Travel: Is it even a reasonable idea?
February 15, 2016 9:24 AM Subscribe
I've been feeling more and more pressure to fulfill the rite of passage given to young white males: Travel. Financially, I barely have the means, but as a single guy who doesn't drink or know how to drive, I don't know if I should. Advice?
The flurry of photos from exotic locales on my FB feed isn't exactly helping. So many people seemingly having AMAZING experiences in Bali, Hangzhou, Berlin, Venice, Guatemala, etc etc. For the longest time, I've been too broke to travel anywhere. By the end of March, I'll likely have $2,200 in the bank, the first time in a long time since that's happened. Some parts of my head are telling me to save that money, as I might have to relocate to L.A. sometime in the next four years to further my work in comedy. But the more short-term reward-oriented parts of my brain are telling me to travel. "Travel while you're young!" is something I hear a lot.
I've only traveled to Salt Lake, SF, LA, and New Orleans, and each time it's been for comedy (currently, I'm based in Portland OR). I could see the sights (tried to avoid the touristy parts as best as possible), but the point of the trip was always comedy with a side of being in a new city. Travel for travel's sake always seemed like a breeding ground of restlessness. The thought goes "Hey, I'm in Bali, cool beach, lot of people, nothing to do, oh my god nothing to do, WHY AM I EVEN ALIVE" vs traveling for comedy "Hey I'm in NOLA, gotta do a show tonight, see some other folks, check out the food, hey look at me I'm advancing in this life!"
Part of me is hesitant to drop $1,200 to find out I don't like travel. I live solidly below the Federal poverty line on less than $1,000 a month. It'd take me six months on average to save up another $1,200. My retirement plan is $30 for some trousers that I can fill with rocks and walk into a river with. I'd be traveling alone as well. No S-O in my life at this moment. I don't drink, so nightlife isn't really my bag. I don't know how to drive, so cabs or buses are what I got.
All things thus far seem to point to "Don't travel", but I feel like I'm really missing out on some important part of life. Videos like these make a strong point of travel as means to become a well-rounded person. I love food and cooking, there's so many unique cuisines around the world that I've barely had a glimpse of. I wanna fill my head with world knowledge, I'm generally good at getting along with people so AirBnB seems like a good way to permeate the tourist traps. I have the foundation of Spanish and Portuguese, and with time I'd be able to brush up at least common phrases.
So I turn it over to you, Mefi. Travel or No? And if so, any suggestions for where?
The flurry of photos from exotic locales on my FB feed isn't exactly helping. So many people seemingly having AMAZING experiences in Bali, Hangzhou, Berlin, Venice, Guatemala, etc etc. For the longest time, I've been too broke to travel anywhere. By the end of March, I'll likely have $2,200 in the bank, the first time in a long time since that's happened. Some parts of my head are telling me to save that money, as I might have to relocate to L.A. sometime in the next four years to further my work in comedy. But the more short-term reward-oriented parts of my brain are telling me to travel. "Travel while you're young!" is something I hear a lot.
I've only traveled to Salt Lake, SF, LA, and New Orleans, and each time it's been for comedy (currently, I'm based in Portland OR). I could see the sights (tried to avoid the touristy parts as best as possible), but the point of the trip was always comedy with a side of being in a new city. Travel for travel's sake always seemed like a breeding ground of restlessness. The thought goes "Hey, I'm in Bali, cool beach, lot of people, nothing to do, oh my god nothing to do, WHY AM I EVEN ALIVE" vs traveling for comedy "Hey I'm in NOLA, gotta do a show tonight, see some other folks, check out the food, hey look at me I'm advancing in this life!"
Part of me is hesitant to drop $1,200 to find out I don't like travel. I live solidly below the Federal poverty line on less than $1,000 a month. It'd take me six months on average to save up another $1,200. My retirement plan is $30 for some trousers that I can fill with rocks and walk into a river with. I'd be traveling alone as well. No S-O in my life at this moment. I don't drink, so nightlife isn't really my bag. I don't know how to drive, so cabs or buses are what I got.
All things thus far seem to point to "Don't travel", but I feel like I'm really missing out on some important part of life. Videos like these make a strong point of travel as means to become a well-rounded person. I love food and cooking, there's so many unique cuisines around the world that I've barely had a glimpse of. I wanna fill my head with world knowledge, I'm generally good at getting along with people so AirBnB seems like a good way to permeate the tourist traps. I have the foundation of Spanish and Portuguese, and with time I'd be able to brush up at least common phrases.
So I turn it over to you, Mefi. Travel or No? And if so, any suggestions for where?
My suggestion, given that you are concerned about funding (which is completely valid), is finding ways to travel that combine it with work and making an income. Examples: teach English abroad, or look for opportunities through WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms).
Even if it doesn't work out and you discover you don't like travel - you made a little money doing it (or broke even), and you've got great stories to fuel your comedy sets. That old cliche about tragedy + time...
I would also strongly recommend reading this thread on the blue, from July. There's some very heated debate over whether or not it's worth it to toss all of your money/charge up credit cards just to travel.
If you want to brush up on your language skills for free, I think Duolingo is a wonderful option. You can also find Meetup groups in your area (surely Portland will have plenty, given its population size) for foreign language conversation, or for planning group trips to foreign countries.
posted by nightrecordings at 9:34 AM on February 15, 2016 [2 favorites]
Even if it doesn't work out and you discover you don't like travel - you made a little money doing it (or broke even), and you've got great stories to fuel your comedy sets. That old cliche about tragedy + time...
I would also strongly recommend reading this thread on the blue, from July. There's some very heated debate over whether or not it's worth it to toss all of your money/charge up credit cards just to travel.
