Briefcase to Backpack - Travel Advice for Career Breaks or Sabbaticals

Photo Friday: East Africa with GO

MeetPlanGo — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:46 +0000

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?

What to Expect When You Return

MeetPlanGo — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:43 +0000

Expect culture shock.

Expect struggles.

Expect feeling a bit lost.

Expect to be patient with yourself.

Expect that you will be changed.

Expect to have people not understand.

Expect that you will be happy to see friends and family.

Expect that you will have no regrets.

Coming back home is not always easy. There are a few pieces of advice we can provide you, but until you live it, it’s hard to say how you will feel about returning. Each person’s experience is unique. However there are some things that hold pretty constant for all career breakers.

Reverse Culture Shock

Yes, even though you are returning to your home culture after experiencing many new different cultures, you still will be in some stage of shock. Odds are that the first time you walk back into a grocery store in North America you may be thrilled to be there, but you will also be a bit dazed and confused with all of the choices.

After JoAnna Haugen was gone in the Peace Corps for an extended period of time, she talks about how she combats the shock of being home.

Craft Your Environment Again

It’s important to surround yourself by people who’ve gone through a similar experience and love travel. It’s helpful to stay active in MPG local meetups and the online community – helping others who are planning their breaks provide you an outlet to share all of the knowledge you gained.

And be warned…there will be people who aren’t very interested in hearing stories about your travels. Learn to identify them before you bore them to death and find people who do want to hear them.

Basic Training

We cover more on what to expect when you return in Career Break Basic Training, as well as other topics related to your Re-Entry.

Volunteering Vision

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:23 +0000

Bart Skorupa recovered from the third world surgery and can now see fine, but that experience changed the trajectory of Bart’s life and career. He had to rely upon locals and missionaries for help. He only had the supplies that the locals had available and from that experience he decided that he wanted to help communities like the one that helped him.

He and Kyle Maclaren Miller founded a 501c3 charity working to create a world beyond poverty by investing in groundbreaking ideas, empowering local leaders, and engaging communities.

Groundwork Opportunities (GO) identifies and partners with local leaders in the developing world who have designed sustainable programs to address community-based issues, such as a lack of clean water, healthcare, or education. Once a partnership is established, GO provides the community with the start-up capital and guidance needed to turn their vision for a better world into a reality that will scale across multiple countries.

We first learned of GO thanks to a friend introducing us to GO’s volunteering opportunities in Africa. Then we found out that not only were Bart and Kyle offering some great opportunities for people to help and get involved, but they were offering volunteering for free. This is rare, and we are very excited to introduce GO to our Meet, Plan, Go! audience.

GO’s No Volunteer Fees

In Rwanda, there is a parable that says “You give what you have”. Our partners on the ground give their time and ideas. You can help them by giving your support as a volunteer. In fact we want to make it so easy for you to give your support that we don’t charge for volunteering. Not even a cent. Our partnerships with grassroots healthcare, education, and environmental projects are open to people of all ages of all backgrounds. All we ask is that you pay your own travel expenses and our partners will welcome you with open arms. Just like mom and dad.

Volunteer Voices

We asked some of GO’s past volunteers to tell us about their experiences, and how it changed their perspective as well as how it made them stand out from a career standpoint.

Heather Grabowski raised enough money to fund 50 beehives for the Uganda Project. She will be traveling there this summer to see the impact of her project. Read more about how volunteering has been a rewarding experience both socially and professionally for Heather.

Peter Prato, a professional photographer, traveled to Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania during early summer 2011. As a fundraiser for many years, it was the first time he’d be visiting the people whose lives he’s helped change. Read more about his visit here.

Volunteer Meetups

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding and important things you can do as part of your career break travels. It teaches you skills, it gives a trip meaning, it gives you perspective, and it can even help your career. It’s so important that we are focusing on volunteering during our local meetups in February and March. We want people to get access to volunteering resources and meet people who have volunteered as part of their career break travels.

We are kicking off volunteering meet-ups with Bart and the Groundwork Opportunities team, including some of their past volunteers, in San Francisco on Feb. 7th. Spencer Spellman, Kristin Zielbel, and Sherry Ott will be hosting this free event and Sports Basement is once again providing a great, comfortable space, drinks, food, and shopping discounts to prepare for your upcoming travels and volunteering.

Be sure to check in as other cities schedule volunteer-themed meetups. And feel free to share your volunteering experiences and outcomes by submitting your story to us.

Listen to Bart’s complete eye ulcer story in full in this NPR interview – Blood and Faith.

And don’t find yourself in a situation like Bart’s without insurance. See how World Nomads can get you covered.

Heather Grabowski – GO Volunteer

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:59:19 +0000

I have been an avid supporter of Groundwork Opportunities (GO) since it was founded in 2008. I had just moved to San Francisco and I wanted to get involved in the community by volunteering for a local non-profit. I was first introduced to GO because a close friend of mine, Jennifer O’Connor, had just started working as their Development Director.

Heather's fundraising supported building beehives for a Ugandan village

She invited me to attend their first fundraising event and I instantly was attracted to their mission to create a world beyond poverty by investing in groundbreaking ideas, empowering local leaders, and engaging communities. The more I learned about GO’s mission and all of the diverse community led projects they were involved in, the more passionate I became about this organization. GO’s 100% to cause donation model and transparency was so inspiring that I wanted to do more than just donate or attend their events; I wanted to volunteer, fundraise, engage my network of friends/colleagues, and leverage my professional skills to increase the scope of its operations.

This past June, I joined GO’s racing team and became a GO champion. I chose to run the San Francisco Half Marathon on July 31, 2011 (my first race to date) and individually fundraise on behalf of GO. GO supports a model development farm in Masaka, Uganda that teaches other farmers and communities how to bring lasting food security to their homes, businesses and organizations. The model farm is used both as a training center and a community center for all program participants and gives farmers the skills they need to get out of poverty PERMANENTLY.

In an effort to build 30 beehives that would help 10 farmers to grow honey and get out of poverty forever, I focused my campaign to raise $1,000 to do just that. The support I received during my fundraising was remarkable! I was so humbled by everyone’s generosity and I ended up raising over $2,100, which ended up being enough to build 50+ beehives. Despite a foot injury during my training, I was able to cross the finish line with a smile on my face and know that I specifically ran those miles for the lives in Uganda that would be impacted forever.

Volunteers helped construct the beehives

Volunteering for GO has been an amazing and rewarding experience on both a social and professional level. I have strengthened my communication, negotiation, marketing and event planning skills. Volunteering has enabled me to be more connected with the local San Francisco philanthropic community and various business networks, while building lasting relationships that share my positivity and passion with my coworkers and customers.

As a result of my philanthropy efforts, I was recognized by many of my colleagues at Thomson Reuters, as well as the CEO, who presented me with a company Community Champion Award this past October. The best part was the award was a grant donation for GO! Through my ongoing volunteer work at GO, I have learned the phrase “You Give What You Have” which, in my view, means that whether someone only has a $1 to spare, advice to give, or volunteers their time, it all really makes a difference in helping those in need. With GO, I have learned we can demonstrate the power of how just one person can make a difference and help change the world.

Heather will be visiting Uganda this summer to see the impact of her project

Peter Prato – GO Volunteer

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:58:39 +0000

I first started fundraising with Groundwork Opportunities (GO) in the summer of 2008. The first fundraiser, actually. Over a beer and a couple of bar napkins, Bart showed me his and Kyle’s idea for what they were trying to accomplish. It wasn’t going to take much to convince me. I’d come from a background of organizing, was working in education, and was just getting my photography career going. We decided to throw a party at One Rincon Hill. Our goal was a few thousand dollars. It was going to change people’s lives.

Over the years I helped coordinate events. Throw more fundraisers. I auctioned off photos to help raise money and it gave me confidence to continue to work at building this career while working a full-time job. I watched Bart give himself to this thing entirely and that helped me keep going when I had no idea where I was headed.

We talked about my going into the field at some point. I really wanted to make that happen. Not just because I love to shoot and travel, but because I thought I was missing something fundamental by living my life on this side of the planet and helping to change someone else’s life on the other side. I believed whole-heartedly in what GO was doing, and what I was helping them to do, but it felt unfinished for me, personally. I knew that I was never going to truly understand what kept these people going day after day after day if I didn’t go out there into the world to see what this is really about. And to see who it’s about.

It was in a conversation about something unrelated that Kyle made a passing comment about making a trip to East Africa. That was in the spring of 2011. He ended up not making that trip. But, after eight weeks of planning, I had enough gear and enough time off to do it.

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.

I found myself in awe of what, before I left, was common-place. Literally staring, blank-faced, in the middle of streets. I also found myself in elevators with people not talking, or looking at one another. I found myself slipping back into craving things. 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.

Photo Friday: Sintra, Portugal

MeetPlanGo — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

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?

What’s Your Motivation?

MeetPlanGo — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:16 +0000

Most of the citizens of North America seem to be motivated by a good education, career, financial stability, home ownership, and a stable, safe life for our children. We want to provide for our families, and providing for our families is now defined by not only having a house and being able to put food on the table, but being able to buy nice cars, televisions, furniture, and plenty of other items that make our lives more comfortable.

Many Americans go down this path that’s laid out before us – this ‘American Dream’ that we’re all told about from a very young age. It’s what we strive for. It is what is engrained in our brains from a very young age. Motivation can be a funny thing though – not everyone is motivated by the same things. And maybe what you were previously motivated by has drastically changed. Or maybe you’re questioning what you’ve been told should motivate your life.

Doubting the ‘American Dream’

Since you are reading this, that means you must have some reservations about this so called ‘American Dream’. Are you right in the middle of your American Dream and asking yourself the following questions or having these doubts and thoughts?

– What if I have it all – the job, the house, the stuff, yet I still don’t feel fulfilled?
– I have done the right things, gone down the right path, worked really hard, yet I’m still not happy.
– I feel like something is missing.
– I’m just not happy with my current life path.
– I feel like everyone around me – my coworkers, my friends, my family – have different motivations and life goals than I do.
– I love to travel and have dreamed of doing it long-term, and I don’t want to wait until I retire.
– I have realized that there is more to life than working and collecting the most stuff.
– I want to spend more quality time with my spouse, significant other, and/or family, and it’s not going to happen within my current lifestyle.
– I hate my job, I hate my boss, and I hate my hours. In short, I’m burned out and need a change.
– I want to learn more, see more, and experience more.
– I’m sick of waiting to make my dreams come true.

If one or more of these thoughts resonate with you, it’s time to look deep and discover the “why”. Why do you feel this way – why are you motivated to make a change – and why are you waiting?

Do Something About It!

It’s time to let you in on a little secret. If you wake up every morning with an empty feeling, dreading the workday that lies ahead, it’s probably not going to just change or get better without doing anything. Sometimes when your life just isn’t what you thought it would be, something drastic needs to be done. It’s time to stop waiting and take the bull by the horns. It’s time for you to do something!

Joining Career Break Basic Training course & community is one step in the right direction. Here you will find the motivation to actually go through with what many will deem to be crazy, reckless, and irresponsible. It is a challenge that you’ll have to deal with until you leave on that well deserved career break.

