Travel 10

[RudyRuude]

Hi,

I am a recent new graduate in Mechanical Engineering and wanted to get some of your opinions on traveling after completing an engineering degree. Would you recommend doing the travel thing or would you recommend getting some work experience behind me first? The reason why I ask is I have some buddies who are itching to go traveling and to be honest I share the same feeling. But they aren't engineers.

I recently accepted a full time position at an engineering firm because having been broke for the past 4-5 years I was itching to start making my own money and gaining experience towards my PEng. I still think that was probably the smartest thing to do, but I keep hearing all the "you won't be able to do it later", "this is the time you have the minimum responsibilities", "you shouldn't be in a rush to start work" kind of stuff, which I guess has some merit to it.

I wanted to ask other engineers what they thought because I think its a little different for engineer so dropping everything to go traveling could effect your competitivness in the job market when you are eventually looking for a job. I guess I should mention I dont have a whole lot of experience either-roughly 8 months as a summer intern.

Anyways, all opinions are welcome and I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Thanks!

 

[cry22]

I'd second the travel on company's dime any day of course. Kind of cool to use the company's american express card for diner at an upscale restaurant instead of a bologna sandwich and chips on the steps of a railroad station.

Suggest that you document yourself on travel first.

1. Start with "safe" countries (if there is any such thing). in some places, you could go to jail for kissing a girl in public and be accused of rape. Others can be expensive as hell, and so on.
2. In some other places, you will be a real nice kidnapping target. read a bit of politics before you leave.
3. Learn a few words of foreign languages.
4. check your vaccines requirements before you travel
5. for somewhat "dangerous countries" - try getting into Engineers without borders. Just a thought.
6. e-mail yourself a copy of your passport and birth certificate to replace your stolen passport - good chances that you will lose it. You will get robbed. Hold-on to that passport, you'd be seriously inconvenienced if you happen to lose it.
7. check your vaccines requirements before you travel
8. However exotic the places may sound - Avoid the third world.
9. If it bugs you, you should do it. Once the kids come out rolling, forget it.
and number 10 - Try traveling to a place where it is easy to get laid. It makes for a much better experience.

 

[Gymmeh]

Most Bosses I have had are easy to work with and understanding if you PUT IN YOUR TIME TO THE COMPANY.

For almost 5 years in a row I went to Europe with some deal I hashed out with my bosses. As and Engineer you should be making Enough bank that if your priority is traveling, you can handle traveling on your own. i.e. dont get a new car, new tv, and generally waste your money. WORK HARD...and you are normally rewarded.

Examples:
1.) Ask boss if you can add say 3 days to a Business trip to Dijon France, to stop in Paris.
2.) Ask boss if you can take a use all your vacation and sick time and maybe a week or 2 without pay to spend 4 weeks around Christmas Traveling, most companies don't get anything done around then anyway.
3.) When International guests visit your company, offer the show them around, take them out, do whatever. They will likely repay the favor should the opportunity present itself. I got discounted rail fair and lunch stipends from a partner company for treating their tech's to a good time on the US.

Good Luck.

 

[weldstan]

I was truly broke after graduating. After putting down the first month's rent etc. I had $20 in Feb 1970 to get me through to my first paycheck. Left after 2 1/2 years to travel and be a ski bum. Had a lot of fun and have travelled plenty with the firms, with which I have been assocated, thereafter.

 

[KENAT]

acoppold , there have been lots of previous posts about what a new engineer or new grad etc needs to do. A search and looking through previous posts in this forum (& maybe forum732 & forum730) should give you more info than you know what to do with.

(I swear I'd already replied but don't see it now.)

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[JohnRBaker]

My problem wasn't just the $20 or so in my pocket when I graduated in 1971, it was also the fact that I had a wife and two young children that needed to be fed on a regular basis to say nothing of school loans (although I have to admit that when I hear some of today's horror stories I consider myself very lucky indeed) that needed to be repaid and a car that had to be replaced soon, mostly because we had simply outgrown it (having two babies less than a year apart can really play hell with your old lifestyle).

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[tickle]

The answer is there all along - Engineers Without Borders. Experience in life and engineering

 

[ScottyUK]

JohnR,

Having them 15 months apart ain't much better, trust me!

 

[JohnRBaker]

Tell me about it, my brother and I are 14 months apart.

BTW, when I said we had "two babies less than a year apart", the reality was that they were only a bit over NINE months apart, early March to late December. And we had no health insurance at the time but my wife did work for the hospital so we got them 'at cost'. Our doctor felt so sorry for us that he delivered our second son virtually for free ;-)

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[tickle]

Scotty / John R

Or even 15 years!

 

[tickle]

Scotty / John R

Or even 15 years!

 

[marty007]

Heh, wimps. In 2012 I had two babies born 1 minute apart. Talk about messing with your lifestyle!

 

[JohnRBaker]

Trust me, a minute would have been a lot better then 9 months, just ask my wife

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[JohnRBaker]

For the record, my wife and I are still married (47 years this coming June) and number one son (who just happens to be turning 44 TODAY) and number two son (who won't catch-up until December) are doing just fine.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[curiocity]

Just my very humble 2 cents. I second tickle's recommendation, Engineers Without Borders, but would recommend if you've already accepted, to put in the time, learn the trade, and go travel or work for Engineers Without Borders after, knowing you have some good experience under your belt.

As someone who absolutely LOVES travel, I take every opportunity to do explore and depending what airport you live close to, it's very feasible keep an eye out for whatever airfare deals come along and take weekend +1 or +2 days and beer taste in Belgium, sing and dance with the locals in Copenhagen, spend a romantic weekend in Paris, etc., and with your saved vacation days spend your nights in the dessert Bedouin camp in Jordan near Petra, all knowing you can afford it cause you have a job. Does it compare to take 1-2 years off to travel, no, this doesn't compare. But it does make you more financially prudent, and have enough experience to take 1-2 years off later in life and not worry as much about being able to find work after.

 

[galaxy212]

Tough decision, the thing is when your foot is in the door it is really hard to pull it out again. I'm mid twenties and would really like to take some time out having got a got a few years experience under my belt now but I'm not really willing to do it with at job guarantee upon return. I would say if the job hunt is slow now might be the time to do it, and maybe start the hunt again when your still out there but soon to return.

 

[TomDOT]

Okay, now that "take the job and travel" is all hashed out:

1) Avoid "lifestyle inflation" - if you can live like a college student while pulling down engineer $$, you can start piling up cash FAST.

2) Go read Mr. Money Mustache. Maybe you will want to keep working a long time - but if you pile up the resources to be financially independent, you can be a LOT choosier about where and how you work.

Lots of people in the MMM forums are saving at least 50% of their gross, and having a good time doing it. In the "bang for your buck" sense - if you keep your lifestyle down, you reach financial independence a LOT sooner.

 

[JohnRBaker]

And if you choose to have children, be sure to instill the 'work ethic' in them at an early age so that your 'savings' end up actually being available when YOU are ready to spend them on YOURSELVES ;-)

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[GregLocock]

Tom's point 1) works well. I bought the nastiest house in the (reasonable but not trendy) street for cash, drove the nastiest car in the universe, always flew coach, and invested/gambled the rest on the stock exchange. In 10 years I met my original goal, to be able to stop work on any day and carry on living in that manner (it very much helps that respectable companies in Australia pay about 6% in annual dividends). So from that day forward I was, and remain, essentially out of the rat race. I still fly coach. The GFC didn't wipe me out because I had no loans.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?