@@helenjzhao good luck with your work :) in general, i would say, in cities where there are gainful jobs and offices and modern stores, it's usually quite hard to obtain high quality housing. there will be a big rift-- multi million dollar single family houses juxtaposed with high density, unmaintained apartment buildings. it is rare to find high quality, trendy area, affordable, low density housing these days, and sadly that is by design, despite the relatively lower cost of materials and land in non-trendy areas. i have to be careful in how i word this sadly :)
A lot of people plan to travel during retirement and then find they can't handle all those stairs. You're probably better off doing it while you're young and in good shape. Those people complaining about you are probably the people who can no longer handle the stairs.
I completely agree with this and that's what I tell people about traveling - there are certain things you can only do while you're young, so make the most of your youth while you can! Go to the more rugged, less developed places and get off the beaten path; save the convenience and ease of places like Japan for later
@@travelpassioneatsa hell yesssss! I def feel the same way. Really glad I did Southeast Asia and South America at the time that I did. Europe can wait!
Your journey is truly inspiring, and your talent as a journalist shines through in your beautiful report. It takes immense courage to step out of your comfort zone and share such personal experiences. Don’t let negativity overshadow the incredible work you’ve done. Keep pushing forward and sharing your unique perspective with the world! Keep shining ✨Helen
Okay, I admit that I live in a bubble, and I'm markedly older than you, but in the 90s my circle considered that kind of travel to be a class marker and generally a good thing. It showed confidence and worldliness and like you describe in the article, a less-consequential way to try out, as a young person, having total control of your own decisions. I notice that fewer of the young ones at my work did that kind of thing or its equivalent (doesn't anyone drop it all to work as a farmhand in the midwest anymore and return sun-beaten and wiser??). I chalked it up to them having better relationships with their more-enlightened parents, but the reaction you got makes it seem like fear. Anyway, thought-provoking video -- have a great year, Helen and readers!!
hey thanks so much for the thoughtful reflections. Were gap years like this common in the 90s? I thought it was a more recent phenomenon, because of social media etc. I don't think I met any young Americans on gap years. But I met a ton of Europeans on gap years! It definitely seems like it could be due to fear, due to a lack of social safety net here in the US, as well as rising income inequality, job insecurity, not enough vacation days, companies not allowing employees to take sabbaticals etc.
@@helenjzhao I met a few older folks on my travels who said they traveled the world when they were younger! They had some wild adventures and were so kind and free-spirited when I met them.
Great attitude! Hoping things have been going well! I don't get why people are so jealous of you. i think it's wonderful you were able to travel and have that experience. These videos you are making are great and i hope they can go as viral as those articles!
awwwww that's so kind, thank you so much!! Hehe. They probably wont go as viral as the articles, since I'm a tiny channel compared with CNBC Lol. Yeah, I think those articles were written in such a way, to trigger anger and resentment, in order to get clicks and comments, and people definitely fell for it!
@@helenjzhao yeah always these days. it's sad when everything is about capturing time. it should be illegal to do journalism that dishonest. it used to be only tabloids, but now it's like every mainstream news outlet.
@@CreativeMindsAudio its been a very tragic time in journalism. It's a survival tactic for news outlets who have been competing for a smaller and smaller share of ad dollars, that are increasingly going to social media companies/other platforms. People rarely want to pay for subscriptions to digital content either. There are so many lay offs happening. 😥Even Vice went under. Desperate times = desperate measures 😥😥😥 This is part of the reason I'm here on RUclips now! 😃
Awww baby Helen!! Some of those hate comments are truly misguided smh. People love to judge what they don't understand and love to make assumptions about a stranger whose life they only know 0.01% of. In addition to needing better financial education, we need to teach people critical thinking, reading analysis, empathy, and compassion 🫠
@@travelpassioneatsa 💯💯💯 when I was reporting a story for cnbc about the lack of personal finance education in high school, I was told that one reason for that is because there are a lot of diff groups fighting for a lot of different classes to be included in curriculums - one of them being classes on emotional development/personal growth/relationship skills!
Great video 😊 There’s too much hate and jealousy. I agree…you may as well live it up. Life is too short. You don’t want to get too old and have health problems and be traveling while walking on a cane. I’ve known quite a few people who died and have never used their pension.
thanks for the feedback! Woah, no wayyyyyyyy. You know many people who have died and never used their pension?? That's so tragic!! Has it inspired you to change the way you live your life?
I was in Switzerland when I read your article. I was on a 3 week run through Zurich, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, and Lisbon. My friends could see that I was present, but distracted longing for something. Upon reading your article I understood the race was wrong. I think you detailed your experience and epiphany moment well. You can't let hateful speech change your day. As I plan meaningful lingering experiences with friends and family in the future, it will involve the four principles you mentioned. Keep smiling. Keep up with slow living, because you are winning. Ready to read your next article, or book.......
@@FastingAlphFNP wow that’s so cool to hear my story has reached people in diff parts of the world - thanks for sharing that!! I’m touched 😊 and I’m still reminding myself of these principles everyday too. It’s easier said than done!
