I came to US 5 years ago for school and working for a fortune 500 company in Chicago and make a decent living. My parents are in India and wanted to marry someone of the same religion, caste etc (too much for ppl here to understand) Well. I visited my parents last November and they made me meet someone. She was smart, have same views about things I care for, but something about her physical looks bother me. I said yes to my parents after meeting her for couple days I was there, thinking I will get over the fact. But I never did.

Whenever we skype, it keeps bothering me. There were twice I told her I’m not ready for the wedding w/out telling the actual reason and she convinced me everything is going to be alrite.  I have my wedding in 1 month. It’s been couple weeks I even skyped but use whatsapp and phone every day. All invitations are sent out and my entire family is excited for me to go there and get married. I’m having strong back thoughts. In my family calling off wedding means they will actually disown me.

I need your opinion on what I should be doing. Why do I need your opinion. Because I want to know what you think is the right thing to do, from a person who doesn’t know me and would tell me the truth – I could just think of you. When I ask this question to friends who know me they don’t give me a frank answer and some convince me I’ll be alrite after the wedding and some say it’s too late and will be embarrassing for the entire family if I do that.

So far my new job is going really well. I have days when I’m so engrossed in what I’m doing that I don’t even notice the hours ticking by. It’s a much better fit than my last position.

Anyway, I have a question for you. What’s the best way to handle an indecisive boss? I am very good at making decisions, and I don’t have any experience working with somebody who is so bad at it.  In addition, I have limited patience for people who constantly put off making decisions or change their minds 5 million times. Especially when it messes with my deadlines. At the same time, I’m new to this company and I don’t want to come across as bossy or bitchy. Do you have any ideas for ways I can speed up the process without stepping on any toes?

I am a regular reader of your blog and a huge fan of your work.  I started following it in 2007. I was drawn to it because I was/am that classic twenty-something: lost.  I immediately found my post-undergrad job to be unsatisfying and boring.  I started in corporate finance.  I have since upgraded to an analyst position in asset valuation at a financial services firm.  I have been here three years and although I am not miserable, I daily yearn for something more.

I am in the process of researching NGO’s in Nepal.  I want to move there for 2-3 months to work in women’s empowerment.  I want to volunteer in Nepal because (a) I have spent the majority of the last five years making money for myself and my employers, not contributing much to humanity, (b) I want to immerse myself into a new culture and I find the Nepalese culture intriguing and (c) I want a hub to explore Asia (primarily after my commitment is fufilled in Nepal).  I have been to Asia twice and traveled throughout Europe in college so I am very confident in my traveling skills.

My biggest hesitation here has probably crossed your mind: what will I do upon my return?  I don’t know.  I am hoping that while abroad, I will be presented with new opportunities that will lead to my next step or, at the very least, my time overseas will shed some light on my next career move.  I am fairly certain that I do not want to stay in finance and I do not want to come back to Chicago, which is where I’ve lived for nearly five years.  One of my inclinations, among many, is to pursue a career in writing, using my material from a blog that I will keep while in Nepal and afterward.  My priorities of traveling and exploring will come second to writing my blog to ensure that I have a product when I return to the US (if I return).

What are your thoughts? Am I completely insane to pick up and leave (with approximately $10K in the bank) after building so much career equity in the past five years?  I am so lost and without a clear direction on my next “job” and I feel drawn to do something drastic and unconventional like this.