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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?

#361

Post by doh »

I have not quit my job to travel, so my comment is only partially relevant.

However at the beginning of the pandemic, when the company decided to become fully remote, we terminated our lease and started exploring the Pacific Northwest of the USA.

For last year or so we moved every week around 300 miles to a new city to explore it. If we like it, we stay longer. If we don't, we move faster. We work from the hotel rooms and Airbnbs, which proved to be less challenging we initially thought.

I spent last 15 years mostly in California, so this trip opened my eyes to the "rest" of the country which I greatly underestimated before.

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

#362

Post by ocschwar »

AdamN wrote: post #349
volkl48 wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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…

Hmm, maybe it's an American thing but when I say 'travel' it really doesn't include a beach holiday. That would be called 'vacation' or 'a trip'. 'Travel', to me at least, implies some sort of cultural/sightseeing intent, even if it's just going to Paris for a visit to the Louvre and a few nice meals but talking to nobody.

In American usage, travel just means changing your longitude and attitude.

It can be just for work, or just to perform an errand for the family.

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

#363

Post by g_sch »

Vepkhvi wrote: post #318
g_sch wrote: post #237

I'm interested in a lot of these responses because they don't reflect my experience - I wonder if that's the result of sampling bias (e.g. people with good travel experiences are drawn to this thread) or if I'm the aberration. Granted, I didn't quit my job, but after graduate school I moved to Germany from the US and took a job consulting. For three years I lived in places like Berlin, Madrid, Split...etc for 3-9 mon…

3-9 months seems long for the average American in terms of travel, but it really isn't long enough to gain a social foothold and enough understanding in the local language to feel a certain connectedness to the place. I absolutely think any travel abroad does broaden one's horizons, but perhaps not to the extent that it's touted in pop culture. I served in the US Peace Corps for two years, and the experience utterly…

I definitely agree that 3-9 months (especially at the low end of that range) isn't enough to feel sufficiently rooted somewhere, but one quick thing I would add is that I did all of this while speaking German fluently already, so my time in Germany at least was not consumed by trying to surmount any language barrier. I'm just someone who makes friends through my existing friends (instead of strangers), so starting from zero isn't something I do well.

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

#364

Post by killjoywashere »

dcolkitt wrote: post #310
g_sch wrote: post #237

I'm interested in a lot of these responses because they don't reflect my experience - I wonder if that's the result of sampling bias (e.g. people with good travel experiences are drawn to this thread) or if I'm the aberration. Granted, I didn't quit my job, but after graduate school I moved to Germany from the US and took a job consulting. For three years I lived in places like Berlin, Madrid, Split...etc for 3-9 mon…

There's probably a strong interaction effect with charisma. People who have an easy time making friends tend to see extended travel periods as a non-stop adventure of fresh experiences. Whereas if you're more of an introvert who takes a long time to warm to people, it can be a protracted period of crushing isolation.

If you are an introvert traveling, I strongly recommend lots of reading. Bring a nice camp chair (I have tried several, my current favorite is the Helinox Sunset with rockers and a small camp-stool-turned-ottoman) and sit in the shady spots in parks. Find the best library reading rooms, museums, etc. and just read. Draw if you’re into that.

Negotiate this time with your extroverted traveling partners if necessary.

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

#365

Post by systemvoltage »

g_sch wrote: post #237

I'm interested in a lot of these responses because they don't reflect my experience - I wonder if that's the result of sampling bias (e.g. people with good travel experiences are drawn to this thread) or if I'm the aberration. Granted, I didn't quit my job, but after graduate school I moved to Germany from the US and took a job consulting. For three years I lived in places like Berlin, Madrid, Split...etc for 3-9 mon…

I am going to put in the most plain brutal way - if you're white (and good looking), you will have the most amazing time traveling internationally.

It is depressing but this is the cold hard truth.

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

#366

Post by thekevinscott »

supernovae wrote: post #281
thekevinscott wrote: post #261

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 li…

I'm Curious what the reasons you wouldn't do it now are? I'm probably older - i'm in mid 40s and kids are of that age they don't care what I do so i'm looking at possibly just going remote and on the road for 4-6 months - still working the job but curious what it is you value/appreciate now that you maybe didn't have while on the road/traveling. It's always one of those things I don't want to NOT try it, but i'd rath…

Well, I suppose I have to directly contradict myself by saying we moved down to the South for the past couple months to escape the winter, and it's been glorious.

The biggest barrier is my partner's job not being very remote-friendly, so outside of pandemic times, long stretches of digital nomad-ism are probably not realistic for us as a unit. I'm also not sure what traveling as a pair, or as a family, would be like -- I imagine one person's paradise could easily be another person's nightmare.

I also got the impression that it's easier to live the "traveler's" lifestyle when you're younger, in that you've got more folks amenable to meeting you, hanging out, having more free time. That may have changed with increasing digital infrastructure, but things like hostels and couch surfing I found to be very geared towards a younger clientele (even as a mid-20s fellow, I sometimes felt too old!)

That all said, if you're in a place where you can do it, I think you should! 4-6 months is not that long and if you're in a position where you can try it, the worst that happens is you can say you tried it and didn't like it.

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

#367

Post by ocschwar »

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

Heh. My office in Boston is right by where Asian package tour companies stop their buses and send their customers out with docents in their language. And yes, they never stop for food even after walking 5 miles through the city, which is for the best, as it would be an awful time to discover that you're lactose intolerant.

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

#368

Post by Cd00d »

donohoe wrote: post #225

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 t…

Oh, but at that rate, how will you ever put down roots? :)

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

#369

Post by apples_oranges »

I travelled the world a bit, but I am posting now to just recommend a book about travel that I really enjoyed: Vagabonding by Rolf Potts. I think that if you are on the edge... reading this book might just be what it takes for you to pack your bags.

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

#370

Post by seppin »

ZephyrBlu wrote: post #152
Kiro wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It taught me that I never want to leave my home again. I'm happiest sitting in front of my computer. Feels good to have "been there, done that" so I don't need to worry about what-ifs.

That's funny, I kind of feel the same way. I've been lucky enough to travel internationally and domestically a fair bit and yeah it's pretty cool, but I truly enjoy being at home coding things, learning things and experimenting with stuff.

Traveling is not about finding a new, better place. It's about appreciating where you are now.
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