We can also help you tune out the naysayers and connect you with other people who have re-assessed their lives and what they want out of it. Reading other’s stories and the challenges they have dealt with along the way is an extremely helpful way of motivating yourself to take this next step.

Live Without Regrets

Making a life changing decision such as this one is not easy, especially when living in a culture that deems career breaks and long-term travel as unnecessary. If this was a simple decision, then more people would do it.

Though many factors come into play when thinking of whether or not to take a career break, it can really be simplified to one big choice. How do you feel about regret?

If you decide not to do it, and you stay in your current position and current life, do you think you’ll regret it 5, 10, or 20 years down the line? On the flip side, if you give it up, take the plunge, and travel the world, do you think that you will regret that experience down the line?

Basic Training

We cover more on how you can pinpoint your motivation in Career Break Basic Training, which includes interviews and helpful homework assignments.

Career Break Terror

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:54 +0000

Your heart races, you start to sweat, and a state of intense fear overcomes you; this is terror. Chances are that on this journey to achieving your career break dreams you have experienced it. We all have. But the question is, will you let it stop you?

We recently had one of our participants in our Career Break Basic Training Community have this reaction to planning a career break:

This is pretty typical Career Break terror that many feel when contemplating or planning.

I recently came across this video by one of my favorite actors, Edward Norton, who one would think should be more confident in his ability than ever. But he speaks instead about fear and terror in his profession that never goes away and how to deal with it.

I thought about his interview about fear in acting applies to fear in taking a career break and traveling. I agree with so much of what he says so it’s worth putting it in those career break terms.

It is 100% certain that your decision to take a break to travel will feel completely half-baked and you will think you will fail at it.

Everyone goes through this when contemplating a big change in his or her life; especially when you are taking a road less traveled. The fears might appear in the form of a constant state of irritation, it may be panic attacks (like our training class participant!) , or it may tears. But if you don’t push through those fears of failure, then you’ll never make change in your life. Change means fear. Change means potential failure. But always remember that change is good and necessary to grow.

People will tell you that your plan won’t work.

People will also tell you to work your butt off until you are 65 and then live your life. If you think that’s the answer, then fine, believe the people that tell you it won’t work. But seriously – when did you start listening to what others tell you to do? You are no longer a kid or a young adult. You can make your own decisions, take your own risks, and craft your own life. Make sure that you surround yourself with people who think it will work and thinks it’s a damn good idea!

As Edward Norton points out, “Getting used to that sensation of fear is a good thing. Get to a point where you realize you are in ‘that’ phase where you feel like you are sweating off three t-shirts a day because you are about to go off the side of a cliff. But you realize you can always buy more t-shirts.”

The key is to get used to the sensation of fear. Because this won’t be the first time on this career break journey that you will encounter it. In fact, know that this is only the beginning. There is inherent fear in traveling, fear in being alone, fear that you will get sick, fear that you will be robbed, fear that you are lost, fear that you are running out of money, and in a cruel twist – you will even have fear in returning to your home when the break is finished. Anticipate and embrace the inevitable sensation of fear. It’s not easy, but it must be done to get anywhere. You’ve been doing it your whole life from the first day you went to school, to the first time you dove off of the high dive at the swimming pool, why can’t you do it now? Don’t balk at the sensation of fear – push through it.

The good news is that as I type this – our career break training participant has started her career break! She pushed through and she’s having the time of her life now.

Will you let fear stop you?

Photo Friday: Time lapse Machu Picchu

MeetPlanGo — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:58 +0000

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!

Beginning or Ending in Hawaii

MeetPlanGo — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:00:49 +0000

Beginnings and Endings are always the most challenging when it comes to a career break. In fact, I never really know which one is harder. When you begin your break, you are normally a bundle of nervous excitement with your head aching from all of the planning and checklists you’ve been working with for the last few months. But the real part that makes you break out into a cold sweat is you are heading out into the unknown and outside of your typically predictable life.

Equally perspiration inducing is the return and re-entry into your ‘old’ predictable world when you finish your career break. If you’ve been traveling in far off countries for a significant time, coming home to your own culture can be jolting. You are bombarded with marketing, politics, high prices, questions about what you are going to do next; it makes you want to hop on the next plane out to anywhere!

Abrupt transitions such as the beginning and end of a career break can be challenging and in order to ease that transition we suggest that you consider easing into or out of your break. And one very good place to do that is Hawaii.

The little chain of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean are the perfect place to ease into cultural transition.

Hawaii is indeed the US on paper, but once you get there you won’t feel as if you are in the US any longer. It’s a mix of east meets west, of American culture and Polynesian island culture. You will feel as if you are in another country as you try the new food, get used to the new vowel-centric language, and understand the different customs of Ohana (family).

If you are leaving on a career break to Asia, this can be the perfect place to ease into the Asian culture. And if you are on your way home to the US after being gone for months of traveling, Hawaii can be a way to ease you back into American culture.

Stopovers

The great news is that you can potentially do this for free, or a very low cost thanks to the possibility of stopovers offered from various airlines. If you are flying to/from Australia, New Zealand, and many parts of Asia stopovers in Hawaii are a real possibility. Check out the stop over destinations and deals on the Web sites for companies like New Zealand Air, Quantas , Air Tahiti Nui, and Hawaiian Air (stopover rules). And if you don’t know much about how stopovers work (strangely they aren’t publicized very well), then check out this great stopover article from Bootsnall.

What to Do

So now you know that you can consider Hawaii an easy and affordable stop on the beginning or end of your career break – but what do you do once you get there? You can do much more than you think; Hawaii isn’t just about beaches and Hawaii golf courses. You can hike the hundreds of trails on Oahu, engross yourself in Hawaiian royal history, stay with/meet locals via Tripping.com, learn to surf, go shark cage diving, and go horse back riding. You may even be able to catch a Meet Plan Go Travel meetup in Honolulu! Or you can simply soak in the Aloha spirit and prepare for your next stop on your career break.

This post was sponsored by PGA Championship golf vacations

Photography from Sherry Ott’s recent Hawaii ‘break’:

The Best-Laid Plans

MeetPlanGo — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:00:14 +0000

The best-laid plans of travelers often go awry…a truth you will most definitely learn on the road. Traveling long term is different than a vacation. In a vacation you normally have to maximize your short time very carefully; transportation, lodging, tours, and sometimes food is often planned. However when you are roaming from place to place over the period of 3 to 12 months, planning each detail becomes much harder.

Here are some things to consider when trying to plan:

You Will Change

One of the most rewarding things about extended travel is that you have time to learn; not only about other cultures, but about yourself. You may be surprised what you learn about yourself. The knowledge you gain will likely effect your plans, so consider leaving yourself open to new opportunities.

Seeing the Whole World

You can’t get to every ‘must-see’ in the world. We know it’s tempting to look at the globe and know that you have more time off then you ever have before in your life and want to do EVERYTHING. But really…do you want to do everything? If you do, then what’s left? One of the biggest benefits of taking a career break and traveling is that you will infuse travel into your life from this point on. We’ve never met anyone who traveled the world and didn’t want to go back out again. Travel and exploring will become a part of your life, you will have more opportunities to get back to places you didn’t get to on this trip.

You Don’t Know Until You Get There

Many times you plan to go to a place and have something specific that you want to do there or see. But once you hit the ground, you’ll meet locals and other travelers and bond with them. Soon you learn of other things that you want to see and do that they recommend. If you have everything already planned, then you may miss out on these new places/experiences that you just learned about.

Oh – The People You’ll Meet!

Whether you are a solo, couple, or family traveler you will meet hundreds of new people while you travel. Each person brings a new possibility; one which you will never be able to predict or control. You may decide to travel with a new friend, you may fall in love, you may get offered a job, or you may decide to stay and help someone. Remain flexible & open and you will most likely end up in a place that you never knew about – and certainly wasn’t according to plan.

Sometimes when you plan too much in advance, the universe has a way of laughing at those plans. That’s what happened to Stephanie and she shares how she now travels at a different pace.

You Will Get Tired

At some point in your extended travels you will get tired. You won’t want to move any longer, pack any more, see another museum, or ride another bus. If you plan everything in advance, then you’ll wear yourself out with no time to recover. Remember you don’t want to return home as tired and stressed out as you were when you left!

Overall we recommend to build a structure and foundation, but know it’s ok to fill in the details as you go. If you are the planning type, then we recommend to get the first few weeks or months planned with transportation and an itinerary, but leave the remainder open ended. It’s good to have a few core ideas, but fight the urge to connect them until it gets closer to the time in which they will occur.

Basic Training

We cover more on how to plan for your time in Career Break Basic Training, as well as other topics related to your On-the-Road experiences.

How to Photograph Machu Picchu

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:00:06 +0000

Machu Picchu. You finally made it. It’s the once in a lifetime event you always thought it would be because all the literature tells you it is once in a lifetime. Having been to Machu Picchu twice now, I have a few photography tips that might be of value when you make this journey in your lifetime. Why did I go twice? I was lucky enough to have won a tour at a Meet, Plan, Go! event in my hometown of Seattle. When you see (photo op) you might want to make a note of the next words.

First, take it all in. Sit for a moment after you pass through the turn styles (or if you pass through the Sun Gate on the Inca Trail) and just sit. Your memory actually works better when you don’t have a camera up to your eye. No, I can’t back that up with ‘facts’, but you know it’s true. Sit and let the view sink into you.

Done soaking? Good! Now grab your camera and take the first left hand turn you can find after walking in the main gate. It will lead uphill. Chances are, if you’re with a guided tour, your guide will lead you out and through the (photo op) main gate. You might need to sneak away when they do this. Or just let them know where you’re going.

I realize this is something of a catch 22; if you stay with the guide you get a wealth of info you wouldn’t get by walking around alone. But if you walk around alone you get photos you wouldn’t get with the guide.

The reason I tell you to hang a left is because of a few assumptions: 1) You made it to Aquas Caliente the day before and 2) you headed to Machu Picchu super early in the morning on a bus. Maybe you even hiked up the hill (it takes about 1.5 hours and is sweaty). The point is you arrived at the gate when it opened. Oh! 3) It’s not horribly cloudy. Heck, even if it’s cloudy, take that first left.

Keep heading uphill. It’ll get your heart rate up. After a while you’ll plane out onto a flat, open spot with (photo op) gorgeous views. You can stop here for some shooting, but if you’re near the front of the pack or if it’s crowded, keep heading up and to the left. Eventually you will start on the Inca Trail itself and head back to your left instead of up. This is good. A large-ish wall will be on your right. When there is a break in the wall, head up about four terraces and then turn right across the terraces.

You’re almost (photo op) there! This area is far less crowded especially in the morning. Find yourself a likely (photo op) spot just before the trail to the (photo op) Inca Bridge. Here is a perfect spot for portrait style shots. Wayana Picchu, the pokey mountain behind Machu Picchu, is well framed from this location. The sun is to your right which will make the foreground on the left side of the hill below the city a bit dark. If there are bright, white clouds this day, you’ll want to do some bracketing to make an HDR in your computer later (unless you’re reading this is 2015 and all cameras shoot at least 15 stops of light).

