Dare to Explore: The Case for Taking a Travel Sabbatical ??

Would you ever consider taking an extended break from work for a travel sabbatical? ?

Earlier this year (after two years of careful planning) my husband and I finished up at our jobs in Australia, relocated to the USA, and began our 6-month world travel sabbatical adventure. This journey wasn't just about seeing new places; it was a chance to step away from our daily routines, rediscover ourselves and our values, and create lasting memories. In this article, I'll reflect on our top 10 takeaways from this experience and the profound impact this sabbatical has had on our lives.

It has been the ultimate privilege to be exposed to the transformative power of taking time off to travel.

Before taking the leap, I was really nervous—worried about managing finances without any income, spending time out of the workforce, and loss of our precious routine. However the trade-offs have been so worth it in exchange for this incredible trip of a lifetime. So far we have had the chance to visit 25 countries across North Africa, Europe, and Southeast Asia, with a few more in the pipeline to go. Now nearing the end, we’ve been reflecting on how much we’ve learned and how this experience is impacting us for the better.?

Being on a sabbatical versus being on leave has helped us feel totally immersed and avoid the inevitable guilt and mental chatter that can creep in while traveling on leave from work. Past vacations have sometimes felt half-baked because I simply could not stop thinking about the work that was waiting for me upon my return. On the contrary, this sabbatical has enabled us to fully embrace the opportunity to learn about our big, wide world and its countless unique cultures—and even moreso about ourselves in the process.?

The world has so much to teach us, if we take the opportunity to listen.

We recognize our position to travel on sabbatical is a privileged one, and not everyone can consider it, but we couldn’t recommend it more if you ever find yourself in a position to do so.

With five months of full-time travel under our belts, here are our top 10 takeaways:?

1. Do not wait to chase your dreams, because tomorrow is never guaranteed. - Unfortunately not everyone is afforded the gift of reaching retirement age, so why wait until then to travel? Whatever your dreams are, get after it while you still can. Maybe that means prioritizing traveling, starting a family, focusing on your mental or physical health, gaining a new qualification, changing jobs or pivoting into a new industry. Life really is too short to do anything but chase your dreams.?
2. Renewed passion to preserve our ever-changing climate. - Traveling has helped us further strengthen our connection to the earth while exposing us to the changing climate firsthand. This has instilled an even deeper desire for us to help protect its fragile ecosystems and preserve it for generations to come.
3. Realignment to our values. - Leaving the workforce for any amount of time can be scary, but it forces us to reflect on what we truly value in our careers. For example, what type of industry/job would we like to explore next? What would work life balance look like for us next? What did we learn from past roles that may change how we approach things in the future?
4. It’s okay to take a break, whenever and however often you need to. - For us traveling long term, this has meant scheduling days to do nothing but relax, occasionally booking an apartment with a kitchen to have the opportunity to watch some Netflix and cook for ourselves. We also have gotten better at prioritizing which activities are most important instead of trying to cram in everything all at once.??
5. Kindness and generosity are a universal language. - Despite language and cultural barriers, we have been so fortunate to be invited to share in so many experiences purely out of the kindness of people’s hearts. This included a home-cooked meal in a Nubian village, pastries shared amongst new friends on an overnight train, and little gifts from shopkeepers in middle eastern souks. We only hope to continue to pay this forward in the future.?
6. Unique experiences and extraordinary memories far outweigh material possessions. - For us, this means packing as light as reasonably possible, prioritizing unique cultural experiences in our budget (like cooking classes and walking tours), and only shopping when we need something, aside from small gifts and postcards.?
7. When traveling as a couple or group, teamwork is essential. - We all have off days (like when transport delays or food poisoning get us down) and it can be easy to point the finger when we’re distressed. But it’s times like these where it is most important to lean into each other for support and collectively figure out the best way forward. (Pro tip- snacks are an important part of ensuring we don’t get too "hangry" and act out of character).?
8. Resourcefulness is built through adversity. - Being able to draw on tools and systems at our disposal to help solve our inevitable travel conundrums has helped us build confidence and avoid potentially sticky situations.?It is hard to imagine a time when paper maps and phone booths were the norm versus google maps WhatsApp chats.
9. Setting a budget we can stick to is essential for peace of mind. - For us, this has meant booking all transport, accommodation and most tours well in advance. We set a daily budget as a guideline to stick to, while allowing some wiggle room as a buffer for any mishaps, or choosing to mindfully go over-budget occasionally for can’t-miss activities, (such as a visit Egypt’s Valley of the Kings and a boat tour to the Blue Caves in Greece).?
10. Traveling is one of the BEST ways to get out of our comfort zone. - Sometimes the daily grind of work can feel a bit suffocating or mundane, which is why we wanted to take a full break to travel. Approaching new cultures with a bit of research, an open heart, and plenty of curiosity helps us expand our horizons to entirely new perspectives, ways of thinking and approaches to life.?

As our travel sabbatical soon comes to its end, we couldn't feel more reassured in our decision to take the leap. We will soon return home to Iowa to begin a new chapter, feeling confident in our values and priorities and excited about making our next career moves. Looking ahead to the future, we are hopeful this will be the first of a few strategic travel breaks or "mini retirements" along the way.