If you want to brush up on your language skills for free, I think Duolingo is a wonderful option. You can also find Meetup groups in your area (surely Portland will have plenty, given its population size) for foreign language conversation, or for planning group trips to foreign countries.
posted by nightrecordings at 9:34 AM on February 15, 2016 [2 favorites]
Look, a lot of people post photos of babies and cats in their facebook feeds, too. That doesn't mean you have to go out and have a baby and adopt a cat. You keep saying you don't really like the idea of travel and it's not financially feasible for you. What's the problem? Don't travel if you don't want to! You can change your mind later (traveling when you're older has a lot of perks, like not having to sleep in a hostel).
Or find a few comedy festivals in different parts of the world and try to get involved.
posted by Miss T.Horn at 9:34 AM on February 15, 2016 [20 favorites]
Or find a few comedy festivals in different parts of the world and try to get involved.
posted by Miss T.Horn at 9:34 AM on February 15, 2016 [20 favorites]
You've got FOMO.
You need to think less about what others are doing and think about what you want to do. There are good things about Facebook but this is one of the bad things. Travelling when you're young is great, of course. It's rarely that life-altering. And travelling when you're older and more financially secure is also perfectly fine. And travelling for work is honestly not that bad - like you say, if you have to travel to do a show it may end of being more fulfilling than travelling to hang on a beach.
Anyway, good luck. Saving money and trying to get ahead in life are good things - if you posted a steadily increasing bank balance on Facebook you'd probably made someone jealous. (But don't post your bank balance on facebook)
posted by GuyZero at 9:35 AM on February 15, 2016 [12 favorites]
You need to think less about what others are doing and think about what you want to do. There are good things about Facebook but this is one of the bad things. Travelling when you're young is great, of course. It's rarely that life-altering. And travelling when you're older and more financially secure is also perfectly fine. And travelling for work is honestly not that bad - like you say, if you have to travel to do a show it may end of being more fulfilling than travelling to hang on a beach.
Anyway, good luck. Saving money and trying to get ahead in life are good things - if you posted a steadily increasing bank balance on Facebook you'd probably made someone jealous. (But don't post your bank balance on facebook)
posted by GuyZero at 9:35 AM on February 15, 2016 [12 favorites]
If you want to write observational comedy, as an American who just moved to the UK, lemme say that nothing brings into relief how weird, arbitrary and joke-worthy things in our USA culture are than getting to know a different country. You get to see how much you assumed certain American stuff was done everywhere, but how it's actually just us. Going places is good.
posted by johngoren at 9:35 AM on February 15, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by johngoren at 9:35 AM on February 15, 2016 [3 favorites]
$1200 is not going to last very long traveling. Put it in the bank and keep plugging along.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:37 AM on February 15, 2016 [12 favorites]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:37 AM on February 15, 2016 [12 favorites]
I always side with travel. But for you, right now, I think I would advise to wait. It sounds like you're iffy on the reasons to go, and feeling left behind because of Facebook is a terrible reason, even if it's a partial one.
So I would spend some more time saving, and research and soul search on where you would go. And there are other things you can do in the meantime to make you an even better traveler. Volunteer at a soup kitchen to learn about the darker underbelly of your city. Visit small shops and restaurants in diverse neighborhoods. Practice being lost in your own city. Read maps. Learn phrases in multiple languages. Learn more about the major religions. Brush up on history, including art. Even if you never leave Portland again, you'll be far more well-rounded than many people who travel internationally. And then, when or if you do go, to a place you can't wait to see, you'll come back even richer.
posted by umwhat at 9:40 AM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
So I would spend some more time saving, and research and soul search on where you would go. And there are other things you can do in the meantime to make you an even better traveler. Volunteer at a soup kitchen to learn about the darker underbelly of your city. Visit small shops and restaurants in diverse neighborhoods. Practice being lost in your own city. Read maps. Learn phrases in multiple languages. Learn more about the major religions. Brush up on history, including art. Even if you never leave Portland again, you'll be far more well-rounded than many people who travel internationally. And then, when or if you do go, to a place you can't wait to see, you'll come back even richer.
posted by umwhat at 9:40 AM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
I don't know how to drive, so cabs or buses are what I got.
I would like to say on this particular front that not being able to drive is by no means an impediment to travel, especially internationally and in cities.
It's only natural coming from the US to assume that not being able to drive a private vehicle is a great impediment, but in many other places in the world there is either great public transportation or very affordable (by American standards) private transportation for hire, e.g. cabs, jitneys, tuk-tuks or even private cars for hire, depending on where you are.
posted by andrewesque at 9:44 AM on February 15, 2016 [4 favorites]
I would like to say on this particular front that not being able to drive is by no means an impediment to travel, especially internationally and in cities.
It's only natural coming from the US to assume that not being able to drive a private vehicle is a great impediment, but in many other places in the world there is either great public transportation or very affordable (by American standards) private transportation for hire, e.g. cabs, jitneys, tuk-tuks or even private cars for hire, depending on where you are.
posted by andrewesque at 9:44 AM on February 15, 2016 [4 favorites]
I think traveling when you're young is great, but IMHO $2200 in the bank on less than $1000/mo income is "the start of an emergency fund," not "vacation cash." I'm probably more conservative with money than average, but I wouldn't blow the majority of my savings on travel at any age (ok, maybe if I was 105...).
posted by primethyme at 9:48 AM on February 15, 2016 [23 favorites]
posted by primethyme at 9:48 AM on February 15, 2016 [23 favorites]
I get frustrated by the travel, travel, travel mantra. Different people have different priorities, and that's ok. I absolutely see the value of traveling, and believe that it does add great perspective and experience to people's lives. It's also an extremely privileged thing to be able to do, which drives a supply and demand issue: If we all spent 6 months living in Bali, you'd hear people talking about how rewarding and beneficial it is to just stay home and really get to know your neighbors.