Spend some time here and watch the clouds. Often, because the jungle holds in moisture at night, you can shoot some intense time-lapse footage as that vapor crawls up the green hillsides. If it is a gray day, this spot works well because there is not a lot of sky behind Wayana Picchu and thus, not so much gray in your pictures. Take your (photo op) “I was here” photo at this point. Then start back on that trail you were on, going up to Sun Gate.

But stop before you get there! You know how some things never quite look like how you imagined them? Because you built them up with fantasy in your mind? Kinda like standing at the foot of the (photo op) Empire State Building and wondering why it doesn’t look like the aerial shots taken from a $2 million helicopter with a (photo op) $20 million IMAX movie camera? That’s why a lot of people go to Sun Gate. It’s cool and all, but really it’s just there to make neat patterns at certain times of the year on certain parts of Machu Picchu (you really should have stayed with your guide to learn that part).

Before you get to Sun Gate there is a spot to stop. Not the first one with the (photo op) tall rock to the right. Past that. The (photo op) 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. You’ll be seeing a time-lapse movie later this week that contains that photo from this spot. Bring a wide angle lens to capture the whole valley. Bring a 100mm lens to get a nice closeup of the city and the mountain. Bring a 300mm lens to find your friends in the tour group.

Take some time here and watch the pattern of the shadows over the landscape. No need to hurry. Take photos at different times as the clouds (hopefully)(photo op) dance. Then start your way back down with that classic, postcard shot on your memory card and in your brain (please tell me you sat your camera down for a minute?).

It seems as you get closer and closer to the city it just keeps begging for more photos. The crowds are starting to arrive now and you’ll have to jockey for position. Make sure to get the standard “I was here” shot at the (photo op) main gate to the city. There might be a line.

The rest of what I’d suggest for the city itself is to explore. I could give you another dozen shots but really, inside the city, find your own path. Get close. Look at the details. Look at the craftsmanship. Marvel at the odd shapes [the same (photo op)space aliens who built the (photo op)pyramids certainly did not build Machu Picchu.....no square blocks!]. Climb up Wayana Picchu and get a photo from there if you are feeling up to the task and if you can get a ticket.

Heck, maybe even find your guide and listen to some of the stories that help bring this wonder of city to life.

Photo Friday: Sharing the Road

MeetPlanGo — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:00:11 +0000

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?

How to Prepare Mentally for Long-Term Travel

MeetPlanGo — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:00:31 +0000

Choosing where to go and what to pack are important steps in preparing for your career break. And adding destinations to your list and picking out travel gear is certainly the fun part of the process. But have you ever thought about preparing mentally for your extended travel?

Traveling around world and living out of a backpack can sound so ‘amazing’ when you are sitting behind a desk stressed out with your buzzing blackberry and bad fluorescent lighting. However, when you really get down to the nitty-gritty, and start to consider long-term travel, you have to figure out if it’s right for you. To determine if you can hack long term travel to remote countries, Sherry Ott has put together a little four week ‘travel boot camp’ to ready your mind and body for your career break. Follow these exercises and if you survive, then you can hack long-term travel!

Water

For one month start drinking and using ONLY bottled water. This includes brushing your teeth with only bottled water; don’t you dare use that tap water! I became so accustomed to brushing my teeth with bottled water that it seemed strange for me to use the tap any longer. In addition, when you cook, wash all of your fruits or vegetables in bottled water. Or if you don’t want to go to the hassle of washing with bottled water – then simply stop eating raw fruits and vegetables for a month!

Language

Even though English is the one true international language, you will still have to get used to not ever really knowing what is being said around you in a foreign country. Sure, you can always find someone who speaks English if you have a question, however they will answer your question and then go back to speaking to their friends in their native language.

In order to prepare yourself for never really understanding what is being said around you, do the following:

– For two weeks, go spend a few hours a day in Chinatown in your city (if you don’t have one, then go to a Chinese restaurant and try to sit close to the kitchen!). Make sure that you seek out establishments that are filled with Chinese people; then just sit there and drink tea for a few hours.

– In addition, for two weeks only watch the Spanish and Italian channels on cable. Sit through the news, soap operas and games shows – this will certainly make or break you! After two weeks, you will be prepped for the constant chatter of other languages around you that you may not understand.

Clothing

For 3 weeks, wear the same 8 clothing items from your closet. Yes, you can mix and match them, so pick colors that go together! Do the same for shoes; pick 2 pairs of shoes and wear them for the same 3 weeks. This should prepare you for living out of a suitcase and losing the variety of items that you can choose out of your closet.

Lodging

For 2 weeks, sleep in a different room and a different piece of furniture in your home or apartment every night. Choose your bed one night, your couch the next night, an air mattress the following night, then the second bedroom…you get the drift. You need to train your body and mind to understand that the concept of ‘your bed’ is going to disappear. I slept in a different place most nights for 16 months – some good, some bad; but rarely the same place.

Special Unit Training for India or Asia Itineraries

Make a one time outing to your local zoo…yes, the zoo. Go to the zoo and stare at the animals. Not a quick look…but a good long stare. Now put yourself in the animals’ position and see if you can hack it; someone staring at you for 5 minutes straight. Also consider what it might feel like when someone reaches out and strokes your arm because they want to touch your skin. The staring can be a real challenge to get used to, but with some practice you can learn to ignore the people staring at you; plus as an alternative, it’s acceptable to stare back!

Basic Training

These are just a few of the “training exercises” we cover in Career Break Basic Training. Once you have successfully completed this training regimen, then you are ready to be a long-term traveler. By preparing your self early, you will enjoy yourself even more when you get on the road!

Travel Gear Tips from a ‘Gearologist’

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:00:03 +0000

While going through Meet, Plan, Go!’s Career Break Basic Training, I was introduced to some pretty incredible services and gear that I didn’t know existed. In the process of learning more about these newfound products, I found that I REALLY enjoyed the research. I have since completed the Basic Training course, but have continued to explore new items and I look forward to further study which, I admit, borders on obsession . . . perhaps I’ve become a travel gear-ologist?

Backpack

The PacSafe VentureSafe 25L backpack is my favorite piece of gear so far. The VentureSafe has a deceivingly large amount of space, a padded 13″ laptop pocket and is surprisingly comfortable.

It’s also an anti-theft powerhouse with slash-proof metal ‘exomesh’ within the fabric, zippers that hook and hide closed and extra durable slash-proof straps. I think the VentureSafe is the ultimate traveler’s daypack and am so pleased I got one.

Wifi Antenna

One piece of gear that I can’t wait to see in action is an Alfa 802.11g/n wifi antenna. I got this tip from Anil Polat of FoxNomad (Thanks, Anil!). This palm-size antenna plugs into my laptop via USB port and is said to increase the wireless Internet range so I can search and find more (hopefully unlocked) networks. The Alfa wifi antenna can be used with either PC or Mac operating systems and boasts a strong signal, high speed data transfer rate, and keeps my wireless data secure. I love that the antenna is only 2 ounces and measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches (8.5 x 6.3cm) so it can be packed easily.

Airline Miles

Hands down, the best service I’ve used this last year is the Travel Hacking Cartel by Chris Guillebeau. Per the Cartel website, Chris ‘teaches members about glitch fares, round-the-world tickets, padding mileage accounts, earning elite status and much more’. Members get video tutorials on what travel hacking is all about and deal alerts emailed to them on airline mileage promotions, hotel points, car rental offers – even frequent dining programs!

Chris offers a guarantee of at least four free plane tickets a year and monthly memberships start as low as $15 (well worth the information you get) with a 14-day trial period for just a dollar. With the information I learned in the Cartel, combined with some ‘strategic spending’, I’ve earned 94,000 frequent flyer miles in one year – without getting on a flight!

Sim Card

Once I am outside the U.S., I’ll explore Mobal’s global sim card service. I wanted the option to make/receive a regular phone call when I don’t have access to wifi/Skype. Since I will be traveling to more than 15 countries, I wanted to avoid the hassle of getting a new sim card for every country. Additionally, it is much easier to give my family one international phone number to reach me instead of 15+. By using the Mobal sim card in my unlocked GSM phone, I only have to pay for activation once ($9), the card works in over 190 countries without monthly service fees or minimum usage and never expires. Unlike other sim card providers, Mobal charges for calls after I’ve made them.

The best attribute about using Mobal’s sim card is the high quality call signal. The service will automatically connect to the strongest cell phone signal wherever I am. The only downer I could find about Mobal was the expensive call rates (from $1.50 to $3.95 per minute), but I don’t intend on using it often. Aside from testing it (in one minute spurts!), I’ll use the sim card in case of emergency when call quality is the most important.

These are just a few of my favorite items. I am already so confident about these products that I signed up as an affiliate, but will thoroughly ‘test-drive’ them in the coming months and will share my experience with Meet, Plan, Go! – So ‘stay tuned’.

You can read about other travel-related products I’ve studied and I will continue to research MANY more items. I’d love to hear from other travelers about their favorite gear and/or services (I gotta feed my obsession).

– Your friendly travel ‘gearologist’

Photo Friday: Humpback Whales in Tonga

MeetPlanGo — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:19:40 +0000

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?

Addressing Mental Travel Hurdles

MeetPlanGo — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:00:54 +0000

With the New Year you may be finding that you want to jump start (or re-start) your career break travel plans. And one of the reasons that your plans may have stalled is because of fear.

Getting Over Fear

You came here because you want to make a change in your life; you want to shake it up. Hold on tight because change isn’t easy. Change is wrapped up in fear, and fear is big and bad. It can make any endeavor seem like a mountain that is insurmountable at times. The end result of letting fear take over is that it keeps us stuck where we are. We can assume that since you are here, you don’t want to be stuck where you are – right?

Each person’s situation and fears are different, but most often our fears of career break and sabbatical travel fall into four main areas:

• Financial: I don’t have enough money – you have to be rich to travel
• Societal: What will others think if I leave my job to travel – my family, friends and peers won’t be supportive
• Career: I will ruin my career with a gap on my resume
• Safety: fear of travel in general (health, safety, theft)

You may relate to one or all of these fears to varying degrees. But an important first step is to recognize that these hurdles and thoughts are really stories you have created about yourself. They are not necessarily true, but they can have self-fulfilling consequences.

Best Case Scenario and Positive Thinking

We usually default to assuming the worst-case scenario will come true. But we challenge you to think about “What if everything goes right?” for a change. That’s right – just close your eyes and think about those perceived hurdles as opportunities.

• Financial: I can learn how to better save money & budget which will benefit me/my family in the long run. I will also realize that I don’t need as much money as I think to be happy.
• Societal: Others will love hearing my story of following my passions and I will inspire others to do the same.
• Career: By taking this career break I will be more knowledgeable of the world and it’s cultures, a better communicator, able to work in a variety of environments, and demonstrate great flexibility that will make me stand out in interviews and cover letters.
• Safety: I will learn ways to remain safe no matter where I am in the world and will see that how people & places are perceived in the media is not necessarily true for entire countries.

There is always a way to over get hurdles – always. Positive thinking is just a start.

Paul Milton on Societal Pressures

The idea of career breaks can seem unrealistic to many – but Paul shares how they didn’t let other people’s opinions change their plans.

Basic Training

We cover more on how you can overcome these hurdles in Career Break Basic Training, which includes more interviews and helpful homework assignments.

