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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?

#261

Post by thekevinscott »

I quit my job in 2009 and moved from place-to-place for about three years while freelancing. Spent about 6 months each in Austin, Portland, Chicago, and Buenos Aires, with shorter excursions elsewhere (Santiago, Berlin).

By the end of the three years I'd lost the travel bug and longed to be more settled in one location. With about a decade of hindsight now, I can say:

- Those years traveling were a highlight of my life. I often reflect on them and reference them, in a probably-very-annoying-to-my-friends way.

- Traveling gave me a ridiculous amount of self-confidence. Having to land in a new city, make a whole new set of friends, learn the rhythms, (in some cases) learn enough of a new language to get by, was challenging but immensely empowering. Obviously there were deep, lonely periods as well, but the good and the bad go together.

- In a roundabout way, it was a boon for my career. Moving every 6 months in 2010 basically meant I had to freelance, which forced me to learn a whole new skillset of selling, which in turn led me down a path of entrepreneurship. It also led me down some unexpected paths, whether it was folks I met at a coworking space or learning about the Microconf community.

I wouldn't do it now, but I'm so glad I did it back then.

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

#262

Post by michaelnik »

q-base wrote: post #42
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…

You do not seem like you want to change your mind - and that is fine. If you are doing a cost/benefit analysis, then you are doing it wrong. You mock western consumerism but radiate tells of "western overoptimization" attacking everything as a task that can be broken down to individual parts, prioritized and optimized. That is in my opinion a very reductionist way to go about your life. Traveling the world can open y…

There are tangible benefits to world trip "optimization". We started planning our 1 year, 14-country trip, 1 year in advance.

There are places (some national parks, certain hiking trails) where you need to make reservation well in advance.

It also allows being in countries in their cool, dry or bloom season.

Finally, it allows lower budget for the trip as you can reduce travel time..

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

#263

Post by slibhb »

keiferski wrote: post #218
enimodas wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The OP asked for concrete examples and not vague sweeping statements and here you are doing exactly this. As someone with the same sentiment and question as the OP I'm disappointed.

Vague sweeping statements? I’m literally an entirely different person because I decided to spend years abroad. That isn’t concrete enough for you? I grew up in a decayed industrial town in the Midwest. My parents didn’t go to college and I had very little interest in traveling or foreign cultures. If you were to predict my life based on my family and socioeconomic background, I’d be still living in the same empty tow…

> As an American, I’ve noticed that this attitude of disinterest toward the outside world is common, even encouraged. It’s not a good thing and frankly it’s the source of a lot of problems with the country today.

As an American, I've noticed that self-flagellation of the kind exhibited in this comment is extremely common, as is fetishization of travel/other cultures. This difference in our perspectives may have to do with where we grew up "decayed industrial town in the Midwest" (you) vs. "bastion of liberal globalism" (me).

Anyway, the reason people are pushing back against your comments here is because they have a "I have attained enlightenment and you can too" vibe. I just don't associate enlightenment with hanging around on hackernews arguing about whether traveling has led you to enlightenment.

Anyway, I don't question that seeing the world up close and personal has been important part of your life. I only doubt that it is universalizable. I think your experiences have to do with your unique personality and circumstances and can't be generalized.

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

#264

Post by michaelnik »

noname123 wrote: post #79
q-base wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You do not seem like you want to change your mind - and that is fine. If you are doing a cost/benefit analysis, then you are doing it wrong. You mock western consumerism but radiate tells of "western overoptimization" attacking everything as a task that can be broken down to individual parts, prioritized and optimized. That is in my opinion a very reductionist way to go about your life. Traveling the world can open y…

Thanks for your critique! Your "over-optimization" comment (vs. presumably being more spontaneous and improvising as your travel or just in everyday life) is very valid. I will say that my original feeling is not even "squeezing the most out of the paste-tube" or "maximizing profits" of some objective - it's more about commitment, whether be a subject or to people. Travel to me is like watching TED talks of experienc…

There are tangible benefits to world trip "optimization". We started planning our 1 year, 14-country trip, 1 year in advance.

There are places (some national parks, certain hiking trails) where you need to make reservation well in advance.

It also allows being in countries in their cool, dry or bloom season.