What are your priorities? Your career? Travel? Something else? Answer that question, then do that. (honestly, it sounds like it is your career).
posted by OrangeDisk at 9:53 AM on February 15, 2016 [18 favorites]
What are your priorities? Your career? Travel? Something else? Answer that question, then do that. (honestly, it sounds like it is your career).
posted by OrangeDisk at 9:53 AM on February 15, 2016 [18 favorites]
how would you feel about trying for a gig on a cruise ship? Two birds, one stone.
posted by kate4914 at 9:55 AM on February 15, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by kate4914 at 9:55 AM on February 15, 2016 [7 favorites]
It is totally ok NOT to travel while you're young. I say that as someone who's been lucky enough to travel since I was a kid, and then on my own since my teens.
My husband never left the USA til he was 30. But he was always intellectually curious and an enthusiastic reader, which counts for MUCH more than bar hopping around the hostel circuit in one's 20s... then in his 30s when the circumstances of his life changed and he had the money and someone in his life to show him how to do it, he became an enthusiastic international traveler.
There certainly are ways to travel cheap - volunteering, working abroad - and if you really want to do that, go for it! It's super broadening. But it takes a lot of research, a lot of time and a lot of work, and for someone who isn't wealthy it's also ok to just stay here and work hard and build up your savings and wait til the time is more right to go.
Get off of Facebook, or at least stop believing that it contains wisdom on how to live your life!
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:06 AM on February 15, 2016 [4 favorites]
My husband never left the USA til he was 30. But he was always intellectually curious and an enthusiastic reader, which counts for MUCH more than bar hopping around the hostel circuit in one's 20s... then in his 30s when the circumstances of his life changed and he had the money and someone in his life to show him how to do it, he became an enthusiastic international traveler.
There certainly are ways to travel cheap - volunteering, working abroad - and if you really want to do that, go for it! It's super broadening. But it takes a lot of research, a lot of time and a lot of work, and for someone who isn't wealthy it's also ok to just stay here and work hard and build up your savings and wait til the time is more right to go.
Get off of Facebook, or at least stop believing that it contains wisdom on how to live your life!
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:06 AM on February 15, 2016 [4 favorites]
I used to have the same belief that all travelers are amazing well rounded people, until I went traveling and met a lot of young travelers who'd been doing it for months and months and years. And you know what, a lot of them were still kinda...crappy people that weren't very interesting. You're seeing a lot of inspirational porn that's really steeped in privilege and there is no reason to ever go sit on a beach in Bali if you don't find it appealing.
posted by monologish at 10:06 AM on February 15, 2016 [11 favorites]
posted by monologish at 10:06 AM on February 15, 2016 [11 favorites]
Another vote for don't worry about the adage. Traveling when you're older is great too -- though you're less likely to simply connect with new people of your age group and do things with them, there are other advantages to waiting.
And this
My retirement plan is $30 for some trousers that I can fill with rocks and walk into a river with.
made me literally lol which is something I've never done before on Askme (at least not for an intentional joke) so I want you to keep going on the comedy route!
Some of my favorite stand-ups get hilarious and political observational material from ordinary U.S. experiences. Check out the brilliant Stewart Huff -- all his stuff from his U.S. tour cities. here's one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2l9vcL54p8
posted by flourpot at 10:08 AM on February 15, 2016 [2 favorites]
And this
My retirement plan is $30 for some trousers that I can fill with rocks and walk into a river with.
made me literally lol which is something I've never done before on Askme (at least not for an intentional joke) so I want you to keep going on the comedy route!
Some of my favorite stand-ups get hilarious and political observational material from ordinary U.S. experiences. Check out the brilliant Stewart Huff -- all his stuff from his U.S. tour cities. here's one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2l9vcL54p8
posted by flourpot at 10:08 AM on February 15, 2016 [2 favorites]
I did a bunch of travel when I was in my early 20s for more-or-less pleasure, but it was almost always focused around a concert. Later on, I traveled for work a ton. These days, I do the SF convention circuit. Honestly, I like traveling but gig-based travel works really well for me - I have something to center the trip on and don't end up lying in my hotel watching the Food Network more than feels healthy. If that's what works for you, and you like and can afford it, don't worry that it's not "real" travel. If you really just wanted to get shitfaced in new and exciting places, you could join the Navy.
posted by restless_nomad at 10:11 AM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by restless_nomad at 10:11 AM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
Do you have friends in a foreign location that you could stay with and who could show you around? That's an opportunity that expires after a certain amount of time - people move, and it's a great way to save money, see a place, see your friends...just bring gifts and be mindful of their job/life there.
Otherwise I agree that your money is too little, and the wading into a river with rocks retirement option is not a good one, though that might be the comedy at work. Your financial priorities should be elsewhere right now.
posted by zutalors! at 10:12 AM on February 15, 2016
Otherwise I agree that your money is too little, and the wading into a river with rocks retirement option is not a good one, though that might be the comedy at work. Your financial priorities should be elsewhere right now.
posted by zutalors! at 10:12 AM on February 15, 2016
Guys who travel and tell their stories (to an audience who has to be polite) are a dime a dozen. They don't shut up about it. Nobody cares and listens politely, and they just seem high on themselves.
So don't go unless you really want to. And you don't have much money, so I wouldn't go now.
posted by discopolo at 10:15 AM on February 15, 2016 [2 favorites]
So don't go unless you really want to. And you don't have much money, so I wouldn't go now.
posted by discopolo at 10:15 AM on February 15, 2016 [2 favorites]
It's okay not to want to travel; it doesn't make you any less cultured or fulfilled. I'm not particularly crazy about it, myself.
