I'd had a few problems with life at home so I decided to take last year off to escape from it all and do as much travelling as I could. I'm not particularly wealthy, but I spent a few months working and saving up money, found some placements, and over the course of the year I managed to travel to nearly 20 different countries across 3 different continents. It was a pretty amazing year filled with new experiences, and it made me passionate about travelling. However, I have student debts to pay off and a feeling that I should begin to 'settle down', so I applied for a Master's which would help me to continue my professional development, get me a secure well-paid job in a field I'm interested in, and so on.
Now I'm back in England on my MSc course, and I just find everything so bland. My course is interesting, I'm making sure my social life is active, I'm pursuing several different hobbies - but nothing comes close to the excitement and freedom of travelling. I can't see a happy future for myself in England, but I don't know whether I'd like to move somewhere else permanently or just keep travelling. I just can't get excited about the prospect of some well-paid job if it will only allow me to have a few weeks holiday each year, especially in a country which doesn't really interest me anymore.
Any other post-travelling anons feel this way? Do these feelings change as you get more settled into home life?
Sure.
I'm 22 and wrapping up university. I've traveled to about thirty countries over the course of the past three years, all with money I saved from working multiple jobs. I lived in India, saw the Gezi Park protests in Turkey, hitchhiked across Europe, and just came back home from Colombia.
I have a nice girlfriend and a very good job, especially for a student. I still live at home since I don't have to pay rent and can save more money this way.
As you said, nothing at home quite compares to the feeling you get when you're able to do exactly what you want, when you want, in different parts of the world. I find that, to an increasingly great extent, my good friends who I talk to on a regular basis live in places I've only visited or lived in for short periods of time.
I don't really know what the solution is. My old career goals don't seem nearly as fulfilling as I thought they would, and I'm at the point in life where I have to start making decisions about the future. I don't want to waste my life doing things I don't like, but, on the other hand, I don't want to be a traveling bum who never contributed to the world, either.
If you find a solution, please let me know.
>inb4 non-/trv/ trolls rip on me and OP
I graduated and taught ESL in various countries age 22-26 and travelled a shitload. The actual job was shit but the experience was amazing. I do hate the thought that my life "peaked" and I won't have so much fun again.
The first 6-12 months back home were pretty depressing to be honest. Now I've got a career on the go and making decent money and it's alright... I'm 27 now and am just focused on my job for the next few years.
I use my vacation days for short trips to Europe. In a few years time when I want to move jobs (or if I get fired) I plan to take a haitus and do a serious backpacking trip again (3 months+). Or maybe even take a haitus if my company allows me long term unpaid leave. Either way it's not a possibility for the next couple of years but it keeps me going.
No plans to really settle yet (wife, mortgage etc). Maybe when I'm 35 or so.
>>1039378
I was actually considering doing the same thing, even though what I study is completely unrelated to languages, and my career path is actually one I want to pursue. My 'sensible' brain won out and I decided to get some career progression first before accumulating more debt, but I do sometimes wish I'd picked the other option. Oh well, I guess it's always an option if I change my mind about the career, or decide a career break would be a good idea.
Which country/countries did you teach in?
>>1039364
>>1039369
>>1039378
>>1039438
Grass is always greener on the other side. You would be unhappy whatever you wouldve chosen. Actually choosing is the important part.
The way I got over the post-travelling blues was to get a job that involves a lot of travelling. If anyone here studies economics/maths/physics at an undergraduate level. I cannot recommend enough doing an msc in economics specialising in development economics. Some countries are so fucked up they are begging for decent economist's. I just finished 6 months in Africa then back in Amsterdam for another couple of months then off to Uruguay next year for 2 months.
1) review your photos, sharing with others is optional
2) plan next trip
3) ???
4) mohammad
>>1039438
>>1039596
ESL falls into the category "I'm glad I did it, but I'd never do it again".
I had a fucking awesome time and have so many crazy memories. I taught in Korea, China and Taiwan. Taiwan was my favourite, although the lowest paid.
I came home because I didn't want to be 30+ still teaching without any real career. Lots of teachers get "trapped" in ESL because they've been away from home so long, they enjoy the comfy lifetime, they're worried that they won't get a "real job" back home. It actually becomes scary returning home if you've been abroad for a few years. The reverse culture shock they call it.
I did get a good job but it was hard. A whole lot harder than finding a teaching gig. Took about 6 months and countless applications. But I am now working in data analytics in the financial services sector back in the UK.
I'm dealing with the blues too. I studied in Northern Ireland for four months and spent two and a half traveling around the continent after exams let up. I'm finishing up my senior year of my undergraduate.
I've spent the majority of 2015 away from everyone in my old life. I established a new identity almost that I've had to put on hold. I'm starting to miss Ireland something terrible, and I'm not even of Irish heritage. Anyone else travel in one place and feel like it becomes your new, true home? I listen to all of the sad old ballads and sometimes it brings me to tears.
Pic related, it's Malin Head, the northernmost point of the island. I felt like I was at the end of the earth there.
>>1039364
Leave the UK in general tbh, I'm a uni dropout, was depressed as Shit, living with parents and contemplating suicide because I had no direction, no gf, no car and didn't even earn enough money to move out (because London).
Left my job as an asst. bar manager and started a career in IT Sales in Madrid... 3.5 years and a CIPD qualification later I'm "Sales training manager" for a company in Berlin. Making 50k euros plus bonus. (just here visiting family)
England is overrated, lad.
>>1039364
Try to find a job abroad I would suggest.
I´m Dutch originally but moved to london about 3 years ago (thought it would be awesome, learned a lot but it was not all that great lol)
I used to work in London for 2.5 years for the same company till they offered me a re-location to Malta where we have an office as well (with the same salary as I had in the UK)
Here we have 300 days a year sunshine so it feels like a holiday all the time.
You travelled to nearly 20 countries. Pick the one you liked the most and try to find something there...And if it doesn´t work out, no big deal.. move to another place.
>>1039995
If it's possible that I can "enjoy a comfy lifestyle" teaching ESL, as you said, then why would I want to leave? Isn't being comfy a good thing?
>>1040432
Because: deep down you want to prove to yourself you're not a loser and can be successful at home.