Finally, it allows lower budget for the trip as you can reduce travel time..

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

#265

Post by ryandvm »

DyslexicAtheist wrote: post #232

left my home country to go backpacking in Asia and Australia in the early 90ies. Had a plan to stay at least 1 year (that's how long I hoped my savings would last before I had to either earn a living or go back home). And I'm still abroad (not Asia) until this day. Another goal I set for myself is try to economically sustain myself in the host country without relying on a pay-check from a foreign company. (this is re…

But did you ever find Dog?

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

#266

Post by dejv »

anonytrary wrote: post #103
dejv wrote: post #29

I traveled for five years or so. I was having great time, but I've probably overdid it for year or two. What worked well for me was quiting mixing backpacker circus with less known destination. It was fun to sleep at hostels, party with fellow travelers and have fun, but it gets old after while. I split my trips into 3 to 6 months chunks after which I just come back to one of my bases, recharge for a bit and then wen…

> Now, almost, 10 years later it just feel like it never happen, memories are fading fast as I went with settled life. Dang. As a nerd in his late 20s thinking the same, you make it sound pretty bleak, tbh. I guess it's just time for me to settle down, then go explore the world with my partner because that's what matters EOD.

I am not really sentimental person and I refuse to take photos or even think about past much, so it is not bleak at all I just forget things very easily. I was driven by curiosity and after few years I was saturated. I still like to travel, it is just not only thing I am thinking about (and actually doing) day and night.

At that time I was also seeing new generation of wine makers back at my home that started to do things I always wanted to do and I felt that should be me. So I pack my bag, book a ticket and get my hands dirty (literally) by tending vines and making wine.

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

#267

Post by telesilla »

hayst4ck wrote: post #47
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…

> Try to stay in one place for a few months, minimum. I second this. 2 months is the minimum amount of time per country, and 2 weeks per city if you expect to get anything more than a handful of good meals and a couple adventures out of a place. My better memories were all from places I stayed for over 2 months, and all have more to do with people I met than the place itself.

Yes, definitely. I find that around 10 days is needed to feel 'at home' somewhat, know where the market is etc, and 2 or 3 months to feel like you live there, depending on the language. It happens quite quickly. It's very satisfying to have lived in a variety of countries.

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

#268

Post by keiferski »

slibhb wrote: post #263
keiferski wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Vague sweeping statements? I’m literally an entirely different person because I decided to spend years abroad. That isn’t concrete enough for you? I grew up in a decayed industrial town in the Midwest. My parents didn’t go to college and I had very little interest in traveling or foreign cultures. If you were to predict my life based on my family and socioeconomic background, I’d be still living in the same empty tow…

> As an American, I’ve noticed that this attitude of disinterest toward the outside world is common, even encouraged. It’s not a good thing and frankly it’s the source of a lot of problems with the country today. As an American, I've noticed that self-flagellation of the kind exhibited in this comment is extremely common, as is fetishization of travel/other cultures. This difference in our perspectives may have to do…

You are projecting your own biases and worldview on to my comment, which says more about you than me. Nowhere did I fetishize foreign cultures or put down America in general.

And yes, decaying industrial town is an exact description, not self-flagellation.

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

#269

Post by volkl48 »

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…

> 3. Try to blend in and adopt local clothing, culture, foods, etc. Read books by local authors, watch local films. A bit obvious, maybe, but I've met many people who insisted on only eating Western food, reading Harry Potter, and watching Netflix while abroad. At that point, why even bother traveling?

Depends on the purpose/intentions of the travel.

While I feel similarly about much of my own travel as you do, it's worth recognizing for many people, travel (or at least some of their travel) is not about having some sort of cultural experience or broadening their horizons.

For many people, travel is simply about getting to relax on vacation in a setting they like that they can't get at home.

----------

Your average Brit on vacation in Spain is not there because they have any interest in Spanish culture or Spaniards. They're there because they wanted a warm beach and sun and couldn't get them in their home country.

I'm reluctant to criticize too heavily that not everyone traveling is always doing so out of a desire for cultural enrichment. I certainly am not traveling with any desire for that in mind when I go visit a beach in Florida or a ski area in Colorado as an American.

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