Hey!
After travelling, i'm sure peoples outlook on life changes. I was away for only a month last year & was surprised at what life can teach you in such a small amount of time. I'm sure peoples career paths take a few unexpected turns after travelling or at least they've discovered what they would like to do compared to the jobs they left before
Would be interested in of any experience of this?!
Cheers!
[ Edit: Edited on Feb 20, 2007, at 11:47 AM by Irish eyes ]
Hey Irish eyes, I went travelling for a year in 2005 and pretty much made up my mind to start my own business when I returned so I would have the freedom to travel whenever I liked - and be able to afford to. I now run my own video editing business and am planning to travel China next year with a view to be able to travel for two or three months out of every year. I always wanted to start my own editing company but I'm not sure if I would have started it up if I hadn't taken that year off. So I guess travel was my big motivator and I have 2005 to thank for the position I'm in now 
Hello Irish Eyes
One thing traveling thought me(especially traveling in the third world), is that I can have a simple and inexpensive lifestyle and still enjoy life.
This influenced my work life, because I realised, that I only needed to earn a certain amount of money. So I did not do over time, for money.
And I did not have to take a particular job, just because it payed more.
Mel
I've kind of travelled my whole life, so can't specifically point at one trip shaping any kind of outcome, but I guess you could say that this site is based on all the travelling Peter and I have done (helps when your parents travel a lot!).
On a more personal level, I used to work for one large multinational, moved to another company because (I thought) it would be a lot more fun/rewarding and involve a lot more travelling. It did involve a lot of travelling but the people running it made it a horrible work environment, so I quit after six months. While doing the job I had met a girl from Norway though and after quitting was offered a small freelance job up in Norway so took that.... long story short, we're now married, I own 2 travel related businesses (this site being one), am (obviously) self-employed, live in Norway and have a kid....
I'm positive that without all the travelling I have done, I would never have had this 'career'!
Congrats on your new venture Emma :D
Irish eyes, my outlook on life has definitely changed. I left home in a big of a fog really. Travelling seemed like the obvious choice as i had no clue of what I really wanted out of life.
A year later, a few very important things have crystallised in my mind. The ups and downs of travel can strengthen or illuminate certain aspects of your personality and make you consider doing things you wouldnt normally.
Additionally, the chance to get out of your normal boundaries and let your hair down does wonders for your sense of adventure.
And if you didnt have "people-skills" before you left home, you sure as hell do when you get back
Who knows who you might meet who could change the course of your life!
I know with certainty after this year away what I want to do with the rest of my life now. The rest is up to good luck and hard work. One thing I have realised is that you have to try to make things happen, not just sit around and wait for them to land in your lap. 
I have also been travelling all my life and I can't really specify where and how it has changed my life. I only know that I need to continue travelling. I also think that it has opened my eyes somewhat to the reality of this world. This attitude affected my career decisions and I have chosen a career that incorporates travelling as part of the job.
Quoting samsara2
Congrats on your new venture Emma :D
Thanks Sam!
I haven´t been travelling that much so far. It´s my third month now in Central America and there are three more to come.
It´s amazing, I met such beautiful people I never expected that to happen.
And I really fell in love with the people here, especially in Panama.
I don´t know how, but travelling definetely makes you see things in a different and probably more open-minded way. And you start appreciating things you never even thought about.
I don´t know what I´m gonna do in the years to come but as long as I know that I can travel, I´m happy.
Quoting Sam I Am
I've kind of travelled my whole life, so can't specifically point at one trip shaping any kind of outcome, but I guess you could say that this site is based on all the travelling Peter and I have done (helps when your parents travel a lot!).
Sam did you mean this, in going on two/three weeks holidays or like moving home, to a different country or part of a country frequently??
Just curious to know as a few friends i know have said to me "we cant do it now weve got kids!" Id did say to em to take them with you and for me id love to take the kidos' - ive experienced some changes since i started that RTW last Oct and itd be a even better one with kids. (Challenging - just a bit!)
Just remembered! may have gotten some of the details in that wee poky hole in Richmond/Fitzroy!
Quoting smythy
Sam did you mean this, in going on two/three weeks holidays or like moving home, to a different country or part of a country frequently??
As in living in another country, but because of that we travelled back to North America/Europe every 3/4 years, usually taking different (cheapest at the time 
) routes, so got to see some places
Quoting smythy
Just remembered! may have gotten some of the details in that wee poky hole in Richmond/Fitzroy!
That was a nice little dive wasn't it?! 