Earlier this week, I sat down for an interview — not with a human reporter, but with an AI interviewer asking questions about our upcoming global sabbatical. It turned out to be a surprisingly fun and cathartic review. It was so fun being interviewed and it was an easy and creative way to experience just a piece of AI can do.
Q: You’re just a few months out from this global sabbatical — a huge adventure for any family. When you think about the preparation so far, what’s been the most unexpectedly challenging part of getting everything ready for August?
A: First, managing a budget at this scale — both in size and duration — has been tougher than I expected. Every small decision ends up influencing the overall cost of the year, and figuring out when to splurge and when to hold back is a constant balancing act. Second, the sheer volume of details to track has been its own challenge: confirmation numbers, cancellation policies, flight logistics, and all the future dates when different charges will actually hit our cards. I’m pretty handy with a spreadsheet, but this one is a doozy.
Q: When you zoom out from the spreadsheets and the logistics, how are you feeling about the emotional side of this? Excited, overwhelmed, proud, nervous — what’s the mix right now?
A: Honestly, it’s all of those emotions — and probably twenty more. On paper, we can map out destinations, accommodations, worldschooling plans, all of it. But the longest trip we’ve ever taken was just over three weeks, and that was before we had kids. There’s no real rehearsal for long‑term travel. Three weeks is a sprint; months on the road is an entirely different rhythm of living.
It’s intimidating, and if I’m being truthful, the dominant feeling right now is probably fear. But we’ve decided to adopt a new family motto for this adventure: do it scared. There’s something powerfully honest about that. It acknowledges the fear without letting it be the thing that makes your decisions for you.
Q: With everything happening in the world right now — geopolitics, safety concerns, shifting travel advisories — how much is the current global climate influencing your planning or your nerves as you get closer to August?
A: I’m freaking out a little. We have plans to be in the Middle East that are now called into question, and rising oil prices and potential deficits could really impact all our plans throughout the whole year. That being said, I think there’s always upheaval in the world. We were recently in Rome and stumbled into a 100,000‑person protest. My mom and I were in Turkey during the initiation of a military coup and Justin and I were in Thailand while it was under military control in 2014. I think when you travel enough you come to terms with changing global climates and just learn to do what you can to reasonably protect yourself but you can’t be afraid to keep exploring.
Q: With your kids being so young, how are you preparing them emotionally and practically for this huge shift?
A: I think this one of those things you’re never really prepared for, but we have been focusing on a few things to help. Mentally and emotionally, we’ve known this sabbatical was coming for a long time. So essentially for their entire lives we’ve been talking about this adventure. We have maps all over our house we constantly reference, and a good portion of the books on our shelves are about travel and celebrating different cultures, religions, and holidays.
Physically, we’ve done two major things. First, we put them in swimming lessons at every opportunity since birth. We knew this would be key to alleviating some risk while we’re travelling, since they will constantly be exposed to pools, boats, beaches, and open water. Are they next Michael Phelps? No, but we’re at the point where we can trust them to understand the risks and their abilities around water. And second, we’ve travelled a lot with the kids. Our oldest had taken 11 flights by the time she turned 1. We slowed down during COVID and after our second child arrived, but last year alone we travelled to British Columbia, Florida, Ottawa, Austria, Italy, and Costa Rica. So for normal duration trips, they’ve gotten a lot of practice.
Q: You’ve talked about preparing the kids — but how have you prepared yourself?
A: I think preparing myself is just as important as preparing the kids. I’ve done a lot of reading about other families that have taken sabbaticals/ gap years or families that do long term worldschooling and they’ve been amazing resources. Some of them just absolutely show off the humor and craziness and unpredictability that comes along with these types of adventures. They’ve inspired me to get excited about the trip but also to write and share more of our experiences with people, because I for one enjoyed the heck of reading about their experiences.
I’ve also focused on a few physical things. One of my concerns while travelling was around my poor eyesight (-5.5 in both eyes; aka VERY bad eyesight). I was worried I’d lose a contact lens or break my glasses, and I’d be pretty much helpless in a non-English speaking country. So, in 2024 I got a form of LASIK completed and I’ve been really happy with the results. I also recently finished up with Invisalign; my teeth had shifted around to point where they were causing me issues. Getting that done prior to our trip was nice and hopefully means I wont have any issues while we’re away.
Q: As you look ahead to months on the road, what kind of routines or anchors are you planning to build into your days to help the kids feel grounded even as everything around them keeps changing?
A: I think that’s something we’re largely going to have to work out as we go. But there are a few things I want to focus on from the start and see how it works. Setting aside time for schooling — 1 to 1.5 hours max, 5 days a week — and building a structured routine for school so we all know what to expect. And something we’ve certainly learned over the years is to build in downtime with the kids. We’re planning on slow travelling for about 70% of our trip. That gives us an opportunity to get to know the local playgrounds, grocery stores, and after‑school programs, and hopefully build a sense of home and community for a time.
Q: As you imagine yourselves months into the sabbatical — new routines, new cultures, new versions of yourselves emerging — what do you hope this experience will change or deepen in your family dynamic?
A: I’m hoping this adventure brings us together as a team. Right now, our kids spend 8 hours, 5 days a week at school, and as much as we try to stay engaged with their friends and teachers, they have a whole life away from us that we’re not very knowledgeable about. I know as they get older that’s only going to increase.
Now is such a great time in their lives to get to know them better but also instill in them that we’re always there for them no matter what. Before things get more complicated in their lives, I’m hoping we can use this year to build a foundation of love and support that will stick with them well after we’re back home.
Q: Okay, last question. When you imagine yourselves coming home after this sabbatical — stepping back into “normal life” — what do you think will feel different about you as a family, or even about you as a person?
A: I have no idea what “return to normal life” is going to look like for us. Are we going to be excited to be back or eager to start another adventure? Will we be happy to head to work and school or feel frustrated and constrained by a system that no longer fits? I’m kind of excited about this unknown though. I think when we get back, we’re going to be fundamentally changed as a family but also as individuals, with different priorities and goals than when we left. I’m excited to see what those might be and what “next” will look like for us.