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I guess I'm one of those Americans. My direct challenge to you would be... What do you do when the travel is over? Where did all the money for your trip come fr

I guess I'm one of those Americans. My direct challenge to you would be... What do you do when the travel is over? Where did all the money for your trip come from? Where are your savings? Maybe these aren't important questions to the world traveler. Maybe experiencing the world is much more important than career and financial agility and job security. That's fine. But for me, that's a really sharp value change, and it makes me uncomfortable. I think that's what people are really feeling. It's kind of like entrepreneurship. Everyone says it's a good idea. But when you get right down to it, most businesses are failures. Are you willing to take that risk on for the possibility of creative freedom?

Nursie 13y ago
>> What do you do when the travel is over? Find another job. There's no real shortage if you're in tech. >> Where did all the money for your trip come from? Money put aside in my previous few years of work. >> Where are your savings? In the bank, looking a little smaller than they were before my six months off. >> Maybe these aren't important questions to the world traveler. Maybe experiencing the world is much more important than career and financial agility and job security. That's fine. Pretty much, for me. I like what I do, and I do it well, but I'm not really committed to any one employer, not in the long term, I'm committed to getting the most out of my life. For me that seems to mean hitting the road in a foreign country (or several) for a few weeks or months at a time every few years. >> It's kind of like entrepreneurship. Everyone says it's a good idea. But when you get right down to it, most businesses are failures. Are you willing to take that risk on for the possibility of creative freedom? I'm a freelancer/contractor at the moment rather than an entrepreneur, but the answer so far as I can tell is - why the hell not? You can always get a proper job afterwards if it doesn't work out.
- mcdougle 13y ago
  >> You can always get a proper job afterwards if it doesn't work out. This is what I keep saying! My mother (and my ex, too) would get very upset when, after college, I suggested building a business freelancing and eventually building my own products -- it's too risky, they said. But I'm a young person with no dependents or anyone else I'm responsible for, I have very few expenses, I have time to build something substantial that can be more successful than a job. Where's the risk? Worst case scenario, I get another job. Best case scenario -- freedom from concerns about money, location, and time. Stay on this career path forever? I can't ever have those last three things. But hey, it's the easy way out, right? It's what everybody else does.
  - Nursie 13y ago
    Mid-case scenario - you get valuable business experience and when you do get that other job you leap up the ranks quicker than if you just went and did something conventional. Obviously you have to weigh up, for you, the lifestyle you want to lead and the stability you need, but it's not like it's a dumb thing to take a chance, especially when you have no dependents.
wila 13y ago
I'm pretty much doing that. Reading books in Thailand, enjoying life, learning another language. Tip: If in Bangkok, then get your books at Dasa Book Cafe (google it). Really if you do not party all the time and decide to live in the non tourist areas then besides having a great experience you don't burn a lot of money either. I'd say that living in a non western culture for a while will actually help you in your career later on as it puts things in perspective.

Nursie 13y ago

>> What do you do when the travel is over? Find another job. There's no real shortage if you're in tech. >> Where did all the money for your trip come from? Money put aside in my previous few years of work. >> Where are your savings? In the bank, looking a little smaller than they were before my six months off. >> Maybe these aren't important questions to the world traveler. Maybe experiencing the world is much more important than career and financial agility and job security. That's fine. Pretty much, for me. I like what I do, and I do it well, but I'm not really committed to any one employer, not in the long term, I'm committed to getting the most out of my life. For me that seems to mean hitting the road in a foreign country (or several) for a few weeks or months at a time every few years. >> It's kind of like entrepreneurship. Everyone says it's a good idea. But when you get right down to it, most businesses are failures. Are you willing to take that risk on for the possibility of creative freedom? I'm a freelancer/contractor at the moment rather than an entrepreneur, but the answer so far as I can tell is - why the hell not? You can always get a proper job afterwards if it doesn't work out.

mcdougle 13y ago
>> You can always get a proper job afterwards if it doesn't work out. This is what I keep saying! My mother (and my ex, too) would get very upset when, after college, I suggested building a business freelancing and eventually building my own products -- it's too risky, they said. But I'm a young person with no dependents or anyone else I'm responsible for, I have very few expenses, I have time to build something substantial that can be more successful than a job. Where's the risk? Worst case scenario, I get another job. Best case scenario -- freedom from concerns about money, location, and time. Stay on this career path forever? I can't ever have those last three things. But hey, it's the easy way out, right? It's what everybody else does.
- Nursie 13y ago
  Mid-case scenario - you get valuable business experience and when you do get that other job you leap up the ranks quicker than if you just went and did something conventional. Obviously you have to weigh up, for you, the lifestyle you want to lead and the stability you need, but it's not like it's a dumb thing to take a chance, especially when you have no dependents.

wila 13y ago

I'm pretty much doing that. Reading books in Thailand, enjoying life, learning another language. Tip: If in Bangkok, then get your books at Dasa Book Cafe (google it). Really if you do not party all the time and decide to live in the non tourist areas then besides having a great experience you don't burn a lot of money either. I'd say that living in a non western culture for a while will actually help you in your career later on as it puts things in perspective.