Taking the Time to Step Back

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:00:59 +0000

I lived in New York City and worked as a corporate bankruptcy and restructuring lawyer during the four years leading up to my departure. Before that, I spent nearly six years living in Melbourne, Australia where I went to law school (and also received my bachelor of arts degree). Australia is where I first became attuned to the concept of taking a year “off” to travel, because it is such a common practice there. For various reasons I never considered doing it while I was a student, but it was an undertaking that I admired.

Lacey Laken in Italy

When I got a job as a lawyer in New York, I finished my studies early by taking summer classes and handing in assignments before the end of the semester to get to the U.S. in time to study for the bar exam. I suppose since then – June 2007 – I never paused; it was go, go, go for the next four years. During the financial crisis, I was fortunate to be employed in an area of law that was made very busy by the downfall of the economy.

One thing I always managed to do, despite how busy work could be, was to take my vacation time, which I mainly spent overseas. In those four years, I visited Belize, Peru, Israel, England, the Czech Republic, Austria, Turkey, Egypt, and also went back to Australia four times.

It was after I returned from Turkey and Egypt in July 2010 that I decided to take a career break. I suddenly became so aware that there was a whole world to see, and I would never be able to do it in four weeks per year maximum (a year is not long enough either, but at least it is a good start!). I also realized that it was important for me to pause to think about my future and make a conscious decision that I was doing what I wanted to do and living where I wanted to live, rather than continuing both out of habit. I know that many people do not have the opportunity to take a break to reflect, and because I did, I think it would have been a mistake if I had not taken advantage of it.

Leaving my job ended up being one of the hardest things I have ever done. It became clear to me how much I respect my colleagues, who are also my friends and mentors. Since I have been traveling, one of the biggest realizations I have had is that I do really like my job and where I worked. I am proud of the projects I worked on and hope I have the opportunity to do so again. It is also now very clear to me how much I love New York, which I was glad to confirm. Like I said, because I worked in a sometimes all consuming field, it was so easy to slip into a routine, without taking the time to step back and think about what I was doing; for that reason alone this trip has been worthwhile.

Over the course of a year, my itinerary slowly evolved. I started off by choosing the places I most wanted to visit in the near term that I had not been before (in particular, Spain, East Africa, Japan, and Russia) and structured the rest of the trip around those destinations. I have left some flexibility, but do have a skeletal international flight structure booked. This way, I keep moving but am also able to make new plans as I go if I have a new idea or am invited to go somewhere.

Anchovies in San Sebastian

One of my favorite things about travel (and living in New York) is finding and experiencing good food. I have been documenting my culinary experiences on my travel and food blog – 365bitesaroundtheworld. Before I left, I had actually decided I was not going to write a blog because I thought it would be a burden. Eventually, after many suggestions from friends, I changed my mind. I find there to be two challenges to keeping a blog – staying disciplined and keeping readers interested.

I chose to focus on food because it is something I already devote far too much attention to and a topic many people are curious about. In the end, 365bitesaroundtheworld has been a great project for me. It keeps me on my toes while traveling and it has been a great way to keep in contact with people. It will also provide a great record, beyond the scope of photographs, of my trip, which is something I probably would not have had the discipline to do otherwise.

Photo Friday: Canyonlands, Utah

MeetPlanGo — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:00:42 +0000

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.

2012 Career Breakers

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:00:16 +0000

As 2012 is inching closer, so are the departure dates for many career breakers. Here are a few that will be starting (and in some cases, continuing) their adventures in the new year.

Lisa Kelly www.whirledtraveling.com

I will be in SE Asia from January through May and then I am going to head to Australia and see where the wind takes me from there. I am considering staying among the South Pacific islands or possibly working my way through South America.

Leora Novick www.anamericangirlintransit.com

I am planning on hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, sandboarding in southern Peru, hiking the Colca Canyon, celebrating the new year in Lima, dancing the night away in Buenos Aires, trekking in Patagonia, and countless other things that I hope to find along the way!

Traci Salisbury tracivolunteers4mercy.blogspot.com

Whatever comes at me, and moves my soul! I want to enroll in a language school first and foremost to learn Spanish. I then intend on using workaway.co.uk to find meaningful forms of work exchanges where I can work for barter. Finally I want to rent a flat in Buenos Aires and use that as a jumping off point for trekking in other areas within Argentina.

Lacey Laken www.365bitesaroundtheworld.com

I was a practicing corporate lawyer for four years in New York City. I decided to take a break, not because I disliked my job, but because I needed a change from routine and wanted to see the world before I felt that time had slipped away and I was at a point in my career or personal life that it might be more difficult to make the break. I love travel and when you work, there is never enough time to do it sufficiently. Now, even a year feels short.

Paul Nguyen

I have been dreaming and planning of taking one year off from work and live in Europe for one year. Most likely I will live in Spain because I love the culture, slow lifestyle and the sun. I have never done this before so it will be great to meet others that have done it.

Are you venturing off on a career break in 2012? If so, we’d love to follow along! Be sure to Register Your Break with us and share all the juicy details of your adventure.

Photo Friday: Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

MeetPlanGo — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:00:07 +0000

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.

Top Career Break Experiences for 2012

MeetPlanGo — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:00:46 +0000

Don’t know what to do on your career break? We asked our event hosts for their top experiences for 2012 and hopefully they will inspire you.

Go Local

From Lisa Lubin of LLWorld Tour
The one must do or experience I would recommend is getting local! This was truly the one thing that made my travels great and allowed me to meet so many. How? Try things like working, volunteering, taking an occasional tour, meeting friends of friends, and even easier, Couchsurfing. I made some great connections and friends for life this way.

Resources to help you go local:
Tripping
Couchsurfing

Volunteer in France

From Jane Stanfield of Where Is She Heading
For volunteers, I recommend La Sabranenque in France. For one to two weeks between April and October, you can immerse yourself into French culture while helping rebuild medieval structures near Avignon.

Don’t know a thing about building stone walls? Not to worry as there is on the job training. Not 100% fluent in French? Again no worries as English is spoken on the work site (but it is an excellent way to practice your French at the same time!).

Contact Sabranenque for dates and cost for 2012.

Volunteer in Ghana

From Lillie Marshall of Around the World L
I spent three months during my year-long career-break volunteering at a local youth center in a small town in Ghana, and it was such an important part of my trip… probably THE most important! I highly recommend that you check it out, too.

Why Ghana? After extensive research, Ghana emerged as one of the friendliest, safest, most interesting places in Africa to spend time. I loved spending time in such a different place, and always felt welcomed and happy. Though I never did get the knack of balancing large objects on my head for transportation, I did get 5 beautiful dresses custom-made for $10 to $15 each!

Why volunteering? If you’re just traveling through a place, you can only get so deep and understand so much. When you settle down and volunteer for at least two weeks, however, you gain true friends and such a wonderful new understanding of the culture! And Ghana is a particularly excellent place to volunteer because of its friendliness and its focus on education.

For more information on Ghana volunteering, check out Lillie’s 100+ articles.

Adventure Activities

From Olivia Raymer of BootsnAll
One of my must-dos was experiencing the epic beauty of New Zealand by hiking, surfing, biking, sky diving, kayaking, dolphin-spotting, surfing, microbrew-sampling, wine-tasting, train-riding, or just wandering about.

Unplug

From Sarah Lavender Smith of The Runner’s Trip
When you start your long journey, give yourself about a week to unplug and escape to a natural environment completely different from your work environment, where you can begin to transition into a slower, more mindfully aware state of living that will make you better prepared to appreciate your travels. Get offline, ditch your devices and do nothing productive for several days.

Our family did this by starting our year of round-the-world travel with a rafting trip down the Colorado River. We hit the road to stay with extended family in a rural setting for several weeks in Colorado, and a couple of days later we found ourselves on the river near Moab, Utah. The prior months had been so incredibly stressful, as my husband resigned his law firm partnership so we could travel for the year and we packed up our house to rent it out. That stress began to melt away as we floated through those red rock canyons and set up camp on the sandy banks to fall asleep under brilliant starry skies. We sang, we played, we worked with our hands–and in the process, we began to rediscover ourselves.

Drive Cross Country

From Rainer Jenss
We drove from New York to San Francisco in seven weeks. Sure, it’s quite a long time to be on the road under ordinary circumstances and we covered tons of miles, but the U.S. was pretty easy to navigate, even though we had no experience with many of the places we visited. And that was precisely our intention when we mapped out the itinerary – start with what’s familiar to ease us into “life on the road” before venturing off to Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America. There’s also no dealing with different languages, going through immigration and customs, sampling new and strange foods, or driving on the other side of the road. That would come later . . . We also drove our car and not an RV, because it gave us greater flexibility on where we could stay/overnight.

What experiences do you plan to tackle?

Away for the Holidays

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:00:25 +0000

Traveling long term is a gift; the ability to see and experience new cultures, to step away from your own rat race, and slow down. However, when you’ve been on the road for a while and the holidays roll around, it’s easy to get the blues. You’re away from your own culture and traditions, and you miss your family and friends, so it’s easy to get a bit homesick. I spent one Christmas Eve alone eating leftovers watching a movie; I was so lonely in Vietnam that I vowed to never be alone again during the Holidays.

If your career break travel happens to fall during the holidays, then consider what you can do to avoid the holiday blues.

Christmas in Singapore

Plan Ahead
When I first traveled around the world I actually planned out my itinerary with the holidays in mind. For me Christmas is all about family. Luckily I happened to have family living in Singapore so when I planned my itinerary, I planned to be in Singapore in December. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I could have made. The familiar food, customs, and humor of my family was just what I needed after 4 months on the road. Plus, they were able to introduce me to different Asian holiday customs in Singapore – so even though I had slowed down my career break travel to spend time with family, I was still experiencing new things in new cultures!

Utilize your Embassy
If you find yourself far away from family and friends when the holidays strike, then consider trying to find other people from your country that are celebrating. I found myself in Sydney, Australia once during American Thanksgiving. I didn’t want to sit around my hotel room watching TV and going to McDonalds for dinner, so I went to the American consulate to ask them if they knew of any American based Thanksgiving celebrations going on in Sydney.

They quickly gave me a paper with a list of the various Expat organizations observing the holiday with traditional dinners. Perfect! I contacted a few and soon found myself eating Turkey dinner surrounded by a bunch of Australians and Americans.

Thanksgiving in Australia

Phone Home
If there was ever a time to use Skype, it’s the holidays! It’s a cheap/free way for you to actually see your family and friends and connect during the season in video. Don’t miss the opportunity to see and the decorations at home. And be sure to share how the country you are in is celebrating the holiday as it will help your family and friends understand what you are going through. If you don’t know what Skype is – you can learn more here and download it for free – Skype – It’s essential for travel!

Embrace the Strangeness
Nothing is forever, so even though you may be in a very foreign culture for the holidays and they don’t have your same traditions, earn everything you can about how they celebrate and embrace the moment. I spent a Christmas in Ho Chi Minh City marveling at how they celebrated. There were remnants of Western culture Christmas, but there were many odd differences too! You can read about those differences in Christmasia! Experiencing Christmas in Vietnam. So, instead of sitting inside wallowing in your loneliness, get out and walk around and see the locals celebrate. You may even get invited to celebrate with them!

