Beyond the government bureaucracy there are other adjustments associated with ending your around the world travels. The insurance and financial industries will also treat you like a vagabond pariah when you return to the U.S.
CAR INSURANCE
There’s a great deal of irony in the fact that you can travel around the world without a car then return to the U.S. and need a car if you simply want a gallon of milk. Such is the way of life in the great suburban sprawls that define the American living experience. You need a car. You need car insurance.
Your car insurance may double in the one-year period from when you left the U.S. Insurance underwriting has an automatic flag, that if you were without coverage for a year, there must have been a driving-related issue, therefore you are starting over at insurance ground zero. I had a driver’s license and car insurance for over fifteen years, received one speeding ticket, never caused an accident, and never filed a claim but I let my car insurance coverage lapse for eighteen months while traveling; those prior fifteen years didn’t exist for car insurance purposes. I was sixteen all over again.
When I left the U.S. I was paying $86 a month in California for car insurance on a five-year-old Toyota Camry. When I returned my initial quote for the same coverage limits in Pennsylvania, on a new Honda Accord, was $1,197. I told the insurance agent “That's not too bad, $100 a month.” The insurance agent replied, “No, that's the six-month amount, it's $200 a month.” I went to the agency my parents use for their car and homeowner’s insurance and because of their stable record was able to reduce my car insurance cost down to $91 a month.
BUYING A HOUSE
Returning to your parents for accommodation makes for an easy transition during the first weeks back (assuming your parents welcome your return), however, it's not a permanent solution. Despite owning no worldly possessions, I was interested in owning a house, primarily as an investment and to use as an Airbnb rental to meet other travelers.
I waited a year before purchasing a house and obtaining a mortgage. Loan officers will not extend a mortgage until you have six months of income. There are some work arounds to this time requirement, however, any company willing to overlook your limited employment history and extend a loan is likely to charge higher points and service fees on your mortgage. It’s better to wait six months, have a cleaner mortgage, and save money for furniture, a bed, and other home expenses. The mortgage underwriter is another person that will need an explanation of your one-year work absence and fortunately, it won’t impact your interest rates or the size of your loan (I think).
WATCH THE WAISTLINE
It's easy to add weight when you return.
American dining portions are larger and the food richer than their international counterparts. Red meat, which before was limited to cravings, is more readily available and when combined with sides of carbohydrates can make you feel lethargic days after the meal. Living with my parents meant a pantry full of pretzels and cookie trays on kitchen counters with a backup supply in the refrigerator. All temptations that did not exist while traveling.
Exercise may not result in losing weight when you first return; rather be happy to maintain your current weight. If you go to the gym and burn 500 calories on the elliptical, that’s canceling out the additional 500 calories that are hidden in American food.
RETURN TO WORK
I returned to the U.S. because I had unfulfilled career goals. I knew I could do more with my career. I was lucky when applying for jobs and interviewing. I found a company that viewed my travel as an asset. If you don’t have my luck, don't become too discourage—any company that doesn't believe traveling around the world makes you a better worker probably won’t be a great place to work. Steve Jobs’ time in India did not eliminate any time of work for travel stigmas. There are few companies that want their employees to “Think Different.”
When I was explaining my employment gap I thought it was helpful to have built a website and show there was substance to my travels. I list the website on my LinkedIn profile along with traffic metrics. I emphasized that my around the world trip was the pursuit of life goals and not a lifestyle decision. I think that’s a key distinction. There are passions you want to pursue in your life, objectives you want to accomplish, there are real and legitimate goals versus travel is a lifestyle approach. I never had any doubt I would resume my professional career. I kept that in mind while I traveled to be able to articulate why I had an eighteen month gap between real employment.
PHYSICAL VERSUS MENTAL ADJUSTMENTS
I thought the hardest part of the transition from travel to work was physical, not mental. The physical wear of sitting at a desk, physically starring at a computer. I wasn’t bored, I enjoyed returning to work. It was sitting in a chair ravaged my body. The first months, and even now that I’ve been back for several years, I am not sitting at a desk at work thinking of how I’d rather be trekking in the Himalayas, like I did pre-travels, but rather I am sitting at a desk thinking this is physically painful. My body is still not accustomed to sitting and leaning forward all day. My head and eyes hurt staring at a screen for nine hours a day. I take mini trips and walk around the office.
When you return you will also have plenty of down time. Time to watch TV. Time to follow social media. The year that I traveled was blissful ignorance. I had no idea what was happening in American politics. No idea what was happening in the entertainment world. It was great. Now TV and social media are the first things that fill the down time void. It’s a struggle to stay productive outside of work.
When I reflect on the travels, it was a phase in my life. It doesn’t define who I am. It was an intense period where I knocked out my lifetime travel goals. I believe there is an honor in maintaining a standard routine, pursuing career goals, and fulfilling civic duties. The people who argue that the 9-5 career isn’t fulfilling, that you are working for someone else…I think they are overlooking the subtleties of life. Life is simple.
