simka2 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Elegantlion, brought this up in another thread. The concept of sabbatical or retreat. I do remember reading about families doing this on regular basis. Escaping to someplace for the summer. What do you think? Is this healthy? Why and how did they manage it? I wonder how we could get back to it...or if we would if we thought it was more of a necessity rather than a luxury? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I can think of a few times in my life where that might have been helpful. One of the best vacations I ever took was one week driving through Ks, CO, WY, and NE all by myself. It was bliss and energizing. I have a friend that took what he called an American Walkabout. He's an outdoor hiking kind of guy and he had planned to be gone a year. A year of hiking around the country. He was gone for 60 days, it gave him the time to deal with what he needed to deal with. He came home a different person. I remember getting together with him after he got back and there was a peace in him I hadn't seen before. Now not everyone can plan to quit their job, save enough money, kiss their loved ones good-bye and head out for a year. But it changed his well-being. Can you do that as a family? Do sabbaticals need to be taken alone? I don't know. I'm still exploring options. But I believe there are valid times when one is needed. Unfortunately the time you need it most is probably the least convenient time to walk away from all your obligations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 We escaped Hong Kong for a sabbatical in China. We ended up staying for four years! Husband got a job there. It was great! Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamatohaleybug Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 We're considering this ourselves for next year. Sell the house, leave the rat race for a while, travel the country and really spend time connecting as a family. We're really stressed and not living the lifestyle we want. We're ready for a "time out" so that we can reformulate our family life. Still working out the details but very serious about doing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I think there's a difference between a retreat and a sabbatical. A sabbatical is not doable for many people. It's just too unreasonable to expect to leave a good job for more than the normal vacation time of two weeks or so. A retreat, however, can be scheduled for a day, a weekend, or longer. We are blessed in dh's job to be able to take a real sabbatical, but he doesn't want to leave for the 5 months he's able to take! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 My sister's significant other is a professor. Every few years, she teaches in Paris for a semester. Dh took our oldest 2 children to visit them there the last time they were there. I'm supposed to be saving money for us to all visit them there this Spring. I'd better start getting serious about that. I think it would be cool for Ds to spend his 16th birthday in Paris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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