Vocation Vacations – Try on your Dream Career

How brilliant! Don’t we all have this yearning inside us, one of those unfulfilled “dreams” that go something like this… I always wanted to design couture shoes. I’m dreaming of owning a cute little neighborhood cafe.  I think I could be a casting agent…

The VocationVacations concept was created by Brian Kurth, during one of his long daily commutes on Chicago’s Kennedy Expressway. Numb from his lack of passion for what he did for a living and staring at brake lights, he wondered what it would be like to be a wine maker, a tour guide or a dog trainer. Brian wanted to explore his dream jobs through a company offering working adults short-term “internships” while on vacation. But with research, Brian realized such a company did not exist. A business idea was born.After first test-driving a dream job in the wine industry, he created his ultimate dream job by launching VocationVacations® in January, 2004.

My dad did that, the wine making thing, in Hungary. And after spending a gazillion dollars on his dream project, he ended up selling his post-communist-now-magnificently-renovated winery and chateau a few years later. He soon found out that the wine making business was cut throat, not the romantic imagery that he had succumbed to when he first bought acres of vineyards. A vocation vacation, had it existed at the time, might have helped him better assess the massive undertaking that awaited him. Nonetheless, as fthe  family members that got the privilege to visit the winery without having to operate it, we only have dreamy memories of our sejours in that enchanting environment. BTW, this was the place, the Szent Gaal Winery. An oasis. But, I digress…

In Vacation Vocation’s own words: “VocationVacations is the only company of its kind. We offer our clients (“vocationers”) one- to- three day, hands-on, dream job immersion experiences under the tutelage of expert mentors. Our mentors are passionate about what they do and are committed to sharing their knowledge and experience with individuals who dream of walking in their shoes”.  See the current offering of Dream Job Holidays right here.

Hummm, I’m might just try my hand at being a restaurant critic. I’m good at critiquing!