Traveling the World While Unemployed. The Rules for a Richer Life I Found After Quitting My Job at 27

"I don't want to have any regrets."
Isn't that a value that everyone holds universally? However, because we worry about what others think or get lost as our life stages change, there are few people who can act honestly according to their own feelings.

The person I interviewed this time is Nishikiyo-san, who decided to let go of everything and travel the world just before turning 30.

Having gone to graduate school and started a career, Nishikiyo-san was living a smooth, successful life, andhe says that he used to look at people traveling abroad and think, "What's the point of doing something so useless?"How did he come to the conclusion that "I will regret it if I don't travel the world"?

I asked him, as he continues his journey today (in 2023), about what triggered his decision to travel the world and how he feels now.

The reason I, who had no interest in going abroad, decided to travel the world

—Nishikiyo-san, you are currently visiting various countries, but why did you decide to travel the world?

Nishikiyo:
Actually, when I was a student, I used to wonder, "Why do people go abroad when nothing remains from it?" I thought it wasn't something tangible, so it must be a waste of time.

That was overturned when I went on a two-month business trip to Thailand. I was surprised by the lifestyle and customs that were completely different from Japan, such as restaurants not being very clean and many people being loose with time.

I was also quite shocked that the convenience store clerk was sitting in a chair playing with their smartphone (laughs).

That was when I experienced how narrow the world I had lived in until then was, and I started to think, "I want to know more about the world I don't know."At the same time, a switch flipped, and I thought,"Seeing the world with my own eyes will surely be a wonderful value in my life."I felt that.

From there, I used my year-end and New Year holidays, Golden Week, and Obon holidays to visit Thailand, Cambodia, China, and other places to travel as much as possible. In my first year as a working professional, I even took 17 consecutive days off to go to Pakistan, which left those around me stunned (laughs).

—That happened! It seems very difficult to travel abroad while working as a company employee.

Nishikiyo:
That's right. As a company employee, it's difficult to secure a large block of time. No matter how hard you try, you can only visit about five countries a year at most.

But there are nearly 200 countries in the world. I realized that at this pace, it would take decades to visit all the countries I wanted to see, so I decided to quit my job once and visit them all at once. I thought that even considering the round-trip airfare, that would be the most efficient way. I decided that in 2019. I was 27, in my fourth year as a working professional.

—27 is an important time for your future career, so didn't you have any conflicts when you decided to quit your job?

Nishikiyo:
Of course, I worried a lot. But when I weighed my desire to take on the challenge against my career,I steeled myself, thinking, "It's now or never. Let's take the plunge and push myself."

...and then, six months after I set off in high spirits, I ended up having to return home temporarily due to the spread of the coronavirus...

—It is true that for a while, you were in a situation where you couldn't even leave your house. Didn't you feel anxious about continuing your world trip in a world where the future was so uncertain?

Nishikiyo:
There was definitely a conflict. Initially, I thought COVID would settle down in about a year, but it was painful when I realized it was going to drag on. Originally, I had planned to finish my world trip before turning 30 and then return to work.

However, 'completing the world trip' was a major life decision for me, so I couldn't even consider giving it up. I felt that if I gave up here, I would regret it for the rest of my life.

So, I took a positive approach, thinking, 'I'll treat this as a period of study and use my time effectively,' and I learned about local knowledge, world history, religion, and philosophy.

I was very interested in thinking about 'what it means to be human,' 'what happiness is,' and 'what it means to live,' so I studied in the hope that gaining insights into those topics would make my travels even richer.

The fact I learned precisely because I traveled: 'I was already happy'

—What kind of changes in your values have you experienced while traveling the world?

Nishikiyo:
Every time I visit a country, I have new discoveries and experiences that shake my values. Among them, my travels in Southeast Asia, in particular, changed my values quite significantly.

Even though the people in Southeast Asia are economically poorer than those in Japan, they all seem happy.

By watching their lives and experiencing things alongside them, I realized that 'you don't need many things to be happy.' And I also realized the importance of health and family, things that money can never buy.

I just happened to be born in Japan, and that is not due to any ability of my own. Being able to go to university and study is not something to be taken for granted. I have become able to feel gratitude for everything.

Also, my experiences in Europe and Africa greatly changed my values. I was called racial slurs because I was 'Asian' and had stones thrown at me... But by having such unpleasant experiences with discrimination, I also felt, 'Haven't I also been unconsciously distinguishing people by the color of their skin?'

