Visit your family.

So you just decided to quit your job, gather your assets, sell your crap, and travel the world! Cool! But first…

You should really take the time to go and visit your family.

 

Or, get married so they visit you.

 

I know it is hard to admit, but most of us owe a lot to our families and have generally treated them pretty badly for most of our lives (between the ages of 12 and 24 at least, with a little murkiness bordering both edges.)

And if me suggesting this caused to you to do a spit-take and proclaim, “What have they ever done for me!?!? I did everything on my own!!!!” Then congratulate yourself on being an over privileged American and go see your family anyway.

Cause, regardless of your poopy attitude and whether or not they express it exactly how you want, your family cares what you are doing. And if you have to think of it as penance, the cost of having the awesome life you are about to have, then so be it (not that we do at all, just saying)

As soon as you get to Asia and adjust your life to your new daily life cap (in our case, $50 a day between the two of us), the cost of travelling home will become crazy expensive. Man, even thinking about how I used to spend ten bucks on a beer in Australia gives me the goosebumps (or goose pimples if you are weird.)

Life will start to carry you by and before you know it, you’ll have gone years without having seen them. I know, FaceTime and Skype and Republic Wireless make it easy to keep in contact, but in your heart of hearts you know I am right.

So, before you go and have the adventure of a lifetime, go and spend a few weeks hanging with the people who, for reasons beyond most comprehension, still give a crap about your privileged face.