Be Social
Get in contact with the local Tripping group and maybe you’ll find a local that you can spend the holidays with! These types of crowdsourcing groups are great for solo travelers as they will get you connected with locals who have a love of travel.

Are you traveling for the holidays? How have you dealt with the holiday blues while traveling?

Photo Friday: Expedia President

MeetPlanGo — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:04:30 +0000

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.

Top Career Break Destinations for 2012

MeetPlanGo — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:00:33 +0000

Don’t know where to go on your career break? We asked our event hosts for their top destination picks for 2012 and hopefully they will be added to your list.

Jordan

From Sherry Ott of Ottsworld
Jordan should be on your career break travel itinerary not only because of the mind blowing ancient city of Petra, but more so because of the people. Jordan surprised me in many ways, but the most surprising thing was the generosity, kindness, and openness of the people. It was the first country in which I didn’t feel like a walking dollar bill, simply a tourist to sell to. Instead I felt like people really wanted to get to know ME, understand my culture, family, background, and thoughts on the world. It was an exchange in the true sense; normally all over a glass of tea.

The people are enough reason to go to Jordan, but if you need more, then consider the sites of Petra, the ancient ruins in the city of Amman, floating in the Dead Sea, and hiking in some of the most stunning landscape you’ll see in the world. The food is also a perk of travel in Jordan; falafel, hummus, flat bread, fresh vegetables, delicious coffee and tea cooked in ways you’ve never experienced will make your taste buds sore! Cost to travel there are relatively low and it’s simple to travel independently as the country is small, but has good infrastructure.

Put this gem of the Middle East on your career break list as it’s a chance to really see the Middle East that we hear so much about. It will provide you a chance to form your own opinions on the Middle East instead of the one we are fed on the news.

Resources to help you plan your travel to Jordan:
Explore Jordan
Conversation Corps Jordan

Cambodia

From Jane Stanfield of Where Is She Heading
For a World Heritage Site, don’t miss Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Not simply one temple, the Angkor complex covers 100′s of miles and various complexes of temples, each unique and special. While the main temple is immortalized on the Cambodian flag, my personal favorite is the Bayon in the Angkor Thom complex.

The massive stone faces are amazing and mysterious with their serene gaze. I only had a few hours, but the next time I go, I will spend an entire day at the Bayon and watch the light change on the faces. In my book, Angkor Wat is not to be missed if you are anywhere close to Cambodia.

Resources to help plan your travel to Cambodia:
Cambodia Discovery
Explore Angkor

New Zealand

From Rainer Jenss
Seeing New Zealand by campervan is widely considered one of the best ways to explore the country. Its popularity stems largely from the fact that there’s just so darn much beautiful nature to see here, and unlike in the United States, it’s all compressed into a relatively small amount of real estate. Also unlike in the U.S. you can pull over almost anywhere you want to overnight and we did plenty of that.

Almost one-third of the country is designated as national parkland, and on the South Island, you can see turquoise blue ocean, temperate rain forest, rolling farmland, and snow-covered mountains all within a couple hours drive. The infrastructure is also quite hospitable and easily handles all the tourists who choose this option, making it very manageable and convenient for first time renters like us.

Resources to help plan your travel to New Zealand:
Allways Car Rental
New Zealand Explorer

Patagonia

From Jeff Jung of Career Break Secrets
I would highly recommend heading off to Patagonia and bouncing between the Argentinean and Chilean side. There are few places around the world that are this untouched and pristine. It can take a while to get there and to get around it, so a career break is the perfect time to experience it. Glaciers, wildlife, snow, sun, hiking, boating and the ability to drink glacier-fresh water right out of the river are just a few of the adventures that await you. I’ve been twice and I would go again in a heartbeat.

Resources to help plan your travel to Patagonia:
Patagonia Wilderness
Best of Argentina & Chile

New Orleans

From Kirk Horsted of BreakAway
One getaway suggestion for 2012? How about New Orleans? I recently returned from a week there—my maiden voyage—and can’t say enough about why the Big Easy indeed makes a Big, Easy BreakAway. So I’ll limit my rave-omendation to 11 reasons why NOLA should be on erveryone’s travel-bucket list.

11 REASONS TO VISIT NOLA IN 2012
• You can get there from here. Oh sure, we travel snobs sometimes sniff at the notion of staying stateside. But the USA bursts with magical places—like NOLA.
• You feel far, far away—even though you’re in the heart of America.
• This joint is hopping, yet laid back too.
• More music than you can shake a bootie at.
• Diversity, diversity, diversity, and just about everybody gets along.
• There’s no bad food in N’Awlins.
• Their bounce back-from all the disasters inspires even the most dire of doubters.
• The locals display the perfect blend of pride and hospitality.
• Music is so omnipresent and competent that outstanding players must compete to play for tips on street corners.
• “The city that never sleeps?” Sorry, Big Apple. The Big Easy makes you look tired!
• There’s no place like NOLA; you won’t know what country you’re in!

What destinations are on your list?

2011 Recap: Re-Entry

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:36 +0000

These experienced career breakers are doing everything from planning another & becoming an expat to settling down in a new city and writing a book. We know you don’t want to think about your re-entry, but these stories will make you feel better about it.

So You Want to Write a Travel Memoir

You’ve just returned from an inspiring career break and are inspired by the experience to write a book. Think it’s not possible? Alexis Grant offers tips on how you can make it happen.

When travelers hear I’m writing a book about backpacking solo through Africa, they often confess that they, too, have dreamed about telling their travel story. “But I don’t really know how to go about it,” the traveler says. “How should I get started?”

Indeed, a book-length work can be daunting. But if you have a blog – and many travelers do – you’re already ahead of the pack. Blogging gets you in the habit of writing regularly and gives you an outlet for feedback, so you can get a sense for which stories resonate with readers.

So what’s the best way to turn your ideas into a book? Here’s how to get started on your travel memoir: Continue…

Travel and the Rewards of Your Goals

For Richard Yang, it’s not about the destination – it’s the journey that matters most. And he now applies the lessons he’s learned from travel to his life and career goals.

Traveling is a passion for me and I’m fortunate to be working on launching my own travel related startup. However, this is only the beginning of the journey and I look forward to the challenges. But what I want to share is not about travel related entrepreneurship; but instead the “process” from where I was to where I am.

In 2000, I graduated college and entered the world of consulting. In 2005, I decided to take a sabbatical to travel. After returning to my job and working for 3 additional years, I moved to Spain for my MBA at IE Business School. But what does all of this have to do with traveling or anything at all? It turns out everything. Continue…

Manali & Terry: Content, Relaxed Yet Energized

Now that you have returned from your career break and extended honeymoon, how would you describe yourselves?

Content, relaxed yet energized! We would definitely also add the word “appreciative” to how we describe ourselves. We appreciate that we took the time off to explore the world and yet we appreciate even more the opportunities that we have back home compared to some of the places we visited. We are so glad that we were able to take the leap and take full advantage of an extended career break, leave all our worries behind and be a part of this strong traveler community! Continue…

Living Life Differently

I always feel more lost upon returning home. It probably doesn’t help that my husband and I live in a camp trailer, but to us wheels are freedom.

Our first trip in 2009 was the trip to begin all trips. We quit our jobs, sold our home on 80 acres, and leapt off the American grid for seven months around the world. When we came home we were faced with culture shock as well as a desire to live differently. I wanted to reduce my footprint, but see more places; live simply, but pick up more recipes and hobbies.

We had already accomplished the “art of non-conformity” in one sense, but we were ready to scare our friends and relatives just a bit more. Hey Mom and Dad, if you thought we were crazy then, wait until you see the camper we bought – to live in. Continue…

5 Tips for Career Break Re-Entry

Day-to-day cubicle doldrums didn’t motivate me to take my career break, instead it was an inspiring interview for a travel-related job. While I didn’t get the position I still remember what the interviewer said to me: “If you want to travel, then travel.”

I can’t picture being where I would be today if I had not taken the leap and simply booked a flight to New Zealand. While smart financial decisions and pre-entry planning made returning easier, it was ultimately a positive attitude and helpful support from others that prepped me for the adventures that have followed. Continue…

From Career Breaker to Expat

Having spent the majority of my twenties studying for my international business degree and climbing my way up the career ladder in a London marketing agency, my opportunities for ‘real travel’ had been limited to a few, weeks in Thailand, India and Morocco with the rest of my trips abroad taking the form of long weekends escaping London to visit European locations like France and Spain.

Like many people I had always been torn between two lives; my career ambitions and longing for stability and a comfortable life was constantly battling against my love of travel, living life to the full and breaking the mold. I decided last winter, aged 29, that it was now I never. I needed to stop fighting the latter and give my adventurous side a chance to explore. So, I agreed to a six month sabbatical with the director of the marketing agency and headed to South America, planning to travel for three months, (and here’s where my sensible side refused to totally give up the fight!) and put the rest of my time to gain a skill, trying to learn Spanish in Buenos Aires. Continue…

Planning Another Career Break

Jim & Rhonda Delameter reflect on their previous career break as they begin planning for another.

My husband, Jim, and I have always loved travel and adventure. He held various exciting jobs before we met from working ski lifts on Mt. Hood to being a crew member on a fish processing boat in Alaska. I grew up taking near yearly road trips around the United States with my family as well as living in four different states by the time I was 13 years old.

When we got married in 1990 we knew we wanted to explore the world but had a normal “American” preconceived notion of how holidays work. I started working in the travel industry and, in fact, we did start seeing the world in one to two week intervals. In 2003 we had been to 20 countries on five continents but we felt like we weren’t truly experiencing the places we were merely visiting. One or two weeks at a time were simply not sufficient. Continue…

Photo Friday: Pumamarca Redux

MeetPlanGo — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:51:48 +0000

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.

Help Build Libraries in Zambia

MeetPlanGo — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:00:14 +0000

This is the time of year where you are making lists, checking them twice, fighting the shopping crowds, and accumulating big credit card bills. This is also the time of year where websites, like ours, try to convince you to shop more; we tell you about all of the travel items you need to have to make your career break great.

However this year we are skipping the Career Break travel holiday shopping list. Because truth be told, it doesn’t matter what you carry with you on your break, it will still be great; don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Instead of a shopping list on where you can spend your money, we are focusing this year on philanthropic ways to give back; and our sole focus is Passports with Purpose.

Before I tell you about Passports with Purpose and why you should consider a donation; I want to remind you that you are travelers. As travelers who move from place to place in an epic journey, you will see many beautiful and many disturbing things. You will most likely realize how lucky you are for being born where you were with certain rights and possessions already provided you. As a female traveler, I think about how lucky I am to have been born in America, a country with many rights and opportunities for women compared to many other countries I’ve traveled through. I feel that as travelers we have a responsibility to give back to this world in which we explore. You have been given a gift of travel, freedom, education and I encourage you to celebrate that gift you’ve been given by working with the overall travel community in giving back.

Passports with Purpose

Passports with Purpose is an annual Travel Bloggers’ fundraiser. In 2010 they raised $64,128 to build a village in Southern India providing homes for 25 families. In 2009, travel bloggers raised almost $30,000 to build a school in rural Cambodia (complete with a school nurse). In 2011, they have set their sights even higher. With your help, they will raise $80,000 to build two libraries for children in Zambia through Room To Read.

