Jobs That Require Some Travel

[eleep]

Just got off the phone with a friend who works for the American Association of University Professors -- she does a lot of organizing and travelling, but we were talking about my possible eligibility for non-organizing AAUP jobs that would require less travelling, but still some.

I'm a ways out from knowing exactly what kind of work I'm going to be looking for -- right now, I'm trying to get myself to a point where I can effectively choose between moving into a new career next year and finishing the dissertation, but I've been gathering information about job opportunities and possibilities -- one of the things that appeals to me about the AAUP work is that they would support me through the completion of the dissertation in any case. There are a number of publication and research positions open in some very exciting cities across the country right now that look like they might be a decent fit for me in the long run.

However, I want to be realistic about my limitations with the celiac -- and I don't want to jeopardize my health for the sake of a job. I am comfortable (and even a little excited) with the prospect of just settling into an area I really like and doing high school or community college teaching (although my advisor's still pushing for me to go for the big tenure-track university prize).

How many people on the list have to do some travelling for work, and how do you manage it? What strategies do you use to deal with the diet and how successful do you feel you are? Do you feel like all the travelling jeopardizes your health? How much/what kind of travelling works and doesn't?

eleep

[Debbie65]

Hi,

You have to do what´s right for you.

You have coeliac but the only limmits it puts on you outwith dietry restrictions are the ones you allow. Don´t let it be the reason you travel or not. Equip yourself the best you can and go for whatever life you want.

Sounds very simplistic I know and I realise it´s not always that straight forward but I believe you´re better to regret the things you do than the things you don´t do.

[Felidae]

I travelled most of the summer because I couldn't pass up the job opportunity. It takes a lot of preparation in the beginning, but by mid-summer, travelling became routine. I always made sure the hotel had a fridge and microwave. I would prepare suppers for about three nights and pack them in my cooler. Also in the cooler would be lunch and breakfast items for the trip. I brought many gluten-free snack items that I knew I couldn't pick up at regular grocery stores. Naturally gluten-free things like fruit and veggies, I would pick up at the location. Basically, I didn't jeopardize my health at all. I packed mostly healthy foods with the exception of the occassional Thai Kitchen noodle cart. It just requires planning and a little creativity. I really wanted to work for this company to gain experience and I wasn't going to let celiac make that choice for me. I don't regret my decision.

[sspitzer5]

Hi Erica,

My job requires travel, one or two nights away each week on average. I had been doing this job before I found out about my Celiac and have certainly had to make some huge adjustments. I'm not sure I would have gone into it if I had known about the Celiac earlier. But, it is definitely possible to deal with and if the job is something really exciting and you want to do it, go for it!

When traveling, the main thing I do is bring food for breakfast, snacks and, if possible, lunch. Lunch is harder but I can do it if my trip is short enough. Most of the food I bring doesn't need to be refridgerated. But, if I am going to stay more than one or two nights, I will ask the hotel for a small refrigerator. I bring lunch meat in a flexible insulated carrier (called a "byo lunch bag") to make a sandwich at lunch.

I eat dinner at restaurants. I go to places like PF Changs and Outback if possible or I do some research before I go to find a suitable place to eat. But, if that isn't possible, I go to restaurants that are more on the expensive side. I haven't had too much trouble with these types of restaurants. I'm very careful about what I order and I always give them my dining card which describes the issue. If in doubt, I usually order something very plain like a hamburger with no bun or sauce and steamed veggies. I've also ordered from room service many times, again sticking with the very plain food and always sending it back if it comes out wrong. I've gotten contaminated a few times, but that's the same thing that happens when I eat out near home.

The hardest part for me is that I can never eat any of the food that is ordered for my customer meetings (the customer I am seeing will usually order lunch for everyone). There have been many times when I sat and watched everyone else eat and I ate nothing or just had a small snack. Team dinners can be hard too, but, of course, those are hard anywhere.

Packing food is a pain because it takes some thought and planning, plus it takes up space in your luggage.

Don't plan on being able to eat anything at the airport or on the airplane. Even the brand of nuts sold by airport stores now has statements about being manufactured on the same equipment as products containing wheat. So now I can't even grab a bag of peanuts when I'm desperate. I had a yummy dinner of a banana and Frito's a few weeks ago in Denver though! It can be mentally taxing, but I think that's just the nature of Celiac Disease.

Traveling can definitely be hard on your health, even for someone who doesn't have Celiac or any health concerns. It can be tiring and things like time zone changes can be hard on your body. It can also be great. So, I guess it just comes down to an individual decision. I wouldn't let the Celiac hold you back if you really want this job.

S

[ianm]

I just stick with foods that are obviously gluten free. It takes some planning but after a while you will get the hang of it and it really isn't that difficult.

[tarnalberry]

Yep, I've had to do a decent amount of traveling for work. I book a hotel with a kitchenette, stop by the grocery store, and 'bam', I'm good to go. I might look up a PF Changs while I'm there too.

[eleep]

Well, I'm not sure one of these jobs would really be where I want to end up -- so it's not a "go for it if it's what you want" kind of thing (yet -- I might have a change of heart). However, it is good to know that work-travel is something that can be done.

[munchkinette]

I have to travel every 2-3 months for work. I generally pack everything I need for breakfasts and snacks. The most important thing for me is to stay in a room with a mini-fridge. Those are common in hotels that see a lot of business travel. I've been able to go to Outback before. That really helped. They have a gluten-free menu.

Funny thing- one of my current clients is also gluten-intolerant, the other is dairy-intolerant, and their boss is corn-intolerant! We had a laugh about that. Their boss cooked dinner for their group recently. It was very complicated and didn't work very well.

[mike2184]

I travel an average of 3 out of every 4 weeks. It definitely took some trial and error, but I think I have it down pretty well now. The first few weeks were torture. I was getting glutened about once a week and was almost ready to quit. Recently though, it hasn't been a problem.

I stopped eating breakfast/lunch out. I will always stop by a grocery store, even if I have to go every day. This cuts down my eating out from 8-12 meals a week to only 4 meals a week.

I eat dinner at either a place with a gluten free menu, a steak place, or a seafood place. I always communicate with the staff, and I always try to eat the simplest things on the menu. If there is a dish that is naturally gluten free, then that is most likely what I will order.

It gets easier with time, and I feel that I have mitigated the risk enough to keep the job.

Hope this helps.

[pixiegirl]

I travel constantly both for work, with my boyfriend (his job) and fun. I have it down to a science and I rarely get glutened in a restaurant. I tend to try and eat dinner in upscale restaurants and I will eat steak, fish, baked potato and a sometimes a salad (I bring my own individual packets of dressing). If I'm not familar with a restaurant I call and we talk to them in depth once there.

If I need to eat breakfast out I do poached eggs and fruit and again talk to the breakfast place.

I use a lot of what others posted, I carry snack bars, gluten-free soy packets, salad dressing. I research ahead of time where a whole foods is and what sort of restaurants they have in the area I'm in. It takes a bit more work but again I'm rarely glutened.

Susan

[LonelyWolf307]

When I go traveling, I usually like to make myself some gluten-free waffles and just bring one for every meal I'll need, and other than that I'll eat fruit which can be found anywhere, and salads (same applies). They seem to keep pretty well if you keep them in a plastic bag even if you don't freeze them, and the recipe I use is pretty tasty. I would be sure to keep them frozen or refridgerated if you use egg in your recipe though (I don't).