Reason to Go

The news is out that we are leaving our jobs for a year to explore the world together and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. One of Eric’s coworkers told him if anyone tried to talk him out of it, the coworker would punch that person for him. While we don’t think violence is necessary, we appreciate the sentiment. And we don’t think anyone is going to try to talk us out of it. Sure, some people have expressed concern about our safety, our health, and our hygiene, but they aren’t saying, “don’t go”. In fact, many are saying, “I wish I had done that”, which makes us feel even better about this seemingly crazy plan.

Eighteen months ago, when Eric first suggested we could take a year off and travel around the world, I thought there was no way. Yet, after much Google research and a quick read of Matt Kepnes’ book How to Travel the World on $50 A Day. Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter, it actually seemed possible. The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that one year off in a lifetime of working is nothing. I’ve worked at the same company for ten years and I could conceivably work another 30 before I hit normal retirement age. Thirty years seems like a long time to wait for the opportunity to travel for an extended period of time, and maybe we’d get there and realize we didn’t want to do it anymore.

Some people think we are brave – they say they couldn’t imagine leaving the comfort of their work, family, and home life for so long. Others think we will love it so much we might never come back. We would be lying if we said we weren’t a little anxious about being away from the familiar comforts of home, but we are also excited about pushing the edges of “comfortable” and the learning that will happen with new experiences. We have no way of knowing what we’ll find out there on the road, but we do know we are inspired by the possibility that exists knowing that what happens tomorrow will be entirely different than what happened today.

We also know we are privileged to have this opportunity, and we are grateful for all the support we have received. My employer has been gracious and generous in a way that makes this leap a little bit smaller. Our friends and family have encouraged us every step of the way, providing financial and non-financial support in ways big and small that have definitely not gone unnoticed. We very much hope we are as brave as people seem to think we are,  but we know that if we hate it, if being on the road for a year is too hard or not fun, we can always come home early. The familiar routine of work and home will be here waiting for us whenever we are ready to come back to it, and that is all the more reason to go.