Best experience of our life. Worth the sacrifices. Next goal is to do it again in 5 years!
Hiked the Camino de Santiago from France to the coast – 550 miles. Then backpacked around Portugal, Rome, and Madrid. Best experience of my life – lived simply, cheaply, humbly, without phone or computer. Would choose doing the camino again over any other world travels; life changing experience!
Maybe it’s not a matter of finding that “perfect” job, but coming to terms with the idea of leaving one that’s just not right for you
Creamy pesto fettuccini w crushed basil, garlic, tomatoes on top, covered w strips of grilled chicken over. Served w salad and greens.
For some people, college is essential – they’ve dreamed of being a lawyer or a doctor their whole life, or perhaps a school teacher, and they really need that degree. For those people, college is worth it.
For a lot of people, college is just “the next step.” I went to school with a TON of people that had no idea what they wanted to do in life, partied a lot more than they studied (hey, it was a big state school), and acquired a lot of debt along the way.
Before, college was something that set you apart, gave you an advantage in the work force, possibly allowed you to get promoted over others. Times have changed, the economy stinks, and EVERYONE has a degree. I have known many graduates who can’t land a job. I’m good friends with an awesome lawyer who rocked her bar exam and can’t get a job because there just aren’t any openings in the areas she lived. Lots of news and online articles have been written about college – how it’s become a money industry for the colleges themselves and isn’t necessarily beneficial for a lot of the work force. A degree and experience should mean more pay, right? Nope, just like everyone you know companies are trying to save money wherever they can by NOT hiring those who demand better salaries and instead hire the inexperienced who they can train and pay little.
Do I have a degree? Yep. Do I have a lot of student loans? Yep. Do I have a good job? Sure. Does it make me happy? Nope. If I could do it again I would definitely do something else… something that was flexible enough to let me take care of a family, something I enjoyed and hadn’t invested years and years pursuing. So many choices – hair stylist, realtor, paramedic, CNA, photographer, medical transcriptionist, paralegal, etc.
Bottom line? Follow your dreams, and if those dreams don’t include college, don’t feel bad about it. You can always go to college later in life if things don’t work out. =) Why not take a ‘gap year?’
my hostel experience in antigua: awful! 2 sleazy hostel operators kept hitting on me and other girls, tried to come into our room at night (I had barricaded the door, thankfully; there was no lock!); that night I turned on my flashlight (I was on the bottom bunk) and saw hundreds of bugs running around just above my face, under the mattress of the person above me – not sure if they were roaches or bed bugs… this is a hostel that my travel book recommended!! Will I ever stay at a hostel again? Maybe, but I’ll be a lot more picky next time and will have my husband with me!
I currently donate to compassion international (my sponsored child lives in Nicaragua) and humane society of the US. Both are reputable, long-term organizations. Great places to give if you want to donate and aren’t sure where to start.
Joe’s dream vacation; not really worth all the travel cross country to me… But I want to do it for him
I want to go so badly!!! Almost went for our honeymoon but I was having passport issues (couldn’t find it!)
I love the southwest!! Wanted to see this several years ago on a long road trip but they were sold out of permits months in advance. The area is very delicate so they really limit the number of visitors allowed.
I have a huge problem with this! My mom, who I love dearly, was a weak person as I was growing up she remains a chronic worrier and apologizer to this day. Dad, on the other hand, was extremely harsh and didn’t believe kids should be kids (not his fault, he was out plowing the fields at age 7, never had a childhood himself). Result? A highly motivated, perfectionistic worrisome apologizer.
I struggle against the negative traits all the time, am actually a strong person, but I find myself frequently saying ‘sorry’ at work, and without good reason. This really needs to stop; I feel that if you do good work but apologize a lot others will get the impression that you DON’T do good work and make lots of mistakes. Plus it’s just annoying, makes you seem weak even if you aren’t. Sorry has it’s place, but not in excess. Perhaps by goal will be to banish it from my vocabulary with the exception of true apologies.
You know those calculations about retirement, how if you invest even a small amount at a young age and stop you’re much better off? I’m sad to say I never really understood retirement even though I tried my best to do so in my early 20’s. I passed up 401k’s and other opportunities due to lack of understanding… Literally opened my first 401k 6 months ago and almost missed THAT opportunity!
What I learned: money that goes into a 401k is pre-tax; what that meant for my husband and I was that we could make contributions to 401k, have less taxes taken out by the government, and still have a decent paycheck to work with. Example- contributing 500 to your retirement doesn’t meant you’ll have 500 less for your paycheck, it might be only 300 less depending on your situation.
Long story short, it is well worth doing… The money never comes into my account so I don’t have that sense of parting with it. It’s easy. And you can always adjust or cut back if you can’t pay your bills. Children are important, but so is your retirement… When you save for your own future you’re also ensuring that your children won’t have to struggle to support you later in life (hopefully).
I have not “completed” this goal because it’s ongoing, but if you want to discuss I’m willing to do so and help if I can (no, my career is not finance).
