Judgment Week rolls on here at ThreadTripping. And today I call your attention to meadsy5 on Travellerspoint, who is seeking advice as to the following:
I have a dilemma. … At the end of 2013 I went to Thailand for 5 weeks and just traveled around Thailand. … Here’s the thing I want to go back at the end of 2015 for 4-6 months and travel as much of Asia as possible starting in Singapore working north. … I am a trained engineer so will be chucking away a decent paid job. … I’m 24 at the moment and will be 26 once I get back with no job no money and still living at home (I live at home now ).
So
Should I go traveling and worry about that later
Or
Just stick with the job, move out and take “holidays”
In my admittedly completely judgmental opinion the answer is clear – meadsy5, it’s time to grow up. Keep the job, for God’s sake move out of your parents house – I’m sure at least one of them really wants you to and probably just doesn’t want to admit it to you – and plan on taking holidays unless/until you can afford to live on your own AND take off six months for travel.
Judge me all you want readers (please), but it’s at times like these that in addition to appreciating my non-religiousness I also appreciate not having children.
Despite what is clearly the correct advice here – namely mine – others don’t necessarily agree:
You’re only here once, do it right and enjoy it. ~Andyf
It’s only a job – you’ll find another. Hundreds of people of your age do it ever year. … The mere fact you have even found your way here to ask the question indicates to me that you want to do this, so do it. ~Steve79
…4-7 months travel is not an outrageous break to take. In some situations travel (and volunteering!) can be advantageous for your CV – adaptability, responsibility, time management, problem solving, teamwork, etc – so don’t discount what the experience will give to you. ~KellieBarnes
Spoken as only meadsy5’s parents wouldn’t.
What do you think? Should meadsy5 quit his job to travel Asia, then come back home to live with his parents and hunt for a new job? Or should he do the right thing – keep his job and find a place of his own to live?
Read the thread that inspired this judgmental rant in its entirety: To travel and pack everything in or not?
I’d say find a job to where you can have the best of both worlds… I live in the DC area and have been able to take off long periods at my job (government) and travel. I’ve been able to turn international work trips into 3-week vacations (hint travel to/from on weekends and earn travel comp time to use on the vacation). I routinely take a week and half off only using 36 hours of leave (Regular Day Off combining Holidays). I’m 26 and I think about your idea all the time, but at the end of the day you have grow up, while finding a good middle ground. Also, live at home as long as possible to save money (assuming you are saving it for your house/condo and not your travel fund).
Quit the job. Travel. He is 24, no wife, no kids, no mortgage. It’s one of the best things he can do at the best part of his life. I would highly encourage it.
As an engineer, he will not have any issues finding a job. Plus, he already has work experience. It will be no problem. None.
find an organization that sends people to asia to work and then you can start from there, you get to the place you want and earning at the same time, since you are already in asia then you can travel.
I did that twice in my career. I know the risk and it was a calculated risk I was willing to take. In my industry (Finance related) I was confidence enough in my education background and my resume (big4). I worked at a Big4 for 2.5 years after college, then quit and traveled around China, Tibet, Southeast Asia for 6 months and came back to interview and got a job within 2 weeks. After 3 more years of that job (big company), I quit again and traveled around Europe and the Balkins for 4 months. I came back again and started interviewing right away and got another job (actually one that I really want that involves travel) in 9 days. My poor parents did have to support me while I was away since I didn’t have much in savings (all spent on traveling!) but at the end everything still worked out! Not everybody is comfortable doing something like this. I have friends who lived in Asia for years after college and took a long time to find jobs when they moved back to the States. That’s a risk you’re willing to take, it also all depends on your industry too. My Engineer friend took over a year to find a job and get re-settled but he’s got a dream job now and glad he spend the time traveling while he was young. Best of luck!! definitely no regrets for me!
The thought that taking time off from work to travel is a bad thing is so persuasive in American culture it’s ridiculous. Life is for living, as long as this person has an emergency fund and is living below his means (good on you for being so judgmental about him living with his parents by the way. One of the exact reasons so many youngsters start off on the wrong foot) I don’t see the problem at all.
I think you’ve totally missed the point of life and because of that I feel bad for you. Travel, see the world and enjoy responsibly. You’ll be much happier and at least you won’t be working for 50 years with two weeks holiday a year.