High risk of settling down unless inspired...

If you can't think of anywhere you want to go, perhaps you are ready to settle down after all.

My problem is there are so many places I still want to go, I'm not sure how I'm going to fit them all in.

Shut up and feed those chickens!

BTW a real estate woman in East Texas, told me,"If you build a house that's very unusual, it may kill hope of selling it. It takes money to tear it down."

Thanks trespassersw, very thorough answer. It's inspiring to hear of someone who has not compromised on either the home or the adventure front. Many of the couples I know, once they have kids, are hard-pressed to leave town for even a weekend. I suppose it's just how your organize your lives that will allow you to expand your boundaries a bit.

As for those who are commenting on my marriage... thanks, but I came here to seek advice from travellers who may have encountered a similar situation; not marriage commentators. I am assuming not ALL of you are footloose and fancy free... you must have some commitments.

Purpletreefrog, I think that might be close to the truth. I mostly want to get out of this town. Whether that be for a few months, or forever, I think I will have to figure that out. I imagine when you "travel", it's heavily influenced by what friend is where, and what opportunity comes up for you in what country through word of mouth or whatnot. But for someone who mainly just wants to find a better place to plant roots, I am curious what the process would be. Maybe I am just idealistic in thinking that I can go online, look at that stats of another place, go on the job boards, and just up and move.

Gawkabout: Thanks for the Texas update. I plan on owning a fairly normal and modest house - if not just giving up and squatting on goverment land for the rest of my life.

You really are all over the place acorn222. Now you are talking about moving to another town or is it moving to another country? First you write all about your marriage and then you say we mis-read you and what you are looking for is advice on how to plan a trip. So far I count 4 different things in what you have written.

It seems obvious you have no idea what you want to do other than get out of that town. So I have to ask why did you move there in the first place? You knew where your husband was from and presumably you talked about moving there when you got married. Is it that having now lived there for a while you find you don't like it? What city are you from, Toronto? Could it be you are just a city girl and want to move back to the city? It sounds like your husband is happy right where he is and if that is the case, you have a difference between you that is not going to be resolved by asking about travel.

"I came here to seek advice from travellers who may have encountered a similar situation;"

What 'situation' are you asking about? Clarity in your writing is sorely lacking.

Oh, get off my case travelinstyle46. What do you care if my question does not exactly meet some sort of imagined standard of yours? In fact, why are you even still posting on this thread if you feel so strongly about the invalidity of the question asked? Are you some sort of marriage counsellor looking for a portfolio? You're on the wrong site then. Or are you just a friendly traveller with some advice for others? Then why are you criticizing me? What does it matter to you what I do with my life? Should I be apologizing to you for taking up space on your precious internet? Chill out!

As for the others who have constructively discussed this topic with me, thank you, your input has been valuable!

Hang in there, OP.

This Texan found a home in Seville, Spain. As an artist, I'm accepted better here than ever in the U.S. And people are nicer. They live by the Golden Rle, but have never heard of it.

I ask, after they go way out of their way to help me, "By the way, what religeon are you?"

The usual answer is a smiling, "Oh, I'm athiest."

I asked a waiter in Malaga, "Why do you let beggars come inside to work the tables?"

"Hey." says he, "It could be me."

they call that "The Humanity."

Would your husband backpack Europe for cheaper, better knowlege of the world's people? Ground level folks to folks travel. Whole families bp together. Only way I'll go anymore.

OP, some of the negative comments here may be because you come across as someone who is afraid of permanency, rather than someone who is inspired to travel and experience new places and cultures. It sounds like you had (have) a happy life together, and don't really want to travel but feel it is something you should do now because you may not get another chance.

"Ok, if you can prove to me that it will be better than this, I will do it."

How do you plan to do that? Your quality of life will almost certainly be less than what you have in Canada. Unless your husband values the intangiable benefits of living and travelling overseas as much as you do, it will be difficult to present a case to go somewhere.

If you can convince your husband, I think your best bet is for both of you to take a sabbatical and spend 3-6 months travelling a particular area, possibly spending a few weeks or longer in one place. It will set back your husband's dreams of building a house financially and time-wise, so a lot will depend on how much he is willing to compromise.

"Ok, if you can prove to me that it will be better than this, I will do it."

That to me, along with other things you have said (eg 'providing' for you) imo says that he is someone who appears to be quite structured or at least wants to be sensible and logical in his approach.

There's nothing wrong with that. But perhaps present your desire for travel in a logical or structured way as well.

If buying a house, kids, family, living in a good town etc are important to both you and your husband then for god's sake, tell him that. Or else it sounds (i imagine) like you are just being young, irresponsible and don't really think of the practical side of things. I don't mean you are that way....just that you don't want to sound that way if you are presenting a logical, thought out suggestion to your husband.

Tell him that you want to travel and experience things. But don't+ present it in a way that sounds like you want to drop out of life and mosey around with your backpack. Put a deadline on the trip, or when you want to take it, even. Suggest that you want to spend a short time away +before (not instead of) doing those things. Or if it's simply a holiday/extended holiday you want, suggest that. Suggest buying the house and letting it in a few years to travel on some sort of sabbatical/extended leave period. Or don't buy the house for another 6 months. Or something.

Either way I think you have itchyfeetitis. It sounds like it is important to tell him that. It really sounds like you don't know what you want (short trips, longer trips of a few months, or two years away?). I just wonder if presenting it in a logical thought out way as to what you want, and how it can still be good to do, would be a good approach to take?

Alternatively, if you don't want to go away for long either, suggest to him that you do actually want to travel. And suggest a slightly longer summer holiday (or something).

But I think unless you can figure out what you want then it's understandable that he doesn't really want to make a lot of changes.

Everybody travels for their own reasons.

I met an older fireman couple in Portugal, from the states.

They fly to anywhere on cheapest tickets.
Just to hang out in firehouses.

I met a coupole from Queensland, in Austin, Texas. They're from a small farming community. Our big cities scared them. They had a big pick-em-up-truck they rented in Seattle.

They were searching for towns with similar names to theirs. Turns out, they are all small farming towns.

Serendipity has served better than any plan, I started with.

Hubby would be amazed how many like minds to his, stay in hostels.

www.hostelz.com

Many have double rooms with private loo.

FORWARD!

BTW I'm 70. I stayed in hostels at first, because of guidebooks. Now I stay there for kids my own age to play with.

Hostels are Fun and informative and wisdom producing (if we'll just hear 'em out.)