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  1. #41

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    Please don't take this the wrong way but their offer of offering you a job when you come back as long as you wait until 2018 to go is all about them and not about you. I have been in the corporate world for 20+ years and trust me, they want you to stay because they want you leaving to be on their terms. They want more time to prepare for your departure and for your replacement.
    You were obviously ready and willing to quit and hike the AT. IMO, you will never regret going in 2017 but.... if you wait and something changes in 2017 to delay you or keep you from making the hike in 2018, you will have major regret.

    In short, if you and your family are prepared and willing to make it happen this year... Do it... If you are good at your job, it will be there when you get back. That is, if you are even willing to continue in that field after the life changing hike on the AT.

    Best wishes on your decision. I'm rooting for you!

  2. #42

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    having been in a similar situation with my employer, my view is "tainted" a bit. disclaimer - I work in cybersecurity, so no lack of work in my field. I could leave my job tomorrow and have a pick of many others without any issue.

    my employer is more than just an employer to me - he values the work and dedication I have to getting the job done, and I trust most anything he tells me. It most likely has something to do with us both being retired military - but not once has it ever crossed my mind that he would attempt to jerk me around. If he asked me to wait a year to go, and if I did I would have a job coming back - I would postpone a year. That's not driven from the need for a job (retired military 28 years - could almost get by on that check) but more from the relationship with my boss.

    Look at it this way - you're asking for something (ok not really - you're ready to quit with no expectations); but if you want to have a job when you get back from a 6-month vacation, you are asking for something. Your boss is asking for something in return - for you to delay a year, probably so he could be a bit better prepared for you to be gone for 6 months (reallocation of projects, whatever). He obviously values you as an employee; if one of my employees asked me for 6 months off, and I didn't value that guy - I'd let him go no problem. If it's one of my rock stars, I'm going to try to have him back after his 6 months if I can.

    Really it comes down to how much you like your current job, and how much you trust (and like) your boss. Nothing's guaranteed - including an injury two weeks into the trail that lays you up, or a huge layoff, or a car wreck, or whatever. But having a decent job that you enjoy in today's world is a commodity not everyone has; if there's a chance to keep that AND work in a hike, to me that's a win-win.

    And you have the added bonus of a very supportive wife. Maybe discuss with the boss that you'd like to stay - but you'd also like to be able to take a week off here and there (once a quarter) to get out for a section hike. if you stack 5 days off with a holiday weekend, you can easily string together 8-10 days off in a row (two weekends, plus holiday, plus 5 days) for the cost of a one-week paycheck (if it had to be unpaid). That's enough to get out and hike a pretty good chunk and enjoy until your thru attempt.

    Like many have pointed out - the AT can be a 'career changing opportunity'. If that's more what you're after, then there really isn't much of a decision to make - go out and hike it now, the AT is the trigger. But if you enjoy your career and employer, I'd seriously consider waiting a year and squeezing in a half dozen 10-day trips.

    good luck on the decision - it can be a toughy.

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