Gap years are usually considered a rite of passage for the young. Freed from education, but not yet ensnared by adult responsibilities, school leavers and university graduates spread across the globe collecting experiences, tans and souvenirs. But why should responsibilities stop you from seeing the world? From renting out your home to flying the cat to Spain, here are some ideas to help you on your way.
Take a sabbatical
Having a steady job is one good reason to stay put and make do with your annual leave allowance. But some companies recognise the advantages of long term breaks. Travelling is widely thought to make you smarter; through new experiences, cultures, languages and friends. It also means they don’t lose good staff who wish to travel.
When asking for a sabbatical, speak to your manager not only about your wants and needs, but how this experience will make you a better employee and be beneficial to the company. And don’t forget to give plenty of notice for a better chance of success.
Make your assets work for you
If you’re a home owner, you might feel the weight of a mortgage holds you back. Do you need to sell? If not, how to you pay for the mortgage if you’re not working?
If you’re planning to leave for six months or more, one option to consider is letting out your home. Of course, this will require careful planning and preparation – check out this landlord checklist for an idea of the responsibility involved. You might also have to notify your mortgage provider, and move your possessions into storage. But, for some, it’s a good way to ensure the mortgage is covered (and maybe a little extra) while you travel – and you still have a home to come back to.
Earn while you travel
Not everyone can afford to travel long term. On top of flights and travel expenses, you also have to feed and house yourself. Then there are emergencies, luxuries and activities to pay for too.
But where there are people, there are jobs. English teaching is the most common job for travellers, but by no means the only option. You can wait tables, or take a job more in line with what you do at home. Unique skills and qualifications come in handy – you might find yourself teaching people to ski or providing veterinary care at an elephant sanctuary.
In the digital age, many people are able to work remotely too. Maybe you can keep your current job while you travel, as long as you have an internet connection; or perhaps you can become a digital PA or freelancer.
Make it a family affair
“I wish I’d known all this before I had kids!” I hear you say. But dependents don’t stop you from going on a summer holiday, so why should they stop you taking a gap year?
Taking time out together allows you to bond as a family. Travel can enrich your children’s education, too. Maybe they’ll need to take a year out of school, but think of all the things they’ll see and learn on the way. And travelling with kids forces you to take it a bit slower, allowing you the time to truly savour each new experience. It will definitely be more challenging to navigate the harder bits of travelling with kids but, for many, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
And if your dependents have a few more legs (I mean cats and dogs!), it doesn’t make it impossible to travel! If you can’t bear to leave your furry friends at home, you can gear them up with a pet passport and take them with you. This will, of course, depend on the type of trip you’re taking. A cat might not enjoy a walking tour across Europe, and dogs probably won’t be happy in a hotel room while you’re out enjoying the local clubs every night. But if you’re planning to stay put for a few months, or happy to partake in only dog-friendly activities while travelling, there’s no reason you can’t take the whole family!
