does the travel bug prevent us from being happy working?

So when I first entered cubeworld I had a horrible boss and was bored out of my mind. This is when I hatched my RTW plan. I have been paying off debts and saving. I moved far away from my hometown to experience something new and now 4-6 years later I've found a different job that is rewardingly intense and challenging, even though it is not my passion. To top it all off I live in a beautiful area with beaches only minutes from home. I am within a year of my savings goal and the excitement and reality of it all is striking me. Now my enjoyable work and seemingly perfect situation has transformed into a drag and a half ...

concisely, my question is - does having the travel gene make it impossible to work a "normal" career? will my feet ever stop itching?

~S

chh, those careers suck anyway. :p Nothing wrong with wanting something different.

Yes.

I think that some of us are just restless people. I had a hard time enjoying my work when I was younger because of that restlessness. Now that I'm older, I think it's easier. Why? Well, first thing is that I have done a lot of traveling so I don't feel like life is passing me by when I sit in a cube. Secondly, I still travel quite a bit. I make a good salary and use every bit of my vacation time (5 weeks) to travel. Thirdly, I work for an international company and I try to come up with excuses to travel for work. All of these help a lot. Also, I think I'm just a happier person now that I'm older - but still maybe just a tad restless...after all I spent the morning before work pouring over maps of South Dakota and Wyoming, plotting routes for another trip...

This is such an interesting question... I agree with Kathryn that some of us are just restless people. I often worry that I'll never be satisfied just to "settle down" and work a normal career for the rest of my life. Part of me DOES want to be content with just being "still" and experience that aspect of life, despite my clearly nomadic nature...

I think ultimately, I need to find a company or a way of working in my career that will allow me the flexibility to do both... i.e. feel like I have a home base while still having the option to get up and go. Maybe opt for freelancing, instead of a full-time job? Still figuring it all out I suppose...

Thanks KathrynD - yes I do believe i am restless, I think I just haven't accepted it yet - I feel like I am always discontent and shouldn't be that way. You are at a point I hope to reach one day

My feeling is that the travel bug is a result of a need for new experiences, rather than a cause of restlessness. Unfortunately, all but a very small number of jobs require significant specialization, and even if they're good work, they are mostly a matter of repeating and increasing your efficiency at work you've done before.

My wife and I were discussing this the other day, as she's going back to school in the fall (thus pretty much eliminating the possibility of substantial travel in the next 3 years). School gives us the opportunity to learn something new every day, while most jobs at best allow us to hone our existing skills. All work is inherently dull.

Depends on whether you can find a job/career that allows you to travel, and travel to the places that interest you. I'm an immigration lawyer getting into consular practice, which allows me to set up shop anywhere there is a US embassy or consulate and a high volume of visa applications. If I manage to make a living off it, I'll be the happiest person on the planet.

Felix the Hat wrote: I'm an immigration lawyer getting into consular practice, which allows me to set up shop anywhere there is a US embassy or consulate and a high volume of visa applications.

So, what's on your short list (say top 5) of places you want to live and also work in that have enough volume to hopefully make it worthwhile for you?

halfnine wrote:

Felix the Hat wrote: I'm an immigration lawyer getting into consular practice, which allows me to set up shop anywhere there is a US embassy or consulate and a high volume of visa applications.

So, what's on your short list (say top 5) of places you want to live and also work in that have enough volume to hopefully make it worthwhile for you?

-Bogota
-Buenos Aires
-Istanbul/Ankara
-London
-Bangkok

I already have a lot of work in Bogota, since probably half of my clients are Colombian, and Colombia has one of the busiest consular sections of any US embassy worldwide. The other four are all extremly busy too.

-Bogota
-Buenos Aires
-Istanbul/Ankara
-London
-Bangkok

Living in each one for a few years and then moving on to the next wouldn't be such a bad life. Maybe I need to convince my wife to switch careers

halfnine wrote:

-Bogota
-Buenos Aires
-Istanbul/Ankara
-London
-Bangkok

Living in each one for a few years and then moving on to the next wouldn't be such a bad life. Maybe I need to convince my wife to switch careers

I'm having trouble convincing my girl of Colombia. The others are all easy sells.

Indichick wrote:So when I first entered cubeworld I had a horrible boss and was bored out of my mind. This is when I hatched my RTW plan. I have been paying off debts and saving. I moved far away from my hometown to experience something new and now 4-6 years later I've found a different job that is rewardingly intense and challenging, even though it is not my passion. To top it all off I live in a beautiful area with beaches only minutes from home. I am within a year of my savings goal and the excitement and reality of it all is striking me. Now my enjoyable work and seemingly perfect situation has transformed into a drag and a half ...

concisely, my question is - does having the travel gene make it impossible to work a "normal" career? will my feet ever stop itching?

~S

Maybe you should keep saving and just wait a couple of years. Every job becomes boring after awhile, and when you become bored in your current job, leave. You will also have more money to travel longer and won't have any regrets of giving up a rewarding job. Until then, enjoy your vacations and keep planning your RTW trip.

Aside from the responses here, keep in mind that nothing in life is constant. Just because you are feeling restless right now, that doesn't mean you'll feel the same way 10 or even 5 years from now. Maybe after years of wandering, you'd start craving for a permanent address. You might even decide to get married or have kids. See life as a series of stages.