Meanwhile, I'm inspired by what you did! 😀👏👏👏At 70 hours a week you were basically working the equivalent of two full time jobs (the opposite of entitled!). Choosing to pay yourself back all those missed life hours in one go is your prerogative, and I think it's CLEVER that you did it in a way that let you experience so much and was LESS expensive than living in the US even while traveling. Kudos! Home ownership and raising kids have serious downsides that are often ignored, and whether they're goals that still resonate or not, the insights gained from traveling will undoubtedly make both easier. That's a win-win, not either/or! 😀❤
💯💯💯 This completely resonates with me - choosing to pay myself back all those missed life hours in one go! And doing it outside the US, where I'm able to live it up by stretching my dollar much further. Have you also had similar struggles or taken any extended career break?
@@helenjzhao : - ) I overworked for years until I was forced to take a career break due to health issues (possibly contributed to by stress 😟). Blowing through my savings in my overpriced US location while sick for so long felt like a horrible waste, especially because I could have spent the same money living abroad like I'd always dreamed! : - ( The truth is, though, when I was working so much I was too trapped in a scarcity/survival mindset to make the courageous leap you did, or to recognize that there ARE more balanced ways to live! 🌿 I'm now trying to learn from my mistakes, resist the matrix 😉, and add more LIFE to my life! Living abroad for at least some amount of time is definitely part of that vision. 😀 Best wishes to you!
@@bellaluce7088 Ugh sorry to hear that. Sounds like you were forced to take a break, as opposed to planning one, over time. Well I hope you're now at a healthy place of work life balance!
@@helenjzhao Thank you, I wish work life balance for you, too! I would have preferred a different warning that I was on the wrong track(!), but I consider it lucky that I got a wake up call before it's too late! 🌈🌿😃😻🤓🍀💖
if building codes and zoning laws weren't so strict in the USA, at least in rural/non-NIMBY areas, then everyone would be able to buy their own home.
Thanks for this tidbit - definitely something for me to look into!
@@helenjzhao good luck with your work :) in general, i would say, in cities where there are gainful jobs and offices and modern stores, it's usually quite hard to obtain high quality housing. there will be a big rift-- multi million dollar single family houses juxtaposed with high density, unmaintained apartment buildings. it is rare to find high quality, trendy area, affordable, low density housing these days, and sadly that is by design, despite the relatively lower cost of materials and land in non-trendy areas. i have to be careful in how i word this sadly :)
@@xyzabc123-o1l yep I've definitely experienced this struggle living in NYC and LA. Will definitely look further into the idea that this is by design!
A lot of people plan to travel during retirement and then find they can't handle all those stairs. You're probably better off doing it while you're young and in good shape. Those people complaining about you are probably the people who can no longer handle the stairs.
hahaha, I love this perspective. I can totally see that 😆
I completely agree with this and that's what I tell people about traveling - there are certain things you can only do while you're young, so make the most of your youth while you can! Go to the more rugged, less developed places and get off the beaten path; save the convenience and ease of places like Japan for later
@@travelpassioneatsa hell yesssss! I def feel the same way. Really glad I did Southeast Asia and South America at the time that I did. Europe can wait!
Wow. So much hatred out there for someone simply going after what they want... Glad you are able to get past it and simply enjoy your life :)
Thank you :)
Your journey is truly inspiring, and your talent as a journalist shines through in your beautiful report. It takes immense courage to step out of your comfort zone and share such personal experiences. Don’t let negativity overshadow the incredible work you’ve done. Keep pushing forward and sharing your unique perspective with the world!
Keep shining ✨Helen
Thank you Maria!! I feel better after all the hateful comments now 😊😊
Okay, I admit that I live in a bubble, and I'm markedly older than you, but in the 90s my circle considered that kind of travel to be a class marker and generally a good thing. It showed confidence and worldliness and like you describe in the article, a less-consequential way to try out, as a young person, having total control of your own decisions. I notice that fewer of the young ones at my work did that kind of thing or its equivalent (doesn't anyone drop it all to work as a farmhand in the midwest anymore and return sun-beaten and wiser??). I chalked it up to them having better relationships with their more-enlightened parents, but the reaction you got makes it seem like fear. Anyway, thought-provoking video -- have a great year, Helen and readers!!
hey thanks so much for the thoughtful reflections. Were gap years like this common in the 90s? I thought it was a more recent phenomenon, because of social media etc. I don't think I met any young Americans on gap years. But I met a ton of Europeans on gap years! It definitely seems like it could be due to fear, due to a lack of social safety net here in the US, as well as rising income inequality, job insecurity, not enough vacation days, companies not allowing employees to take sabbaticals etc.
@@helenjzhao I met a few older folks on my travels who said they traveled the world when they were younger! They had some wild adventures and were so kind and free-spirited when I met them.
@@travelpassioneatsa ohhhh love that. We will one day be one of those old folks. 😊😊
You don’t deserve such hate. Looks like these news outlets used your story as a click bait.
Thank you! You're absolutely right
Those hate comments exposed their perpetrators’ state of desperation. They were simply lashing out in an irrational way.
