The "Great" American Way

I spoke to a lovely woman today from Australia.  She brought a very sad fact to my attention, not shocking, just sad.  She was telling me all about how she worked for a bank in Australia and is now here on a working visa employed as a technologist.  I in turn divulged my plans to travel the world for a year, Australia being one of my main stops. She gave me such a strange look and said, “Well…that is very un-American of you!” She went on to describe how an Australian resume is full of holes because traveling is such a common thing.  8 months here, 3 weeks there, companies are so used to this behavior that many will hold positions, like taking a sabbatical, so the person has a job to come back to.  Americans on the other side of the spectrum work their lives away, sometimes not even taking their measly 2 weeks of vacation each year.  To take a sabbatical requires a 5-10 year commitment, sometimes more, to a single company.  It’s shameful in my eyes, although I recognize not everyone may agree with me.  Some people thrive in this “American” working environment.

I’ve wondered myself about what I will be coming back to when I return from my travels.  I’ve only been with my company for 3 years so I can be sure I will not be granted a year long sabbatical.  My company does however invest a lot in their employees, so if I leave on good terms there is a good chance they would find some opportunity for me.  That’s if I even want to jump back into the daily grind.  What if traveling just fits.  I’d love to find a way to live on my own terms and continue my travels if I so choose.  That’s my “American” dream :)