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Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

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Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#221

Post by biolurker1 »

greggman3 wrote: post #203
DanielleMolloy wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are probably used to closed-minded arrogant Westeners whining aloud about not getting their cornflakes. Unfortunately. I also don't get people who won't at least try local customs like eating cooked fish on rice with green tea in the morning, but there are plenty of them. These people usually don't do well in really different countries and complain and whine and compare to home all the time instead of curious ob…

It's not just Americans. Plenty of Korean's can't live without Korean food every meal. Plenty of Japanese can't live without Japanese food every meal. I know Italian friends who say their parents couldn't live without Italian food every meal. I know the first 2 culture sell tour packages where you'll be served Korean or Japanese food for every meal while on your tour abroad

I know Greeks that can't eat without bread and feta any meal

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#222

Post by biolurker1 »

Grustaf wrote: post #131
keiferski wrote: post #12

Absolutely worth it, however I'd offer a few short tips: 1. Try to stay in one place for a few months, minimum. If you can stay a year or two, do that. Jumping from city to city every week seems exciting at first, but it quickly makes everywhere feel the same. 2. To quote Lao Tzu, when your work is done, forget it. If you work remotely, actively disconnect at the end of the day. It's too easy to be constantly plugged…

I agree with your points, just want to add: The best way to connect with the culture and people is to get a local job, or studying at a local university or at least taking courses. EDIT: Basically become an immigrant, even if it's only for a couple of months. Ideally don't plan your return, make your journeys open ended!

Getting an office job in an unknown country for a couple of months sounds so weird and alien and awesome

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#223

Post by thaumasiotes »

DanielleMolloy wrote: post #183
gwd wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> A bit obvious, maybe, but I've met many people who insisted on only eating Western food[...] At that point, why even bother traveling? Whenever I have a guide (either professional or a local friend), this is often strangely a lot of work. Particularly the tour companies I've gone with in China insist on trying to get me a Western breakfast. If I wanted pancakes and sausage I would have just stayed at home and cooke…

They are probably used to closed-minded arrogant Westeners whining aloud about not getting their cornflakes. Unfortunately. I also don't get people who won't at least try local customs like eating cooked fish on rice with green tea in the morning, but there are plenty of them. These people usually don't do well in really different countries and complain and whine and compare to home all the time instead of curious ob…

> They are probably used to closed-minded arrogant Westeners whining aloud about not getting their cornflakes.

Cornflakes are one of the easiest things to find in China. They're sold in local grocery stores from some German brand.

http://globalfoods.rs/hahne-3/

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#224

Post by biolurker1 »

eric4smith wrote: post #83

Did not quit my job, but instead went full remote in 2018 (age 55 at the time). Still doing it, but the pandemic forced me to stay in one country for just about a year now. In that year I put down roots, got long term visas and maybe will spend another few years there while we see how things shape out this and next year. But ya, 2-3 months minimum in a place is what you need, with just a small backpack. Make local fr…

Fascinating mind if you share some more details? Do you have kids? How about family? Do you consider a city your anchor or you feel totally like a world citizen

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#225

Post by donohoe »

I quit my job writing/debugging code for a SMS/WAP gateway at a generic telecoms company in Ireland back in 2001. My plan was to head towards Asia, and come back via Eastern Europe.

I had a friend in NYC who said "well, naturally if you are doing that you should come to NYC first" which made zero sense, but I did it anyway. I arrived the week after 9/11.

I have been here twenty years and I'd argue I'm still getting to know NYC.

IMHO I'd recommend 20 years per city/country to get a good taste for it.

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#226

Post by keiferski »

dencodev wrote: post #215
keiferski wrote: post #12

Absolutely worth it, however I'd offer a few short tips: 1. Try to stay in one place for a few months, minimum. If you can stay a year or two, do that. Jumping from city to city every week seems exciting at first, but it quickly makes everywhere feel the same. 2. To quote Lao Tzu, when your work is done, forget it. If you work remotely, actively disconnect at the end of the day. It's too easy to be constantly plugged…

Your third point is maybe a little narrow minded. People travel for different reasons and long term travel can be stressful and uncomfortable for a lot of people, including myself. If I just spent all day in an unfamiliar country by myself where I know absolutely no one, I don't speak the language, I've been trying new foods for weeks, and I'm exhausted because I did 15 miles and 8 hours of walking today - yeah, mayb…

> only eating Western food, reading Harry Potter, and watching Netflix while abroad.

