As I crawled up the dusty mountain, my sweaty palms turning the California dirt into mud, I stopped myself suddenly to catch the view. Trying out the Chakra breathing technique I’d been practicing in yoga, I grabbed my husband’s hand. Ahhhh. This is life. We were eleven weeks pregnant and no one knew but us. Looking through the perfect coupling of two mountain peaks, with the Big Bear Lake filling the space between, mother nature reminded me that we were on her turf and for all she cared, we could take it or leave it. I’ll take it, I thought. The school year had just wrapped up and I left my principalship for a new beginning as a classroom teacher. We were going to be parents and I was going to be a teacher again (insert chakra breathing and a cool summer breeze). The great unknown was lying before us. Feeling my internal reset button kicking into gear, I knew I was ready. Thank you, mother nature.
We all know the benefits of vacationing. Rest, replenishment, rejuvenation. You get to explore new cultures, taste local dishes, meet interesting people and gain perspective on life. It’s a no brainer that teachers need vacation, but for some reason, we aren’t taking advantage of our time off.
Why don’t teachers travel during vacation time? 6 Excuses Debunked
1. Travel is too expensive on a teacher’s salary. Start small. Take a quick weekend road trip to the next hot city. Stay with a friend or Airbnb a shared room, many run as low as $30 a night. If you choose to fly, choose your destination based on the best deals. Budget to eat out for dinner but hit the grocery store for breakfast and lunch. It’s doable. Plus, once you set the date, it all becomes real; you will save, save save.
2. I’m so tired, I just want to sleep all week/weekend. Then book a beach vacation! One of those cheesy all inclusive resort spa types where you can shuffle from your room to the scorching hot folding chair and sip spiked smoothies while dipping your toes in the sand. Sleep you will get!
3. My family lives out of state, I want to use my time off to go home. I can relate to this one. Our families reside in the Midwest, a long haul from New Orleans. Feeling the weight of missing family and friends, multiplied by work stresses can be tough. Holidays are sacred for my family. But why not use non-holiday vacation time to bring your family or friends with you? Even just one week per year? Your homegirls or homeboys all deserve time away, and y’all just might start travel traditions of your own.
4. I could use the week off to get ahead on lesson planning, etc. so I can feel more relaxed after break. Are you really going to relax when you return? Come on. Teachers are blessed with time off and should take advantage of it. Once you cross these tasks off your list, more will surface and so the cycle begins again. Imagine what rich lesson plans you could bring to the table with photographs and anecdotes of your travel experiences?
5. I keep meaning to book something, but I get so busy, and before you know it..it’s vacation time! Book now. Book now. Book now. Once you’re committed, you’re in. No one to join you? Go solo. Also, the sooner you book, the sooner you have something to look forward to. Especially on the hard days. You have a countdown to explore the great wide open!
There is such power in switching your brain to vacay mode. No laptop required. You’ll also be reminded of how great it is to be in a career that affords tons of vacation time! Plus summers off. And if you don’t plan on retiring as a classroom teacher, now is more reason to take advantage.
Learning about new people, cultures and subcultures develops who you are as a person and who you are as a teacher. Also, the hiccups that travel brings will not only grow your character, but just might improve your teaching. In stressful moments, I often drift off to that mountain top memory in the California wild; reminding me that there’s a world outside my four classroom walls.
Teachers, invest in yourself as a human being. Happiness may not be a “S.M.A.R.T” goal, but your students will feel the change in you. So get to booking!
Looking for long term travel? -Teach abroad!
Want to travel for free? Check out grants that fund independent PD!
Fund for Teachers-Application deadline Jan 31, 2017
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