Overseas sojourn quandary

[thrifty++]

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[henrik]

I honestly don't get the "resume gap" problem that people often talk about. Would you even want to work for an employer that would disqualify you just because you decided to spend a summer learning a language before you applied with them? I hope most reasonable employers will look at your skills and experience rather than check your diligence in matching date ranges on the resume...
For what it's worth, I've taken several such gaps both during and between jobs (including for language immersion just like you are planning, it works btw!) and it's never been an issue. As much as it's come up in talks/interviews, I think it's rather been a positive influence.

[Peanut]

It's a pretty big risk you'd be taking it seems to me. What about going for 1-2 months? Would your employer hold your job for you? What about learning French at home? (I assume you have some French ability already?) Are there conversation groups that you could join/start? If you don't speak French already five months will not make you fluent anyway imo.

You are getting older at 34? Truly I don't see why you wouldn't be able to do this at 41 unless you imagine you would have family commitments, etc.

If this is really about a desire to emigrate I'd put together a plan for that instead.

[thrifty++]

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[ether]

I would do it!
Life's short, you're in an excellent position to do this.
What's the worst that could happen?

[henrik]

@thrifty - I've sent you a PM with some background.
Also, what @ether said!

[heyhey]

I did something like this, moving to France for a year in my late 30s. I didn't specifically move to learn the language, but because of a relationship. I don't think you would lose anything by waiting until age 40, but it's up to you. Senility does not start to strike until later!

I do agree, if you really want to learn a language, you have to immerse yourself in it. It worked for me. I was exhausted for the first 2-3 months, because nobody around me spoke English at all fluently, so there was no escape, but after that it came naturally and it's stuck. I didn't just think in French, I started to dream in French - and I was told I spoke perfect French with no accent when I talked in my sleep!

I had no trouble returning to work when I came home. It didn't add anything though. I've never had a job where French was needed or even useful, except while I was in France.

I wonder whether you'll get that kind of full immersion in Canada - I didn't meet many French Canadians but a few, and they were all bilingual, and switched to English with English-speaking people. French people rarely did that, even if their English was good.

[thrifty++]

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[Ego]

This is one of those questions that is really difficult to answer for someone else.

If it were me, I'd go. Each time I quit a job in the past, I came back and found something even better. But that's me. I should mention that my definition of 'better' was significantly influenced by each subsequent quit.

The best way to handle a situation like this is to find people who where once in the same position as you and who made the choice you are contemplating, then see how it turned out for them and imagine yourself in their position. I bet you have a few coworkers who delayed an adventure too long and regret it. But they were probably not on the verge of FI so it is not really apples to apples.

It may just be me and my finely tuned ears that only hear what they want to hear, but I can't remember meeting someone who told me they regretted quitting a job to do something big and exciting, even if it didn't work out like they had planned at the outset.

[henrik]

I guess the worst thing that could happen is I return home penniless and unable to find a job and homeless.

Based on what you said above, it seems the worst that could happen is that you continue to live a location independent lifestyle doing consulting work that already covers your expenses:)

[thrifty++]

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[IlliniDave]

Well, I'm 51 so you must think me totally broken down and spent. Truth is, if you're like me, you won't feel much different in your forties than you did in your mid-thirties, especially in the context of visiting a large city and engaging with people socially. If you were talking about scaling the five most difficult Himalayan summits or something it might be different.

About the only thing I can say is that if it were me, I would probably look for ways to improve my French and visit Montreal that did not cost me my primary source of income. But that's because I've made ER my top personal priority. Your priorities are of course uniquely yours, and you should act on them. I do think the argument that you'll be too old in 7-10 years to spend a summer in Montreal approaches a red herring. I'd guess that you've looked forward to such a trip and part of you wants to go have fun while another part of you is more keen on taking care of business first, so it's basically a question of delaying gratification or not. There probably is no objectively right answer, and either way the possibility of regret exists.

[Did]

It seems to be something you want to do. You have a great remote skill. I would just do it. 10 years is too long to wait. You could be dead by then.

[heyhey]

Another thing to think about is that in 10 years you might have a partner and/or kids. These things can happen unexpectedly and surprisingly fast The same is true of health issues, on the downside. Even having a pet might stop you doing something like this. So even though age in itself would not be a barrier, your personal situation might be right for it now but not later.

[henrik]

http://livingafi.com/2015/08/04/taking-a-gap-year/

[thrifty++]

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[jacob]

Ugh such a quandary! I really do not understand people who say (even on here) that they wouldn't know what to do if they were retired. I have so many unfulfilled dreams and projects that have nothing to do with my job. This is really this first one on my bucket list that I have a strong urge to fulfill.

For some or even many FU money may be as little as 2 years worth of savings. One thing I've learned from living ERE is that 2 years of savings would be been enough for me, even 0 years, due to continuously having developed alternative income streams(*). Low-cost living makes this possible. It's easy for me to make the $5-7k I need per year. If you need more or if it's not so easy to make money, i.e. you lean more towards consumer-specialist, go for a higher number while you have a higher paying job.

(*) Admittedly, having the financial backing has made it much easier for me to take risks because I'm a naturally risk-averse guy.

Otherwise, I've been all for pursuing dreams, especially when/if you can do so w/o walking backwards. I never had a timeline or milestones to meet. FIRE is not a race. It's a status and a state of mind. Whereas ERE is mode of operation.

TL;DR - If it had been me in your situation, I'd go for it.

[UrbanHermit]

Just a couple random thoughts:

* My current boss moved to montreal some years ago for the purpose of learning french. He doesn't speak a word, and says if he were to do it again he'd choose any other city. Montreal is very cosmopolitan, and french is optional.

* I speak french fluently and have never lived in France, Quebec, or anywhere else it is spoken. Moving might speed up your timeline, but it's not a tough language for an anglophone to learn... an ipod, a kindle, and a thousand hours give-or-take will sort you out, in the internet age immersion is about choice, not geography.

* Would keeping your job, spending the next 6-8 months learning french in your free time, then treating yourself to a 2-week vacation in quebec to test-drive your skills be a lower-risk alternative?

[thrifty++]

For some or even many FU money may be as little as 2 years worth of savings. One thing I've learned from living ERE is that 2 years of savings would be been enough for me, even 0 years, due to continuously having developed alternative income streams(*). Low-cost living makes this possible. It's easy for me to make the $5-7k I need per year. If you need more or if it's not so easy to make money, i.e. you lean more towards consumer-specialist, go for a higher number while you have a higher paying job.

Hmm I have previously been a consumer-specialist albeit quite a frugal one. But in the last couple of years have increasingly moved towards being multi skilled and DIY focused. So I think I am somewhere in the middle. Not quite there yet but the ERE process takes time. No reason I cant continue that process while on sabbatical though. I cant believe your expenses are so low. I need to read your details again. I wonder if you own a mortgage free home.

TL;DR - If it had been me in your situation, I'd go for it.

I dont understand what your abbreviation means.

[thrifty++]

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