Thread: A Year Abroad (or 3) as a Career Move (NY Times)

New York Times

February 25, 2006

A Year Abroad (or 3) as a Career Move
By HILLARY CHURA

"It was a few months before she was to graduate from Colgate University in 2002, but Lauren DiCioccio was not ready for the briefcase or the Brooks Brothers look.

Armed with a bachelor's degree in art and art history, she did what an increasing number of college graduates are doing: she bought a plane ticket to a country she had never visited, backpacked around the region, got a job in that country and then traveled some more.

According to one estimate, 35,000 young Americans realize that working abroad, whether teaching, bartending, taking care of children, typing or picking grapes, has moved well beyond just trust-fund children. Far from being career suicide, it can actually provide a professional boost.

"When I went, I was hesitant because people looked at me and were surprised that I would graduate with a degree from Colgate and take time off to work and backpack around Australia," said Ms. DiCioccio, who picked grapes and was a short-order cook at a roadhouse in the outback. "So when I came back and had it on my r

What does "to purse long-shot jobs" mean (it's in the text)?

To try for a job that ordinarily one would feel is a little out of reach or a lot of competition in order to get.

Спасибо.

Originally Posted by Lampada

obtained her working papers through Bunac, an organization that helps graduates obtain work permits, volunteer opportunities or community work in foreign countries.

Whoa. The first time I've heard about Bunac being mentioned publicly. Nobody seems to know who they are. This is the same organization I joined to work legally in the UK for six months in '89. But most of the jobs people end up finding the fastest were bartending at pubs and temp/clerical work. Not very good resume fodder - and not a single stupid employer after coming home seemed to give a hoot about what I did when I was over there. Just a lot of head-scratching or reactions like: 'Uh, but . . . why?'

The time over there was a great personal experience overall, nonetheless. Do it again in a hearbeat. Can someone offer me a job in Russia - or anywhere in Europe so I can get the h*ll out of here?