now what?!?!

[cali_girl]

so, when people find out that i'm leaving to travel europe for 6 months they ask the same 3 questions - you're quitting your job? you're going alone? what are you going to do when you get back?

and as much as i try to ignore the ignorance behind those questions, i have of course pondered the same things. particularly, what the hell am i going to do when i get back?

i'm young, single, no job committment... i could go anywhere and do anything. however, i'm also going to be homeless and broke.

so do i come back to the central coast? do i go back to school? do i try to get my job back? do i shack up with my folks to save a bit of money?

i know there are a lot of you quitting jobs and bailing out as well. what are your plans?

cg

[echo]

Sorry matey, I've probably missed your post that explains all of this, but what are your travel plans once you get to europe? When do ya leave?

I'm in the same situation, except for the fact that I am still living with my folks as I've only just finished uni. (Graduating on Saturday - yay!!) Just remember, no matter how frustrating it can be living with the folks, it will always be home and so you'll never be homeless.

I'm staying for 2 years, getting a working holiday visa and then when I get back... not really sure so I'm hearing ya!! It's so weird hey, working our a*ses off now so that we can spend it all and be broke in 6 months!!! I just exchanged some money and almost cried when I saw how little it is worth in pounds

Perhaps leave the what-ifs about what you'll do when you get back til when you actually back? I'm just going to block out all those questions while i'm travelling... well I'm gonna try!!

Why don't you stay and get work in Europe, or somewhere like the UK after Europe?

[Somnambulation]

Your work as an accountant should open doors to some pretty good jobs once you get back. Working in England would be great if you could find a decent job considering that the pound is worth twice what the dollar is. Or go to Sweden and leech off thier social service system. Hmm, now that I think about it that might be a plan...

That'll teach them to have a working socialist state!

[Diorama]

Girl! I'm going to be in the same situation. When I arrive back home I will be El broko! I am spending my entire life savings on this trip and will have nothing when i come back . I am hoping to start at work right again. I told my boss from my tourism job that i held last summer that i'll be interested in it again next summer so at least i have my foot in the door. As for my housing situation that's freaking me out. I live at home right now, but next year my mom will sell the house and move out of town so therfore i will be homeless for the first time in my life. It's freaky, but i don't dwell on it cuz it scares me too much. It comforts me to know that I am not in debt (no student loans, car payments etc..). The key I think is getting a job right away when i come back.

[Ozpacka]

Yeah, i havent really thought about it.

Im spending all my money over the next 2 years for this trip, but hoping at the end of it, i will at least have a few grand saved up from working in the UK for a while, but then again, that will depend on what i spend when i come to canada/states...

2 plans when i come home...

Im going to try and leave on good terms at my current job, as im actually just starting to enjoy it, and perhaps i could get slip back into that, and then i would get a house, and start holding massive parties every weekend, and it will become the Victorian/Australian Travel Punk Halfway house. So even though i wouldnt be travelling myself, i would still be able to catch up with other travellers.

Secondly, a mate an i may just come back to oz, get a van, and just cruz around australian coast picking up odd jobs as we go. At least once we get back to oz, we can have unemployement benefits if we end up not being able to make any money.

So, yeah, nothing really in concrete... but thats 25 months away, and a lot of water to go under the bridge before a decision is made.

Best of luck to everyone who is up and leaving in pursuit of the ultimate adventure.

May the PUNK be with you...

[Sijuki]

Although my trip is long off and I am not sure how long it may end up being now... I have pondered these thoughts. I am looking to simplify my life anyways... hence part of the reason for my backpacking trip. So I really would have no problem coming back to the states and perhaps crashing at my parents or a buddy's house for a couple months trying to find work and moving on. I am looking to sell basically everything I own, except for some stocks, etc. The few things I am keeping will be lent to family and friends while I am gone. I am hoping that living on such a limited budget will help me become a better prepared person for living on as little as possible, so when I do return I can just continue that trend. I have a few plans, they are long shots by most standards, but hey, this trip is a long shot and I still hope it can be pulled off. I was hoping to have a little cash stashed so when I return I can buy a cheap car so as to get to work, but we will see... I don't worry of such problems, I have a belief that things will always work out.

Best of luck to you all.

[space virgin]

dio, if I lived in Vancouver I'd let you crash at my place. Alas, too bad Seattle is a different country!

[worldwidemike]

Dio, I was in the Travel Bar in Barcelona today. I met a girl from...where else? Vancouver! And a girl from Isirael, and bunches of other folks. Oops, veering off topic.

Guys, use this to your advantage: Your folks are going to have been so worried about you and missed you so much, they will WANT you to shack up with them when you get back. Just till you get a job and your feet back on the ground, of course, but you know they´ll have missed you...

worldwidemike

[Canadian Dude]

HOw do you know that you will even come back? You will be surprised what oppertunities await young, smart, entergetic,personable,friendly people...If you do not end up with some type of job offer over seas, with the attituide that you and most of the other T-punkers, getting a job when you come backk should be the least of your worries!

[ashpunk]

I think with all the traveling and new found experience under your belt, people will be begging you to come work for them when you get home. Every time I go away on a trip I come home with this very confident, refreshed attitude towards life. People gravitate to that.

Also have to add that if anyone needs to crash at my place I'm totally willing to help em out. I've got mad love you guys!!

[Diorama]

dio, if I lived in Vancouver I'd let you crash at my place.

That's so sweet!! thank you for even saying that. Yeah different coutries eh..

Dio, I was in the Travel Bar in Barcelona today. I met a girl from...where else? Vancouver!

and when she said Vancouver did you think of me mike?? awww how sweet. admit it you did!

hehe bet she was cool, cuz us vancouverites have it going on!

[***Beady***]

Im doing the same thing. Going away for a year, coming back with no money, and my parents want to move away to a different part of the country. So, I thought to myself....What the fuck am I gonna do? I've decided to go back to college and study nursing. get to work with hunky young doctors, get the student life, and also, if I wanted to work elsewhere in the world, the doors will be open! So, I have an NHS bursury, which is like a loan, but for free, (I think), and I got places to stay, dorms for first year and then shared houses for the other years. Quite looking forward to it actually.

[Mocassin]

get to work with hunky young doctors

Good luck girl! I haven't found one yet that's not either gay or already in a relationship...Most of them are pretty boring too! And believe me, I study with them...

[worldwidemike]

Yeah, Dio, not only did I think of you, I told her about you (and Travelpunk, too)...

worldwidemike

[FeZnDaBoYz]

I could say that I can see where your coming from CG. I could say that I have 10 million in the bank, but that would be a filthy lie. The truth is I live in a tent in the middle of the bush in northern Saskatchewan. So i have many choices available to me when I get back. If we come back!

[***Beady***]

I used to work in a hospital, and there was this really cute 'just qualified' dutch doctor. And we used to chat and eye eachother up etc....and then, he got moved to another hospital. #sigh#...........so, my search goes on ha ha. Damn, he was sooooo fine too!