Early adulthood is a time full of peer pressure and worrying about being on the right path and doing all the right things "while you're young," and it will drive you crazy if you let it. If neither your wanderlust nor your cash flow are strong, it's wiser to stay home.
posted by Metroid Baby at 10:15 AM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
Early adulthood is a time full of peer pressure and worrying about being on the right path and doing all the right things "while you're young," and it will drive you crazy if you let it. If neither your wanderlust nor your cash flow are strong, it's wiser to stay home.
posted by Metroid Baby at 10:15 AM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
As a rite of passage for a young American male, I would strongly recommend learning how to drive instead, assuming you're free of medical limitations. Any new skill increases your options, and driving opens up lots of opportunities.
posted by Bruce H. at 10:29 AM on February 15, 2016 [17 favorites]
posted by Bruce H. at 10:29 AM on February 15, 2016 [17 favorites]
Travel is awesome, but so is having a bit of a cash cushion. You're cutting it close financially and right now I'm going to suggest that you maintain and build your savings.
Ah hey, there's nothing wrong with traveling to places near you. This is a pretty amazing country with some gorgeous places to see (even more if you add Canada and Mexico). You don't need to go 8,000 miles to Bali. You could do worse than to explore on trains that go through Portland.
posted by 26.2 at 10:33 AM on February 15, 2016 [5 favorites]
Ah hey, there's nothing wrong with traveling to places near you. This is a pretty amazing country with some gorgeous places to see (even more if you add Canada and Mexico). You don't need to go 8,000 miles to Bali. You could do worse than to explore on trains that go through Portland.
posted by 26.2 at 10:33 AM on February 15, 2016 [5 favorites]
I value travel a lot. I’m in my early thirties now and I have been lucky to have had the chance to travel to more than 30 countries for both work and pleasure, and I have never regretted any of the trips I’ve taken. That includes some of the summers I spent in Central America while I was in college, that wiped out my (extremely limited at the time) savings and put me into a bit of credit card debt. International travel, especially travel to cultures that are very different than your own (or have very different economic realities) can be eye opening and is a unique experience. The trips I’ve taken are some of my most cherished memories.
Here’s the thing though. Even when I was broke and taking the trips referenced above, I had a financial safety net in the form of a family that I knew would bail me out if things ever got really bad. $2200 is not a lot of savings. If that’s the only buffer you have access to for some sort of unexpected emergency, I really think you should save it for now. You can only be a carefree traveler when you have the privilege (or the means) to have the financial security to be carefree. It sounds like you don’t, and that’s OK. The world will still be there for you later.
posted by dyslexictraveler at 10:37 AM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
Here’s the thing though. Even when I was broke and taking the trips referenced above, I had a financial safety net in the form of a family that I knew would bail me out if things ever got really bad. $2200 is not a lot of savings. If that’s the only buffer you have access to for some sort of unexpected emergency, I really think you should save it for now. You can only be a carefree traveler when you have the privilege (or the means) to have the financial security to be carefree. It sounds like you don’t, and that’s OK. The world will still be there for you later.
posted by dyslexictraveler at 10:37 AM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
Go teach English abroad, preferably in Asia. Travel within Asia tends to be cheap (I caught a flight from Bali to Perth for around $75), and the cost of living is lower. There are more opportunities for long weekends that'll let you take quick trips to Thailand/Korea/Japan/wherever really.
This way, if you'll be able to save some money (cost of living tends to be lower, though not true of all locations) while being able to travel. If it turns out that you actually hate traveling and enjoy being a homebody, just leave after your teaching contract is up (a lot of them are year to year). Some places will even fly you in, though you might need to spring for the ticket back home.
posted by astapasta24 at 10:51 AM on February 15, 2016
This way, if you'll be able to save some money (cost of living tends to be lower, though not true of all locations) while being able to travel. If it turns out that you actually hate traveling and enjoy being a homebody, just leave after your teaching contract is up (a lot of them are year to year). Some places will even fly you in, though you might need to spring for the ticket back home.
posted by astapasta24 at 10:51 AM on February 15, 2016
Try traveling around your state/area instead. Visit state parks and attractions, etc. I'll say this bluntly - you're too broke to be spending so much money on travel. I'm not too well off myself, btw, so I get it. I've never been out of the country but I've been to tons of attractions in my region of the US. I've only been on one vacation in my life.
$2,200 is not a whole lot of savings, especially if you plan on moving to LA. What if an emergency arises? Young people who travel while they're young can afford it or have help from their parents in many cases. Many people are also in debt! Don't spend your life savings on a trip just because traveling while young is the thing to do. Make do with what you have.
You have your whole life ahead of you, anyways. Who says going to Europe or wherever in 5 or 10 years from now won't be as great?
"Travel makes a well-rounded person" if you can afford it. Remember, many people in the world and probably even around you spend their lives struggling to get by. The fact that you even have the option of going anywhere, like visiting a state park, is a luxury to many. Don't think travel is something you must do and do right now or you'll be any less of a well-rounded person for it.
posted by atinna at 11:04 AM on February 15, 2016 [4 favorites]
$2,200 is not a whole lot of savings, especially if you plan on moving to LA. What if an emergency arises? Young people who travel while they're young can afford it or have help from their parents in many cases. Many people are also in debt! Don't spend your life savings on a trip just because traveling while young is the thing to do. Make do with what you have.
You have your whole life ahead of you, anyways. Who says going to Europe or wherever in 5 or 10 years from now won't be as great?
