Photo Friday

Photo Friday: East Africa with GO
Friday, February 3rd, 2012

On Monday we highlighted the incredible efforts of Groundwork Opportunities (GO) – working to create a world beyond poverty by investing in groundbreaking ideas, empowering local leaders, and engaging communities.

And this Photo Friday from East Africa is from photographer Peter Prato, whose experience we highlighted as well.

As Peter said “To explain what it was like to arrive in places that are war torn and filled with joy, it just doesn’t work in formats like this. Imagine the most moving moments of your life. The times when you realized that there was simply no way you could possibly exist, the you who you are, without other people. It was something like that. When I arrived home I had a difficult time understanding what was happening, or how the streets could be so clean, and calm, or how they could even exist at all.

“The best that I can sum up volunteering in the field is that I think of my life now in two pieces. I think of my life before I went into the field with GO, and I think of everything I want it to be after that experience.

How has volunteering abroad changed your view of the world and yourself?

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Photo Friday: Sintra, Portugal
Friday, January 27th, 2012

Sintra, Portugal


This Photo Friday from Sintra, Portugal is from Facebook Fan Nan LaCaille, who left her job in August 2010 due to inevitable company wide layoffs.

“I sold everything I owned to be free of rent, bills, you name it, and to have finances for travel. What I hoped would happen with my career is that I would discover alternative ways to live, create art and design, to be more independent and free. I’m still in that process. I’ve found much inspiration in this period, made many more friends from all over, and I wish everyone a moment to mix up their lives a little to get more flavor from it!”

You can catch up on Nan’s travels throughout Europe as well as her design work on her site “Nan – Now & Next“.

How do you hope your career break will reshape your career?

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Photo Friday: Time lapse Machu Picchu
Friday, January 20th, 2012

Photographer Peter West Carey recently shared tips on how to best capture Machu Picchu through a lens.

Before you get to Sun Gate there is a spot to stop. Not the first one with the tall rock to the right. Past that. The spot you are looking for is small and has two simple, small terraces on the right side of the trail. THIS is the spot you want.”

It was from this spot where Peter captured images for this time lapse video.

What dream destination have you always wanted to photograph? Already have? Share it with us!

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Photo Friday: Sharing the Road
Friday, January 13th, 2012

The Vogel family, aka Family on Bikes, are adventure seekers who learned early to live life to the fullest. So much so that they spent three years biking the Pan-American highway from the top of Alaska to the bottom of Argentina.

“When we decided to quit our jobs and take off on bikes with our children, we never envisioned ‘Share the Road’ would mean share it with bison.”

What adventures do you seek?

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Photo Friday: Humpback Whales in Tonga
Friday, January 6th, 2012

Humpback Whales in Tonga

Last year Caroline Mann Koller traded her office daydreams for the real thing. “I spent six months traveling solo in the South Pacific and this is my favorite memory – swimming with the humpback whales in Tonga. This calf and I played and danced in the deep blue ocean while his mom watched over us.”

Check out Caroline’s travel website for more photos and adventures! www.travelswithcarly.com

Where do you daydream of escaping to?

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Photo Friday: Canyonlands, Utah
Friday, December 30th, 2011

This Photo Friday from Canyonlands, Utah was shared by Aimee & Patrick of Propane Kitchen.

This photo was taken three months into their journey across the US in a Winnebago Minnie. Aimee & Patrick are using this break to see how people eat outside the Bay Area bubble; to connect with farmers, chefs and friends; to take hikes, ride bikes, and laze around in the sun.

Want to see your photo here? Check out our easy submission policy!

Photo Friday: Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka
Friday, December 23rd, 2011

When you travel off the beaten path, you have to be prepared to stand out. People will stare, follow you, touch your hair; being a ‘minority’ is one of my favorite things about travel. I wandered into this village in the Hill Country of Sri Lanka and found these villagers celebrating a local festival. However when I showed up with my camera – I became the spectacle. Kids surrounded me, people tried to communicate with me, and they invited me to join in the celebration. Getting off the tourist trail is one of the most rewarding things you can do during your career break travels.

Photography Tip: Make sure that you ask people’s permission before taking photos like these, and if they say yes, then shoot away!

You can see more photos from this festival at Ottsworld – The Powers of Observation.

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Photo Friday: Expedia President
Friday, December 16th, 2011

Meet, Plan, Go! Co-Founder, Sherry Ott had the opportunity to meet with some travel giants this week in Seattle. She is pictured here with Scott Durchslag, the President of Expedia.com.

I spoke with Scott about sabbatical travel and the recent Vacation Deprivation study that Expedia conducted and was thrilled to hear Scott say, “Travel increases people’s productivity.” He felt strongly that it was not only important to ensure that employees are taking their allotted vacation, but he also had positive things to say about sabbaticals.

He is a big believer in the transformative qualities of sabbaticals. He told me he takes a sabbatical every 5 years and immerses himself in experiences and cultures. I was enthralled listening to stories of his past sabbaticals and took a few notes for ideas for my future travels! He’s an avid mountaineer and has climbed peaks in Tibet and Africa and has spent extensive time in China. However, the highlight of my time with him was hearing that my nomadic lifestyle and Meet, Plan, Go! work was an inspiration to him!

The message? There’s hope for our career break movement!

It is good to know that there are business leaders who embrace and believe in the many benefits of travel and sabbaticals. It is leaders like Scott who will hopefully bring more attention to our career break movement making the idea of extended travel acceptable and part of our career path.

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Photo Friday: Pumamarca Redux
Friday, December 9th, 2011

Today we are revisiting the first photo that kicked off our Photo Friday series.

For our first Photo Friday I choose a photo from my volunteer experience with Peru’s Challenge during my 2006 career break. With the extreme flooding that has been devastating vast regions of Peru, I am reminded of how much that experience and the people of Peru touched me. As part of my volunteering, I photographed the children of Pumamarca for a fundraising calendar. In order to capture them most naturally (without hamming it up for the camera), I used a long lens and shot away while they were distracted during playtime. This is just one of many that truly captured their spirit.

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Photo Friday: Goodbye to the Cubicle
Friday, December 2nd, 2011

Congratulations to Devon Mills who said goodbye to this cubicle on Wednesday. “Today I said goodbye to this cubicle, and I now look forward to planning the round-the-world trip I’ll embark on in Feb. 2012! First stop: Chiang Mai, Thailand.”

Devon shares more about why “Someday is Today“. Fittingly, her blog is entitled “Answering Oliver” – inspired by Mary Oliver’s quote “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”. We know that Devon is going to have many exciting answers to that question.

What do you plan to do?

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