Pausing my 9-to-5 life to travel the world on a paid sabbatical year

In 2022, I’ll be pausing my largely 9-to-5 life to take a sabbatical year.  I’ll be essentially taking a paid leave of absence – on what is called a “deferred salary leave” from my job to go travel for a year. When I tell people about my plan to take a break from my life and career in Canada for a year to travel the world, most people express genuine surprise and excitement. Some ask questions about how I got the opportunity; others express that they wish they could do the same thing; and still others express that they could never imagine doing what I’m about to do.  All is good.  I’m not 20 years old anymore, taking a year off from life is not exactly typical for someone who is in her late 30s, but I’m happy that so many people are supportive and excited about my decision to take this year for myself.  I plan to document my year-long journey on this blog, and I hope that what I write serves both as an outlet for myself to reflect on my experiences; as well as serve as a way to show those who are interested in doing the same thing, what such a journey could look like.

Why now?

Why not? The timing of this year off might seem odd, given the world is only just emerging from the coronavirus pandemic.  Truth be told, the timing of this year was rather arbitrary. 4 years ago, I was chatting with a co-worker who mentioned to me that there was this thing called a “deferred salary plan” where one could defer a portion of their salary towards a year off on partial pay and full benefits.  For example, one could work full-time and defer 20% of their salary (while being paid 80%), and after 4 years, they could get the 5th year off on 80% pay. 

Similarly, you can be more aggressive and defer 25% of your salary for 3 years and take the 4th year off on 75% pay.  I signed up on my organization’s deferred salary plan within a week of hearing about it.  I chose the 4 year 80% pay route, with the 5th year off.  I had no idea there was a global pandemic laying in wait in the years ahead.  I also did not know if I was going to make it 4 years on 80% pay.  After all, anything could happen.  I was told many people who sign up for these deferred salary plans don’t actually make it until the end.  It’s fairly riskless however.  All that happens if you cannot financially manage the plan, and opt out of it; is the deferred salary that has been banked by the organization for you will be paid out – but that often carries an unpleasant tax hit.  I can say as I round the final corners of the 4 year deferred salary program that I am delighted that I made the decision to commit to this program 4 years ago – and am over-the-moon for the opportunity to take the next year off for myself.

What about your life in Canada?

Good question. Many things about my life have changed in the 4 years since I put in place the plans to take 2022 off.  The world has completely changed, I have mortgage, I even have a boyfriend! This is not the same world and circumstances I had planned for when I thought about 2022 four years ago.  Finance-wise, nothing really changes substantially given that I will be drawing the same monthly income level as I have for the past 4 years in 2022.   I’m a fairly frugal traveler, and I’m quite confident travelling full-time is not going to cost me much more than how much I spend in my normal life.  I spend well below my income in normal life in any case, and typically save 30 – 40% of what I earn (even on my 80% salary plan) so even if I do spend a little more while travelling, it should still fall within my monthly income.

Life-wise however, I did not expect to be happily in love for this year off, but life happens, and for the better! Jens and I are of course nervous about what the upcoming year means for our relationship, but we both know and understand each other very well.  He and I both know and agree that if I don’t take this year to do what I want – which is to travel the world without restraint – that I would regret it.  If our positions were reversed and Jens were the one with the opportunity to travel for a year, I would never want to be an obstacle for him to take up such an incredible opportunity and be a cause for future regret.  So we’re in agreement that I should do as my heart desires, and we’ll support and love each other even if distance separates us – just as I would do for him if our roles were reversed. 

What are you plans?

I don’t have a set plan for the year, I have an idea of regions of the world I want to visit as well as a few things I would like to do; but as much as possible, I want to travel by feel and instinct.  I’m hoping to feel unencumbered by expectations – my own included – to just travel, experience, and enjoy this beautiful planet that I call home.  I can see myself traveling in Latin America for a period of time, improving my Spanish, and then heading on to Europe at some point to walk the Camino de Santiago.  Plans for where I go after that are yet to be written. Even the rough plans I currently have may be revised depending on many things – how much I like a place, opportunity (cheap flights, new friends, new ideas), global changes (coronavirus, lockdowns, re-openings).  I will adjust accordingly and find a pleasant path forward as much as I can.

What happens once you come back?

I’m hoping this journey allows me to grow, learn, enjoy, and come back home richer in mind, body and spirit. There are certain big questions that I’m hoping to think about, and maybe find some answers to while I’m away on this trip – and I’m sure there are some other big questions I haven’t yet considered. At the moment, the idea is to come back and re-integrate back into my life in Vancouver in a year’s time a spiritually richer, even-happier woman than I was before, with even more wonderful stories, friends and adventures than what I have already been blessed to enjoy so far in life. 

1 thought on “Pausing my 9-to-5 life to travel the world on a paid sabbatical year”

  1. Pingback: Intersections: life, adventure, and love in a time of Coronavirus - Live, Wander, Play

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