fashion_newbie
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Given the broad group of people this forum often encompasses, I wanted to share my plans for the upcoming year and use it as an avenue to get ideas and advice along the way. After spending three years in finance (IB), I quit my job about two months ago to take a year off before going to graduate school. In this year, I wanted to do something different, something I would likely not get another opportunity to do again and have my last hurrah before I have to come back to the real world! I will be a Kiva Fellow (www.kiva.org) for three months, working in Central Asia from Nov to Feb. After February, I will be meeting up with a friend and spending the next six months or so going through Asia and Europe. Rough itinerary: India, Nepal, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, quick stop at Ulaan Bataar and then back to China. Then fly out to Europe and spend time in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and ideally, I'd like to make a stop at Morocco and Turkey. Obviously, this is not in order. I have grown up in multiple countries and travelled to much of Western Europe and SE Asia. However, growing up, I travelled to big cities and nice hotels. This time around, I'd like to get to know the cities and smaller towns better. I also like to consider myself an adventurous eater and many of the stops in Asia are being driven by their excellent selection of street food. As a result, any food/restaurant tips are also welcome. Finally, I'm not naive, this is not an attempt to 'find myself'. I have the opportunity to take a year-long vacation. The Kiva experience ensures I have some purpose during part of the year and keeps my brain working. Plus, I like what they do and believe, if done right, is a great tool for the developing world. Anyways, long story short, looking for input from people who have either done something similar or have specific suggestions in the cities or countries I will be stopping at. I would also love some practical advice i.e. things not to forget, things definitely not worth carrying, etc. I will keep this thread open and will hopefully be able to use it to ask questions and get input as my trip progresses. 11/15 Update: I am keeping a blog here in an attempt to document the year. If you happen to know anything about the part of the world I am at, I would love to get some thoughts on what not to miss, etc.