We Met...Now What?
If you attended one of our nationwide events, chances are you heard some inspiring stories from veteran career breakers. You may have even met some like-minded individuals who have similar dreams as you. That powerful combination may have helped to motivate you to realize you can make a career break happen for yourself. But…now what?
PLAN
You may be asking yourself – okay, I have all this energy to get going, but how do I actually make it happen? You have the motivation, but now you want to start planning. And we have the tools to help!
The “Plan” section of Meet, Plan, Go! features resources to help book RTW flights, secure travel insurance, book hostels through GoMio, get destination inspiration, and read reviews on other helpful resources and books. All of the trip planning tools you need at your finger tips.
Career Break Basic Training
Booking flights and deciding where to go is one aspect of trip planning. But what about the life planning? Do you quit your job or negotiate a sabbatical? Rent/sublet your home or sell it? How do you save for your career break and set a budget that won’t drain your savings? And of course – how do you prepare for your return before you even leave?
Our Career Break Basic Training course & community is here to help guide you through this complex, and sometimes, stressful process. From contemplation and preparation to life on the road and re-entry, this private network offers a supportive peer community and access to career break travel experts to guide you throughout.
Each section includes video interviews, valuable travel tips, resources, discussion groups, and concrete steps to follow towards your escape. In addition, all members receive a $75 AirTreks flight coupon and we are talking about a great value to the $149 membership fee.
KEEP MEETING
We won’t keep you waiting until next year to meet again. Stay tuned for news on regular local meetups. The best way to find out? Our Newsletter and Facebook pages!
STAY CONNECTED
While you are planning, and even when you “Go!”, we want to stay connected with you and you with your career break community. Here’s how:
Facebook Pages
Get the latest news and join the conversations on our Facebook page.
Tripping
Tripping is a global community of travelers. When you’re traveling, Tripping enables you to connect safely with locals who will introduce you to their towns, their cultures, their lives and their friends. And you can now connect with fellow Meet, Plan, Go! members!
Check out our main Tripping page and then join the sub-networks for each city.
Register Your Break
Are you now planning your break - or even better - experiencing it? Then please register with us! We’d love to hear where you’re going and what you plan to do. We also love to highlight event attendees who were brave enough to follow their dreams. And who knows - maybe you will return to inspire others by joining an event panel or even hosting! Register Now!
Share Your Story
Over on the Go! section of our site [aka Briefcase to Backpack] we share stories from career breakers through every stage of their break: from Contemplation and Preparation to On-the-Road and Re-Entry. You may have already been inspired by some of their voices. Well why not share your own? View our editorial guidelines.
Newsletter
Newsletter subscribers get an added dose of inspiration every two weeks. Plus, if you can’t stay up to date on our content, we give you a recap of what you may have missed. And as an added bonus, subscribers are the first to know about special news, exclusive deals, and announcements about upcoming webinars. Sign-up Now!
GO!
Your career break may be a year or two in the future, but that doesn’t mean your travel plans should remain on hold – start exploring the world in small stages!
Intrepid Travel’s small group tours are great for breaking up extended travel, but they are also a valuable way to explore parts of the world when you have limited time.
Imagine you are sipping wine on a vineyard tour near Mendoza, admiring the dramatic scenery of Chile's Lakes District and then sampling tasty local delicacies in Bariloche on Intrepid’s “Best of Chile & Argentina” tour. Or walk the famed city walls of Dubrovnik, dine on traditional treats in Korcula, and sip a cocktail at a waterside bar in Hvar on “Explore Croatia”.
If that doesn’t whet your appetite for extended travel, we don’t know what will. Take advantage of the three-tiered 
discounts from Intrepid – get the best discount by booking by mid-November, but discounts also continue through next year!
Make the most of your e-Goody bag discounts with Intrepid now!
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.