You're doing what?

That’s the question I’d get asked most often when I’d tell friends or colleagues that instead of getting a new job or contract, I was going to take time off to travel instead. Then, when they found out I meant international travel by myself, they were really thrown off.

But I’d give more details. Tell them that I wanted to be able to go to the places I’d been dreaming about for years. That I didn’t just want to take a vacation. I want to work, volunteer or learn something new – in every country I visit. Yes, of course I want to see some of the same things that other tourists go to see, but more than that I want to go off the beaten track, meet people who actually live in the areas that I’m visiting.

It didn’t take long for everyone I spoke to to come around. Soon, they were almost as excited as I was about the prospect of a year long trip around the world. I heard the phrase “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” more than once. People began to insist that I had to do it. As thrilled as I was by this newfound dream of mine, I was also scared. I needed a dose of reality.

So I went to dear ol’ dad with my plan. I figured if anyone was going to snap me out of it, it would be him. I prepared myself and fully expected that he’d say it was too dangerous, too foolish, too expensive, too everything else, and just not a good idea in general. Of course, I was still gonna go anyway! And then, surprise surprise, Dad was all for it. He said I should definitely do it if I had the chance and that it was something he wished he could do. Instead of a dose of reality, I ended up even more excited. I knew that if it really was a bad idea (for whatever reason), my dad would definitely not be shy about telling me so. Since he didn’t try to talk me out of it, it had to be a good idea.

The next question people would ask is “How do you plan a trip like that?”

That’s what I was about to find out. . .