Two Backpackers

My Typical Vacation

| by Jason on August 20th, 2024 | 12 Comments » | Reflections

Vacation with My Family

We have been enjoying ourselves while vacationing in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with my family for the past 4 days.  It’s early Thursday morning and we are now boarding a flight to Miami, Florida to visit with Aracely’s family.  I still feel full and slightly ill from overeating and we are both confident we gained few pounds. Our decision to leave for Guatemala on August 27^th, 2024 was based primarily around vacations we already had planned with family.  We had originally struggled deciding on a departure date.  The three scenarios we created were as follows:

• Leave immediately (May), before we consider changing our minds

• Leave late August, after the booked vacations with family

•Leave towards the end of the year (2009) in an effort to accumulate more savings

After a month of debating we agreed on the second choice.  It made the most sense to us and for our families.  Our vacation was originally scheduled for a half week in Myrtle Beach with my family and a half week in Miami with Aracely’s family.  Instead of flying back to the New York area from Miami, we now have booked a flight on American Airlines to Guatemala City.

Uncle Jason Aracely and the Boys in Myrtle Beach, SC

I am trying to imagine the radical contrasts that will exist between these last 4 days and our backpacking journey.  We ate like kings, we slept like kings and we were chauffeured around like kings.  It might not seem that way today, but after a month in Guatemala, it will probably be an accurate description.  Who wouldn’t enjoy a vacation like that?  These are the vacations I am accustomed to.  We rented cars, went out for dinner and lay on the beach most of the day.

My expectations for the year long trip are based on reading and following other backpackers on-line.  That is the extent of my backpacking knowledge.  Yes, I have backpacked the Grand Canyon, but it was a tourist location where the culture was familiar to me.  Backpacking in foreign lands from city to city with no reservations doesn’t even compare.

I have enjoyed this vacation with my family very much, but its time to try something different.  It’s time to challenge myself culturally, experiencing how others around the world live.  Thanks Mom and Dad for the wonderful vacation. I am plenty fed and plenty relaxed for the long journey ahead.

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My Last Week of Work

| by Jason on July 28th, 2024 | 22 Comments » | Reflections

One week left for maintaining employment in the United States.  It is shocking and uneasy to say at the same time.  I feel like my entire adult life has been heavily focused on improving my career, making more money and being able to invest in my future and myself.  The thought of not having a job for the first time since I graduated college is frightening.  Here comes my story’s hook.  It is not frightening for me; it is frightening for those that surround me.

I am perfectly content leaving my job after 12 years of commitment.  Fortunately, I was able to attend college through supportive parents and establish, in my opinion, a successful career.  My dedication to my career will fund my trip and provide a sense of financial security.  I must admit the gear and gadgets I will be purchasing are more expensive than those I would have purchased had I done this as a gap year out of college.  There is no denying that.  There is no reason to feel guilt or irresponsible for taking an extended vacation, career break or to just search for what it is that you feel you should be doing.  Life provides us options, but only for those courageous enough to seek them out.  This is easier for me, considering I have spent the last 12 years working and saving, I don’t own a house and I am debt free.  But, it is important for you to know that there are many others that have the same desires and much less than any of us can imagine, but still seek out their dreams. (more…)

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I am a Corporate America Dropout

| by Aracely on June 30th, 2024 | 16 Comments » | Reflections

Aracely at work with city view

It’s official. Yesterday, I told my boss of my plans to drop out of the rat race and go travel the world. Okay, so those were not my exact words, the point is, my decision is final, there’s no going back. I’m on my way to a completely different lifestyle.

I began my first corporate job right out of college back in 2024 at Mercedes-Benz USA[1], where I was groomed into a young professional. After four and a half years of establishing a respectable reputation and becoming a subject matter expert, I decided it was time to move on and do it all over again elsewhere. That elsewhere, according to me, needed to be in New York City. I romanticized about the idea of working in a skyscraper somewhere in Manhattan and dreamt of a corner office with a view. I made my move and began working for American Express in June of 2024. A short year and half later, I was exactly where I imagined I would be. My office is located at 3 World Financial Center on the north corner of the 23rd floor, view included.

I learned many lessons during my time in the corporate environment, some I’ve internalized and keep with me, and others–I  will admit– I’ve intentionally ignored. In all honesty, I believe that a few of those lessons have not only helped shape my personality but even my identity.  More importantly, I have been extremely lucky because I’ve worked with great caliber leaders that were always supportive and belived in me. Through them, I’ve learned the value of building self-confidence, the need to raise your personal bar and the importance of not just producing results, but measuring them. I’ve also learned the art of CYA[2], getting buy-in and giving EOD[3] deadlines. All that is behind me, the decks[4], the conference calls, the terms like BAU[5] and bandwidth[6], which were all part of my life in corporate America, and yesterday I dropped out.

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What Will I Miss

| by Aracely on June 22nd, 2024 | 7 Comments » | Reflections

As we prepare for our journey, I can’t help but imagine us already there; backpacking our way from country to country and loving it all.  Time is flying by and The Day will be here sooner than we realize, even if the official launch date is still TBD. I am usually a reflective gal, but events like these (I never had an event like this) put me on maximum reflective mode.  One of the more interesting questions I think about is what will I miss the most (aside from family and friends) and what I will be glad to be without.  I thought it would be interesting to put them on paper/on-line and document it for reference when we return.

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