Brazen careerist
Where ambitious young professionals connect and grow
Email
Print
For years now, since Freshman year of college, I have been traveling. I haven’t spent a full year anywhere except for right now, where I’m in Cameroon, West Africa. My time in university was broken up between a summer in France, a semester in London, and another summer back in London. I thrive on the change and the unknown that each adventure brings. Today, in reading a blog post titling Change Love And Hate, I realized I am classified as a “change lover” – my mood oscillates between deep frustration and extreme happiness; I know little bit of many things; I have many weak ties and my spontaneity leads me to less informed decisions.
Many people of my generation, “the Gen Y”, are often globetrotters who thrive on exciting challenges of situating oneself outside of their comfort zone. Despite how globalization and technology is shrinking the world, it is still vast and presents endless opportunities. To me, the mere idea of “settling down” means forgo experiencing lives in other parts of the world. I once set a goal to live on all continents minus Antarctica (I was born in the tropics, not a fan of the extreme cold! 
). This goal would have been lofty for many people of previous generations, but for us, it’s wildly attainable. I, myself, has already lived on 4.
I like the idea of experiencing a culture from a local perspective. That includes learning the language, mingling with locals, etc. Taking 2-3 week vacation somewhere would absolutely not allow me to experiencing new lives in my preferred method. That’s why “settling down” is so scary to me.
Fortunately, in today’s world, if I put my mind to it, I can absolutely carve a career out of living a few years in different countries around the world. I have done enough research to know it is very possible. However, my concern lies not within the professional aspect of a globetrotter, but in the personal.
The social aspect of being a globetrotting Gen Y is not as easy as it appears. Yes, traveling around the world puts me in contact with a variety of wildly fascinating people. Yet with each move comes the need to recreate a social circle from scratch. Since I thrive on change, that’s not much of a problem, albeit not always easy, especially with culture and language barriers.
My one and only concern as a globetrotter is whether I’ll ever be able to have a steady romantic relationship and eventually create a family. This is one issue I rarely see discussed in international career discussions. Does fulfilling my desire to experience the vast world mean I will have to forgo on lasting relationship and family? Are those reserved only for those who are willing to “settle down”? The difficulty is quite obvious. I am always on the move, and I meet people who, while share many of the same interests as a fellow traveler, are also on the move. Creating and sustaining a meaningful relationship with another person when both people are roaming around the globe is not so easy. With all the articles out there on managing an international career, are there ones that tell you how to manage a globetrotting career and also a relationship? Can I have my cake and eat it, too?
For more timely, relevant, and engaging articles,
subscribe to Brazen Careerist.
- The Anti-Stalker’s Guide for Converting Online Contact into Real World Collaboration
- Why You Might Be Better Off Without a Job After College
- A New Kind of Business Mover and Shaker
- How To Find a Writing Partner Who Can Help You Achieve Your Goals and Make More Money
- Continuing Education: Extending Learning Beyond Your Campus Years
Comments
10.20.09
Great article. I was fortunate that during my time in college I was able to travel to Central America and Southeast Asia. They were life-changing experiences and have sparked a passion to live abroad during my life.
I also agree that Gen Y's thrive on challenges outside of their comfort zone. My advice is always to challenge yourself with new perspectives...living abroad is one of the best ways.
10.20.09
Great post. I have also considered this, and what I have found is that the most important component of this is finding someone romantically that shares your love of globe trotting. My husband, an African national who I met while we were both in the same Masters program, has given me the courage to eventually pursue this type of lifestyle. Sure it may mean that the white picket fence is out of reach, but it is definitely not impossible to find someone who also shares the love of the unknown.
I also think it is so important to stay true to your passion to travel and meet new people. This is still the minority of people, and it is really important in terms of global and cultural understanding.
10.20.09
The Location Independent movement is an interesting one because your career really shouldn't have to miss a beat if you design your lifestyle properly. Lots of good tips on location independence in our group here:
http://www.brazencareerist.com/group/location-independent
10.20.09
As a fellow globe trotter and change lover, I have asked myself the same questions. I agree with Beth; we CAN have our cake and eat it, too. The secret is finding someone who shares the passion for travel and experiencing new cultures. Being Gen Y's, we've still got plenty of time and an entire world out there full of like-minded individuals, some of whom certainly share these same ambitions. Good luck in your travels!
Got Something To Say?
Got Something To Say?
Not a Member? Brazen Careerist is a career management tool for next-generation professionals. Set up a free account today to comment on this post and start sharing your ideas. Learn more.
Login to view your networks!
 |
|
|
|
 |
