How to take a year off of work to travel
Ever had the urge to take off and have an adventure? What about a whole year of travelling? I’m here to tell you how to take a year off of work to travel, because it is entirely POSSIBLE! Here are some tips and things to keep in mind when planning for your ultimate adventure.
For those who don’t follow me on Instagram, you might not know that I am currently on a break from work and travelling for a year. 2022 is officially my ME year. Maybe you can consider me a proud participant of the ‘Great Resignation’! Even if I haven’t officially resigned (yet, question mark?) I am currently travelling full-time and there is a position waiting for me as of next January if I decide to return. But without getting into the details of burnout, lousy management, and depression- how did I take a year off of work to travel ? A sabbatical year!
Let’s talk about what a Sabbatical is and how it works!
What is a sabbatical year?
First, I am a huge advocate of taking a sabbatical year. Whether it’s in your 20s, 30’s or later, it’s an amazing way to hit pause on working life and take the time to focus on yourself. Do the things you want to do, and of course travel (if that’s your thing)! A sabbatical is essentially 6 months-year off from work. It’s something that can be easily discussed with your boss and/or HR department. The biggest advantage of taking a sabbatical year vs. just quitting your job is that it provides you with a sense of security. It allows you to leave with peace of mind knowing you have a paying job waiting for you when you’ve finished the year.
Believe it or not, you don’t have to be a 40-something college professor to take a sabbatical. I’m currently on my very own sabbatical at only 28 years old. Plus, I’ll have the right to one every six years!
How it works
Every country will have their own laws and regulations. However, in France, if you have been working for at least 6 years in total, and for 3 years in the same company, you are allowed to make a request.
Your company only has the right to deny or negotiate your first request. If your first request is denied, and you put in a second request it will automatically be accepted.
Part of the deal also means that they have to guarantee you a similar position upon your return (if you decide to return). Sounds pretty straight forward right? RIGHT! Asking for a sabbatical is actually really easy to do, here are some tips and tricks to doing so:
- Research sabbatical laws for your country
- Plan your sabbatical (I’ll get into that later)
- Contact the HR department of the company you work for and ask questions about company policy. Has the company ever had this type of request? How do they handle these types of requests? What are the requirements? What documents are needed?
- Talk with your manager about the request you plan on putting in.
It’s not easy approaching your manager and asking for a year off. That’s why I would recommend gathering all the information beforehand. Then, present it to your manager in a respectful but matter-of-fact way. The key is asking for it. You only get what you ask for!
If they’ve accepted, next, you can then talk about how you can facilitate your departure. As well as your potential return.
So once you’ve got the official stuff taken care of, you can officially get pumped! You’re taking a whole year off of work to do whatever the hell you want! Don’t get me wrong the excitement is great, but once you realize it’s actually going to happen it’s also pretty scary (but in a good way).
So, let’s talk a bit about planning and preparing for the sabbatical year.
Should I plan my Sabbatical year?
Every blog I read before leaving said the same thing « Make sure you plan your sabbatical year »… guess what I didn’t do? Plan it before making the request. I had a general idea of a few things I wanted to do but nothing was concrete.
So for those of you who are thinking of taking one but don’t know exactly what you want to do. It is possible to get by without a full-blown plan. Furthermore, there are some real advantages and disadvantages to both scenarios when deciding to travel for a year. My first 3 months of the sabbatical year were only set in stone 2 months before I left. The rest continues to fall in place 2 or 3 months at a time. Anything is possible, it just all depends on what is important to you. If you’re planning to take a year off of work to travel, keep in mind some of the following:
Having a set plan
+ Being able to organize exactly where you’ll be and when
+ Book all flights at once (cheaper)
– Not flexible to make easy changes to your plan
Not having a set plan
+ Flexibility (can’t emphasize this enough)
– Not knowing where you’ll be and when
– Booking travel can be a bit more expensive
Preparing to leave
So once you’ve decided how you’re going to live out your sabbatical year, you have some more logistical stuff to figure out and think through. What do I do with my stuff? My house? … The questions are endless!
Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you leave for a year of travel:
- House/Apartment: if you own, rent out your place or get a friend to help manage it as an Airbnb. If you rent, is subletting a possibility? Do you know anyone who has a lease coming to an end? People are always looking for housing and if you don’t want to lose your place there are options! Check out how to Sublet!
- Things: Storage (personally I have my things in the basement and closets of 3 different friends…) if you don’t have too many things then it’s rather easy to figure out. However, when it comes to your furniture it’s more complicated. I advise looking into storage units, subletting your place furnished, or selling! 5 tips for long-term storage!
- Car: Either consider selling or store it at someone’s house. Additionally, see if your insurance can be put on minimal payment, seeing as the car won’t be in use. Depending on the country you live it, there will be certain legal obligations around keeping your car insured even while not in use. Check out 10 long term car storage tips & Do I need insurance for a car thats in storage?
All in all, everything is material and is easily put aside for a year.