Give and Receiving
It’s not just about you giving, it’s about what YOU can receive in return. This is a TRAVEL fundraiser; therefore your donation will not only help you feel warm in fuzzy inside, but it will help you travel.

Here’s how it works:

For a mere $10, you can enter to win a number of amazing travel prizes ranging from travel gadgets, gift certificates, gear, accommodation, and tours. For each $10 you donate, you choose what you’d like to enter. Donate $50 and enter 5 times for the same prize, or 5 different prizes.

There are many great prizes to win for career break travelers such as:
• 15-day 1st class Eurail pass worth $1160
• A private Florence Italy Market Tour for 4 worth $665
• Kindle Fire worth $200
• 1 year Boingo Internet global account worth $708

Oh Barcelona

However there is one that I’m very excited about because it is one that I have secured through my travel blog, Ottsworld. I think it’s perfect for career breakers as it is a way to really ‘get local’ when you travel. Oh Barcelona has donated a $500 voucher for an apartment stay in Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Florence, or Berlin in 2012! The voucher will provide you with an approximate 3-night stay for 2 people in one of these historical cities.

So – that’s $500 worth 3 nights of lodging for $10. Even Wal-Mart can’t beat that!

Oh Barcelona is not just any company – it’s a company I used when I traveled in Europe this year. I have met the people there, I love how they do business, and I believe in the many benefits of staying in apartments when traveling. Namely it’s a way to travel slow and integrate into local neighborhoods equaling a more rewarding travel experience.

As you do your holiday spending this coming month, take a moment to think about your future career break travels and consider helping the future of kids in Zambia.

See all of the prizes and donate now!

If you won the Oh Barcelona $500 prize, which city would you visit to use your voucher? Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Florence, or Berlin? Share in the comments!

2011 Recap: On-the-Road

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:00:54 +0000

Traveling with kids, living in Paris, taking a writer’s retreat, and staying in hostels – just a few of the topics we highlighted this year On-the-Road.

Traveling with Kids: Building a Foundation of Learning

Rainer Jenss was a Vice President and thirteen-year veteran of National Geographic. As the Publisher, he helped transform National Geographic Kids into the most widely read consumer magazine for children throughout the world. In the summer of 2008 he decided to put his professional expertise and personal passion to the ultimate test by traveling around the world for a year with his family.

If you’re reading this post, you’ve probably fantasized about quitting your job, packing a suitcase, and leaving town for a while to travel the world. When we first got married, my wife Carol and I often contemplated taking the leap — sometimes seriously, sometimes not. There always seemed to be some excuse why we couldn’t, wouldn’t or shouldn’t. Our careers, responsibilities, and commitments had to be considered, and how about what our friends and family would say? It was always something. Then after the birth of our sons Tyler and Stefan, all this talk about packing our bags seemed to suddenly fade away. After all, you can’t possibly do something like this with kids, right? Continue…

On the Road with Warren & Betsy Talbot

Shortly after hosting our Inaugural Meet, Plan, Go! event in Seattle this past September, Warren & Betsy Talbot (aka Married with Luggage) took off for their three year career break. Now with four months under their [shrinking] belts, we check in with them to see how they are adjusting to life on the road.

You spent two years planning your career break travels. Now that you have been on the road for four months, what have you found to be the most valuable aspect of your preparation process?
We have found that living on a budget is the most valuable skill for a long-term trip like this. In addition, doing the research to figure out what the trip would likely cost for our style of travel means that we are comfortable traveling with the budget we set out for ourselves and do not anticipate running out of money early. We lived for 2 years on a fairly tight budget, which means once we started on the trip, there was absolutely nothing to get used to. In fact, we felt like we could splurge more once we were on the trip because we had lived under budget for so long – which is a great feeling! Continue…

What’s the Right Amount of Time on the Road

When I first started backpacking nearly 20 years ago, I never heard about gap-years, or for that fact, career breaks. I was traveling as a college student, adding to my education by backpacking through Europe and studying in London. That experience led me to realize that I wanted to incorporate travel throughout my life – whether it was three months in SE Asia or two weeks in Ecuador.

And during the majority of my travels, the Internet was not a prevalent part of my planning until the past few years. So I was unaware of any other people outside of my circle taking sabbaticals or career breaks to do extended travel.

But since co-founding Briefcase to Backpack, many more career breakers and RTW travelers have come on my radar. And sometimes it seems like many feel that they need to travel for at least a year or more, and in some cases, sell all of their belongings to do so. But in my experiences, I don’t feel that that is always necessary. Yes, there are many fascinating places in the world to see, but is it really necessary to check them off all at once? Continue…

A Year in Paris

In the months leading up to her 33rd birthday, Jenny Sundel’s high-paying, but deeply unsatisfying interim job ended. After a decade of working around the clock – and sleeping next to her blackberry! – she knew she needed a break. “That only crystallized further when I attempted to find another job, right smack dab in the middle of a recession no less. ‘Knowing your background as a freelancer, are you sure you could truly be happy in an office,’ asked one interviewer. ‘Um uh um uh um uh um,’ I stammered. Needless to say, they gave the job to someone else.”

Jenny was so burnt out that she could no longer imagine returning to her prior freelance life either. “I had lost all motivation to hustle for assignments along with any passion for my work. I felt disillusioned, purpose-less and un-inspired. And all this right as I was turning 33, otherwise known as the Jesus Year. It was the perfect time for a reinvention.” Jenny decided to move to Paris and shares with us how her life is changing. Continue…

Studying Spanish in Argentina

My backpack had hardly touched the floor in our new apartment in Buenos Aires when I was already illuminated by the friendly glow of my netbook, searching for a school to enroll in. I was eager to hit the books after so many years in the workplace and wanted to take advantage of every second of Spanish that I could absorb. Being a little older than your typical study-abroad student and already fairly fluent, I was a bit leery of the private language mills with their revolving hung-over students. My goal wasn’t to be able to say, “I’d like a shot of tequila please”; I wanted to speak with confidence about things that probably hadn’t happened in the past, but might have—in other words, to finally master the subjunctive mood.

I soon had a spreadsheet full of different programs ranked by cost per hour, students per teacher, reviews, and length of program. But after narrowing down the choices, I still wasn’t happy with the results. I was afraid that my classmates would all be Americans and the classes were surprisingly more expensive than I’d expected. Continue…

On the Road: Writer’s Retreat

Let’s ignore the fact that you’ll never work again. Skip over the part where you die alone and penniless on a twice-flipped mattress in some dockside flophouse. Such fates are inevitable if you walk away from your job. Accept it. Move on.

I know that’s slightly unfair to say, because I did exactly what you’re thinking of doing, and yet here I sit with all my original teeth and a perfectly pleasant relationship with my creditors. Still, it’s what folks told me, so I’m riling up your muse with an equal punch of pessimism.

That’s right. In 2007, against all warnings, I traded my desk job in Manhattan for the wilds of New Zealand. The plan was to wander a bit, to clear my head so that I may pursue a dream: Writing full time. It was a gamble, but for some reason that didn’t worry me. I knew that when I was checked into hereafter and they asked me, “did it all work out?” I could at least shrug my shoulders and say, “I gave it a shot.”

Of course, giving it a shot can mean different things to different people. Here’s what it meant for me: Continue…

The Modern Hostel Experience

Traveling is about the journey, and not reaching the destination; from the moment you start packing until you have returned. Think about how long you have planned to conquer this journey, and how fulfilling it is to participate in this traveling phenomenon; whether you’re a career breaker or a backpacker. Your travel experience is unique; shaped by the travelers you interact with. Shouldn’t the way you book your travel be the same?

The GoMio Service
Travelers love to talk; we share information about how awesome the Salar de Uyuni was in Bolivia, or where to find budget accommodation in Amsterdam. The Gomio team does exactly this; booking hostels and connecting travelers at your convenience. Continue…

Photo Friday: Goodbye to the Cubicle

MeetPlanGo — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:00:45 +0000

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?

How to Save Money for Travel

MeetPlanGo — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:00:38 +0000

We hear from most career break dreamers that finances are the biggest hurdle in fulfilling their dream. Well, Dream Save Do is here to help.

Dream Save Do

Accepting change is hard. Most people don’t have a choice – when the world changes, they eventually have to change with it. But actually making change, creating it from your own idea or desire for an end product – that’s improbable for many. Creating changes in your life that aren’t dictated by society or a particular person can seem as challenging as climbing Mt. Everest or say… starting a career break movement in the US.

But change has to happen if you want to save money to accomplish your career break travel dreams, or any dream for that matter. Warren and Betsy Talbot know this.

They are experts at making change in order to achieve their own travel dreams. That’s why I was excited to hear that they wrote a book to teach others how to save enough money to travel. The ebook, Dream Save Do, is not simply about saving money for career break travel; it’s about saving money to accomplish whatever dream you have. It’s about how to make change in your life; how to take control of your finances & mindset in order to achieve goals.

We met Warren and Betsy in 2010 as they were preparing for their three-year career break and they agreed to be our inaugural Seattle Meet, Plan, Go! hosts. They have now been traveling for one year and have decided to turn their three-year planned career break into a location independent lifestyle. In Dream Save Do they took the processes they used to change their lives to create concrete steps that apply to everyone, so that others can do the same. And they continue to track every dollar spent on their travels at their Around the World Expenses Blog, which just shows they practice what they preach.

Saving money isn’t rocket science. It’s willpower and the ability to make change in your life. There is no way to get rich quick, just as there is no effective way to lose 20 pounds in a week and keep it off. The eBook provides concrete ways to save money, change your life, and provides you the inspiration you will need in order to follow through. They even have a guarantee or your money back offer! Woven among the concrete steps is their story of how they did it; the successes and the failures, the a-ha moments and the tears. It’s theory put into practice.

The Book Covers

Dream: Defining your Dream, Creating Dream Porn, Determining the cost of your Dream, and Setting a Date

Save: Create the Vault, Calculate Current Spending, Resolving Credit Card Debt, Creating your Phrase to Save, Cutting Expenses, Revising Spending Habits, Where to ‘Find’ Money, Performing a Monthly Review

Do: Publicizing your Dream, Screwing up and Getting Back on Track, Learn to Handle Peer Pressure, Planning Your Holiday Spending, Enjoying the Saving Success

Special Tools: Videos on Credit Card Debt Reduction from Man vs. Debt, How to Sell Your Junk To Make Cash, List of Online Resources

The Takeaway

My take away from the book was how to:
• Achieve goals
• Create change in your life that you and others can be excited about.
• Look at our consumption-based society differently
• Look at how we live differently
• Achieve goals (yes, I know I said it already, but it’s such a strong message in this book. If you don’t like to achieve goals, then don’t get the book – you will be disappointed.)

As I read through the guide, I highlighted things that really spoke to me such as:
• “We were trying to let money dictate our lifestyle instead of the other way around.”

• Focus your saving effort on a small but easily visualized segment of your overall figure. For travel goals – that can be the cost of a day on the road. Then use it as the ‘Phrase to Save’ – “Is that (insert item/service you want to buy) more important to you than a day on the road?”

• “There is never a perfect time to do anything in life, including a budget, and you have to be ready to make it the right time. This lifestyle requires action, and if you aren’t ready to commit to action it won’t do you any good to finish reading this guide. Be ruthless. This is what it takes to save large amounts of money in a short period of time. It is not a forever way to live, but it is a way to get ‘happily ever after’ sooner than ever imagined.”

