How to Take a Career Break to Travel: Meet, Plan, Go!

Have you ever been tempted to leave your job and pack your bags to travel? My wife and I did just that for a one-year trip around the world with our two young boys back in 2009. We would eventually visit 28 countries before landing back in New York to resume our lives, forever changed by the experience.

Since our return, I’ve met dozens of other like-minded individuals who have either just returned from a similar trip, are about to go on one, or desperately want to take time off to travel extensively, but are unsure if and how they can. Two people who believe everyone should have a sabbatical on their resume are Sherry Ott and Michaela Potter. They started Meet, Plan, Go! to encourage and teach others how to travel the world and have those travel experiences benefit their career.

On October 18, 2011, Meet, Plan, Go! will be hosting their second annual nationwide event (in 17 cities) to inspire people to fulfill their long-term travel dreams. The event will offer participants the opportunity to meet inspirational speakers and fellow travelers; get the contacts and resources necessary to plan the trip of a lifetime; and find motivation to take concrete steps towards a global adventure.

I will be hosting the Meet, Plan, Go! event in New York City. Other hosts and panelists include people like Polly Letofsky in Denver who traveled on foot across four continents and over 14,000 miles to become the first woman to walk around the world. Jim and Wendy Pearson, also from Denver, will be leaving corporate America in November to embark on a three-year around the world trip in their 2006 Ford F550 camper. Then there are those already on the road joining in meetings via Skype, like Bessie and Kyle Crum from Chicago, who have been traveling and living around the world since leaving their jobs in January 2007. And in New York I’ll be joined by Rita Foley, who co-authored the recently published book Reboot Your Life: Energize Your Life by Taking a Break about how long-term travel can benefit your career.

In addition to New York City, this year’s Meet, Plan, Go! locations include: Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Orlando, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Washington, D.C. and Toronto, Canada.

What are you waiting for? Sign up today.

Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel.  Follow Rainer on Twitter at @JenssTravel.