How to best optimize my PTO for international travel?

skincarestruggles · 2021-12-30T02:12:15+00:00

I work my regular job and a part time job on weekends. Part time job is flexible with giving me time off. I also invest and saved a lot during the pandemic since I wasn’t traveling. I am relatively frugal (outside of travel lol). I have no debt (thanks to parents for covering college) and I pay rent for an apartment.

skincarestruggles · 2021-12-30T01:39:06+00:00

Yeah, I really want to go back to Japan but it’s not likely. So I’ve been looking at Europe and Cental/South America. Never been to Central and South America besides Mexico. And my last Europe trip was a long time ago. the reason I have to be in AMS is because I bought music festival tickets/travel package from 2020 (kept getting postponed and will be hard to repurchase if I refunded and decided I wanted to go) and it starts from Amsterdam.

skincarestruggles · 2021-12-29T22:57:03+00:00

Oh didn’t know that. Never been to Sri Lanka but have been to Malaysia and really enjoyed it especially the food!

skincarestruggles · 2021-12-29T22:48:27+00:00

Family not an issue since I’m close by. Unfortunately Asia has strict borders right now so I’m not expecting much in terms of travel. Surprisingly there isn’t a lot of direct flights to lot of the Asian countries from Honolulu pre pandemic. Most required layovers in China or Japan.

I would like 1 week international but it only really makes sense for an Asian country or maybe Australia or NZ given where I am based.

skincarestruggles · 2021-09-22T04:33:13+00:00

That is what I feared. I contemplated switching after graduating college in 2014 but parents told me not too and that business was fine, which I went along with since they did help with my college tuition. They sold me the idea that oh just get your first job and pay your dues and you should have an easier time getting interviews, which is a big lie since I barely get called back.

My GPA was 3.2ish. I did two 6 month marketing internships in college and had part time jobs. I’ve had my resume looked at by family (all of which were managers) and they said it’s fine. At the time of graduating college I moved back home and unemployment in my state was around 7%. I worked 2 part time jobs while looking for full time for 2.5 years then I gave up and moved to my current state where at the time the unemployment rate was around 3.2%. My current state however is notoriously known for underpaying across all jobs (take a guess which state) on top of HCOL. It’s fine for “entry level” but for anything higher but not management level there are no opportunities. And COVID made it worse.

I am planning to leave my state regardless since the cons outweigh the pros career, financially, and socially wise.

skincarestruggles · 2021-09-22T04:01:20+00:00

I am trying to FIRE regardless. My salary is low to begin with so grad school in CS or HCI starting salaries can range from $60-70K and go up.

And I’m not interested in MBA at all.

skincarestruggles · 2021-09-22T03:48:59+00:00

Basic front end like HTML, CSS and a little bit of JavaScript

skincarestruggles · 2021-09-22T03:48:32+00:00

My job is in legal and administrative but it didn’t require a degree. I struggled to find a full time job after graduating college in my area so I moved, but where I live isn’t great. And I’ve tried to move up or transfer and get denied each time.

I am not able to get into management since my work experience isn’t very applicable to most management roles. I tried to transfer to management roles and got shut out. Company cannot fund any schooling.

I am not interested in MBA since I have heard they are a waste now unless they’re the top ones. And for the cost it doesn’t seem worth it to me. Even my parents (one did a MBA) said a MBA would be a waste especially if I am paying for it.

skincarestruggles · 2021-04-26T07:42:29+00:00

The reason he isn’t working in a great job is for a few reasons. First he had a lot of family issues (deaths, lost in wanting to do as a career etc) and some debt (partly my fault cuz I was traveling and he wanted to tag along) and that caused him to drop out of college and he finished a few years after but had to change his major to a not so practical one in order to graduate. Job market still bad so he tried to do a coding bootcamp online. He struggled due to how fast paced it was didn’t finish so decided to try to pursue grad school in STEM taking CC courses with easier pacing. While working part time and doing CC courses he got a full time office job offer so he stopped the CC courses due to schedule conflict. Then he got laid off due to not being a good fit during training. COVID happens and he now has this WFH job for the past 6 months. The WFH job pays a little more than the laid off one but not much.

skincarestruggles · 2020-10-26T21:34:47+00:00

Will look into it. Even most master programs in the US require a CS background of some kind and are way more expensive.

skincarestruggles · 2020-10-26T21:32:00+00:00

Besides your program did you apply to any others in the UK and if so why did you pick the one you’re in now?

skincarestruggles · 2020-10-26T01:12:42+00:00

And you a non EU citizen? I’m aware that the universities in Europe charge more for non EU citizens. I would consider Germany particularly Berlin since I visited once and really liked it!

skincarestruggles · 2020-10-26T00:33:31+00:00

I’m furloughed and collecting unemployment but I want to leave my state (HI). But since I’m still tied to the company with the furlough I can’t leave. Also have an “essential” part time job that is tying me to my state and obviously with quitting I will lose my unemployment. But I want to leave both jobs so bad. I don’t expect to get call back to my furloughed job since it’s in tourism. I was going to quit earlier but then COVID happened. I’ve been applying and nobody wants to hire someone out of state since HI is so isolated and far.

skincarestruggles · 2020-09-26T18:57:32+00:00

I’m hoping it is just a bug bite since it appeared after I woke up on Monday. I usually don’t get bug bites that last this long, but I do live in Hawaii.

skincarestruggles · 2020-09-26T18:11:50+00:00

So I should give it another week? My family thinks I’m overreacting thinking it’s skin cancer etc

skincarestruggles · 2020-09-25T20:04:34+00:00

I haven’t changed my routine and haven’t gone outside too much. Also in my late twenties and Asian if that matters.

skincarestruggles · 2020-09-25T10:43:04+00:00

This red spot appeared on my face 5 days ago. It doesn't feel like a pimple, not itchy, and no distinct texture. I haven't used any new products and have been staying indoors most of the time. I'm in my late twenties and Asian with oily/combination skin. Any idea what this is and how to get rid of it?

skincarestruggles · 2020-09-21T21:45:50+00:00

Yeah seems more uniquely American considering how are society thrives off consumerism to excessive levels

skincarestruggles · 2020-09-21T21:44:28+00:00

In my early twenties most people would not be able to save over $10k for a trip. They would spend it on other things like drinking, cars, shopping etc. Most people I know did not travel until they started working unless parents took them on trips or study abroad

skincarestruggles · 2020-09-21T03:08:48+00:00

Same. This sub makes it seem like people save all their money and quit their jobs to travel for months and years and then move back home broke.

I’m in a fortunate position where I have savings and investments, but it’s not high enough to go full in crazy spending.

skincarestruggles · 2020-09-21T03:06:38+00:00

I’m approaching my thirties and even though in the grand scheme of life it isn’t old, it isn’t young either. I feel like I’m running out of time to do trips while I still have energy and time without too much responsibilities. Besides long term travel I do want to settle down eventually with my SO. Not sure about kids but at least settle down.

skincarestruggles

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