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Why do people take a sabbatical? The reason may be many, but as I reflect on what has brought me to the point in my life where I would be willing to change my whole path by embarking on this 6 month sabbatical that turned into a year and a half. and travel the world, I realize that it was never just one moment, one person or one phrase that got me here but rather a combination of it all.
I can think of many examples but I wanted to share the most important ones for me.
Reasons I Took A Sabbatical Table Of Contents
Reasons I Took a Sabbatical
My Parents
I’m sure they kick themselves now. Little did they know that their actions would result in the free spirit that I am today. I like to think that they wouldn’t change anything. Our family doesn’t come from money so I’m not here to tell you that I had a trust fund from mami and papi for this trip. What my Latino parents did give me was far more priceless. I learned to use my money on things that are important to me. For my parents, this came in the form of travel and education.
With regards to travel, every year my parents made it a point to take my sisters and I on a family vacation. Road trip, camping or flying to spend time with family in Guatemala, we knew we had one big vacation. What my sisters and I didn’t know was that each year my dad would empty his savings and 401K to ensure we went on vacation.
My parents knew creating memories was far more valuable then a monetary amount in a bank. They were willing to make this sacrifice for it. It’s no surprise now, why I’m willing to tap into my savings and have a travel pot dedicated for trips.
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For Others
May 2010 marks the year I lost my Grandmother from cancer and coincidentally marks the beginning of my travel story as a Latina solo traveler. I cannot begin to describe how blessed I felt being able to book a last minute flight to Guatemala to spend some of her final days with her. My Teco Teco read to me from her latest book selection, shared meals and old pictures but what still brings tears, were her words.
My own Grama, an unofficial feminist was preaching girl power. She couldn’t stress enough, that just like her, I too needed to be a reflection of what being independent meant. There was a big world out there and just like her, I needed to see it for myself – “without a man”. Grama unconsciously hit very close to home. At the time, I was in a controlling relationship. This relationship had me settling into a life that made my partner happy but caged me. I won’t get into the details of what I had to deal with from my then boyfriend. Who at the time of these conversations with my grandmother was back in the states. Anywho, when I landed in Chicago, I ended the relationship. 2 weeks later, I found myself in Miami. The following month, I made my way to NYC, by the end of the year I was in Argentina and so many countries later, here I am!
To this day, I know my Teco Teco has been with and was the one who set me free.
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For My Soul
How does a spin class motivate you to leave on a 6 month world trip one asks? If you haven’t experienced Soul Cycle then you may not think it’s possible. I started attending classes in 2016 and maybe the music gave me new life. Or maybe, the dark studio brought out an inner fire in me. What I do know, the timing was right in my life to do this sabbatical.
To this day, I remember one of my favorite instructors always ended their class by saying, “Don’t be too busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” That simple phrase spoke to me. It was a reminder that I was falling into a life trap.
As I looked at my “life”, what did I have to show? I was going through the motions, simply living and ticking off boxes. Even today, after I made this journey, this instructor words reassure me that if I can make it through a 45 minute workout leaving sweaty, out of breath but with a fighting spirit, I can “make a life”.
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Plan Your Trip
Whether it’s travel, work, family etc. consider what is helping you pull this trigger and use it to get you where you SHOULD be.
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