He Said She Said: Does a business trip count as a vacation?
I Want to Get Away
He Said
The other day a classmate mentioned that he and his wife often argue over whether business trips should count as vacations or not. I was instantly interested in the discussion because it’s often a sore subject between my wife and me.
At least twice a year I attend a conference of some kind that requires me to travel for a few days. I usually arrive the night before, work until bed, and then wake up for the conference. I typically enjoy the meetings, but normally just go back to my hotel room and work for a few hours before bed. I think I might even work more than usual while on these trips since I have nothing else to do. My wife says that business trips are vacations because I eat free, I learn new things, I don’t have to take care of the kids, and I get to ride on an airplane. However, on most of the trips I actually would define as vacations (family reunions, etc.), I am not eating free, I am not learning a lot of new business stuff, I am taking care of kids, and I might not ride on a plane. Most of my vacations are spent with the family and they are quite expensive. So how could these business trips be classified as vacations? It just doesn’t make sense. Here is the definition of vacation from dictionary.com: a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday. I know that it is harder for my wife when I am gone since I am not there to help, but I don’t think it is fair to claim that I have just been on a vacation.
She Said
The Donkey’s business trips are vacations, because they are a break from his normal routine, and usually including resting, recreation, and other perks. Remember, he is not in sales, so these are not high pressure business trips where he is making presentations or trying to land a huge account. Most of his trips are to attend training seminars. He usually chooses from various conferences being offered around the country, which means he has a say in the location, the time of year, and the type of training being presented.
A typical trip entails:
- Riding an airplane, which happens to be one of The Donkey’s favorite activities; he looks forward to it and talks about it for weeks leading up to the trip. And he gets to ride without a lap child.
- Free meals at restaurants–meaning vast amounts of steak and soda are consumed
- A nice, quiet, private hotel room.
- Daily trips to the gym and hot tub.
- Interesting training sessions. He always comes home excited about what he did and learned.
- No childcare activities: no diaper changes, no bedtime visits to check for monsters or deliver glasses of water or clean up vomit.
- Visits to local recreational sites, movies, museums, etc. On a trip to Florida he squeezed in a visit to Universal Studios. On a trip in Southern Utah he managed to make it over to Las Vegas for an evening.
- Visits with nearby relatives. On multiple trips he has invited his brothers to stay in his hotel room, go out with him, etc. (See photos from the last time he flew out East for “business.”)
Sounds like a vacation to me. And as he has already explained, it’s even more vacation-like than the trips we usually go on.
What do you think? Should we refer to the Donkey’s trips as vacations?
Be sure to vote in the poll.
UPDATE: This poll is closed. See results.
13 Responses to “He Said She Said: Does a business trip count as a vacation?”
Oooh. I was rooting for you while reading your side - I have been on business trips, and while there is some fun involved, it can certainly be a lot of real work - and you are missing the comforts of home. Not always “vacation” ish.
But. She made some incredible points. I had to go with YES, because there do seem to be some very vacationing activities transpiring.
I don’t think it matters about spending money or not spending it - its a matter of what you GET to do, and what you DON’T HAVE to do. There are also vacations from which you can’t wait to get home…
Why not just comprimise and call them a BREAK. You got to take a break. From home and kids and clearing the table and taking out the trash. Maybe a break tending towards a vacation, especially if there is a hot tub involved.
She needs a break too, and if that is where the argument starts, give her one, why dontcha.
By Kat on Nov 12, 2007
I am with The Wife. I call it a vacation too because he’s doing something different. I guess I usually use the term break as well. I don’t understand what’s not vacation about disney world, universal studios and hotel rooms (for roger anyway) Roger once got to stay in a suite at the Ritz Carlton in DC on “business” yea he was loving the huge bed and turn down service, i’d like to see him try to call that no vacation!
By Chelsea Worth on Nov 13, 2007
It’s a vacation if the children are left behind.
