Reflecting On Our Six-Month Anniversary

It has been six months since we launched Briefcase to Backpack into the world and it’s been great to see and hear people’s reactions to the site. It especially made all of the work and passion we put into building it the year beforehand so worth it!

Ironically, we launched at a time when the economy took a nose-dive, so many people expected us to find a large audience of unemployed individuals looking to travel – but it’s been just the opposite. Everyone we’ve encountered who are planning or have started a career break are people who willingly left their jobs to follow this dream. And we are happy to be that support system for them when others told them they were crazy.

Read more

Focus on Youth: Gap Years and Social Media

We were inspired to start Briefcase to Backpack after encountering the lack of Americans doing the same thing on our own career breaks. We did, however, run into many Brits, Aussies, and Europeans embracing the experience – cultures where gap years are very common.

We’ve read reports that the concept of the gap year is starting to become more common in America, and now there is even a national movement behind it. Much like Briefcase to Backpack, Let’s Get Global wants to create a new mindset in the country, but this one focused on youth.

Founded by author and experienced traveler, Rita Golden Gelman, Let’s Get Global’s mission is to encourage and assist youth in the United States to have international experiences – particularly during the year between high school and the next phase of their lives.

Their public relation efforts will include a campaign to educate the American public about the benefits of taking a gap year, creating a comprehensive website full of gap year-related resources, and providing funding sources for potential “gappers.”

We look forward to seeing the progress of this movement! For more information and to make a donation, visit:
Let’s Get Global Blog
Ethical Traveler Article

Read more

Favorite Books: Inspired by Africa

As summer heats up, so does our favorite book list. But these books, based in Africa, aren’t your typical “beach reads” as the topics are a bit heavier. And much like our “Inspired by Asia” list, these aren’t our reviews but descriptions of the books. Because they are listed means that we were enlightened by them.

SUDAN
What is the What
By Dave Eggers

What Is the What is the epic novel based on the life of Valentino Achak Deng who, along with thousands of other children–the so-called Lost Boys–was forced to leave his village in Sudan at the age of seven and trek hundreds of miles by foot, pursued by militias, government bombers, and wild animals, crossing the deserts of three countries to find freedom. When he finally is resettled in the United States, he finds a life full of promise, but also heartache and myriad new challenges. Moving, suspenseful, and unexpectedly funny, What Is the What is an astonishing novel that illuminates the lives of millions through one extraordinary man.

Read more

Favorite Books: Inspired by Asia

Summer is generally the time that most American’s are taking vacation. (At least we hope you are!) So whatever destination you choose to relax, whether it’s the beach, lake, mountains, or desert, we hope that you are also dreaming of the far-off countries you plan to explore on your future career break.

So with summer reading lists being so popular, we decided to have our own. Here are some memoirs based in Asia that have inspired, enlightened, and opened us up to new worlds. We hope they do the same for you. (Note: These aren’t our reviews but descriptions of the books. Because they are listed means that we enjoyed them!)

CAMBODIA
The Road of Lost Innocence – The True Story of a Cambodia Heroine
A memoir by Somaly Mam

A riveting and beautiful memoir of tragedy and hope–by a woman named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Born in a village deep in the Cambodian forest, Somaly Mam was sold into sexual slavery by her grandfather when she was twelve years old. For the next decade she was shuttled through the brothels that make up the sprawling sex trade of Southeast Asia. She suffered unspeakable acts of brutality and witnessed horrors that would haunt her for the rest of her life – until, in her early twenties, she managed to escape. Unable to forget the girls she left behind, Mam became a tenacious and brave leader in the fight against human trafficking, rescuing sex workers–some as young as five and six–offering them shelter, rehabilitation, healing, and love and leading them into new life.

Read more

Help Send Sherry Ott to Antarctica!

Quark Expeditions is searching for an Official Blogger to join one of their voyages to Antarctica, and I couldn’t think of a better person than Briefcase to Backpack co-founder Sherry Ott!

VOTE FOR SHERRY HERE!

Sherry has been blogging for the past three years on her Otts World site – first during her 16-month career break around the world and now as an expat living in Vietnam. You may think I’m a bit biased, but I fell in love with her writing well before we met and decided to start this site. So if that helped to inspire Briefcase to Backpack, who knows what this expedition could inspire!

In addition to her witty and engaging writing, Sherry has embraced her love for photography while traveling and has become very skilled in transporting you to a place through her photos. I know the combination of these two skills will make anyone feel as if they are on the journey with her.

Read more