I specifically wrote only in my comment.

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#227

Post by keiferski »

dopidop wrote: post #217
keiferski wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depending on your nationality, a lot of countries have flexible tourist visas. For example, Americans can visit Armenia for 6 months, Albania for 12 months, Georgia for 12 months, India for 6 months at a time (up to 10 years), and so on. In Europe, you also have many countries outside of the Schengen area, meaning that you can do three months in one then hop to another. E.g. spend 3 months in Berlin, then 3 months in…

I would be careful getting in and out of Schengen. That would probably work a couple of time. But immigration can refuse it without causes, too.

Maybe in the future post-COVID it will be more strict, but my experience has been that it isn’t.

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#228

Post by cmos »

I got rid of everything I owned and spent 1.5 years biking around the US. I lived at a whitewater rafting company for 3 weeks, was hosted at music festivals, taken in by hundreds of people and lived in yellowstone for a month in their hiker/biker campsites for $2/day. I was working part time the whole time for a small mobile hardware startup.

It was amazing!! The toughest part was being alone the whole time, though in solitude I relived my life from the earliest moments, going through each grade in school, unwrapping memories and figuring out the rough bits as I pedaled.

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#229

Post by loughnane »

noname123 wrote: post #25

I'd love to hear concretely what you guys who traveled actually gained from traveling the world? Because I always hear that it's really exciting and you get to go to exciting places - but what exactly did you gain in terms of perspectives besides your instagram pictures and cocktail stories? I've never get beyond this superficial in hearing people's travel stories online and IRL. Maybe it's just me; but the idea of g…

Related:

It is for want of self-culture that the superstition of Travelling, whose idols are Italy, England, Egypt, retains its fascination for all educated Americans. They who made England, Italy, or Greece venerable in the imagination did so by sticking fast where they were, like an axis of the earth. In manly hours, we feel that duty is our place. The soul is no traveller; the wise man stays at home, and when his necessities, his duties, on any occasion call him from his house, or into foreign lands, he is at home still, and shall make men sensible by the expression of his countenance, that he goes the missionary of wisdom and virtue, and visits cities and men like a sovereign, and not like an interloper or a valet.

I have no churlish objection to the circumnavigation of the globe, for the purposes of art, of study, and benevolence, so that the man is first domesticated, or does not go abroad with the hope of finding somewhat greater than he knows. He who travels to be amused, or to get somewhat which he does not carry, travels away from himself, and grows old even in youth among old things. In Thebes, in Palmyra, his will and mind have become old and dilapidated as they. He carries ruins to ruins.

Travelling is a fool's paradise. Our first journeys discover to us the indifference of places. At home I dream that at Naples, at Rome, I can be intoxicated with beauty, and lose my sadness. I pack my trunk, embrace my friends, embark on the sea, and at last wake up in Naples, and there beside me is the stern fact, the sad self, unrelenting, identical, that I fled from. I seek the Vatican, and the palaces. I affect to be intoxicated with sights and suggestions, but I am not intoxicated. My giant goes with me wherever I go.

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#230

Post by keiferski »

Elegia wrote: post #105
keiferski wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have lived abroad for about 7 years now. It has dramatically changed how I think about the world, what my values are, and what I want in my own future. It is miles beyond "I heard some new stories from the countries I stayed and it changed my perspective!"

I wouldn't consider living abroad for 7 years travelling (unless you change location often?), although I absolutely agree that actually living in some different country for years might deeply change you as a person. However, I agree with OP that most travel stories (staying a few days to a month in the same place) sound very superficial and I also struggle to figure out why I should be travelling more often.

I moved around quite a bit. Depends on where you draw the line between traveling and living abroad, I suppose.
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