By Rachael on Nov 13, 2007
So it’s not a vacation if you do take the kids? That doesn’t sound quite right.
These are not vacations. I travel a lot and I would much rather stay home. I would prefer being a stay at home dad and send my wife off to earn the moola. If the shoe was on the other foot, would it still be considered a vacation? I doubt it.
It all depends on what the family is like on a daily basis. If I wake up with the kid and put her to bed every night, then obviously when I am away my wife has more to do than before.
The best way to counter these vacations is to send your wife away for a long weekend somewhere. If you are gone for a few days and she has all the responsibilities, send her to a nice spa and take on all the chores yourself.
By KajaPoker on Nov 13, 2007
any trip requiring you to work is not much of a vacation, next time you actually take a family vacation just bring all your work and do it day and night and when she says, “why are you working? you’re supposed to be on vacation” just say “oh i thought this is what vacation is”. doing an activity after a work trip is no different than catching a movie after work at home, so is that vacation or recreation in your off time?
By phillyz on Nov 13, 2007
Since I am the classmate who brought up the topic in the first place, I’m going to have to agree with the Donkey on this.
Work is work. I pretty much only travel internationally, which although exciting is very tiring. My last trip to Australia and New Zealand lasted 8 days total, but I was in an airplane at least 36 hours of that time. Cool scenery, hard work.
By the way, this whole discussion started because my wife was arguing that she should get to leave me with the kids more often. We are pretty much equal as far as how many days we’ve had away from the kids this year, unless you count business trips, which I don’t.
By Vatermann on Nov 13, 2007
What Chelsea forgot to mention was that stay at the Ritz was NOT a business trip. It was a recruiting trip. My future employer was wining & dining me, they pulled out all the stops. Oh and that trip to Unversal studios and Disneyland…that was an trip that they took us on at the end of my internship. Now that I am employeed by this company my trainings are exactly as chris described. Boring conferences/trainings for 8+ hourse each day followed up by sitting in my hotel room, alone with my computer, waiting to do it all over the next day. Not my idea of a vacation!
By Roger on Nov 13, 2007
I say it is a neither complete work nor completely a vacation. But I voted for The Wife because it is a break from the routine. No kids, no home responsibilities, free food, and interesting stuff to do when you DO get some time.
By Anonymous on Nov 13, 2007
Here here. This is the support I expected. The last 3 comments have been right on. To call a work trip a vacation is crazy talk. It doesn’t fit the definition. My wife said she deserves a vacation if I go on a business trip. I told her that I would be fine with that, but that she must spend most of the day working. I am willing to take the kids away for a few days so she can clean around the house and then maybe enjoy a movie on tv. That is about as exciting as my “vacations” usually are. She won’t have the kids around, but she will be able to continue working. Maybe I’ll send over a pizza while she’s there alone.
By The Donkey on Nov 13, 2007
whoa, wait a minute. Someone snuck a comment in while I was typing mine. I do not agree with the anonymous one, just in case you were confused
By The Donkey on Nov 13, 2007
For me, this WOULD be a vacation:
“she must spend most of the day working. I am willing to take the kids away for a few days so she can clean around the house and then maybe enjoy a movie on tv.”
Do it!
By Kat on Nov 14, 2007
Business trips are NOT vacations. When I vacation, I get to sleep in if I want or wake up and see the sites during the day when most things are open. I always do interesting things and have fun.
On a business trip I HAVE to get up to be at a meeting that might be interesting or maybe it is the most boring thing on Earth, but I can’t just leave and go to a theme park.
I get back to my room and grab a quick bite and then it’s email time until I go to bed. I might be in a new place, but most of the attractions and sites are closed even if I had time to see them.
Admittedly the food at dinner can be a highlight, but a nice meal a vacation does not make. I am still working; My employer still has expectations on my time.
Most importantly I love to vacation with people I truly love and care about so I can share the experience with them. Without my wife, kids, or at least a good friend I am not on vacation; I am at work.
By Karlmalone on Nov 15, 2007