[rapaz12]

I'm going to have a large chunk of free time coming up soon and I'd like to spend 2-4 months overseas. I aim to use this time to improve my language and social skills and also my skills with women.

But my dilemma begins. I know going out to meetup events, bars, and other social events might be nice for a couple weeks, but after that I worry it'll get boring and routine. Also, I'm not really a big fan of sightseeing or historical things, so I know that would barely keep my attention.

My only thought is to find some type of job or something that I can work towards daily. Thus, I think it would be best to find a type of synergy where I'm working, but also at the same time achieving major goals.

How have others who have extended periods of time overseas managed to keep themselves occupied?

[GlobalMan]

Here's a thread:

How do you fill in time while travelling abroad?

IMO, the problem is not finding things to do, it is needing to always "fill" the time.

What is the point of this "free time" and leaving your busy life to go overseas if you're going to contemplate getting a job you don't need just to occupy yourself? Why not use this opportunity to see if you can change some of those long held habits, see if you can let the world come to you and find contentment in doing "less"?

[MongolianAbroad]

Learn to code.

Learn internet marketing.

Write a book.

Etc.

[GreenHills]

I've had extended periods of time without an occupation, not overseas.

2-4 months is nothing. Just try to have something that is a goal of yours - learning a language is going to take more than 2 months I believe. Read some books, learn some new skill, exercise, learn the history of the places you're going to. This way, if you feel antsy, you have something productive to fall back to.

You won't get bored in such a short amount of time, don't stress about it.

[scotian]

How about chasing pussy?

[Skank_Hunt]

I spend all my time chasing pussy. Or when I get home writing in my journal how I could possibly be better at chasing pussy. There aren't enough hours in the day, and I have many weeks off from my job, no games consoles, nothing.

[zigZag]

I actually go out and take in the sites.. maybe hit a few museums..etc. Chasing pussy for me is always secondary when i'm traveling... I'm always traveling to places i'll actually enjoy or have something i'd like to see.

[travolta]

I have an online business so I don't have enough time to be "bored". I wish I had enough free time to get bored. All I do is work, eat and get pussy. Learn how to make money online and you won't have time to be bored.

[WeekendCasanova]

Simple.

- Work. Create an online biz.

- Create a social circle

- Learn useful skills that will be useful in 50-75 years: Copywriting, sales, coding, investing..

- Learn a new language

- Improve your body (working out, improving your diet)

- Read books (Historical biographies, politics, learn about the great men of history, the vanguards)

[bumborass]

I would say practice that language you're trying to learn.. along with gaming women. Also spend that time to develop your social circle

[Brother Abdul Majeed]

Learn to take pleasure in mundane tasks.

[kimura89]

I think being just a tourist long term will run its course after 2 or 3 months. Might be a controversial opinion but I feel the same about chasing pussy constantly as well.

As others mentioned you need a goal or mission during your travels, learning a new language etc. For me I do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and am bouncing around different cities training with different people and learning a whole bunch of cool new shit, also planning to compete internationally as well.

I suggest listening to a podcast by Ari Shaffir and the guest is Rolf Potts (who wrote Vagabonding, which I highly suggest reading also). The episode is 5 hours but honestly it completely changed my view and approach to long term travel.

[LoveBug]

Traveling to other nearby countries. It's why I don't think I'd visit Australia/central China/Central Brazil.. I like traveling to countries where another country is within quick access

[TripleG]

Unless you have some type of job there just aren't enough hours in a typical day to keep oneself from being bored or if not bored just wasting a large chunk of their time on useless stuff.

To me I still don't understand guys who go to certain cities for 1+ month without having a job. There's only so much time one needs to workout, chase pussy, and read per day....what happens after that? The only productive way i've really found to stay occupied is to study a foreign language, by enrolling in intensive classes that go on for 2+ hours per day. This is something I'm currently doing in Austria (learning German) after temporarily fleeing USA.

[Adrenaline]

^ I can chase pussy for over a month in places like Thailand where I can fill in time with cheap massages (big fan), street food hunting, and beach activities down south, but I think most would struggle in Eastern Europe and western countries where it would be a lot more difficult to keep yourself occupied without a social circle.

[Yeti]

This is something that I struggle with as I age. I used to travel to learn about the world - meet people, learn how they view the world, what they struggle with... I'd learn the language as well - this is something that I still do as it's helpful in a professional and personal regard.

But I realize now that people around the world are generally the same these days - zombie-like, and getting fat and dumb. And they see you as a dollar sign (your interactions with them are dominated by an imbalance in financial fortunes/opportunities).

I've realized that perhaps I'd be more satisfied spending my traveling days learning new skills or being with people who have unplugged from the matrix - but you can do this at home, meaning that I have less incentive to travel.

Now, when I travel, it's less to learn about a new place and more to learn skills and languages - things that I can't do at home very easily. For example, I want to learn to surf, and I want to learn French, so for my next trip I'd like to visit a French-speaking area close to good surf. Maybe the Basque region in southwest France.

I remember one vacation last year in particular in which I was having some health issues that pretty much required only that I stay at home and rest. I spent the last week of my vacation basically lying around in an Airbnb. The point is that, especially as you get older and more inured to the reality of modern life, vacations and free time are only as enjoyable as your daily life has set them up to be. That is, if you haven't got your life together on a day-to-day basis, it's a lot harder to enjoy down time. So I've learned to focus my energy less on traveling and vacations abroad, and more on creating a daily life in line with long-term goals like health, adhering to my values, having good personal relationships, etc.

Vacation can be really aggravating and frustrating because nothing is ever really a surprise now. Everyone knows everything about everyone and in some ways you can learn as much about a place by going to Youtube, as you can by visiting the place directly. And if you do learn more by going, then you have to take into consideration what you give up in the process - the opportunity cost. Time, money, and energy traveling, perhaps getting sick from shitty airline food, the mental energy that you don't have to focus on other ideas/projects, etc.

[monsquid]

I echo Yeti.

My last 2 month travel in Asia was pretty much the same as your sentiment. When I was younger I used to be excited to be somewhere new. Every interaction with anybody was something novel and fun, but as I've gotten older and traveled more I have become more jaded. You also start to see the same type of people over and over again. In a way the world starts to become less exotic, especially as globalization spreads.

I also get tired of having language barriers and people treating me like a disposable ATM. I need to unplug and dive head first in to a challenging task or purpose. Otherwise it's meaningless pussy chasing, eating out, and lounging around in a hotel or airbnb surfing the web just in a different country.

[LoveBug]

^^^ monsquid I feel you. As I age I'm feeling the same. Just turned 39, and the zest for being in the developing, second world is becoming less than just a couple years back. The energy for it becomes less (younger cats need to appreciate it). The novelty of being in the developing world, people checking you out, treating you different, the underclass pussy, how far your money goes etc seems to be maybe a virile thing that maybe becomes less? When I get home, and am in my comfortable bed/wifi/car/eating at the first class diversity of chain restaurants in the US, I'm wondering how much it's worth it anymore

The pussy is the mitigating factor here.. As in the developing world, your more exotic and money is attractive etc. But, if you have game, and still have access to American women, they are more hygienic and still prettier IMO. It comes down to when you need that bump, and I don't need it yet

Just now, tickets to my second home of Guatemala at 280 US, on sale (from my non hub). I would've jumped on this. But after Asia trip, and just becoming more jaded, I'm contemplating it harder