"Travel makes a well-rounded person" if you can afford it. Remember, many people in the world and probably even around you spend their lives struggling to get by. The fact that you even have the option of going anywhere, like visiting a state park, is a luxury to many. Don't think travel is something you must do and do right now or you'll be any less of a well-rounded person for it.
posted by atinna at 11:04 AM on February 15, 2016 [4 favorites]
travelling is a fun thing to share with another person. it gives a new context within which you can enjoy being together. in contrast, travelling by yourself is usually not as much fun - the best you can do is meet up with other people in hostels, but even then you often end up being thrown in with people who you wouldn't really choose as friends in other circumstances.
i don't really buy the "expand your mind" argument. the ways in which people differ are often quite superficial, in my experience (by superficial i don't mean trivial - the cultural aspects of communication can be a really hard problem - but that there's an essential core of "humanness" that doesn't vary - people are scared, happy, lonely, etc no matter where they come from).
posted by andrewcooke at 11:08 AM on February 15, 2016
i don't really buy the "expand your mind" argument. the ways in which people differ are often quite superficial, in my experience (by superficial i don't mean trivial - the cultural aspects of communication can be a really hard problem - but that there's an essential core of "humanness" that doesn't vary - people are scared, happy, lonely, etc no matter where they come from).
posted by andrewcooke at 11:08 AM on February 15, 2016
Would it help to think that what you envy in other people's travel pics is not the destination per se, but the fact they seem so into travel?
Because you do have something you're really into, and it's pretty cool, too - comedy.
I travelled quite a bit in my teens and twenties, and spent all my savings on it, and money I didn't really have at the time, because I was so desperate to do it. It was not far off a compulsion. If you don't feel that way, definitely don't waste your money.
If I'd come home from my travels to find a friend had spent that time furthering their comedy career, I would have thought that was the coolest thing imaginable, and would definitely have envied their focus and passion for that.
Borrowing someone else's passion will get you nowhere - fling everything you have at your own, and take joy in it.
posted by penguin pie at 11:09 AM on February 15, 2016 [3 favorites]
Because you do have something you're really into, and it's pretty cool, too - comedy.
I travelled quite a bit in my teens and twenties, and spent all my savings on it, and money I didn't really have at the time, because I was so desperate to do it. It was not far off a compulsion. If you don't feel that way, definitely don't waste your money.
If I'd come home from my travels to find a friend had spent that time furthering their comedy career, I would have thought that was the coolest thing imaginable, and would definitely have envied their focus and passion for that.
Borrowing someone else's passion will get you nowhere - fling everything you have at your own, and take joy in it.
posted by penguin pie at 11:09 AM on February 15, 2016 [3 favorites]
Do not be led astray by romanticized stories by folks who say they spent 6-weeks somewhere for $500 including airfare.
Travel is great. However, it costs to get there, it costs to stay there, and it costs to come home.
Odds are, it will cost more than you think.
(Airfare is not cheap. You won't be flying Portland-London for $300.)
I've known more than one just-out-of-college traveller who headed off with a backpack and a list of hostels. Every single one of seriously underestimated costs and had to call mom and pop to send money.
For example, hostels are cheaper than hotels. But, if some gushing website says a hostel costs $35 per night, and you get there to find out it really costs $60 per night, it's still cheaper than a hotel but it trashes your budget.
Get current cost info by going to a hostel/hotel/railway/airline/etc site. Or just call them. Don't rely on guidebooks or web sites for price info unless you verify it yourself.
Learn about where you'd want to go. Find travel sites where you can get real answers from real people. Make some kind of a plan. You don't need to plot out every hour of every day, but at least know where, so to speak, the train station is. Or, if there is one.
And don't travel with only cash, or a lot of cash. Carry at least one credit card with enough credit left to get you out of wherever you find yourself and on your way home in an emergency. Carry ATM card(s) you know you can use locally to get cash. Travelling with a giant wad of cash that is your only way pay for anything is asking for trouble.
posted by justcorbly at 11:23 AM on February 15, 2016
Travel is great. However, it costs to get there, it costs to stay there, and it costs to come home.
Odds are, it will cost more than you think.
(Airfare is not cheap. You won't be flying Portland-London for $300.)
I've known more than one just-out-of-college traveller who headed off with a backpack and a list of hostels. Every single one of seriously underestimated costs and had to call mom and pop to send money.
For example, hostels are cheaper than hotels. But, if some gushing website says a hostel costs $35 per night, and you get there to find out it really costs $60 per night, it's still cheaper than a hotel but it trashes your budget.
Get current cost info by going to a hostel/hotel/railway/airline/etc site. Or just call them. Don't rely on guidebooks or web sites for price info unless you verify it yourself.
Learn about where you'd want to go. Find travel sites where you can get real answers from real people. Make some kind of a plan. You don't need to plot out every hour of every day, but at least know where, so to speak, the train station is. Or, if there is one.
And don't travel with only cash, or a lot of cash. Carry at least one credit card with enough credit left to get you out of wherever you find yourself and on your way home in an emergency. Carry ATM card(s) you know you can use locally to get cash. Travelling with a giant wad of cash that is your only way pay for anything is asking for trouble.
posted by justcorbly at 11:23 AM on February 15, 2016
First of all, keep in mind that FB photos are highly curated. You're not seeing the really bad food, sore feet, sunburn, gastro problems in a foreign country experience that's actually happening along with the beautiful nature shots. If you don't drink, you won't be having the same experience that gets romanticized anyway (going to a beach in Bali, staying wrecked for three weeks straight, finding a gorgeous partner to spend that time with, etc.).
Do you have a passport? If you really feel compelled to get out and see more of the world, take a train to Vancouver from Portland. It's about $65 each way. There! You've been to another country, and you spent very little. Find a cheap hotel. Spend a few days there, see everything there is to see. Eat some good food. Take some cool pictures and share them on Facebook. Then save all the rest of your money.
I see that you have no SO to share travel with, but what about some friends? I travel with friends all the time. Invite a driving friend to go to Vancouver with you. See if they'll drive. That's even cheaper, just chip in for gas, split a hotel room.
The only reason people emphasize travel when you're young is because when you're older you have more responsibilities, and you probably have to travel with kids/spouse. Also, you can recover more quickly from sleeping in a hostel or in a train station when you're younger. As an older single person, I still travel and sometimes even alone. Don't feel pressure to travel now just because you're young. Plenty of time to see the world when you have more money.
