The 31-year-old spent $20,000 on a trip after being fired

Peter Lancaster in Argentina.

Courtesy of Peter Lancaster

Forget about the “quarter-life crisis.” Today, Millennials are turning to “quarter-life vacations.”

Amid a wave of mass layoffs, people are choosing to repurpose their job losses for self-reflection, and many are extending their time away from the office and traveling the world.

Peter Lancaster, 31, was laid off from his tech job in California last May. Although he was sad to leave the job he loved, it was finally his chance to truly rest and enjoy life.

By the end of June, he sold most of his possessions, put the rest into storage, gave his cat to a friend, and headed to his first destination, Mexico City.

Over the next eight months, Lancaster visited eight different countries: Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Guatemala, Japan, Ecuador, and Brazil. He said he spent about $20,000 during that time.

Air tickets and transportation ended up being his highest expenses.

He added that while Colombia and Guatemala were the cheapest destinations, Argentina and the Galapagos Islands were the most expensive.

Here are six things he learned on his adventures abroad.

Work around

Lancaster’s biggest rule when traveling overseas is to stay flexible and know that plans can change at any time.

About six months into the trip, Peter met and fell in love with his girlfriend Alejandra, or “pp” (short for “Peruvian Princess”) as he liked to call him.

His original plan was to stay in Peru for four days, but after meeting Alejandra, he extended his stay to six weeks.

“I met her in Cusco, Peru. I was doing laundry and she saw me struggling so she helped me and then we decided to go buy drinks,” he told CNBC did it.

Peter and Alejandra take a walk in Argentina.

Courtesy of Peter Lancaster

“You think you’re going to want to make an itinerary, but honestly, your plans change a lot based on the people you meet,” he said. “Keep an open mind and change your motivation from seeing as much as possible to maybe just spending time with someone.”

“It’s easier to be flexible when you have a ‘pending’ schedule,” he added.

Travel light

“I never have more than a week’s worth of clothes,” he said. “The disadvantage is that I have to find a laundromat, but the advantage is that you can move around easily.”

For the first three weeks, he traveled with only a small backpack. Along the way, he was able to purchase the items he needed.

The less stuff he has to carry, the more agile he can be when plans inevitably change.

friendly

After arriving in Mexico City for the first time, Lancaster became homesick. “I wanted to go home because I thought, ‘Oh, this is going to be a long journey,'” he said. “But then I started making friends and I got used to it pretty quickly.”

Peter Lancaster and his traveling party in Guatemala.

Courtesy of Peter Lancaster

He chose to stay in hotels for most of the trip, both to save money and to get to know his fellow travelers.

“Start talking to people,” he said. “Everyone is very approachable and thinks alike.”

Smart travel

When traveling abroad, it is important to maintain a certain level of caution.

“I think it’s always good to have the mindset that a lot of people may try to scam you,” Lancaster said. When making a purchase or decision, he advises: “Take your time.”

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

“Especially abroad, you have to use the friend system,” he said.

Locals can often tell if you are a foreigner, which can put you in a compromising position. Therefore, it is important to always be aware of your surroundings and situations.

Enjoy local cuisine

“I don’t understand people who like to travel and eat burgers and pizza,” he said. “It’s more expensive to go to McDonald’s than some of the local places.”

While abroad, Lancaster placed a strong emphasis on sampling local cuisine, which added to his travel experience.

Life is more important than work

On February 29, Lancaster returned to the United States, happy with what he had experienced.

“If I had an unlimited budget, I probably would have continued, but I feel like I’ve seen it all and I’m ready to work,” he said.

“I feel very fulfilled… It’s nice to have time to rest and enjoy a different life than working,” he said.

Peter Lancaster at

Courtesy of Peter Lancaster

When asked why he took on this adventure, Lancaster said: “I guess it was more of a feeling that if you were to die tomorrow and the tombstone said the only thing you did was work…at least. I can check one thing off.”