age, but I really wish our culture wouldn't cause women to feel like they should be ashamed of their periods because you shouldn't have to feel ashamed of it.

For next time: a menstrual cup is really the perfect option for someone in your situation because all you do is dump the blood in the toilet and flush it, then clean the cup with antibacterial soap in the sink, and put in back in place. No trash! You can find them at Whole Foods I know, but that is the only place I know of besides online stores (online, there are many, many brands, styles, colors, and sizes to choose from for $20-$35) Also, they are perfect for women with heavy flows because they take about 6-8 hours to fill up even on heavy flow days. Most menstrual cups are reusable (if you're thinking of the SoftCup, that's the only one that is not reusable) and are made of silicone or rubber and can be reused for up to 10 years! I have been using a menstrual cup for years and I have never leaked (plus, I have a heavy flow). As long as you empty the cup every 6-10 hours (yes, you can wear it up to 10 hours and overnight), you will not leak. The cup uses light suction when it pops open in the vagina, so the cup has to be full to the brim before it ever leaks. The cup is also amazing for swimming, so comfortable, does not have a pesky string hanging out like a tampon does, etc.

Anyway, sorry if I sound like a commercial for menstrual cups, but I just love them so much and I can't believe more women don't use them, so I love advocating for them, especially to young girls like yourself because I wish I had known about them at your age! When I use the cup, many times I have forgotten I'm even on my period! Plus, with a cup, say you feel like you're about to start your period before you leave the house for the day. You can put the cup in before you leave the house just in case you get your period while you're away from the house. Can't do that with a tampon (and who would want to do that with a pad?).

The only semi-non-positive thing I will say (just so I don't set you up for failure) is that menstrual cups can take a couple of periods to get the hang of. They are more hands-on than pads or tampons because you do have to stick your finger inside yourself to unfold the cup, but to me that is a positive thing because it really makes you more in-tune with your own body and cycle. By my second cycle using my cup, I was a pro at using it! If, after one or two full cycles of using your cup, you feel like it is still not comfortable, chances are you just ordered the wrong size and need to evaluate other size options. I have posted an extremely helpful blog link that helped me choose the correct size for my first menstrual cup.

Here are some really helpful links as far as how to use a menstrual cup and which menstrual cup to choose (there are far more options than many women realize!):

http://menstrualcups.wordpress.com/

http://youtu.be/3Z0ha4uxcfE

http://youtu.be/_cdsXi__SoE

Adorable color selections: http://www.ladycup.eu/

Very affordable (this is the brand I have): http://meluna.eu/meluna.html

Popular brand + free shipping: http://www.mooncup.co.uk/how-to-order/mcuk-online-...

And there are so many more brands to choose from on the first menstrual cup blog link I posted here.

Funny tampon vs. menstrual cup video: http://youtu.be/9zj4NhC8ahM

Sorry for the SUPER long answer!