In your position I'd take a few short cheap local trips while saving up for a few years and planning a real trip that would be more meaningful to you. For example, let's say you are a Catholic and you really want to visit the Vatican. Or you're really into artifacts so you really want to go to the British Museum. Your ancestors were Swedish and you want to see the old country. Whatever. Make your travel mean something.
posted by clone boulevard at 12:05 PM on February 15, 2016 [4 favorites]
Do you have a passport? If you really feel compelled to get out and see more of the world, take a train to Vancouver from Portland. It's about $65 each way. There! You've been to another country, and you spent very little. Find a cheap hotel. Spend a few days there, see everything there is to see. Eat some good food. Take some cool pictures and share them on Facebook. Then save all the rest of your money.
I see that you have no SO to share travel with, but what about some friends? I travel with friends all the time. Invite a driving friend to go to Vancouver with you. See if they'll drive. That's even cheaper, just chip in for gas, split a hotel room.
The only reason people emphasize travel when you're young is because when you're older you have more responsibilities, and you probably have to travel with kids/spouse. Also, you can recover more quickly from sleeping in a hostel or in a train station when you're younger. As an older single person, I still travel and sometimes even alone. Don't feel pressure to travel now just because you're young. Plenty of time to see the world when you have more money.
In your position I'd take a few short cheap local trips while saving up for a few years and planning a real trip that would be more meaningful to you. For example, let's say you are a Catholic and you really want to visit the Vatican. Or you're really into artifacts so you really want to go to the British Museum. Your ancestors were Swedish and you want to see the old country. Whatever. Make your travel mean something.
posted by clone boulevard at 12:05 PM on February 15, 2016 [4 favorites]
Also, "travel while you're young" is generally something people say because they feel tied down by the things that being older brings (children, mortgages, demanding jobs). You can start to set yourself up to make it easier to travel by saving and investing the money you have wisely, and then you can have more time on the other side of the equation to travel. Lots of people who have retired travel quite extensively, because they now have nothing holding them down.
posted by xingcat at 12:20 PM on February 15, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by xingcat at 12:20 PM on February 15, 2016 [2 favorites]
If you can't afford it, travel is just scary.
I traveled a lot when I was young and I travel a lot now. It's better when you have money and can afford to stay in places where you don't end up with scabies.
I lived on the edge too much when I was young and frankly keeping your money as a cushion is a MUCH better idea than dropping $1,200 on a week in an exotic locale on the cheap.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:31 PM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
I traveled a lot when I was young and I travel a lot now. It's better when you have money and can afford to stay in places where you don't end up with scabies.
I lived on the edge too much when I was young and frankly keeping your money as a cushion is a MUCH better idea than dropping $1,200 on a week in an exotic locale on the cheap.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:31 PM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
OMG bike tour!!! I also live in Portland, OR and would be happy to get together and give you a bike touring 101 infodump if this type of adventure interests you.
Furthermore, I've been everywhere. I would also be happy to keep quiet about bikes and sit down and have a brainstorm chat with you and help you figure out what good options might be of interest to you.
posted by aniola at 1:51 PM on February 15, 2016
Furthermore, I've been everywhere. I would also be happy to keep quiet about bikes and sit down and have a brainstorm chat with you and help you figure out what good options might be of interest to you.
posted by aniola at 1:51 PM on February 15, 2016
You can totally do this on a budget. I did! And no, I never got scabies :) It does take some work and research to do it on a shoestring. I highly recommend talking to people who spend a lot of time in these locations if you decide to go. Lots of good info does not exist online :)
I would recommend you look at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. You could do two weeks there for around $1200, including airfare (you could stay a full month for a couple hundred dollars more). You can get by with rudimentary Spanish, it's safe, and there are lots of really cool places to go. Food is cheap and hotels run around $7 a night. I've spent a ton of time there, so PM if you want specific tips.
You can also apply for a job on Idealist. Many of the paid jobs include accommodation. My friend got a job recently through them as a surf shop manager in a little beach town in Mexico. She got to live in the apartment above the shop, plus got cash wages and free board rentals :)
Bali and the rest of SE Asia is trickier - the tickets are very expensive unless you get lucky on Skyscanner and find an incredible deal. They do happen from time to time. Here's some tips on cheap flights.
Travel can be a really enriching experience. But if you go, do it for your own reasons and desires -- not just to enrich your Instagram feed.
posted by ananci at 2:29 PM on February 15, 2016
I would recommend you look at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. You could do two weeks there for around $1200, including airfare (you could stay a full month for a couple hundred dollars more). You can get by with rudimentary Spanish, it's safe, and there are lots of really cool places to go. Food is cheap and hotels run around $7 a night. I've spent a ton of time there, so PM if you want specific tips.
You can also apply for a job on Idealist. Many of the paid jobs include accommodation. My friend got a job recently through them as a surf shop manager in a little beach town in Mexico. She got to live in the apartment above the shop, plus got cash wages and free board rentals :)
Bali and the rest of SE Asia is trickier - the tickets are very expensive unless you get lucky on Skyscanner and find an incredible deal. They do happen from time to time. Here's some tips on cheap flights.
