FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sherry Ott
[email protected]
briefcasetobackpack.com | Twitter: CareerBreakHQs

“Meet, Plan, Go! Career Break Basic Training”
An online course and community to help people realize their travel dreams

On January 19, 2011, Briefcase to Backpack and Three Month Visa launched Meet, Plan, Go! Career Break Basic Training. The MPG Career Break Basic Training is a self-paced online course and social learning platform where people with the dreams of taking a career break or sabbatical to do extended travel can come together in a community learning environment.

Designed by certified travel coach Tara Russell and career break travel gurus Michaela Potter and Sherry Ott, Career Break Basic Training is the most efficient and supportive way to plan your extended travel; turning your dream into a reality. As an online travel course and community, Basic Training connects you with reliable resources, expert voices, and like-minded peers - all of which will lead you to getting on a plane and taking a career break.

“Many times people who are preparing for a career break or long-term travel experience can feel very isolated, given that a life sabbatical tends to be a fairly unique endeavor in American culture,” says Russell. “However, members of Basic Training are part of a community comprised of people preparing for life on the road as well as a large number of travel-savvy been-there-done-that experts to encourage and keep them motivated.”

The eight lessons have a defined objective and touch on key concepts such as finding inspiration, overcoming mental hurdles, saving & budgeting, alternatives to traditional tourism, owning your journey, essential to-do list items for the road, home, & career, and preparing for re-entry.

In addition, lessons include inspiring video and audio files prepared exclusively for Basic Training; access to a wealth of recommended reading & resources; and valuable tips & resources from experts in the fields of financial planning, international volunteering, teaching ESL, insurance, and downsizing, among others.

“Career Break Basic Training has offered me a wide range of robust information with which to evaluate how I might approach a sabbatical year away. So many of the ‘experts’ seemed to completely key in on my particular concerns and issues,” says Karen Bloom, a Beta participant and small business owner.

The course is delivered on a social networking platform that encourages interaction among the participants, instructors, career break vets, and current on-the-road career breakers. Conversations and sharing can take place in many places such as the weekly lesson forums, group discussions, personal blogs, and chats.

“The Community has been a wonderful way to hear from similar minded travelers. Hands down though, the insights that each of you have shared from your experiences and the encouragement you’ve offered have been my favorite part of the course,” says Kelsey Hertig, a participant in the Beta.

Bloom and Hertig are just a couple of the many participants who have been motivated to start making concrete plans for their career break travels. They have learned what they want to get out of their time away and now have the tools to tackle the travel preparation tasks and get on the road.

“Basic Training is a great way for would-be vagabonders to get started. Tara, Michaela, and Sherry will give you the information and inspiration you need to make long-term travel a part of your life,” says Rolf Potts, Author of Vagabonding.

For a complete description of Meet, Plan, Go! Career Break Basic Training, the curriculum, community aspects, and instructors visit /basic-training/.

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