Additional Coverage:
- My husband and I built careers in tech and law. In our 40s, we sold our house, traveled for a year, and left both industries. (businessinsider.com)
Laid Off and Lost? This Couple Found a New Life by Saying “Bon Voyage”!
A Boston couple, Jason and Dave, had it all – a 3,000-square-foot home, successful careers, and two beloved greyhounds. But when Dave was laid off and they lost their dogs to cancer, they realized “all” wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
Feeling lost and restless, they decided a change of scenery was in order – a big change of scenery. They sold their house and embarked on a year-long global adventure.
Trading Corporate Climb for Animal Calm
Funded by Dave’s severance, the sale of their home, and Jason’s remote work, the couple set off with a simple mission: see the world, ponder their future, and spend quality time with animals. They’d learned from their dogs that sometimes, just being is enough.
Their journey began on a farm near Dublin, a welcome dose of tranquility. Jason woke one morning to find Dave assisting the farmers with their pregnant sheep, a smile on his face she hadn’t seen in ages. It was a sign of things to come.
Over the next nine months, they explored Europe at a relaxed pace, establishing home bases in each country to truly soak in the local culture. From Croatia to Portugal, Iceland to Bosnia and Herzegovina, they wandered, pondered, and reconnected with themselves.
Homeward Bound, and Downsized
Returning to the US, they knew they couldn’t go back to their old lives. Inspired by their farm stay in Dublin and the serene hot springs of Iceland, they craved a slower, more intentional existence. They downsized to a cozy 800-square-foot lake house in central Massachusetts, and even adopted another greyhound to share their peaceful new life.
Jason retired from law to pursue writing, and Dave traded the tech world for a position at a local mom-and-pop shop. They discovered that true joy comes not from climbing the corporate ladder or accumulating possessions, but from embracing simplicity and the beauty of the natural world. Their year of travel wasn’t just a trip – it was a transformation.