What It’s Really Like to Quit Your Job and Travel the World

There is much debate about the pros and cons of taking a year off from work to travel the world. Naturally it seems like a life-altering and wonderful journey that you will remember forever, but is it really the best idea to skip the desk job and leave all you know and love behind. For many, taking a year off from real life to travel is the best therapy you could ask for, it involves trekking to the areas of the globe many only dream about visiting. Although it is not common in the United States to take a year to see the world, in many other countries it is considered a rite of passage. We’ve looked into the top reasons to jet off to those unseen countries, along with some reasons you may want to hold back.

-By Nikki Main

Pros of Travel

Learning Experience

You will learn more about yourself than you ever thought possible from travel, whether it is solo travel, with a group or with your special someone. Taking a year off to travel will give you the opportunity to learn how to navigate the crazy streets of Rome and find the best hidden spots off the beaten track. It will enable you to learn a few key phrases in another language and make connections with people who may change your life.

Exploring Different Cultures

There are so many different and unique cultures around the world and we would be crazy not to want to be a part of that. Discovering a new culture will open your eyes to how similar we all actually are, but it will also give you a new appreciation for how other people in the world live and work and relax. You’ll discover that maybe there’s a thing or two we can learn from being a part of their everyday life.

Ability for Self-discovery & Reinvention

You will learn more about yourself than you ever thought possible if you just get on the road and travel. Reinvention doesn’t have to be a big dramatic change, it happens deep down, sometimes somewhere only you can notice. You will find that you come home a completely different person than you were when you left. You will discover what you are capable of and find yourself taking a leap out of your comfort zone. Embrace the change, it will be new, exciting, and maybe the best thing to ever happen to you.

Cons of Travel

Escapism

The downside to taking a year off from work to fully travel and explore is the fact that in some cases, you may be running away. Whether it was a bad breakup or something more along the lines of breaking up the monotony of work. The daily struggle to go to the office, sit in a small cubicle and work a job you perhaps don’t like. If you are going to take the leap, make sure it is for all the right reasons, because chances are, your problems will still be there when you get home.

Being Homesick

Homesickness is a guarantee of travel. The first two or three weeks are the hardest, you begin to miss the familiarities of home and friends and family. Homesickness is like any sickness, it will pass but first you must make it through the worst part of it. Travel is unstable and you won’t have any of the familiar comforts of home. Don’t forget though, if you can make it through the first couple weeks, you’re golden.

Less Money

All those savings you had leading up to the trip, you can pretty much kiss them goodbye. Travel is expensive and occasionally you will want to splurge on yourself, but remember to spend wisely, because you can only spend it once and you need that money to last you the full year. There are ways to cut costs like couch surfing but who wants to stay with strangers? Plan your trip accordingly and try to spread out your money and make it last.

Missing Family Milestones

Maybe your sister gets engaged, or a family member gets ill; you should be prepared for the fact that life back home will continue without you. We know you’d love to be there for all those milestones and tragedies, but sometimes a computer or phone screen will have to do. This might be the hardest part of travel, FOMO or the Fear Of Missing Out.

We know that it will be hard and exciting and thrilling to take your year off to travel, but keep in mind the pros and cons of what it will mean to see the world. There are some sacrifices you will have to make and of course, the biggest problem of all is becoming addicted to travel. The travel bug is real, and once it bites, there is no known antidote. You may find yourself restless when you go back home after the exciting adventures you’ve had all over the world. Be wary of this, but more than anything we advise you to take the ride and enjoy it while you’re on it!

-N.M.