The Golden Bachelorette star Joan Vassos has revealed her future career plans now that she's engaged to Chock Chapple and making a long-distance relationship work.
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Prior to competing on Gerry Turner's The Golden Bachelor season in 2023, Joan had worked as a private school administrator in Rockland, MD.
Now that Joan is a famous 61-year-old with a new love in her life, she opened up to Jason Tartick about how her professional life is going to change during a recent appearance on his "Trading Secrets" podcast.
"I'll tell you, the thought of retiring isn't something that's super appealing to me," Joan admitted to The Bachelorette 14 alum.
"I don't want to work all the time and full-time, like a 12-hour day, but I think it keeps you young and makes your life a little more exciting, as long as it doesn't interfere with some of the things [we want to do], like travel."
Joan previously revealed how she and Chock have multiple international vacations set for 2025. They have also been apartment hunting in New York so they'll have a convenient location where they can meet up for dates. (Joan still resides in Maryland, while Chock, an insurance executive, lives in Kansas).
"I don't think I'm ready to retire," Joan confirmed, "but I don't think I've worked as hard as Chock."
Joan explained, "I had a lot of years off when I raised my kids, so I'm back-end loading my career, it sounds like, in my sixties, at this point."
Joan also revealed that she's "kind of" thinking about pivoting into the entertainment and/or media space.
"I had to take a leave of absence from my job, and I think they backfilled me, so I'm actually not sure if I have a job there anymore," Joan said with a laugh.
"So I've thought a little bit about it, and [entertainment is] not something I ever gravitated to. In fact, I was actually a really shy person prior to doing this, and now, I feel kind of comfortable in the media world."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWJoan admitted she doesn't "know how to go about doing this" but she's considering a career change from education to TV.
"I like it. I think it's an interesting space, and I don't know if there's room for somebody my age coming into this, but if there is, I would certainly like to pursue it a little bit," Joan shared.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)
For his part, Chock said he loves to work and he's "pretty good at spending money," which means he'll need to continue working to afford his lifestyle.
Chock joked about how he's "never been a house husband" and so maybe that should be his "next career."
While Chock isn't ready to completely retire, he admitted it would be "nice to slow down" a bit.
"But I will drive Joan crazy if I don't have something to do during the day," Chock noted. "I'm like, 'Give me projects!'"
Chock went on to suggest that Joan would be great at "consulting" for The Bachelor franchise.
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"There are a lot of emotions and unusual circumstances that come into play, and I've never been on the TV before. It's a whole different world and you may start second guessing yourself... and then on The Bachelor, there is love and you get rejected," Chock explained.
Chock said it's "an emotional ride" that's real, especially for a person who finishes a season in second or third place with a broken heart.
Joan agreed and added how she'd love to be a part of Bachelor in Paradise, if there's ever a Golden edition. Joan said she would thoroughly enjoy serving as host, or even a bartender like Wells Adams!
The Golden Bachelorette star shared with Jason how she's going to manifest that for herself and she'd also love to do a future season of Dancing with the Stars.
Joan repeatedly said in the press while The Golden Bachelorette was airing that she didn't expect, nor did she anticipate, getting engaged at the Final Rose Ceremony.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)
But when Joan fell in love with Chock, she didn't hesitate to accept his romantic marriage proposal in Bora Bora.
When asked what caused her change of heart, Joan recently told Us Weekly that she realized she had been presented with a "unique opportunity" and needed to keep an open mind.
"[I thought to myself], 'I will have a hard time finding another person.' I did find out that you could really get to know somebody in that short amount of time," Joan shared.
Joan also revealed that, if Chock were ready for an engagement, she wanted to leave that decision up to him.
Joan apparently wanted to feel desired and she thought Chock proposing would be the ultimate sign of commitment.
"Chock asked me [in Fantasy Suites], 'What do you want out of this? Do you want an engagement?'" Joan recalled.
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Chock got down on one knee at the Final Rose Ceremony in Bora Bora after Joan rejected her runner-up bachelor, Guy Gansert, in second place.
While Joan changed her mind about getting engaged on The Golden Bachelorette, she's still not going to rush into a wedding with Chock.
"You're absolutely not going to see a TV wedding in three months," Joan told the magazine, seemingly alluding to the fact The Golden Bachelor couple Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist had wed a few months after their engagement aired on ABC.
Gerry and Theresa got married in January for a live televised special, but they announced their decision to get a divorce in April. (Their divorce has since been finalized).
"I loved that ending for Gerry and Theresa. The reason we're not having a wedding in three months has nothing to do with Gerry and Theresa," Joan insisted.
"I just don't want to have another thing I have to plan right now. When we come together for a wedding, which could be a TV wedding, might not be, it won't be in three months."
Joan added, "I just don't want to have another thing to plan right now. We are loving being together, and I want to take the time for us to get to know each other's families and friends."
But Joan and Chock revealed on "The Viall Files" in November that they will probably have a televised wedding, in order to include Bachelor Nation, in late 2025 or early 2026.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
