Leaving a job to travel abroad is a major life decision, particularly when it means stepping away from a career built over several years. But a change of scenery does not always bring the experience a person expects. One Australian woman’s account of her solo Europe trip has sparked a discussion online after she admitted that she wanted to return home just two weeks into her journey.The 28-year-old had planned to spend six months exploring Europe after leaving her finance job. However, her early experiences in Vienna and Rome left her questioning her decision. Her Reddit post has since received mixed reactions, with users sharing their views on her travel experience.
Why she left her job to travel across Europe
The woman had five years of experience in finance and described her career as promising. However, she was also feeling burnt out and worried about missing the opportunity to travel while she had fewer responsibilities.Explaining her decision, she wrote, “I had a promising career (5yrs experience in Finance), but the thought of not taking the opportunity of travelling whilst I had limited responsibilities was haunting me so I packed up everything.”She added, “I was also getting burnt out at the same time.”She eventually decided to leave her job and begin a six-month solo journey across Europe.
Her experience in Vienna and Rome
Her first stop was Vienna, Austria, where she spent a week. She said she found people less friendly and more distant than she was accustomed to in Australia.She then travelled to Rome, Italy, where she felt uncomfortable with the surroundings. Comparing the city with Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, she raised concerns about safety and cleanliness.Sharing her feelings about the trip, she wrote, “I’m Already Wanting To Go Home,”She described her experience in the two cities, saying, “I was in Vienna, Austria Week 1 and found the people less friendly and more standoff-ish compared to Aussies,” she mentioned. “I’m now writing this in Rome, Italy and it feels unsafe and dirty compared to Sydney/Melb/Brisbane.”
What she now appreciates about Australia
Being away from home also changed how the woman viewed her life in Australia. She said she had not fully appreciated the country’s friendly people, safety, coffee and weather while following her regular work routine.Reflecting on this, she wrote, “My only enlightenment so far is that I have taken many aspects of Australia for granted. I didn’t notice the safety, the friendliness, the good coffee and the good weather when I was hunched over a screen in the office for 50 hrs a week.”
Reddit users share mixed reactions
Her post drew a range of responses. Some users encouraged her to continue the trip, while others questioned her reaction to the places she had visited.One user suggested she might need more time to adjust, writing, “Culture shock is a good thing for your psyche, ultimately. You’ll find after several more weeks abroad you will acclimatise. It’s definitely a rocky start sometimes. You didn’t make a mistake.”Another felt she was regretting her decision too soon, commenting, “You’re 2 weeks into a 6-month trip – this feels like prime buyer’s remorse time. Just a mental hurdle to get over and remember the reasons why you made the jump. The work will be there when you get back.”Someone else observed, “Travelling sometimes makes you appreciate home.”Other users felt she was overlooking what Rome had to offer. One commented, “If your only takeaway from Rome is that it’s ‘dirty’, and you’re not in absolute awe standing in the Colosseum or Pantheon or staring up in the Sistine Chapel… Then yeah, maybe you should’ve stayed in Australia.”Another wrote, “If you find Rome unsafe and dirty, think world travel is not for you. Nothing wrong with that; just stick to modern cities.”A different user advised, “Stop comparing and be open to new experiences.”Disclaimer: This article is based on user-generated content. The claims made in the original post have not been independently verified by The Times of India.Thumb image: Canva