I definitely agree!
Great attitude! Hoping things have been going well! I don't get why people are so jealous of you. i think it's wonderful you were able to travel and have that experience. These videos you are making are great and i hope they can go as viral as those articles!
awwwww that's so kind, thank you so much!! Hehe. They probably wont go as viral as the articles, since I'm a tiny channel compared with CNBC Lol. Yeah, I think those articles were written in such a way, to trigger anger and resentment, in order to get clicks and comments, and people definitely fell for it!
@@helenjzhao yeah always these days. it's sad when everything is about capturing time. it should be illegal to do journalism that dishonest. it used to be only tabloids, but now it's like every mainstream news outlet.
@@CreativeMindsAudio its been a very tragic time in journalism. It's a survival tactic for news outlets who have been competing for a smaller and smaller share of ad dollars, that are increasingly going to social media companies/other platforms. People rarely want to pay for subscriptions to digital content either. There are so many lay offs happening. 😥Even Vice went under. Desperate times = desperate measures 😥😥😥 This is part of the reason I'm here on RUclips now! 😃
Awww baby Helen!! Some of those hate comments are truly misguided smh. People love to judge what they don't understand and love to make assumptions about a stranger whose life they only know 0.01% of. In addition to needing better financial education, we need to teach people critical thinking, reading analysis, empathy, and compassion 🫠
@@travelpassioneatsa 💯💯💯 when I was reporting a story for cnbc about the lack of personal finance education in high school, I was told that one reason for that is because there are a lot of diff groups fighting for a lot of different classes to be included in curriculums - one of them being classes on emotional development/personal growth/relationship skills!
Great video 😊 There’s too much hate and jealousy. I agree…you may as well live it up. Life is too short. You don’t want to get too old and have health problems and be traveling while walking on a cane. I’ve known quite a few people who died and have never used their pension.
thanks for the feedback! Woah, no wayyyyyyyy. You know many people who have died and never used their pension?? That's so tragic!! Has it inspired you to change the way you live your life?
Great video! Had no idea you got so much hate in your previous video. That’s crazy.
lollll, ya there was a lot of love, and also a lot of hate that came out of those CNBC articles hahaha. Thanks for watching!
I was in Switzerland when I read your article. I was on a 3 week run through Zurich, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, and Lisbon. My friends could see that I was present, but distracted longing for something. Upon reading your article I understood the race was wrong. I think you detailed your experience and epiphany moment well. You can't let hateful speech change your day. As I plan meaningful lingering experiences with friends and family in the future, it will involve the four principles you mentioned. Keep smiling. Keep up with slow living, because you are winning. Ready to read your next article, or book.......
@@FastingAlphFNP wow that’s so cool to hear my story has reached people in diff parts of the world - thanks for sharing that!! I’m touched 😊 and I’m still reminding myself of these principles everyday too. It’s easier said than done!
I love the "angry and resentful" guy 😂
@@travelpassioneatsa 😂😂😂 Storyblocks FTW!
Meanwhile, I'm inspired by what you did! 😀👏👏👏At 70 hours a week you were basically working the equivalent of two full time jobs (the opposite of entitled!). Choosing to pay yourself back all those missed life hours in one go is your prerogative, and I think it's CLEVER that you did it in a way that let you experience so much and was LESS expensive than living in the US even while traveling. Kudos! Home ownership and raising kids have serious downsides that are often ignored, and whether they're goals that still resonate or not, the insights gained from traveling will undoubtedly make both easier. That's a win-win, not either/or! 😀❤
💯💯💯 This completely resonates with me - choosing to pay myself back all those missed life hours in one go! And doing it outside the US, where I'm able to live it up by stretching my dollar much further. Have you also had similar struggles or taken any extended career break?
@@helenjzhao : - ) I overworked for years until I was forced to take a career break due to health issues (possibly contributed to by stress 😟). Blowing through my savings in my overpriced US location while sick for so long felt like a horrible waste, especially because I could have spent the same money living abroad like I'd always dreamed! : - ( The truth is, though, when I was working so much I was too trapped in a scarcity/survival mindset to make the courageous leap you did, or to recognize that there ARE more balanced ways to live! 🌿 I'm now trying to learn from my mistakes, resist the matrix 😉, and add more LIFE to my life! Living abroad for at least some amount of time is definitely part of that vision. 😀 Best wishes to you!
@@bellaluce7088 Ugh sorry to hear that. Sounds like you were forced to take a break, as opposed to planning one, over time. Well I hope you're now at a healthy place of work life balance!
@@helenjzhao Thank you, I wish work life balance for you, too! I would have preferred a different warning that I was on the wrong track(!), but I consider it lucky that I got a wake up call before it's too late!
🌈🌿😃😻🤓🍀💖
@ do you think the lessons you learned have stayed with you or has it been hard not to relapse? I’d say the latter for me
Alot of people in the US are angry and resentful! Nailed it😂 🍵
they definitely are 😆😆
Haters gonna hate!!
eeeee InDEED