People can end up on both the receiving and the inflicting side of discrimination. When I looked at my own thoughts from a bird's-eye view, I reaffirmed that the problem of discrimination is deeply rooted and not easily removed.

The purpose of travel is to 'broaden your values.' I don't spare any investment for that

—Listening to you so far, I feel you are having wonderful experiences that money cannot buy. On the other hand, you are traveling while unemployed; how do you manage your money?

Nishikiyo:
I am managing by dipping into my savings. It is said that the cost of a world trip is about 1.5 million yen per year, but since I am traveling in a backpacker style, I am on the lower end of expenses.

Also, I have decided 'what to spend money on' while traveling. My travels are centered on 'wanting to broaden my values.' Therefore, I don't spare money for experiences I can only have locally, such as visiting traditional sites or museums. Instead, I try not to spend money on accommodation or transportation.

—You have decided on your own points for saving money. That said, don't you feel anxious about your money decreasing?

Nishikiyo:
I don't feel anxious. Thankfully, the people around me and my family are supporting me, so I think, 'If I run out of money, I'll just move back to my parents' house as a last resort.'
Actually, I have borrowed a little money from my family, but since I believe that 'investing in things you can only do now' is a value that cannot be replaced by anything else, I am relying on them for now, and I intend to repay them properly in the future.

I truly have nothing but gratitude for my family, who are my emotional support... I want to convey those feelings and I don't want them to worry, so I started a blog and X to share how I'm doing. I can express my feelings better through writing than by telling them directly, so I am actively posting.

Life becomes richer when you "take a step forward even while struggling"

—It sounds like your family's presence is what supports your challenge, Nishikiyo-san. By the way, I hear your trip around the world will end in six months; is there anything you want to do after that?

Nishikiyo:
Actually... I don't have anything in mind.

—Wait, you don't!?

Nishikiyo:
Hmm... My previous job was as an engineer, so I will probably work as an engineer in Japan again after the world trip.

I haven't really thought about wanting to do work based on my world trip experience. However, since I'm still halfway through the journey, my thoughts might change, and I believe there are still many possibilities left.

—There are still many possibilities left. Listening to you, Nishikiyo-san, makes me feel like I want to try something too!

Nishikiyo:
I think it's important in life to "take a step forward even while struggling."

I also took a step forward while carrying anxiety. I was held back by COVID, but I still looked ahead and kept trying without giving up. As a result, I can now say for sure that the experience of traveling around the world will never be a waste, and it was an experience that enriched my life.

—Your words are full of conviction, it's wonderful! Finally, do you have any advice for people who are struggling because they can't take the step to challenge themselves?

Nishikiyo:
First, I think it is necessary to "let go" of things like your career or a stable life.
That said, it takes courage to let go of everything. At times like that, what becomes your emotional support is having some kind of "skill."In my case, it was a big deal that I could think, "I can work as an engineer again when I return home."

In fact, many of the people I met while traveling, such as former nurses, had a trade. Even if you let go of your current career, having the skills to return to it should be something that supports your challenge.

Also, it is important to rely on others.As I said earlier, for me, the presence of my family is my support. Even if those close to you don't understand, I think you should explain the reason for your challenge thoroughly and try to get them to understand.

Having a situation where you are supported allows you to be aggressive toward the future. So, I hope as many people as possible can create an environment where others support them.

Nishikiyo:
The last thing I want to convey is that you don't necessarily have to try to connect every experience to something.

I don't intend to turn my world trip into a job, but even if a new challenge doesn't take a concrete form, it should be an experience that you can feel "enriched my life."

At this moment, I don't know if my choices are the right ones..However, I have decided to strive to turn that anxiety into confidence, and I want you to take that first step forward, even if you are struggling.

o o o

I realized something through this interview with Nishikiyo-san. It is that "everyone feels anxiety, and there is no need to deny it," and "hesitating to take on a challenge because of the eyes or words of others might just be an excuse to hide your own anxiety." that is.

It was an interview that gave me courage through Nishikiyo-san's words, which allow him to positively reframe and perceive any situation.

Nishikiyo-san is scheduled to finish his trip around the world in about half a year. If you read his blog and X, where he has documented what he has seen and felt so far, you might understand why he can say so definitively that "my life has become richer."

Please, take a look.

<Interview/Text = Jin-san (@appoko_j) / Editing = Yuki Ishikawa (@milkprincess17)>