Travel can be a really enriching experience. But if you go, do it for your own reasons and desires -- not just to enrich your Instagram feed.
posted by ananci at 2:29 PM on February 15, 2016
1) It's not a 'young white male' rite of passage, it's a 'kids with money' rite of passage. You don't appear to be in that group. Some people do it without having money, but far far fewer and they do it because they prioritise it over things like nice housing, which brings us to
2) If you don't have money backing you, then you are probably going to have to choose between working in comedy and travelling. How will you feel if you spend your savings on a trip, come back, get a great comedy opportunity, and can't take it because you spent everything?
posted by the agents of KAOS at 4:51 PM on February 15, 2016 [3 favorites]
2) If you don't have money backing you, then you are probably going to have to choose between working in comedy and travelling. How will you feel if you spend your savings on a trip, come back, get a great comedy opportunity, and can't take it because you spent everything?
posted by the agents of KAOS at 4:51 PM on February 15, 2016 [3 favorites]
Save your money and go explore Oregon, Washigton and other nearby stuff on the cheap. Have you been for example to the Newberry Volcanic monument? Elowha falls? John Day fossil beds? Klamath Falls? Vancouver BC? Seattle? Rainier? Bend? Etc etc. There's so much within a few hours drive or train ride of Portland. Learn to drive or make friends with someone who has a car and explore that way and save your money for a larger trip when you are more financially stable and go somewhere you want to go, not just somewhere random you saw on a Facebook feed.
posted by FireFountain at 4:54 PM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by FireFountain at 4:54 PM on February 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
Travel is for people with money. You don't have it and you want to move to LA. I don't think now is the time for you to travel. If you can do cheap day trips or maybe go visit another state, sure, but international? Hahahahahah.
Besides, what if you LOVED travel and then you still couldn't really afford to do it any more?
I'd say wait until you make enough money to do it. You're in entertainment anyway, that tends to offer opportunities to go places.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:12 PM on February 15, 2016
Besides, what if you LOVED travel and then you still couldn't really afford to do it any more?
I'd say wait until you make enough money to do it. You're in entertainment anyway, that tends to offer opportunities to go places.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:12 PM on February 15, 2016
I love food and cooking, there's so many unique cuisines around the world that I've barely had a glimpse of. I wanna fill my head with world knowledge.
I'm tempted to say that with the internet at our fingertips (and the wealth of easily, uhm, obtainable, books online) if all you wanted was knowledge you could do it from the comfort of your home. Every large city will have virtually every type of culture and food hidden away somewhere, you just have to know how to find it, and nearly every recipe can easily found online.
What I've found travel helps with is that it prompts the questions - without knowing what questions to ask, you'll never get to some interesting answers. For example, why don't the traditional families in the Peruvian Andes brand their horses and cows? (there's an entire thesis here) Everything is a story, and traveling to a place turns dry facts into a narrative.
Some people go to challenging locations out of curiosity. Those locations gave me a renewed appreciation for first world life, but I suppose that could happen anywhere. One country I traveled through had less than 10% of its population hooked up to water and electricity. I'd never been food and water insecure before. I was in deep calorie deficit, thoughts of chicken literally invaded my thoughts each day until it was something like an obsession. I never take for granted anymore the fact that in my normal life I can get drinkable water whenever I want. I once went somewhere I could not speak the language (and no one there could speak the 2-3 languages I knew) and basically spent the week not understanding anyone and not talking to anyone, but the scenery was really awe inspiring and beautiful. When I came home it felt like miracle that I could speak and others could comprehend me. It gave me a bit of an appreciation of the isolation that some immigrants can feel.
There's plenty of crappy reasons to travel. People spend thousands to crowd around the Eiffel tower or a Bali beach and take a selfie, I've never quite understood that. The best travel experiences I've had were the ones taken for work, or for a specific purpose, so it looks like you're doing well on that front. I've never really "got" the concept of traveling somewhere to relax (I can relax pretty well in my couch, thanks).
posted by xdvesper at 11:43 PM on February 15, 2016
I'm tempted to say that with the internet at our fingertips (and the wealth of easily, uhm, obtainable, books online) if all you wanted was knowledge you could do it from the comfort of your home. Every large city will have virtually every type of culture and food hidden away somewhere, you just have to know how to find it, and nearly every recipe can easily found online.
What I've found travel helps with is that it prompts the questions - without knowing what questions to ask, you'll never get to some interesting answers. For example, why don't the traditional families in the Peruvian Andes brand their horses and cows? (there's an entire thesis here) Everything is a story, and traveling to a place turns dry facts into a narrative.
Some people go to challenging locations out of curiosity. Those locations gave me a renewed appreciation for first world life, but I suppose that could happen anywhere. One country I traveled through had less than 10% of its population hooked up to water and electricity. I'd never been food and water insecure before. I was in deep calorie deficit, thoughts of chicken literally invaded my thoughts each day until it was something like an obsession. I never take for granted anymore the fact that in my normal life I can get drinkable water whenever I want. I once went somewhere I could not speak the language (and no one there could speak the 2-3 languages I knew) and basically spent the week not understanding anyone and not talking to anyone, but the scenery was really awe inspiring and beautiful. When I came home it felt like miracle that I could speak and others could comprehend me. It gave me a bit of an appreciation of the isolation that some immigrants can feel.
There's plenty of crappy reasons to travel. People spend thousands to crowd around the Eiffel tower or a Bali beach and take a selfie, I've never quite understood that. The best travel experiences I've had were the ones taken for work, or for a specific purpose, so it looks like you're doing well on that front. I've never really "got" the concept of traveling somewhere to relax (I can relax pretty well in my couch, thanks).
posted by xdvesper at 11:43 PM on February 15, 2016
You would do better from a career/life perspective spending that money going down to LA, going to the local comedy shows big and small, and getting into the scene some, especially if you're planning to move there in the future anyway.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 12:42 AM on February 16, 2016
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 12:42 AM on February 16, 2016
You've gotten a lot of great advice about the travel side of your question, and I won't repeat it. But I lived in LA and worked in comedy, so I wanted to focus on that part of the question.
If there is one single piece of advice I would give anybody who hopes to work in any creative field, it's this:
Financial freedom equals creative freedom.
The more money you have saved when you move to LA, the more you can afford to take a crappy-paying runner job that will get you onto a studio lot.
The more money you have saved, the more you can afford to cut back on your work hours so you can write material in your spare time.
