In People we meet on vacationPoppy’s job takes her and Alex around the world for their annual trip, but it also becomes a point of contention for the best friend duo.
In the film based on the best selling novel for Emily Henrypoppy (Emily Bader) meet Alex (Tom Blyth) at the university. For spring break, the couple ends up taking a road trip to their shared hometown of Linfield, Ohio from Boston. Poppy and Alex quickly realize during the trip that they are complete opposites; she dreams of seeing the world while he prefers to stay at home with a good book. The unlikely duo end up forming a strong friendship.
After graduation, Poppy moves to New York City to become a travel journalist, while Alex is an English teacher in his hometown. Despite the distance, Poppy and Alex spend a holiday together every year thanks to their work. While traveling to different places, the two form a deep connection that later turns romantic.
Keep scrolling for a full breakdown of Poppy’s job and how it affects the film’s plot:
Warning: Spoilers below for People we meet on vacation.
What is Poppy’s job in People We Meet on Holiday?
Poppy works as a travel journalist for a luxury magazine called R&R, which stands for rest and relaxation. After her time in college, Poppy moved to New York City to work in publishing. During her time on R&R, Poppy travels around the world at the expense of her job. She finally decides that instead of traveling alone, she will take Alex with her on vacation every summer, which she eventually agrees to.
How does Poppy’s job affect her and Alex?
While becoming a travel writer was Poppy’s dream career, she eventually becomes unhappy. Poppy’s feelings don’t just stem from her job, but from how disconnected she became from Alex. The couple had a falling out after arguing during their trip to Tuscany.
The trip to Tuscany was different from Alex and Poppy’s typical getaways, as they invited their partners, Sarah (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Trey (Lucien Laviscount). During their stay, Poppy has a pregnancy scare and Alex stays by her side to comfort her. The friends almost kiss during the intimate moment, but Poppy explains that it was a mistake and Alex leaves. The next morning, Alex proposes to Sarah and she accepts.
After the news of Alex and Sarah’s engagement, Poppy argues with Alex. Alex tells her that he and Sarah plan to settle down in Ohio. Poppy objects to Alex’s plan and claims it’s not what she really wants. Alex takes offense and declares that he is done traveling with Poppy.
Two years after their argument, Poppy lies that her job is to send her to Barcelona at the same time as Alex’s brother (Miles Heizer) gets married there. Poppy’s goal is to rekindle her friendship with Alex, as she remembers that the last time she was truly happy was when they were taking their annual vacation.
While in Barcelona, Alex is single. He later admits that he and Sarah broke off their engagement because of his feelings for Poppy. Poppy and Alex declare their love, but the couple’s story doesn’t end there. When Alex broaches the subject of what’s next for them, Poppy explains that she wants some time to figure things out. Alex accuses her of not knowing what she wants and of using her travels to escape her problems. Poppy contests her desire to stay in her hometown.
In the end, Poppy gets clarity from Sarah about what happened between her and Alex. Sarah shares that Poppy wasn’t the only factor in their breakup, as she wasn’t sure what she wanted in life, which leads Poppy to discover that Alex is what makes her happy, not her job.
Does Poppy keep her job at the end of ‘People We Met on Holiday’?
Poppy finally quits her job at R&R. He ends up going back home to Ohio and finds Alex. They declare their love again. The film ends with Alex and Poppy living together in New York City and continuing their tradition with an annual vacation. Although Poppy gave up her brilliant job at the magazine, she continues to write professionally. In the book’s epilogue, Poppy ends up writing for a column for a local outlet.