Return to Ireland or continue travelling?

Dog Lipstick

Hey guys

I realise that they're are alot more serious problems out there and I'm lucky to that my biggest problem at the moment is this but I'm just looking for some advice on my situation.

Basically I'm a 25 year old male and I have been travelling and working in Australia for the last year as part of a career break from an office job back home in Ireland that I really did hate.
My work from home need me to get back to them very soon about whether or not I am going to return.
A close friend of mine that I am over here with has asked me to go travelling Asia and South America with him just as my Visa ends in Australia. I really do want to do this as I think that it's more than likely a once in a lifetime chance and it would be an amazing trip.

Of course if I do take the plunge and go travelling for 9 months or so it would mean not returning to my mundane but stable job at home. I have already asked on a couple of occasions for an extension on my career break and I have been told an outright no on both occasions.

I was thinking that I should go on the trip and return home better for the experience and memories and apply for a full time university course in a field that I actually would love to build a career in...but also with the way the economy and everything is maybe I should count myself lucky that there is any job for me at home.....

I hope that this makes some sense...I'm a bit all over the place at the moment.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Jackthesniffer

Dog Lipstick wrote: »

Hey guys

I realise that they're are alot more serious problems out there and I'm lucky to that my biggest problem at the moment is this but I'm just looking for some advice on my situation.

Basically I'm a 25 year old male and I have been travelling and working in Australia for the last year as part of a career break from an office job back home in Ireland that I really did hate.
My work from home need me to get back to them very soon about whether or not I am going to return.
A close friend of mine that I am over here with has asked me to go travelling Asia and South America with him just as my Visa ends in Australia. I really do want to do this as I think that it's more than likely a once in a lifetime chance and it would be an amazing trip.

Of course if I do take the plunge and go travelling for 9 months or so it would mean not returning to my mundane but stable job at home. I have already asked on a couple of occasions for an extension on my career break and I have been told an outright no on both occasions.

I was thinking that I should go on the trip and return home better for the experience and memories and apply for a full time university course in a field that I actually would love to build a career in...but also with the way the economy and everything is maybe I should count myself lucky that there is any job for me at home.....

I hope that this makes some sense...I'm a bit all over the place at the moment.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I think you should go travelling mate,once in a lifetime n all that. If it was a job that you liked then maybe it would be a harder decision to make. I was in a similar position a good few years ago whereby my year in oz was coming to an end. The job i left in Ireland got in touch with me asking if i would come back to my old job. It was really tempting, co. car and decent money, but i too wasn't into the job. I said no to the offer and when i got home was out of work for a few months. I just felt i would be taking a step back and in a rut by taking the old job. Eventually got an ok job that paid the bills for awhile and then a few months later got a great job that im presently in and happy. I know things are different now with the economy and i wouldn't recommend getting into big debt by going travelling but if you have a few quid saved, go for it! Think you might regret it years later and like u said come back and get into something that you will enjoy working in. Your still young, time is on your side, best of luck!

Beruthiel

Dog Lipstick wrote: »

Basically I'm a 25 year old male and I have been travelling and working in Australia for the last year as part of a career break from an office job back home in Ireland that I really did hate.

The way I see it is, you're a 25 year old single man, the world is your oyster.
That job you hated before will now be impossible for you because you have see the alternative and will long for it every day you sit at that desk.
If you do go back, you'll slowly go mad and will jack it in anyway. Can you see yourself doing that until you retire?

I was thinking that I should go on the trip and return home better for the experience and memories and apply for a full time university course in a field that I actually would love to build a career in

Sounds like a good plan to me.
Take the risk, head off with your friend.

gerryk

Dog Lipstick wrote: »

I was thinking that I should go on the trip and return home better for the experience and memories and apply for a full time university course in a field that I actually would love to build a career in...

Yup. Pretty much have it nailed right here.

greenprincess

TRAVEL! There will always be another job you hate

LegacyUser

Definitely keep travelling.

You will regret going home now, but you will never regret travelling.

I kept going and ended up never returning to Ireland, only for visits.

