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August 26, 2011

Taking a Chance and Saying “Yes!”

When asked in the moonlight on a gorgeous beach in Fiji, “Will you go with me on my life dream and travel in South East Asia for a year?” I, of course, said “YES!” I mean after kissing all those frogs to look for my prince, what American-born girl raised on Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White does not know the answer to that question!

George found me online after I had survived numerous first dates, including the five Steves, a lawsuit involving It’s Just Lunch and nearly going on the TV show Judge Judy. I had almost given up on online love but listened to a friend and switched to a new site to look for Mr. Right. Amazingly my first date with George lasted over five hours and within six months we were watching sunsets in Vanuatu and Fiji together.

Most of the career break stories I hear are about the person who cannot wait to go. My story is the opposite. I wanted to want to go, but I was so afraid. Off the beach and back home, all I had were the WHAT Ifs? What if we don’t get along? What if there is nowhere to stay? What if we get sick? I had lived on a cruise ship for nearly seven years, so I knew I could leave and come back, but to travel with George without a set plan; this was a challenge I was not sure I could handle.

Together George and I figured it all out. We rented our condo, found a home for the cat, and brushed up our resumes. I did not have a leave of absence like George but interviewing for a teaching job by Skype from Don Det, Laos before the generator stopped working was a great story. I wish the ” title=”Meet Plan Go!”>Meet Plan Go! as part of the KICK ASS HOST SERIES! Meet Plan Go! National called our story “A Career Break Fairytale!”

We hope to see you SEPT 6 in Los Angeles for our TRAVEL BOOK READING with Rachel Friedman, author of – The Good Girl’s Guide to Getting Lost: A Memoir of Three Continents, Two Friends, and One Unexpected Adventure. ” title=”Schoolchildren of Manono Island”>Schoolchildren of Manono Island and Flying in Tonga!