travel or work?

[absolu7]

some background. 23 years old working IT graduated uni a year ago and went straight to full-time work , making my 40+K, have my own place with a roomate.
dillema is this. i dont know if i want to do this with right now, the whole working full time and getting aclimated (sp?) into the work force at this time in my life.

thinking of travelling maybe for a few months, have many friends in taipei and can live there for free (no paying rent), maybe find a job there as it ( i dont know language so thats f*cked)

dont know what to think, anyone positives negatives? same situation?

 

[Patt]

Travel for sure. You'll learn so much more about yourself ... work isn't going anywhere, but opportunities to travel wither a bit as you get 'settled'. That doesn't mean you can't ever do it later, there are just more compromises/sacrifices that have to be made.

<-- travelled for 7 months in Europe at age 20, 12 months in Australia at age 26 (after getting IS training)

You'll never regret travelling

 

[Ranger X]

That's a no-brainer. Travel for sure! I went on a short trip (2 1/2 weeks) to various countries in Asia before I started working full-time. Just remember that you have your whole life to work. Once you start working, vacations days are scarce and it's better to travel while you're still young.

 

[JS80]

Work first, play later.

 

[Descartes]

Once you start traveling you'll have even a harder time getting acclimated. Delay it now and you'll find yourself 30+ before you realize it, and you won't have much to show for it. Granted, traveling is great, and the experiences you'll have can't be described in monetary terms; however, you'll have much more options available to you later than you do now if you work a little harder to get it.

That's my take. I travel 90% of the time just for business, and I have a blast doing it. I also have the capacity to spend that other 10% wherever I want, and I wouldn't have had those options had I not worked to achieve it.

As JS80 said: Work first, play later. Some people like to play a little and work until they're 2' in the grave, but to a lot of us working a little extra now to have complete freedom later is worth it.

 

[kami333]

Or consider getting a job working overseas. If you have a degree in IT it's not the most difficult thing in the world. A lot of countries, Denmark for instance, have expediated visa processes if you can show you have a degree in IT.

The only problem with the whole work first, play later idea is that once you get to the point where you can take off to play your options are going to be limited more than when you were young. Mortgage, kids, health, etc.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: JS80
Work first, play later.

yes, you can travel when you are retired

life isn't about goofing off and playing around, put your nose to the grindstone

 

[absolu7]

if i work now to play later, there go my 20's ?