2011 St. Louis 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: 6:15pm
Schlafly Bottleworks | 7260 Southwest Ave. - The Crown 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.
St. Louis Panelists
Scott Hartbeck
Scott is dedicating the next few years to making more of his travel dreams come true. Scott loves to eat, drink, & laugh while trying to see the local side of life in cities he visits. A life-long St. Louisan and Blues hockey fan, he has backpacked Europe four times and is ready to take his game to the next level by traveling and working ‘round-the-world in 2012.
A perfect travel day for him includes seeing the tourist sites, eating at an out-of-the-way locals spot, watching a sporting event with hometown fans, and drinks on a rooftop lounge overlooking the city lights. One thing Scott never forgets to pack is his sense of humor.
Website: The Shirt Off My Backpack | Twitter: @OffMyBackpack
Stephanie Sappington
In October 2006, Stephanie left with her family to go on a round-the-world backpacking trip. They traveled to 15 countries in 11 months and camped for a good part of the way. They took their 2 daughters, aged 12 and 14, whom they had been homeschooling. In fact, the main reason that they homeschooled was so they could travel more during the school year.
They called it The Ultimate Field Trip and got to view platypuses, koalas and kangaroos in the wilds of Australia, and hiked miles to see seals on the beaches of New Zealand. They learned a lot of history in the temples of SE Asia, where they got to pet wild tigers, and the cathedrals and castles of Europe. They read The Odyssey while cruising on Greek ferry boats, and worked on the Pythagorean Theorem while cruising from the Isle of Samos - which was the home of Pythagoras. If they had a chance to go again, they certainly would!
Megan Seper
While contemplating a cross-country move, Megan Seper discovered the blog of a couple on a round-the-world trip and immediately realized that traveling and not working sounded like much more fun than working and not traveling. Once her husband, Adam, was on board with the plan, they set to work planning and saving for a year-long trip that ultimately took them to 89 cities in 11 countries.
Now back in St. Louis and working in her previous career as an attorney, Megan continues to plot ways to feed her addiction to street food and penchant for wandering through markets and bazaars. She loves practicing yoga and making pottery and has a dorky fascination with all things geology-related.
Twitter: @wanderyearmeg
Warren & Betsy Talbot
Warren and Betsy of Married with Luggage left the US in 2010 for a trip around the world just after hosting the first Meet, Plan, Go! event in Seattle. They took 2 years to save the money and sell everything they owned, and they quit their jobs and set off for the open road.
Warren and Betsy just finished their first year of travel, and you won't believe how much it cost (or didn't cost!) them. You can find out how they saved in their upcoming guide www.DreamSaveDo.com as well as check out their monthly expense reports at www.RTWExpenses.com. Long-term travel is more accessible and affordable than you can imagine!
Website: Married with Luggage |Twitter: @warrentalbot | @betsytalbot
Meet Your Host: Adam Seper
After a life-changing year-long RTW trip that saw them visit 89 cities and 11 countries across 4 continents, Adam Seper, along with his wife Megan, are back in the city he was born and raised - St. Louis, MO. While travel is his second love (next to his wife, or course), he is passionate about many other things, including live music, sports, cycling, hiking, pizza, beer, and sour candy.
Most of his time is spent writing and working on his site, World Travel for Couples, which is dedicated to budget, long term travel with a partner and has city and country guides for all the places they have visited. Adam also does freelance work for BootsnAll, and is a new weekly columnist there as well, writing a series about RTW and extended travel, published every Wednesday.
Website: World Travel for Couples | Twitter: @aseper | Facebook: World Travel for Couples
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.