The more money you have saved, the longer you can last in LA before you have to pack it in and move someplace with a cheaper cost of living. And the longer you can last in LA, the greater your odds of stumbling across that lucky break you were hoping for when you moved there.
So I'd advise you to continue living as frugally as you can -- not only will it build up your savings, it will be good practice for making whatever money you've got last longer.
I suspect you will continue to get all sorts of well-meaning social pressure to act more like the other people your age, but I'd encourage you to play the long game. In the short term, and even in the medium term, you're going to feel like you're missing out on a lot of experiences that people with more traditional career paths are having. But if you feel that a creative career is your true calling, then failing to give yourself the best shot at it that you can would be the worst missing out of all.
posted by yankeefog at 1:28 AM on February 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
If there is one single piece of advice I would give anybody who hopes to work in any creative field, it's this:
Financial freedom equals creative freedom.
The more money you have saved when you move to LA, the more you can afford to take a crappy-paying runner job that will get you onto a studio lot.
The more money you have saved, the more you can afford to cut back on your work hours so you can write material in your spare time.
The more money you have saved, the longer you can last in LA before you have to pack it in and move someplace with a cheaper cost of living. And the longer you can last in LA, the greater your odds of stumbling across that lucky break you were hoping for when you moved there.
So I'd advise you to continue living as frugally as you can -- not only will it build up your savings, it will be good practice for making whatever money you've got last longer.
I suspect you will continue to get all sorts of well-meaning social pressure to act more like the other people your age, but I'd encourage you to play the long game. In the short term, and even in the medium term, you're going to feel like you're missing out on a lot of experiences that people with more traditional career paths are having. But if you feel that a creative career is your true calling, then failing to give yourself the best shot at it that you can would be the worst missing out of all.
posted by yankeefog at 1:28 AM on February 16, 2016 [3 favorites]
I'm seconding a lot of these suggestions: save your money. If you do feel the need to get out and see some sights, I'd focus on your own backyard first. There are so many gorgeous sights to see in the Pacific Northwest, you could take cheap day or short weekend trips to a bunch of them and you'd get to see new, cool things and it would be much kinder to your bank account. (Note: I visited PNW last year, and to my east coast friends, all of the misty mountains and tall spruces looked terribly exotic! It's all about perspective!)
If you do feel the need to jetset, if only to see what it's like, signing up for an airline miles program (or credit card if you want to go that route) can be a good way to rack up airline miles on every day purchases so that when the time comes to throw down some travel coin, you can do so a little more cheaply. I'd also make it a point to sign up for some airline email digests and keep an eye out on flight deals. You can score some pretty sweet airline/hotel deals that way if you're not too particular about the destination. Southwest is my favorite of the lot so far, but their routes are also more limited, so keep that in mind.
From Portland, I'd imagine getting a relatively cheap airline ticket to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Hawaii (which, while still in the US, is decidedly more Bali-like than the mainland) would not be too difficult if you've got your eye on the travel deals. AirBnB offers some good cheap offerings for lodgings, but Couchsurfing is also an option for short term stays.
Long story short, I would never, ever recommend going into any kind of real debt or demolishing your savings to do something you're not even sure yet if you want to do, especially if money is already tight. Start local, start small, start cheap, and if you get the travel bug from there, there are a lot of great websites and blogs out there dedicated to making long-term travel as cheap as possible. Good luck, and have fun!
posted by helloimjennsco at 6:52 AM on February 16, 2016
If you do feel the need to jetset, if only to see what it's like, signing up for an airline miles program (or credit card if you want to go that route) can be a good way to rack up airline miles on every day purchases so that when the time comes to throw down some travel coin, you can do so a little more cheaply. I'd also make it a point to sign up for some airline email digests and keep an eye out on flight deals. You can score some pretty sweet airline/hotel deals that way if you're not too particular about the destination. Southwest is my favorite of the lot so far, but their routes are also more limited, so keep that in mind.
From Portland, I'd imagine getting a relatively cheap airline ticket to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Hawaii (which, while still in the US, is decidedly more Bali-like than the mainland) would not be too difficult if you've got your eye on the travel deals. AirBnB offers some good cheap offerings for lodgings, but Couchsurfing is also an option for short term stays.
Long story short, I would never, ever recommend going into any kind of real debt or demolishing your savings to do something you're not even sure yet if you want to do, especially if money is already tight. Start local, start small, start cheap, and if you get the travel bug from there, there are a lot of great websites and blogs out there dedicated to making long-term travel as cheap as possible. Good luck, and have fun!
posted by helloimjennsco at 6:52 AM on February 16, 2016
My retirement plan is $30 for some trousers that I can fill with rocks and walk into a river with.
I laughed too. Thank-you.
I've travelled a ton. Living within your means and being happy in one place is infinitely more satisfying and healthy and ultimately better for the brain and soul. Keep piling away money and someday if you simply have to see a place you'll be ready. And the ground level comingling you seem to be doing on your comedy tour stops is really the heart of what travel is all about anyways. You should not feel like you have something to make up for by leaving the country.
posted by docpops at 9:30 PM on February 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
I laughed too. Thank-you.
I've travelled a ton. Living within your means and being happy in one place is infinitely more satisfying and healthy and ultimately better for the brain and soul. Keep piling away money and someday if you simply have to see a place you'll be ready. And the ground level comingling you seem to be doing on your comedy tour stops is really the heart of what travel is all about anyways. You should not feel like you have something to make up for by leaving the country.
posted by docpops at 9:30 PM on February 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
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It seems to me that your way of travelling -- going to places because you have a reason to go to them, and making the most of your time while you're there -- is a pretty excellent way to travel. If you only travel for comedy reasons, you're probably limiting your potential destinations to English speaking parts of the world, but even there, there's a lot to explore.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:32 AM on February 15, 2016 [18 favorites]