• “A budget is limiting only in your spending. Your imagination has no limits.”

• “You’ll be disciplined, creative, and confident in your ability to reach your goals, and life will be an ever-evolving series of challenges and wins as you think better, dream bigger, and learn that money is a means to an end, not the end itself.”

Why Should You Buy This Book?

Because the first thing we hear from all ‘want-to-be’ career breakers is – “You have to be rich to take a career break – right?” And it’s normally followed by “How much does it cost?”

People’s biggest perceived hurdle to a career break is financial. Now we’ve just given you a way to shatter that perceived hurdle and understand how you personally can save money and take the career break you are dreaming of.

No more excuses.

Buy Dream Save Do today.

What’s your dream you want to save for? Please share in the comments!

2011 Recap: Preparation

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:00:43 +0000

Traveling with a partner? Moving abroad? Want to travel with a purpose? We’ve had some great guest posts covering these topics as well as other preparation tips. Here is a recap of those featured in 2011.

Preparing for Long-Term Travel with Your Partner

Adam Seper and his wife Megan have embraced travel throughout their decade long relationship. And after getting married, they decided that instead of pursuing the “American Dream” of buying a house and starting a family, they wanted to travel the world instead. So in October of 2008 they set off on a 358-day adventure, visiting 4 continents, 11 countries, and nearly 90 cities. Since they’ve returned, Megan is back being an attorney and Adam is pursuing a career in travel writing – including running the site World Travel for Couples.

For other couples preparing for an adventure of their own, here are some important insights and tips they learned.

If you’ve never taken an extended trip before, you’re bound to have tons of questions. How do we begin planning for something like this? Do we just up and quit our jobs? Is a sabbatical possible? How do we choose where to go? What do we pack? What about visas? Certainly all important questions. But what some fail to think about is what it will actually be like out on the road, especially in regards to traveling with your partner. Continue…

Sorting Through Travel Information Overload

In January of 2012, Jannell Howell will set off on a year-long journey around the world. Her plans will take her West from San Francisco where she’ll travel through Southeast Asia, meander through India and the Middle East, explore Europe and the U.K., check out Morocco, then fly to the East Coast of the U.S. where she’s looking to relocate. Aside from some basic sightseeing and unique activities (e.g. ride an elephant, learn a language, etc), she would like to try working and volunteering overseas, as well as getting to know some locals and a different way of life.

Jannell has joined Career Break Basic Training to help with her planning and blogs about this preparation stage on her site Traveljunkies World Tour. Here she shares how her plans are coming along.

What inspired you to plan a career break?
I knew from an early age that I loved to travel and have gone on some wonderful vacations that allowed me to unplug from reality, but I always longed for more. Wanting to travel around the world has been a dream of mine for a long time, but I never thought I’d get to a point when I had the money or the time to go. Last year, the dream resurfaced as a way to celebrate my 40th birthday in 2012. Then, two weeks later, I attended a Meet, Plan, Go! event that gave me the courage to go for it! Continue…

Preparing to Move Abroad

Not all career breakers dream of traveling around the world during their break away. Many prefer to utilize their time, no matter how long, based in one place, much like Abby Tegnelia did in Costa Rica. But unlike Abby, where a planned one-month stay turned into 12 months, the idea of moving abroad, even temporarily, can create some anxiety.

Coley Hudgins understands this after making the decision to move his family to Panama. Here he offers 5 risk-free strategies to get out of the “Inertia Zone” and on the move.

For many of us anxiety breeds inertia. When we’re outside our comfort zone, productivity stops. We surf the Internet, read, sit on the couch in our underwear eating cheese doodles, anything to avoid pushing through the anxiety. Continue…

Traveling with a Purpose: The Happy Nomad Tour

Adam Pervez is no stranger to traveling. He’s been to 47 countries and has lived in six. “I am a master at hit and run travel. I arrive, run around like a madman for three days, see the museums and monuments, and leave feeling like I know the place. Yet I often don’t get a chance to talk to a local person!”

“After college I took a job with an oil services company in the Middle East that allowed me to travel extensively. I then did an MBA in Spain and ‘redeemed’ myself by working for a wind power company in Denmark. By all accounts, it was the perfect job in the happiest country in the world. It really was exactly what I thought I wanted – a comfortable life with stability and nothing to worry about. But it didn’t take long for me to start questioning, well, everything!” Continue…

Travel Health Insurance Providing Creditable Coverage

Figuring out health insurance options in the United States isn’t simple. Throw two-year round-the-world travel plans into the mix and it starts looking even uglier.

When my husband and I started seriously considering the idea of traveling around the world to surf for two years, one of our most pressing concerns was how to protect our health during our trip as well as after we return back home to the U.S. My husband holds a full-time position that provides health insurance coverage for both of us. However, we won’t be eligible for COBRA since he isn’t being laid off, and his company has fewer than twenty employees at the moment. Those are both requirements for COBRA eligibility.

In addition to finding the best level of coverage and customer service, it’s important to ensure that the travel health insurance policy you choose offers what is known as “creditable coverage.” “Creditable coverage” signifies a comprehensive health insurance policy within the U.S. in which the health coverage is not secondary to any other kind of insurance (eg. Liability or accident insurance). Continue…

A Career Break with a Purpose

As if taking a year off to travel the globe was not enough of a thrill, Jenni and I decided to give our trip a little something extra. Overachievers by nature, we wanted to use our year abroad to accomplish something meaningful.

What began as a conversation with a friend who spent a year interviewing healers around the world for her PhD has now turned into an ambitious project to tell our story as a lesbian couple and interview gay people across the globe. We named our project Out and Around: Stories From a Not-So-Straight Journey and launched a website to tell these stories. Our latest goal is to raise $6,000 to make an educational documentary out of our journey

During our travels through sixteen countries, we’ll be on the hunt for the Supergays – individuals who are leading the momentum on the LGBT movement. Supergays may be directly involved in community organization, or they may be using their influence in politics, health, arts, entertainment, or business to raise awareness and make progress on gay issues. Continue…

Checklist Chaos

“I can’t wait to board the plane… I can’t wait to board the plane…”

As planning for the big trip continues, it’s turning into a mantra that I continue to recite to myself as I once again fold the lined 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper in half, in half again, and one final fold to get the result to a manageable size. As I tuck it away, this sheet joins its brothers and sisters as just one of a stack of several pieces of paper all quarter folded now in my front right pocket. This small stack of paper has become the source for most of my brain power when I am not at work…

What’s on these carefully folded sheets of paper? Checklists. Pages and pages of checklists. Continue…

Choosing the Perfect Backpack

How to choose the perfect backpack for long-term travel is no easy task. Dr. Sarah Johnson of the Spine Wellness Center in Las Vegas offers some key advice to help you through the process.

As a long-term traveler, you’ll need to carry everything with you, which means your backpack becomes your closet, you office and your home. Over the course of your trip, you’ll have to lift your bag hundreds of times, carry it dozens of miles and slip it on and off over and over again.

All of these actions can be rough on the body, so before you leave for your trip, take the time to find a backpack that fits properly, feels comfortable and doesn’t put any undue stress on your back or shoulders. Here are a few things to keep in mind when finding—and using—the perfect backpack: Continue…

How Much of My Trip Should I Plan?

Balancing Spontaneity and Preparedness

When planning that big trip I spent a lot of time daydreaming. I was going to glide from place to place with the wind; it would be amazing, we would just meet someone in a cafe in a small town who would tell a story of a lovely little island, and then we would say, “lets go”.

Well, it sort of can work that way, but enter Reality. It turns out long-term traveling has just as much to do with counting days on your visa, understanding bus routes, and knowing which day of the week an entire town is likely to shut down as it does with improvisation. Most travelers have a tendency to either over-plan every aspect of their trip, or remain blissfully ignorant under the belief that “everything will work itself out.” Here are some great tips on how to keep a healthy balance when planning your trip. Continue…

Leaving Your Job Gracefully

There was nothing scarier for me after the decision to travel around the world than the aspect of leaving my career.

For 20 years I had identified myself by my career and the idea of leaving terrified me. I’ve written a lot about this internal turmoil and the resulting feelings a year later.

One of the many aspects I had to confront, and I am sure you are wrestling with as well, is how do I leave my job gracefully and when do I tell them. There have been jobs in my past where I wanted just to light a match, set it to the kindling, and burn the bridge in spectacular fashion. Trust me when I tell you that the corresponding elated and satisfied feeling will die away quickly when you see the impact in has on your career prospects. Continue…

Photo Friday: Movin’ Right Along

MeetPlanGo — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:00:28 +0000

“Movin’ right along in search of good times and good news, with good friends you can’t lose, this could become a habit…”

This Photo Friday is in honor of the recent release of The Muppets movie. For years, one of Michaela Potter’s favorite travel partners was Janice, the ultimate guitar player from Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Together they had many great adventures through Central & South America, where she eventually found her final home. Come along for the journey!

Enjoying the surf & a sunset beer in Costa Rica

Enjoying nature and the wildlife in Ecuador

The sea lions in the Galapagos haven't seen the likes of her before

Sunset cruising in the Galapagos

Looking stylish during a Peruvian festival & hiking the Inca Trail

Janice connected with a local band in Cusco and decided she found her home

Do you have a favorite ‘travel partner’?

Giving Thanks 2011

MeetPlanGo — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:00:48 +0000

We have countless reasons to be thankful this year here at Meet, Plan, Go! We continue to see more and more people both using the term career break, and more importantly, taking a career break. And we love seeing how our community continues to grow.

Of course, we couldn’t do it alone. From those who have helped us inspire online and in person, we’d like to take the time to say a big thanks.

Guest Posts

Hopefully you have been inspired by the stories of career breakers past, present and future thanks to:
Adam Seper, Rainer Jenss, Paul & Christine Milton, Mehdy Ghannad, Jannell Howell, Warren & Betsy Talbot, Jen & Ryan Fuller, Kailey Lockhart, Aracely & Jason Castellani, Matt Goudreau, Alexis Grant, Abby Tegnelia, Coley Hudgins, Rich Yang, Katie Aune, Lisa Lubin, Adam Pervez, Jenny Sundel, Manali & Terry Bettendorf, Kim Dinan, Delphine Foo-Matkin, Sarah Gottlieb, JoAnna Haugen, Sarah Lavender Smith, Sarah Reijonen, Val Bromann, Lisa Niver Rajna, Mike & Catrell Cooney, Lisa Dazols, Kristin Zibell, Kirk Horsted, Janice Waugh, Cate Starmer, Aly Kilday, Jane Stanfield, Robin Botto, Aaron Starmer, Becky Hayes, Jim & Rhonda Delameter.

Want to share your story? Here’s how.

Photo Friday

We’ve shared some awe-inspiring photos this year thanks to: Jeff Jung, Adam Seper, Jen & Ryan Fuller, Chris Gray Faust, Angela & Jason Rehm, Sharon Tewksbury-Bloom, Sonia Virtue, Warren & Betsy Talbot, Dena Hughes, Sunni Farley, Renee Deguara, Matt Judd, Casey Engels, Rhonda Delameter, Sage Russell, Juergen Klein, Robin Dean Devaux.

