We had the pleasure of meeting Tad & Gaila from OverlandNow.com at the Overland Expo in Arizona. They are just 5 weeks into their year-long career break, in which they will be riding around North & Central America on their motorcycles.
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They took the time to share with us what motivated them to take this career break and how meeting like-minded individuals at events like Meet, Plan, Go! helped them along the way.
How has Meet, Plan, Go! helped you with your career break plans?
Facebook Fan Zully Avila escaped to this beautiful hidden beach in Nicaragua.
“Feeling the waves hit the eroded rocks/cliffs was nature at it’s finest.”
She’s now unhappily back to the grind but planning her next escape.
We hope that memories of this trip will turn that frown upside down!
What travel memories help you get through the daily grind?
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“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’?
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This Photo Friday comes from the shores of Tamarindo, Costa Rica, where Michaela Potter pursued her dream of becoming a surfer chick. “I spent my summers growing up at the Jersey Shore in Surf City, but it wasn’t until I saw ‘Blue Crush’ for the first (and subsequent multiple times) that I was inspired to hit the waves myself.”
Though her trip to Witch’s Rock Surf Camp was not part of one of her many career breaks, it was the very first trip her and Michael Bontempi (the inspiration for Briefcase to Backpack) took together. “I had booked surf camp before I even met Michael, so when I asked if he wanted to join me, he jumped at the chance. My one condition was no wheelie bag – he needed to get a backpack. That definitely laid the groundwork for the type of travel we would do together!”
A career break is the perfect opportunity to pursue something you’ve always wanted to do. What’s on your list?
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This Photo Friday is from the relaxing shores of one of the many islands in the San Blas region of Panama. It was during this trip that Michaela Potter realized that she isn’t in a rush to always be planning her next career break.
I think that because of my early travel experiences I have learned how to really make the most of my vacations, using the week or two to also experience new cultures while enjoying the time off. It was during that vacation that I realized it’s not the length of the trip that is important – it is what you do with your time that is. And that is something I learned from my various career breaks.
Coley Hudgins did more than just vacation in Panama – he moved his family there for a career break and is now building a life and career there! Based on his experience he offers us advice on preparing to move abroad during your career break.
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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.
And what could be more anxiety-inducing than quitting or taking an extended break from your comfie job and catapulting yourself into a foreign country where you don’t know anyone, don’t know the customs, and where you may not even speak the language?
For families, the inertia zone is even more profound. It’s one thing to be single and make the decision to move abroad, but it’s something else entirely to make that decision when you have a job, a house, a mortgage and little mouths to feed.
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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.
If I had, I would have restarted the same life that I so needed to pull away from. Sure, I freelanced to make money, but I also cried a lot during marathons of CSI. Then my TV broke. No one said change was easy.
[singlepic=1577,300,,,right]It has been three months since the three couples from our Career Breaker Round-Up have hit the road, so we thought it would be fun to check in and see how they have been adjusting to life on the road! The fun part is that all three took off in completely different directions, so they’ll have very different cultural experiences to share as well.
We’re checking in first with Jason and Aracely of Two Backpackers, who started their travels in Central America. So far they have experienced Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
What has been the most difficult thing to adjust to on the road?
JC: The constant get up and go, packing and unpacking. I can easily adjust to a new location, but right when I do, we have to get back on the road again. Constantly traveling does take a toll on the body and mind, and some days you just need to rest and recuperate.
AS: I don’t think I did a good job at picking the right clothes to bring. I have 3 hiking shorts that I never wear. I should have kept it to one hiking shorts and more casual clothes. We have done quite a few hikes but we are in towns most of the time. And I just wish I had a different selection of clothes. Such a girl answer, I know.
Are there any thoughts of what you left behind that keeps you up at night?
JC: Nothing keeps me up at night because I know I am not traveling forever. Other travelers that I have communicated with describe their homecoming as if they never left. I also believe that not much will have changed in a year’s time, except for my two young nephews that are growing up as I type.
AS: I have a teenage brother that I worry about. He’s at a difficult age, I worry about him often.
We had an amazing time going to Surf Camp in Costa Rica. Here’s a sneak peak of our experience:
We’re happy to see you are interested in traveling to Mexico – we loved our experience there. While we finish preparing this post, enjoy a preview slideshow of our trip.
