2011 Seattle Event
“This was a fantastic event! It made me realize that taking a career break for long-term travel is a completely realistic goal and that I have amazing company also doing the same.”
- 2010 Attendee
If you are tired of two weeks of vacation time and want to break away from the cube to explore the world, then don’t miss out on this event!
Date: Tuesday, October 18th | Doors: 6pm
REI | 222 Yale Ave N - 2nd Floor Meeting Room
NOTE: There are no refunds once tickets are purchased. If you wish to transfer your ticket to someone else, you will need to update your attendee information (including all survey questions). Upon registering, create an EventBrite login in order to access your account information later.
Seattle Panelists
Chris Gray Faust
Journalist Chris Gray Faust is no stranger to career breaks. In 1991, she delayed her job search so she could bartend in London, explore literary haunts in the British Isles, and backpack around Europe. Then in 1998, she took a year-long break from the New Orleans Times-Picayune to give graduate school a try. And now she's left a full-time job at Microsoft to further pursue her travel writing and consulting career. Chris is a weekly columnist for Frommers.com, and is working on an e-book with Wiley Publishing on how to use social media when planning a trip. She's also a contributor to CruiseCritic, the former travel editor of USA TODAY, and editor/publisher of her own website, Chris Around The World. She won a Lowell Thomas travel writing award in 2010.
Website: Chris Around The World | Twitter: @caroundtheworld
Ryan and Jen Fuller
Ryan and Jen are recovering management consultants who recently returned to the US after quitting their jobs, getting married and taking a six month career break in Argentina and Chile. Prior to hearing the term ‘career break’ they just called what they were doing ‘rehab.’ Since returning in Sept. of 2010, They have been getting reacquainted with real life in Seattle.
Website: Consulting Rehab
Scott Montgomerie and Kenna Ranson
The year was 2009, and a curious couple was struggling to work hard and burnt out: Scott was an entrepreneur whose company had been sucked into the void of the recession, and Kenna was unhappy in her job as a project manager working days and nights. Thinking that there was more to life than the hardships of business and the daily grind, they quit their jobs, rented out their condo, and took off for six and a half months to New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Hong Kong.
They discovered so much about the world, themselves and each other, that they returned to Canada almost feeling enlightened and live daily by their new mantra “Embrace the Fear.” Really, is anything in regular daily life scarier than jumping out a plane in New Zealand, scuba diving at night with hungry sharks in Australia, holding three scorpions simultaneously in Malaysia, or riding a tuk tuk on the wrong side of the road in Cambodia?
Website: Scott and Kenna
Meet Your Hosts: Paul & Christine Milton
Paul & Christine Milton’s love for travel was cemented shortly after their first trip together to Guatemala in 2005. And after getting engaged in 2007, plans for what was to be a four-month honeymoon turned into a year of travel, starting with getting married in the Cook Islands on September 1, 2009. As newlyweds they traveled to New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, SE Asia, Greece, Belgium, Ireland and finally settling in Edinburgh, Scotland for four months. All of which they wrote about on their site: Bert & Patty.
They returned to Seattle at the beginning of 2011 as Paul was offered his former job back. And they are thrilled to use their 17-month career break experience to help inspire others to see the world.
Website: Bert & Patty | Twitter: @bertandpatty
Leah on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:12 am
I really enjoyed reading your post. I am thirty-two soon and have itchy feet that are ready to try out foreign soils.
It is a fear of leaving the security of the day to day grind of paying the bills and living a safe and non-challenging way of life that has put me on hold for some time.
I hope (as it has I) your post will inspire others to go and follow their bliss – Leah 🙂
Patricia GW on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:54 am
Travel and experiencing a new culture really has put it into perspective, and filled that void with purpose (and joy).
In three weeks I’ll be moving to Paris myself for one month. I have the same feeling – the incredible surreal realization that I’m going to be living there…. it’s thrilling!!
Abby on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 2:11 pm
Oh, Jenny! Escargot isn’t palatable — it’s delicious! I love your writing style; it’s so fun and energetic. Can you believe how far we’ve come? Everyone, Jenny and I were in the exact same industry and have known each other online and via work emails for years and years. But we’ve only met once, many, many years ago. And one of those jobs she was sleeping next to her BlackBerry for was one I’d just left. And now she’s 33 and living abroad, just like I was last year. Kindred spirits. Jenny, you’re a true inspiration — I can’t wait to see how your adventure unfolds!
Debbie Beardsley on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 3:22 pm
Your life in Paris sounds ideal. It is nice to read about people who follow their dreams instead of wishing they had! Enjoy the rest of your journey.
Terriaw on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 1:40 pm
Wow, fabulous and well said! I love your new outlook on like. After experiencing career burnout and feeling a little lost and purposeless lately, you have encouraged me. I look forward to seeing Paris someday!
Jenny on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 6:50 pm
merci for all the sweet comments! @abby we are soooo kindred spirits! well except when it comes to our differing feelings on escargot…;) and congrats patricia on the move! thrilling indeed!
shawna on Thu, 9th Jun 2011 1:32 am
you’ve reawakened my travel bug. must. return. to. france. (someday.) eat a croissant for me!
Weekly Travel Blog Links — LandingStanding on Mon, 13th Jun 2011 6:16 am
[…] how badly I want to go to Paris… If only we could afford living there for an extended period of time during our travels! Any […]
G. Michael Schneider on Sun, 19th Jun 2011 3:36 pm
I am a firm believer in living and working overseas, just as you described. However, many of us actually like our jobs and our homes and are simply looking to renew and refresh our lives, not change it. However, you can have the same type of cultural experience without having to reach into your own wallet and without having to quit your day job–by taking what I call a “working vacation.” My wife and I have done this 15 separate times, from Australia to Zimbabwe, Turket to Tibet, Mauritius to Mongolia. I describe how to do it in my blog otherguysdime.wordpress.com and via Twitter at @otherguysdime. Learn how to have fun without having to have burn any of your bridges behind you.