The costs of taking a year off
How much money do I need?
Let’s get to the big burning question, how much does it cost to travel for a year? Well personally, and like most, this year off is financed by a chunk of my savings.
Ouch!
It’s a big decision to decide to dip into your savings for a year of traveling, nonetheless, so far I haven’t regretted it. For myself, I budgeted 15K€ minimum and have 18K€ max, set aside for this year. Of course, I’d rather stay on the cheaper end of things. However, I know this is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, so I also want to have a good time!
How much you spend will depend on many things: countries you want to visit; desired comfort level; distance from your home country… the list goes on.
To start having an idea of where you might want to travel to, here are some of the most expensive counties and regions:
- North America
- Japan
- Singapore
- Europe (Scandanavia, Switzerland, Austria in particular)
- Australia and New Zeland
- Israel
- Iceland
For a more detailed list of the most expensive countries to travel to, check out this post!
- Southeast Asia
- South America (except Chile)
- Central America (except high traffic tourist destinations such as Costa Rica, Cancun…)
- Eastern Europe
Here are some expenses to keep in mind when budgeting, additionally some tips and tricks to save money along the way!
Expenses to take into account:
- Rent or mortgage (if not subletting). If you’re leaving your place you can cross this off your list!
- Storage for belongings (if not in your parents’ garage).
- Insurances (housing, car, travel…). Travel insurance is a MUST! I am currently using Heymondo for mine and have no complaints!
- Flights (loot at the main big flights you might want to do in the year and see how much they cost).
- Here’s a tip! Look at last-minute flight prices for your destination as well as the long term. For example, if right now it’s January and I know I will want to do Paris-Bangkok during the year. I’ll check flights in February, April, and June. This will give me an idea of how the prices go up, depending on how much in advance I buy my ticket. If the prices one month away are not too much more expensive than 4 months down the road, then booking last minute shouldn’t be too detrimental to your budget.
- Housing & food budget for the countries you might want to visit. Keep in mind that traveling in the US or Europe will require more of a budget than SE Asia, or South America.
What to pack when taking a year off
Packing for a 2-week vacation is already a hassle, but packing for a year? Oh, Lala…. I have the luxury of returning to France every few months and therefore being able to change out the things and clothes I am traveling with but here are some tips:
- If you haven’t worn it in the last year you won’t need it
- Take less than you think you need
- Don’t pack that extra dress or pair of shorts. If you really need it you can find it where you’re going.
- Only pack things that you are prepared to get stolen. (I got my brand new hybrid camera stolen in Thailand)
- Buy a backpackers lock to keep your belongings somewhat safer (I’m using this TSA approved luggage lock which is works for suitcases, backpacks, lockers...)
- Microfiber is your friend (and so is wool if you’re going someplace cold)!
To summarize, keep it light. You won’t need a million things, and chances are you’ll find whatever you’re missing ‘sur place’. Depending on the countries or regions you want to visit, check online for packing lists! You’ll most likely be surrounded by people doing the same kind of thing as you (backpacking) so no need to worry about dressing fancy, or wearing makeup.
Extra tips & tricks
Here are some extra tips and tricks to help you plan on taking a year off of work to travel.
Workaway
If you want to stay in the same place for a few weeks look into Workaway options. Generally, you can be fed and lodged in exchange for helping around the person’s farm/house… Plus, there are many different types of workdays! I did 3 months of Workaway in Lapland, in a Husky Kennel, and didn’t have to pay for food or housing for those 3 months. This gives you the opportunity to see a new country, explore, have an amazing experience, and also save money!
Check out the Workaway website
Google maps
That’s right, Google maps helped me find free places to stay! I used Google maps to find hostels in areas that I wanted to visit, and was able to get their emails thanks to Google maps. By getting ahold of emails, I was then able to send messages out to multiple hostels to propose the idea of a “workaway”. This takes a bit more organization, and is less guaranteed, however it does work!
Amex (or points cards)
I recommend getting an Amex card before you leave! Book all your flights and hotels with the card and rack up miles. I just booked a flight from Portland Oregon to Montreal for less than 10€ thanks to the miles I racked up during my first 4 months.
I’m not yet a pro on point collecting to get a bunch of free stuff. However I know there are many different programs and cards that exist. Don’t hesitate to look into it before going.
Couchsurf & networking
I have the impression that not as many hosts accept couch surfing requests since Covid. However, if passing through a city look into couch surfing or checkout Facebook groups to find a free place to sleep. As a solo female traveler though, Couchsurfing can be worrisome. Speaking from experience, only stay with other females if you want to avoid awkward and possibly dangerous situations.
In conclusion, preparing for a sabbatical year can be stressful yet exciting. The most important thing is to remember that this is YOUR year, so ENJOY!
I hope that this post helped ease your mind if you’re planning your year off. Or maybe it inspired you to start thinking about planning one. Additionally, check out my other posts about travel tips, packing lists, and of course destinations (for some inspiration)!