BootsnAll Travel Community

Comments and Suggestions will be appreciated:

Sorry this is a long post but I am putting exactly how I feel.

26 years of servitude, that pretty much sums up my life.

I feel as if I am sitting in hibernation, waiting to be born. Trapped on a scorched chunk of earth. I wear a suit to work everyday, fine fabric which is just a placeholder for the slave shackles that really should be there. The tie is a leash by which I am led to believe that the way to happiness is through making money. You have to make the money to buy the things that make you happy right? You have to toil away endlessly everyday to waste more of your short time on earth on vehicles, excessive clothing, and ridiculous objects!

Well the day is finally coming. I'm out. On March 14th or 21st (depends on my mood) I quit my office job for good. On April 2nd I leave the USA.

After donating the majority of my personal belongings to charity I still have a few things left to live on. I have $37,000 in cash and stock in one bank account, $2500 cash in another, and $6000 stock in another. I own a house that I will be renting out for some extra income on the road, which I could also sell for $150,000 if I needed to. That makes a little over $195k to my name in worthless dollar bills. 195,000 peices of paper that I would love to just jettison into outer space. I also own a few vehicles, one that I wouldn't mind catapulting into the sun. A large SUV which poisons the earth with its deadly fumes. While on the inside I sit, sealed from the world outside. Luxuriously safe and sound, high atop the rest of traffic. It is such a toxic lifestyle.

It all really started avalanching with a few bad days, months ago. And then a nervous breakdown and I made the choice right then and there. Life or death. Money wasn't bringing me happiness at all. But I thought it was the American Dream...

How could I be so unhappy I thought? Well the answer is simple, the American Dream is wrong. Money did not help, beautiful women did not help, luxurious THINGS did not help, nothing helped.

So here I am, set for my journey! One awesome backpack with everything that all the wisdom of the internet has afforded me. I am prepared.

NO LONGER WILL I BE SHELTERED FROM THE WORLD! No longer will I be told how to hold my forks and which pattern shirt I should wear with that tie. No longer will other ivy league schmucks ask me who made my suit. No longer will I scoff at the homeless as I drive by. NO MORE!

My mind has evolved and is freeing itself from its entrenched customs.

What a pathetic existence I have lived.

Okay, so yeah... I am going vagabonding for a very long time. To find myself spiritually.

WHO IS WITH ME!

Anyone think I am over reacting or do you think I am doing the right thing? Since I have my brokers licenses, I can always go back to being a stockbroker if I find I made the wrong decision.

Any destinations I should look into besides europe? Europe is the first part of my trip already, I have 2 destinations london and amsterdam already planned, and from there nothing is planned. I will just venture off into the unknown.

I wish you the very best and NO, I do not think you are doing the wrong thing.

Best of luck on your adventure and I hope you will continue to post your experiences.

Thank you LVX!

max, just be glad you are having this epiphany now.....we just had it in january and we have 2 kids....we thought we wanted the 7000 sqft house with the pool and the zen exercise room, etc., etc., etc. we had even already picked out our house plans and bought a 4 acre lot to build it (which we are now selling) and all of a sudden we were like.....what are we doing? what are we teaching our kids? are we really happy doing this? my husband also in a cathartic moment wrote a little essay and posted it in our blog about his feelings on the matter. it's called the currency of life.
so YES!! i think you are doing the right thing!!! we are doing it and we are a family of 4. humphrey bogart said, "the only thing money can buy you is freedom" so go buy your freedom max!!
peace,
b

Congrats Max!! I'm leaving next week and know how tough it can be to break out of a certain corporate/money/american dream mindset. You'll have an amazing time! How old are you BTW? It wasn't clear to me if you are 26 or if you've been working for 26 years - either way, after working I'm sure you'll have a great appreciation for what you find on the road...

TD

bbtz, first off thank you for the response!
Secondly, I am very happy that you have a spouse that can appreciate the way you are thinking right now. Its very amazing that you have figured out not to spoil your children with greed for money and material possessions. It does not lead to happiness!!


traveler.dude, thank you for the response! I'm 26 years old, been in the business/corporate world for a few years now, and got in pretty deep. Imagine you jump into some quicksand, and it takes you a few minutes to feel you are sinker deeper and you decide it was the wrong decision. You struggle but you only sink deeper. Your heart races and your veins fill with adrenaline... you gasp for air as you feel the deep innate struggle from within to breathe and to LIVE. Squirming for one last breath before you drown. That is what it felt like.