CAR INSURANCE
There’s a great deal of irony in the fact that you can travel around the world without a car then return to the U.S. and need a car if you simply want a gallon of milk. Such is the way of life in the great suburban sprawls that define the American living experience. You need a car. You need car insurance.
Your car insurance may double in the one-year period from when you left the U.S. Insurance underwriting has an automatic flag, that if you were without coverage for a year, there must have been a driving-related issue, therefore you are starting over at insurance ground zero. I had a driver’s license and car insurance for over fifteen years, received one speeding ticket, never caused an accident, and never filed a claim but I let my car insurance coverage lapse for eighteen months while traveling; those prior fifteen years didn’t exist for car insurance purposes. I was sixteen all over again.
When I left the U.S. I was paying $86 a month in California for car insurance on a five-year-old Toyota Camry. When I returned my initial quote for the same coverage limits in Pennsylvania, on a new Honda Accord, was $1,197. I told the insurance agent “That's not too bad, $100 a month.” The insurance agent replied, “No, that's the six-month amount, it's $200 a month.” I went to the agency my parents use for their car and homeowner’s insurance and because of their stable record was able to reduce my car insurance cost down to $91 a month.
BUYING A HOUSE
Returning to your parents for accommodation makes for an easy transition during the first weeks back (assuming your parents welcome your return), however, it's not a permanent solution. Despite owning no worldly possessions, I was interested in owning a house, primarily as an investment and to use as an Airbnb rental to meet other travelers.
I waited a year before purchasing a house and obtaining a mortgage. Loan officers will not extend a mortgage until you have six months of income. There are some work arounds to this time requirement, however, any company willing to overlook your limited employment history and extend a loan is likely to charge higher points and service fees on your mortgage. It’s better to wait six months, have a cleaner mortgage, and save money for furniture, a bed, and other home expenses. The mortgage underwriter is another person that will need an explanation of your one-year work absence and fortunately, it won’t impact your interest rates or the size of your loan (I think).
WATCH THE WAISTLINE
It's easy to add weight when you return.
American dining portions are larger and the food richer than their international counterparts. Red meat, which before was limited to cravings, is more readily available and when combined with sides of carbohydrates can make you feel lethargic days after the meal. Living with my parents meant a pantry full of pretzels and cookie trays on kitchen counters with a backup supply in the refrigerator. All temptations that did not exist while traveling.
Exercise may not result in losing weight when you first return; rather be happy to maintain your current weight. If you go to the gym and burn 500 calories on the elliptical, that’s canceling out the additional 500 calories that are hidden in American food.
RETURN TO WORK
I returned to the U.S. because I had unfulfilled career goals. I knew I could do more with my career. I was lucky when applying for jobs and interviewing. I found a company that viewed my travel as an asset. If you don’t have my luck, don't become too discourage—any company that doesn't believe traveling around the world makes you a better worker probably won’t be a great place to work. Steve Jobs’ time in India did not eliminate any time of work for travel stigmas. There are few companies that want their employees to “Think Different.”
When I was explaining my employment gap I thought it was helpful to have built a website and show there was substance to my travels. I list the website on my LinkedIn profile along with traffic metrics. I emphasized that my around the world trip was the pursuit of life goals and not a lifestyle decision. I think that’s a key distinction. There are passions you want to pursue in your life, objectives you want to accomplish, there are real and legitimate goals versus travel is a lifestyle approach. I never had any doubt I would resume my professional career. I kept that in mind while I traveled to be able to articulate why I had an eighteen month gap between real employment.
PHYSICAL VERSUS MENTAL ADJUSTMENTS
I thought the hardest part of the transition from travel to work was physical, not mental. The physical wear of sitting at a desk, physically starring at a computer. I wasn’t bored, I enjoyed returning to work. It was sitting in a chair ravaged my body. The first months, and even now that I’ve been back for several years, I am not sitting at a desk at work thinking of how I’d rather be trekking in the Himalayas, like I did pre-travels, but rather I am sitting at a desk thinking this is physically painful. My body is still not accustomed to sitting and leaning forward all day. My head and eyes hurt staring at a screen for nine hours a day. I take mini trips and walk around the office.
When you return you will also have plenty of down time. Time to watch TV. Time to follow social media. The year that I traveled was blissful ignorance. I had no idea what was happening in American politics. No idea what was happening in the entertainment world. It was great. Now TV and social media are the first things that fill the down time void. It’s a struggle to stay productive outside of work.
When I reflect on the travels, it was a phase in my life. It doesn’t define who I am. It was an intense period where I knocked out my lifetime travel goals. I believe there is an honor in maintaining a standard routine, pursuing career goals, and fulfilling civic duties. The people who argue that the 9-5 career isn’t fulfilling, that you are working for someone else…I think they are overlooking the subtleties of life. Life is simple.