A little over a year ago, I knew I needed a change. A native Clevelander raised on the East Side of town, I had spent the past six years in New York City, trudging through 70-hour workweeks, eating my breakfasts, lunches and dinners in an office cube, my pallor always bright from the unrelenting glow of a computer monitor. Given the state of the economy, I was thankful to have a job, but as things were, I wanted something more. My fiancée shared my frustrations.
Unsure of a solution, our conversations invariably gravitated toward our time spent traveling – the times when we were happiest. One of our favorite vacations was an inexpensive trip we took to Nicaragua in 2008. A poor country, lacking a well-developed infrastructure, Nicaragua wasn’t exactly easy to navigate, but it was quite rewarding nonetheless. We stayed in bed & breakfasts, which gave us the opportunity to converse with locals and learn about their culture. We explored and lounged on postcard-worthy beaches. We wandered through streets, surrounded by vibrantly colored colonial architecture. We ate cheap, delicious, sometimes home-cooked meals. No day was the same; every day was an adventure. As we thought back on it, we realized how much we wanted that feeling again.
I started following travel blogs to get ideas for trips. During my lunch breaks, I lived vicariously through these travelers, marveling at their photos, captivated by their experiences. I was overwhelmed with how much I actually wanted to see and experience for myself. A few weeks of BlackBerry-spoiled vacation each year didn’t seem like nearly enough time for it all.
Then we realized how unencumbered our lives really were: We didn’t own a house, we had a good amount of savings and our apartment lease was up within the year. Much to our amazement, our solution soon became clear.
We decided to take breaks from our careers and travel around the world.
For 12 months, we decided to visit and experience life in the harder-to-reach countries we had always wanted to visit. We prioritized a number of developing countries, not only because of their abundant natural beauty, but also for their possible volunteer opportunities as well. The more we talked about it, the more resolute we became. We wanted to travel now, still in our late 20s, filled with a maturity we didn’t have after graduation, yet also with an energy we might not have upon retirement and with a willingness to live frugally.
Fully committed to our decision, we continued to work and save money while preparing for the trip when we could. We bought books such as Vagabonding by Ralph Potts and Rough Guide’s First-Time Around the World. We browsed online resources like Briefcase to Backpack, Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree Forum and Matador Travel for travel ideas and inspiration. To draft our packing list, we consulted some of the more informative travel blogs I’d been following, including The Never Ending Voyage and Uncornered Market, both written by couples who have decided to wander the world permanently. Continued on page two...
