Photo Credits: Caters News Agency via Daily Mail

This young couple decided to quit the rat race and gave up their jobs to sail the world – despite never having been on a sailing boat before.

Matt and Jessica Johnson, both 32, decided to give up the so-called “American Dream.” They quit their jobs, sold their possessions and raised enough money to buy their dream boat in 2008. After practicing for three years, they finally felt ready to set sail and have not looked back since.

In 2011, they left behind everything they knew, departing their hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and have so far explored 16 countries, including the Bahamas, Jamaica, Cuba and Peru. In 2012, they decided to adopt a shelter cat as their traveling companion, and Georgie, who knows how to swim, has been travelling with them ever since.

The couple told the Daily Mail, “Our lives were the typical American Dream. Go to school, get married, buy a house, start a career. So far we’ve also left out the part of having 2.5 kids. For too long we had spent all of our weekends in front of the TV without ever doing anything productive or enjoyable. We realised this needed to change.”

Now one of the most well-traveled cats, the globe trotting kitty has accompanied them to 13 countries and has even done some swimming. To keep her from falling into the waters while they’re sailing, Matt and Jessica ensure that she’s is in the cockpit or below deck, wearing a harness and leash for safety.

Jessica told the publication, “She does very well with the sailing and is more steady on her feet than we are. She loves sitting on the deck and watching the fish over the side of the boat when we are at anchor. We found out she can swim when she jumped overboard in Grand Cayman. She swam around the back of the boat and climbed up the ladder.”