The country is going down the pan fast and for the foreseeable future. Keep moving and enjoy.

R.D. aka MR.D

Listen, you don't want to be sitting at a desk thinking what might have been......

Animord

I think you should come home and settle down to your responsibilities and start building for your future. You are so lucky to have a job here that wants you back - not everyone is in your position, and what benefits did travel ever really bring anyone?


Now did reading that break your heart? In which case I think you know the answer.

Do it! Do it! Do it!

CatFromHue

I would be in favour of thanking your employer for giving you the career break but informing them the opportunity to travel to Asia is too great to resist.

If you are thinking of going to go back to college though and are hoping to get the grant it'd be a good idea to check out the terms and conditions before you go to Asia. A friend of mine was away travelling for 2 years and had intended to return to college when he got home. To the best of my knowledge he wasn't able to get the grant because of being away so long.

You should also be aware re adjusting to life in Ireland after being away in Oz is pretty tricky, especially if you know you'll be coming back to a job you dislike.

tbh

flip a coin. While the coin is in the air, ask yourself - what result do you hope you'll get? and then do that.

jimmycrackcorm

9 months travel vs years of likely unemployment.
Had you asked the question 5 years ago I too would be saying travel but unless you have a plan to put yourself in a position to get a replacement job then I would seriously reconsider further travelling.

LegacyUser

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

9 months travel vs years of likely unemployment.
Had you asked the question 5 years ago I too would be saying travel but unless you have a plan to put yourself in a position to get a replacement job then I would seriously reconsider further travelling.

Guff

He's only gonna be unemployed if he goes back to Ireland. After more travelling, it'll be the last thing he'll want to do.

MagicMarker

Hmmm, travelling S. America & Asia versus office job and chicken fillet roles from Spar?

That is quite the conundrum alright.

If I were you I would travel until it was financially, physically, mentally and emotionally impossible to do so.

jimmycrackcorm

Jimbo Jonez wrote: »

Guff

He's only gonna be unemployed if he goes back to Ireland. After more travelling, it'll be the last thing he'll want to do.

No. He said he is on a career break and has a job to go back to now.

The_Conductor

To be honest with you- if you intend to have a career in Ireland, come back and take up your stable job, you have many happy memories you can draw on for years to come.

If you think you'll somehow do a university course and have a career as a result of having done said course in the future- it doesn't work that way........

In Ireland we are going to increase taxes and cut expenditure by a further 27 billion on top of what we've already done- by 2017. We've signed the dotted line and agreed to do this.

University fees are coming in by the back door- whether people like it or not- and even in the courses where you were 'guaranteed' employment in the past- the guarantee isn't worth spittle any more.

If the job you have back at home is stable, and you are sure of this- and you want to live and work in Ireland in the future- you'd be insane to toss in the secure and stable job. If you are willing to accept you don't intend on living/working in Ireland in the future- then travel to your hearts content.

You seem to have a romantic picture in your head- 'ah sure, I'll go to UCD (or where-ever) and do a degree (or whatever) in a discipline I'll enjoy and I'll walk into a job as a result of holding my qualification.' Not anymore you won't............

Dog Lipstick

Thanks for the responses everyone, it really helped to get an impartial view point and hear some of your opinions whether it was for or against travelling.

I have decided in the former, I'm gonna stick around Australia for another few months and then start the new part of the adventure with my mate.
Whether or not it's the right decision in the long run remains to be seen but I think that when I really started to weigh it up in my head ....I just couldn't turn down the opportunity.

I've spent too much of my twenties passing up opportunities ( none with as much risk as this) and I just had to grab it with both hands. I'm fully aware that it will be very difficult to start again at home, whether it is trying to pursue a 3rd level education or a job but I guess that is just apart of the price.

Thanks again everyone, it's gonna be a very different but fun and interesting life over the next few months and I'm nervous but excited.

Beruthiel

Dog Lipstick wrote: »

Whether or not it's the right decision in the long run remains to be seen

No such thing as a wrong decision in this case.
You've just taken a different path. A road less travelled.

Jackthesniffer

Sure we might see ye on banged up abroad in the near future :-)