Taking a sabbatical changed my life—for the better.
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In June 2018, a month after finishing my master’s degree, I packed up my classroom, came home to our apartment, and breathed a sigh of relief. I requested a year off to travel the world—and I got it. That decision launched a fourteen-month sabbatical that reshaped how I live and work.
That fall I substituted (I needed some income), tutored and babysat in the afternoons, and worked on planning a six-month trip while downsizing our belongings. Before I knew it, the semester had passed, and we were on the road for six incredible months backpacking around the globe. Now, my gap year is winding down.
In a few weeks I’ll return to teaching. I’ll hang posters of Spain, Argentina, and Peru in my new classroom—not just as decoration, but as stories to share with students while I plan future adventures. I’ll also be proud of the changes I made and the growth I experienced.
Taking a gap year was the most transformative, educational, freeing time in my life. My sabbatical was a game-changer, and here I’ll describe what changed, how I’m different, and what I accomplished.
This is the aftermath of my sabbatical.
What changed? How am I different? What did I accomplish?
If you didn’t read my earlier posts about how this gap year began, check out parts one, two, and three, then come back here to learn how a sabbatical changed everything.
How A Sabbatical Can Change Your Life
Summer 2018
Teacher summers always feel too short, but that year was different. I wasn’t counting down the days until the term resumed. For the first time in years I relaxed—camping in Acadia National Park, visiting family in Vermont, and hiking in Denver over Labor Day. As summer turned into fall I settled into a new routine.
Substituting, tutoring, and nannying gave me income but much less pressure. I controlled my schedule. No stacks of papers to grade, no meetings, no 150-plus students to manage. I practiced languages beyond Spanish, read travel books, tested gluten-free recipes, and went to yoga. I began packing, selling items online, preparing the apartment for sale, and slowly built my website. The blog was a constant work in progress.
The Blog
I launched my blog in June 2017 after a conversation with a colleague sparked the idea of taking a sabbatical. That first afternoon, I sat in the sun, opened a document titled “Idea,” and wrote down hopes, fears, and travel dreams. I created a WordPress site, bought hosting, and started writing about trips and hiking. At first it felt messy and uncertain, but I kept learning.
To learn the business side of blogging I took a course that taught me WordPress basics, HTML, audience-focused writing, and marketing. With guidance, I refined the site, rebranded from Travel Don’t Settle to The Nomadic Fitzpatricks, and slowly built content that aimed to help readers, not just document my life.
A highlight: meeting a travel writer who inspired much of my learning—an energizing moment that reinforced my commitment to grow this site.
The Freelance Writing Gig
In fall 2018 I shifted my content to serve readers: hiking, local travel, and a topic I knew well—traveling with celiac disease. After publishing a practical piece on gluten-free travel, I reached out to an editor at a gluten-free magazine. Weeks later, while on the road, I received an offer to write monthly paid articles covering New England and later international destinations. Suddenly I was a freelance writer.
I also connected with other gluten-free and travel bloggers, which expanded my visibility and confidence. Each new opportunity felt like validation and pushed me to improve my craft.
The Round the World Trip
On January 2, 2019, we flew to Lima and began six months of full-time travel. We hiked mountains, sampled regional cuisine, met travelers from around the world, and embraced backpacker life. The trip taught me patience, flexibility, and how to let go of control.
From airports to breakdowns, languages to unfamiliar cuisines, every challenge forced me to adapt. I cared less about others’ opinions, experimented with my wardrobe, and even stopped wearing makeup regularly. Stripping away external expectations helped me become more comfortable in my own skin—more confident, resilient, and willing to take risks.
The Gluten-Free Community & Beyond
Connecting with people in travel and gluten-free communities online became energizing. I grew my social presence slowly, shared discoveries, and improved my writing with each post. By spring I passed 1,000 Instagram followers, joined Instagram Live interviews for Celiac Awareness Month, and felt increasingly seen as a contributor to this niche.
The Teaching Job
In mid-May 2019, while traveling in Italy, I discovered I had missed a call from my school district. When I left for my sabbatical I had the option to return for the 2019–2020 year. After hiking the Camino de Santiago and reflecting on how much I had changed, I realized I didn’t want to default back to my old patterns. I decided to explore a different teaching position and to carry the growth from my travels into my professional life.
Coming Home
“Travel is not reward for working,
it is education for living.”
After 170 days, 20 countries, and more than 1,000 miles of walking each, we finished our trip in Madrid and returned home in June. Landing back in the U.S. felt odd—clean airports, English everywhere—but the lessons of travel stuck. We downsized, moved into a smaller apartment, and reestablished daily life while keeping travel habits like walking and exploration.
I left my old district and accepted a new position, excited to bring fresh perspectives into the classroom. I continued growing the blog, working on SEO, and publishing monthly articles for the gluten-free magazine. Small wins—events, collaborations, giveaways—kept momentum going.
The Aftermath
I’m heading back to the classroom soon, but I’m not the same person who left. I’m less anxious, more confident, and less concerned about others’ opinions. I wake earlier, work consistently on the blog, and keep improving my writing and SEO. My audience has grown significantly since December, and the site looks much stronger than when I started.
Blogging and teaching both require ongoing learning. I’ve found another passion that energizes me—writing, helping others travel on a budget, and sharing gluten-free tips. I don’t know exactly what comes next, and that’s okay. For now, Dylan and I take things one day at a time, embracing new opportunities as they come.
If you’re considering a career break or any change from your routine, try one small step forward. Change is scary, but staying stuck guarantees nothing will change. Breaking out of my comfort zone was the best decision I ever made.
-Jen
Have you ever taken a sabbatical?
Would you consider taking one, and why?
Let me know in the comments!