Want to submit a Photo Friday? Here’s how.

2011 Event Hosts

Why did our 2011 event kick-ass? Because of our kick-ass hosts: Jeff Jung, Lillie Marshall, Lisa Lubin, Jane Stanfield, Yen Phan, JoAnna Haugen, Lisa Niver Rajna, Kirk Horsted, Aly Kilday, Rainer Jenss, Mike & Catrell Cooney, Olivia Raymer, Sean Keener, BootsnAll Team, Sarah Lavender Smith, Paul & Christine Milton, Adam Seper, Janice Waugh, Sonia Zamborsky.

2011 Event Panelists/Ambassadors

Our kick-ass hosts couldn’t have done such an amazing job without the support of their panelists & ambassadors: David Aycock, Caroline Boudreaux, Catherine Emery Hearn, Angela Petitt, Toby Tull, Tim & Robin Botto, Chris Christensen, Jessica McHugh, Tim McGregor, Brian Peters, Janet Riley, Maria Giurcan, James Galvic, Katie Aune, Katy Healy, Ryan & Laura Keller, Dave Nilson, Keith Savage, Stephanie Katsaros, Megan Kearney, Marsha Joseph, Alex & Elizabeth, Erin Guttenplan, Polly Letofsky, Jim & Wendy Pearson, Alonna Scott, Celia Taylor, Nora Lynch, Shaun Henderson, Czarina Lam, Diana Edelman, Cory Haugen, Judy Irving, Abby Tegnelia, Richard Bangs, Jen Leo, Doris Gallan, Jacob Frank, Sarah Gottlieb, Lisa Napoli, Michelle Page, Julie DuRose, Layne Kennedy, Kara McGuire, Leif Pettersen, Doug Mack, Deb Miner, Dan Woychick, Kirsten Alana, Benny Lewis, Kelly Lewis, Ryan Murphy, Jordan Franklin, Charlotte Piper, Rita Foley, Amanda Pressner, Lisa Sciambra, Charles Scott, Michael Bontempi, Marie Elena Martinez, Lisa Chavis, Cheryl McDonald, Shannon O’Donnell, Ben Reed, Jillian Tobias, Chris Guillebeau, Laura Crawford, Russ Roca, Kim Dinan, Warren & Betsy Talbot, Ryan Lile, Morgan Smith, Spencer Spellman, Kristin Zibell, Chris Gray Faust, Ryan and Jen Fuller, Scott Montgomerie, Kenna Ranson, Scott Hartbeck, Stephanie Sappington, Megan Seper, Dave and Deb of the PlanetD, Rick Storey, Mariellen Ward, Evelyn Hannon, Nancy Bearg, Alexis Grant, Coley Hudgins, Kimberly Palmer, Kinnari Patel.

2011 Event Sponsors

We are so grateful to the companies who believe in and support us in our career break movement: Intrepid Travel, Hostelling International, GoMio, Insure My Trip, SmartBox, Uncle Dan’s, International TEFL Academy, HI Chicago, iGo Car Sharing, Chicago Photography Classes, Massey Outfitters, Veracity Stew, Passport Health NY, Clothing Arts, Google Places, Abel’s on the Lake, Kendall College, Napa Wine Project, HI New York, Sports Basement, REI, Recessions Lounge.

We can’t wait to have many more of you involved with the Meet, Plan, Go! family next year.

2011 Recap: Contemplation

MeetPlanGo — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:00:15 +0000

This past year we are thankful to all of those career breakers who shared their contemplations & dreams with us. And in case you missed any, here are the highlights of those who are in the process of fulfilling their dreams or already have.

What is the American Dream?

Mehdy Ghannad of The Hostel Life shares with us the journey his father took from Iran in order to pursue the American Dream and how he is now pursuing his own American Dream.

What is the American Dream? The first person that comes to mind in pursuit of my answer is my father.

My father immigrated to the United States in 1965 at age of 21 from Tehran, Iran with only two hundred dollars to his name. To my own surprise I only recently asked him this question, “Dad why did you take such a leap of faith with hardly any money in your bank account?” Before he could answer the question, my father had to put everything in context for me. In doing so, he had to begin by explaining the environment that he lived in at the time in Iran. Continue…

Beware Responsible People – Embrace the Crazy

Contemplating a career break but others around you think you are crazy? Listen to this advice from Ryan and Jen Fuller, recovering management consultants who recently returned to the US after a six month career break in Argentina and Chile. Prior to hearing the term ‘career break’ they just called what they were doing ‘rehab.’

Because the concept of a career break is still quite novel (at least in the US), most of us don’t have very many people in our social groups that have ever taken one. Unfortunately, this often means that all of your excitement over the idea of leaving your job in favor of long-term travel may not engender the kind of enthusiasm you are hoping for amongst your friends/co-workers/family. Even if you are just looking for support rather than advice, you should expect to be assaulted with many, many reasons why it is a bad idea and you are crazy for even contemplating it. Continue…

Teaching Traveling: Inspiring Teachers to Travel

“Why should we care if teachers follow their travel dreams or not? Here’s one reason: if we teachers are telling students they can and should follow their dreams… shouldn’t WE do what it takes to follow our own travel dreams as well?”

Wise words from our MPG Boston Host Lillie Marshall, who followed her dream and took a year-long Leave of Absence to travel around the world after 6 years of teaching in Boston Public Schools. But that dream almost didn’t see the light of day.

“Part of what nearly stopped me from taking a Travel Leave of Absence from my job as a public school teacher was guilt. ‘What will my students do without me?’ I wondered, worry gnawing at my stomach. ‘How can you do this to us?!’ wailed my coworkers when they found out about my impending Leave of Absence. ‘Do you realize how much you leaving will screw everything up?’” Continue…

Quality of Life Priority Number One

After his five month career break with his now fiancée, Matt Goudreau sees how that time helped them set both their life and work priorities.

It all started on New Years Day 2009. After two months of dating, my ladyfriend Shara and I made an impromptu decision to celebrate our upcoming birthdays in London and Paris, which would be my first big international trip.

So, one month later, we went. We ate, drank, saw the sights – loving every second of it. You could say we caught the “travel bug.” At that point we had a similar revelation: we were merely content with our jobs; the word “happy” was never used. She being 29, me 31, and both kid-free, thought it was the ideal time to take a leap. Like many other dreamers, we wanted to leave our jobs and travel the world. Easy decision, tougher reality. Continue…

A Life Changing Year Ends Full Circle

After losing her job and spiraling into debt, Abby Tegnelia found herself living in a small Costa Rica village for a year. It was the life change she needed to recharge and fall in love with her career all over again.

The logistics of how I ended up living in a small pueblo in Costa Rica for a year were a happy accident, one small step that led to another, leading me to the life change that I so desperately needed. I had been a workaholic. But that lifestyle started to wear on me, leaving me impatient and unhappy, confused as to why the magazine career I had always wanted had left me wound so tight, yet empty.

I lost my job in October 2008, and my world seemingly ended. Like so many other career-focused men and women, I had let my identity forge itself to my career. I was my title. And then it was gone. It was a long time before I could get out of my lease and put a stop to my expensive bills in Los Angeles. I dove into debt, something I’d worked so hard to never do. Still, I did not reach out to every contact I had or pound the pavement looking for a job. Continue…

Worried What Others Think of Your Career Break Plans

We hear it often that one of the biggest decisions career breakers make is when do they come out of the “career break closet” to family and friends. A big concern is that they won’t be supportive of the decision – and not everyone will be. So how do you cope with that? Katie recently “came out” to her family and friends and shares with us their reactions and how she has dealt with it. (We can now share that this is Katie Aune of Katie Going Global).

How long have you been planning for and what inspired your career break?

I have always loved to travel, but usually in 2 weeks stints. The idea to take a break and travel for several months first popped into my head about 5 years ago when I was thinking about leaving the practice of law and changing careers (possibly a career in travel). It was a very fleeting thought and I didn’t think about it again until about 3 years later after I had gone through a tough breakup, become disillusioned with my second career and realized I just wasn’t that happy in Chicago. I started thinking about moving back home to Minnesota and decided to take the summer of 2010 off to travel before finding a job in the Twin Cities. Continue…

Supporting a Career Break Dream

Kim Dinan and her husband Brian are planning an around the world trip in 2012. They’re currently in the process of planning, packing and preparing to see the world. You can follow their journey on their website So Many Places.

I’ve followed a very traditional career path. I graduated college and spent a year as an AmeriCorps volunteer before landing my first job in 2004. I moved across the country and settled in Portland, Oregon where I began climbing the ladder in my field. In 2006 I changed employers. In 2008 I changed again. With each new job I acquired a larger salary and more impressive title.

In March of 2008 my husband Brian and I were hiking in the Oregon backcountry. It had been a long, gray, Pacific Northwest winter and we were feeling disillusioned and unsatisfied. As we hiked we discussed a big, looming life question “Isn’t there more to life than this?” Continue…

The Anticipation of a RTW Trip

It’s common to experience a variety of emotions in the weeks leading up to your career break departure date. In the two weeks before Val Bromann departed on her career break, she still didn’t feel like it was her trip that she was about to depart on. She shares with us the emotions that she experienced before departing earlier this month.

People keep telling me that Berlin has good currywurst. A fact that would appeal to me if only I enjoyed eating sausage. Besides that, I don’t know anything to do or see or eat in Berlin. When, in February, I booked a plane ticket there I figured that I had plenty of time to sort such things out. But now it’s June and I’m leaving in two weeks and have hardly picked up a guidebook. Life happened, work happened, extreme procrastination that haunted me throughout 20 years of school happened.

And I now have two more weeks to figure out everything I’m going to be doing for the next year. Berlin is just the first stop of many, each I’m less prepared for than the last. Continue…

Consulting to Pay for Long-Term Travel

Don’t think you have the funds to take off and travel the world? Feel like you are chained to your job for financial stability? Consulting could be the answer to both of those concerns. Kristin Zibell, the author and editor of Take Your Big Trip, a web site dedicated to helping would-be travelers live their travel dreams, shares how she made consulting pay for her travels and how you can too.

My career break to travel wasn’t planned, but once started, it lasted two years and took me to 16 countries across four continents. I’m not independently wealthy, nor have some secret to blogging success that others haven’t figured out. Instead, I used 10 years of professional experience to sell myself into short-term consulting gigs during an economic downturn and pay for long-term trips to India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Continue…

If Not Now…When?

In 2004 Jane Stanfield discovered an idea for an extended international trip that had her totally entranced. At the same time, she learned that when you ask a question and are serious about finding the answer, the universe complies.

I came on the topic of volunteer travel from an article entitled VIRTUOUS VACATIONS. As an avid volunteer and international traveler, it sounded like a perfect fit for me. The dilemma was I had no idea how to do it. As I focused on the trip, a little voice in my head kept chanting “if not now, when?”

When taking a class – Volunteer Vacations – Traveling on Purpose at Colorado Free University, I MET someone who had some of the answers. Next I began reading Transitions Abroad, a magazine about living, teaching, and volunteering abroad. Then I attended a local Earthwatch event about international volunteering. Now it was time to narrow down my options and figure out how to pay for it. Continue…