A couple more years and I would be gone. Lost forever in a concrete cast, unable to move a single muscle. Paralyzed in place for the rest of my life. Perched atop a corporate ladder like a gargoyle on a building of Gothic architecture. Contracts and obligations keeping me from realizing my true callings on Earth. Preventing me forever from attaining enlightenment.

" Imagine you jump into some quicksand, and it takes you a few minutes to feel you are sinker deeper and you decide it was the wrong decision. You struggle but you only sink deeper. Your heart races and your veins fill with adrenaline... you gasp for air as you feel the deep innate struggle from within to breathe and to LIVE. Squirming for one last breath before you drown. That is what it felt like.

A couple more years and I would be gone. Lost forever in a concrete cast, unable to move a single muscle. Paralyzed in place for the rest of my life. Perched atop a corporate ladder like a gargoyle on a building of Gothic architecture. Contracts and obligations keeping me from realizing my true callings on Earth. Preventing me forever from attaining enlightenment."

Did you read this? You just wrote it and I think if you are ever questioning yourself again you need to re-read this again. I completely understand how you feel, I used to feel the stifling feeling of a life unlived until I came to the decision to leave it all and start seeing the world for what it really is. I too am involved with tons of white collared meatheads in the real estate game. Many people are really confused about what matters and caught up in the material game. Just be glad you're not one of them. I think you should expand past Europe, if you're not sure where to start pick an activity that sounds interesting to you, like learning how to meditate in India, learning Spanish in Central America, etc .Do not worry about leaving, you are doing the right thing. A very good friend told me once: You cannot just live life, you have to live your life. That was pretty much when I realized that i was missing out on a lot of things that were imp. to me and that I needed to make a change. Obviously you are doing the right thing for yourself.

Secondly, can you please start a blog? You're a great writer and I'd love to follow your journey and your changes as you travel.

As everyone's already said, you ARE making the RIGHT decision. So I don't need to echo what they've already said.

As for your destinations, I would suggest much much more than Europe! Try starting in Europe and going overland. Maybe get in a little bit of Russia, the Middle East, Asia. Maybe some of Africa? South America? Anywhere! Even try exploring parts of the US you've never been to.

If you're in Europe/Asia in late 2009/2010/2011, then I'd love to join you even.

I'm doing pretty much what you're doing in 2 years - just going to wander overland from Australia to England.

As a final note please set up a web blog! From the looks of your initial post you are a very skilled writer. If you want I could host a professional blog for you on my webhost for free. All you'd need to pay for is a domain name (available from places like godaddy.com for about $10). Contact me if you're interested

Oh, and GOOD LUCK!

Littlemustard, thank you for the kind words! I'm glad that you understand how I have feel. I am actually quite surprised that I am able to find like minded people. This gives me hope! I am also glad that you see what is really going on. I will definitely consider starting a blog and I will eventually link it.

"White collared meatheads", I love that phrase!

Darcy Perkins, thank you for the reinforcement. It would be fun to join you on some adventures in the future. Thank you for the compliment on my writing and I will definitely start to record my words in some form.

Max, it's people like you that inspire me!!

I certainly don't think you are doing the wrong thing...you are doing what will make you happy...but I DO agree that you should spend some time doing something specific...perhaps (as one Poster suggested) learning Meditation in India or learning how to cook in Italy...I think it will help to focus your travels a little rather than just wandering from place to place.

Please Please Please start a Blog...I for one would most DEFINITELY read it day by day!!

Thanks for the inspiration and good luck in whatever direction you choose to go in.

If Europe's the destination and you need any hospitality in London, let me know...

+1
I have just done 10 years ish of business and am going traveling for a year in... 28 days time. I think you are going to do exactly what is right for you.

That said, there is the nagging thought that if you asked the same question on a stockbroker forum you might get a different set of answers!

And +1 to India. It was the first long haul trip I went on and I think there are reasons it is such a great destination. English is widely spoken; the English is very funny; it is generally on a non-threatening; non violent culture; it is cheap; the pastoral, labour-intensive, subsistence Indian lifestyle (away from big cities) is polar to the concrete jungles we are used to; people tend to be friendly & talkative; simple life is possible (you can escape, meditate, dream, wander, get spiritual, get hippy, get dirty, get clean, get artistic, get wasted); it is massive & spectacular.

Oh and I wish I was also going overland in the middle east - doing Greece, Turkey, Syria, Iran - that would be a splendid way to make a change.

If you are concerned about doing the wrong thing, keep this in mind: rat race jobs abound the world over. It's nothing you can't rediscover should you make that choice. You obviously need to do this for any number of reasons, so to not do it would leave you in a state of anxiety, perpetual curiousity, and/or regret. So there's no way you can lose!

