You Can Do It Too!

Before I post about cheap flights and packing trips, I wanted to discuss something a little more abstract. It has been repeatedly mentioned over the last few months how lucky I am to have time off and to have a job lined up and wouldn't it be great to be me. I will agree, I am very fortunate, and I do very much enjoy being me. That being said, a five month break, a consulting job I can do while abroad, and a job to come back to did not magically fall into my lap. The money for this trip did not appear out of thin air and this whole excursion did not plan itself. That being said, it's not like any of my jobs are crazy high paying or that leaving the country for a few months is a super responsible choice on any level. So here is my spiel on making travel happen:

Myth: I don't have the money to travel. Truth: Travel is often about sacrifice.

Last fall I spent two weeks traveling. I went to New York City, Boston, New Orleans, and San Francisco. I spent $55 on transportation. I was presenting at the American Public Health Association Annual Conference in New Orleans, so my program bought my flights. Flights from Salt Lake City to New Orleans are pretty pricey. I knew I wanted to take a trip to NYC to see friends at some point that semester, so I decided to see what the price difference was getting to New Orleans by way of NYC. It was $15 more. While there, I spent 40 bucks to go see Boston. After New Orleans, I was flown to San Francisco for an interview.

Missing two weeks of school was not very ideal. I sacrificed a little in the grade department. I also had to sacrifice any relaxing while on this trip as I was working on school work during any free moments. I also had to travel in the middle of night to get the prices I got and to maximize the limited number of days that I had. I was very sleep deprived. The B's and the lack of sleep were totally worth it though.

Flexibility and compromise is the key to making travel happen under any set of circumstances. January is maybe not the best time to explore the outdoors in the Pacific Northwest, but it was the time we were given. Last summer I wanted to go to the Dominican Republic or Mexico City, but I wanted a friend to travel with. I had one friend with some availability, but he wasn't interested in either destination. In the end, I found us cheap tickets to Oahu, a destination we could both agree on. Travel also doesn't have to be complicated. Living in Utah, my favorite thing to do is take advantage of the gorgeous national parks. They're just as awe inspiring as any far away destination

You can roadtrip, you can see the world, you can do awesome day trips. You just may have to sacrifice something in the convenience/comfort/destination department in order to accomplish this if your resources or options are limited.

Myth: I don't have time to travel. Truth: Travel is about creatively seizing opportunities.

This last semester of school was a nightmare. I was taking five graduate level courses and teaching a sixth. I was frantically applying to jobs. I was completing my field report, taking my written qualification exams, and preparing for and completing my oral defense for my master's. I was also doing an unpaid internship because, why not. Normally, this workload would be spread out over two semesters. I wanted to graduate a semester early. Originally there was a reason as to why I was graduating a semester early. However, circumstances changed. Rather than redoing my schedule and spreading things back out, I realized this would be an excellent opportunity to travel. So I pushed through.

Originally I was thinking of roadtripping through South America or backpacking through Southeast Asia. I did not actually have the money to fund these excursions, though. While in the midst of looking into loan options and get rich schemes, I was offered the fellowship I will be starting in May. The company I researched for last summer heard about this and, knowing I'd be graduating in December, mentioned their need for grant writers during the beginning of the year. I followed up and was hired on as a consultant. I can do this job remotely from anywhere. This meant I could fund my trip as it happened. However, given the fact that I'd need reliable wifi, I decided it'd be best to save the South America and Southeast Asia trips as the way I hope to do those trips doesn't include much computer time. That's how I ended up with this Europe trip.

I am very fortunate to have this opportunity, but this opportunity did not just happen. I had to make it happen. I'd been researching different options for months. I have a detailed budget and itinerary for South America, Southeast Asia, and Europe. I now know how the world of non-student loans work, and I now know how stupid it is to do two semesters of grad school at once. I tracked flights for months, I researched, and I jumped on any opportunity that aligned with my goal to travel. I let the opportunities dictate the particulars of my trip. Europe was not my number one choice, but it made the most sense.

In summary, travel is like most things in life. If you prioritize it, it'll happen. This principle has proven itself true in my life time and again. If you want to travel, make it happen! In my experience, it's a person's unwillingness to compromise, sacrifice, plan, and/or take a risk that stands in their way more than time or money. Travel hacks are fun, but in the end, it's just about going and doing!