The “Super Sabbatical”

We’ve all scrolled through Instagram and found ourselves green with envy as we pass through yet another enviable vacation photo of someone in Bali, Thailand or on an African safari, and we wonder, “how can they afford that?”

Gap years aren’t as uncommon in other parts of the world as they are in the United States; in England, for example, it’s common for secondary school grads to take a year off from education before starting their university careers. But such getaways are also becoming more common among working professionals who already stashed away a bit of cash for major expenses of the future, such as a down payment on a house or a wedding. But when those dreams don’t exactly line up the way we plan, some are throwing the money toward unforgettable global experiences.

The “super sabbatical” is a term that can be described as a mid-career or in-between-career break that involves an extended trip as a means to explore the world beyond the boardroom and put some of that hard-earned cash into an enlightening experience.

With few vacation days compared with the rest of world, American working professionals have asked for extended time off to reinvigorate themselves, see the world in a new way and hopefully return with a newfound insight and perspective. The trend has taken off so much, startups (such as Epic Road) have even evolved based on the idea of the months-long journey as a means to reconnect with oneself.