Happy travels

Doing the same thing. In fact doing it right here in San Francisco but will take my butt on the road end of May. Right now I'm taking Spanish classes and reading and trying to meditate. Also trying to do some Pro Bono bsuiness work..along the same model as Laywers take Pro Bono cases.

I got tired of the corporate world after 11 years of working.

There will come a time on the road or even before where you will ask your self how can I be more productive and how can I do work that will satisfy me, help me, help others etc etc. That will be the tough part but for now enjoy the travel..explore the land and explore yourself.

You have to live in this world but the key I guess is how to live well and responsibly...def not this consumer driven I want more more more kinda life.We all have to find our own balance and I think that is when we will be happy productive people.

The first time I traveled for 6 months gave me the courage that life will be fine...we just have the courage to recongnise the things that make us unhappy and decide to change that.

I think recently I read a blog where the author said not money but Time is the precious commodity and how we spend
it counts in the end.

As for destinations..i think you should come up with that list. Write down everytime you thought oh I should go there. Remember your middle school geography class. Do things that are fun..like going to Germany for October fest. Do what you want to do or want to explore. Look at your hobbies or things you like and plan things around that.

For me I like to cook and learn new cusisines so that will be a focus.I will cook for my hosts (are you listening people) and learn cooking in different places I visit. Will make it my focus.

Awww, good for you.

Most will NEVER escape....or never knew there was someplace to escape to.

Your post summed up how I felt after FIVE years at a stifling job. I dont even recall what happened from 25-30, I was a walking cyborg. Punch in, punch out. Yes, its good to be free.

Sad part is, everytime I reached my financial goal, Id only start wishing I had more. It really is a neverending cycle.

quote:

195,000 peices of paper that I would love to just jettison into outer space. I also own a few vehicles, one that I wouldn't mind catapulting into the sun. A large SUV which poisons the earth with its deadly fumes. While on the inside I sit, sealed from the world outside. Luxuriously safe and sound, high atop the rest of traffic. It is such a toxic lifestyle.

Im sure everyone's going to recommend the same, but definitley put Australia and S. America on the itinerary. Go there first, if you can. Esp. S. America, start the trip on a cheap note.

Max,

I truly am excited for you. Have you ever done long term travel? Have you ever lived in a country that is not your country of national origin?

I for one hope you start a blog or at the very least document your journey here at BnA; however living abroad is full of challenges and fraught with people who get homesick and depressed. Are you going to wander or emigrate?

At any rate, I can't wait to see what happens next in your journey...

Thank you travel_tech! I appreciate your input, and its so true. I haven't even quit my job yet. I almost can't keep from laughing it is so hilarious how people act at work.

Slip, Thank you for the post!
No I have not been out of the US, Mexico, and Caribean Area. I am going to wander around until I find a spot that I like. I loved the US for many years, but I think the decisions of our leaders are starting to wear down my innate sense of pride for my country. I will never stop being an American at heart. But I may wish to move my life and begin anew one day.

It's posts like these that make me LOVE Bootsnall.

Not only are you making a life changing epiphany, we are here to tell you GO GO GO and never look back. I came to much the same conclusion as you a few years back and leaving a decent career to travel the world was by far the best decision I've ever made. It was tough (at first ) Everyone around me seemed unsupportive and confused that I would do such an "odd" thing. I didnt know anyone who felt the same until I got out on the road and found BNA when I returned. I'm still waiting to hear from someone who gave up material possesions/career to travel who regrets it. anyone?

So eventually I did come home, and, yes now I'm back to sort of living out that "American Dream". Only now it's MY American dream. Once you get away from the rat race, our culture, and everything youve ever known and live out of a backpack, you will see the world and your place within it differently than you do now. Do it. Challenge yourself. And yes, post a blog for those of us still back at home. Looks like my next big trip will be in a few years with the kids, which will certainly be a different trip entirely.

happy planning!!!

(and definitely plan to extend your travels - and your money by going to Asia!)

Should I bring a copy of my birth certificate with me on my travels? In addition to my Passport of course. I don't know if it may become important in some strange foreign countries.

I would think that any documentation proving that I am an American citizen would be vital to my mission. Especially since I will be posing as a scruffy traveler and maybe I would be judged against by foreign officials. I might need to prove to them my important status in America... What do you think?

No you do not need your birth certificate in any country...strange or otherwise.

Your passport and required visas(depending on the country) is all you need. Most countires you can enter without a visa you would get one on entry. India, China are exeptions...for these countries you need to apply for a visa before hand.