Showing posts with label Sabbatical 2020. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sabbatical 2020. Show all posts

I might move to Spain. Here's why.

While I boldly published my intent to Sabbatical in 2020, I've had many more iterations of life-outside-of-the-workforce since then.  Lately I've been giving the Spanish teaching program more thought. If you're not familiar with it, check out this post.

After a less than ideal day at work, I have now convinced myself this is a viable option for a structured sabbatical.  Here's why...
1, I will have worked 5 years.

If I do the program in the 2020-2021 school year, I will have five years of work under my belt. This is good because even if I only do the program for one year, I'll have five years of history to show me I can make it another five years. Most early retirees seem to be able to FIRE in ten years or less. Plus with five years of work, that's more time to save more money. That last one is one reason why I'm not trying to do the program in the 2019-2020 school year. I'm not ready to fast forward leaving work without a firm plan in hand; although my Monday mornings might tell a different story.
2, It's something to look forward to.

Even though it's far off into the future, the thought of it has added a bit more focus to my time in the workforce. Now that there's a possible end in sight, I can just focus on one more year (+ 9 months). Plus there are decisions I have to make before then that will add momentum. For example, in July 2019, I'll have to start thinking about how long to renew my 2019 to 2020 lease. With Spain in mind, I'll likely need a shorter lease. I'm also thinking of going by my new name with my 'new life', so I'll need to update my passport before Jan 2020, maybe in Sept 2019.

With the urgency placed on 2019, I feel more compelled to have some noteworthy experiences. When it feels like time is running out, I tend to want to take advantage of whatever it is I feel I might lose - making better use of my free time; seeing more parts of my state; maybe finally going to a state park, to name a few.
3, What do I have to lose?

I don't think I'm going to be more eager to have an adventure in my forties than in my thirties. So if not now, then when? Really, what do I have to lose?

Money. The most obvious thing is money. I won't be working at my current income for part of 2020 and maybe all of 2021.  But so what? From Jan 1 to Sept 15, 2020, I could still max out my 401k and Roth IRA. With today's limits, that's $25k. Not the $45k I am hoping to save in 2019, but it's still something. If I can at least contribute the max on my 401k, I'll feel some semblance of being on track to some version of early retirement (ER). As for 2021, it's undecided. Ideally, I'd love to come back in Sep 2021 and resume at least my current salary.  Of note, in 2015 when I started my current job, I started in Sep and netted a gross amount of $25,000. So there's opportunity there to save at least some portion of that in 2021. Maybe even see if I can do 100% contribution per pay period to 401k...that would be awesome!

Worst case scenario.  The worst case scenario is I have a horrible time. I get placed in a horrible school with horrible kids and a horrible apartment. Barring death or permanent injury, it wouldn't be forever;  I would get over it and never want to visit Europe again. Oh, well. Lots of people never go to Europe. If it's truly horrible, I think it would make me eager to return to the US to my easy, less adventurous life (i.e. my life now). It would certainly make me think twice about retiring early abroad. I would appreciate the US more.  I do appreciate it now as I recognize that my life is pretty easy here in terms of convenience and access to just about everything. Hence, why it's easier to complain but make no change.  In the end, if it's a terrible experience, it'll be a nice reassurance that I'm not really missing much.

Best case scenario.  On the other hand, let's say it doesn't suck. I think the potential to have a really good time is high. Let's say I go through with this and a joyful or at least adventurous spirit is awakened. Under the pressure of a one year stint, I could see myself more compelled to take advantage of the proximity to other cultures. I like a good deal even if I didn't know I wanted it.

Once upon a time, people used to fascinate me before I tired of and stopped suffering them. I enjoyed learning new things and learning about different walks of life.  This may be an opportunity to see if that part of me still lives or even wants to come out to play. I could see at least a dozen countries, if I wanted. I could learn Spanish (again) or even speak it with some native fluency. I could try new water sports (thank you, Escape to the Continent). Maybe I'll even develop a hobby outside of television watching. Maybe I could go to Kenya and learn to paddle board (again thank you, Escape to the Continent). I can visit Croatia, Portugal, or if I'm feeling really bold Kenya. Croatia and Portugal are on my list for possible ER locales. I hope to be inspired by people choosing other paths of life. Right now I'm surrounded by the predictable: marriage, house, kids. #Notaboutthatlife

Additionally, it'll be fun to be a new person.  I'll be a single 30-something living abroad. I can be who ever I want to be. Yes, I have heard the saying 'wherever you are, there you'll be', but people re-invent themselves all the time!  I've been a country bumpkin from the Mid-west. I was a cool, savvy metropolitan girl for a stint. Then I was a breezy California girl who went hiking and to movie premieres. My latest life as a meek Southern girl is not my favorite, but I've managed to maintain that life for 7 years.  Why wouldn't I want to be someone else for a year!  Most of all, I think I would really enjoy just being an American (no hyphens or subcategories).
4, Why this program anyway?

That's a good question. There are at least two other widely known sponsored English-teaching programs (JET and EPIK), but this one seems the least stringent. It's a part-time gig with assistant responsibilities vs leading a class.  I think I'll benefit from the looser structure and three-day weekends; the other programs don't offer that.

Why a program at all? Well, because I don't have that much wanderlust. I'm not the traveler that prefers to go off the beaten path. I like touristy things; I like things that are well established. I don't usually talk to the locals when I travel. In the past, I've treated traveling as a checklist and photo-op. I don't think that part of me has changed.  So if I don't have a reason to be in Spain, I couldn't see myself going or staying for a year.  The program provides a compelling reason and a task that can be completed. That's the way I'm wired.
The Plan.

TBD.  I am etching it out now. But as I may have eluded to to, I would hope to save 10k for expenses for the school year. The program provides a 600 Euro/mon stipend that I would want to use just for housing. I would want to max out my 401k and Roth IRA the months leading up to my departure. If I can find a job that starts the Sept after the school year, I'd like to come back to the US and finish working and saving for FIRE.  I'm hoping between now and then, I'll transition into different responsibilities at work (per my professional development plan) that will make me more marketable upon my return. What helped me think this is doable is at least 2 employees on my team have returned after leaving. The most recent one was gone 13 months and resumed his last position.

So what do you think? I may do this, or this may be the last time I even think about this! C'est la vie... 

Recently inspired by: A Purple Life

Sabbatical 2020: In Which I Take Back My Life

Welcome back to My Early Retirement Journey. I have a lot on my mind at the moment, and this post has been brewing for a while. The initial draft was started earlier in the summer, but the idea of taking time off from work is documented in my personal journal as early as March 2017 (1.5 years after I started working). I bet it was even earlier but I keep paper journals as well and those are not as searchable. I am just beating around the bush because although I have been thinking about leaving the workforce for a long time, announcing it publicly even to a small forum of readers makes it seem indelible somehow even though I am only really accountable to myself. My thoughts are scattered both figuratively and literally all over the place.  To try to organize them in a meaningful way, I am going back to elementary school expository writing structure. In this post, I shall identify the who, what, when, where, why, how of my decision to take a sabbatical in the year 2020. I reserve the right to update and change this post over time.

Who?


Me, this single-on-purpose girl, and me alone (oh, and my bff God, of course). I recently posited for the first time in public whether I wanted to take a sabbatical in five years or FIRE for good in ten years. Given the recent series of events to include the mild but regular downward shift in my personal health and wellness and the added responsibility of managing the affairs of an elderly parent, a sabbatical seems imperative... sometimes.  I want to include my hesitation here because on some days I am strongly convinced a sabbatical is the next best move, and other days I think I can just stick it out like everyone else. The latter occurs when my back and shoulder do not hurt as much; or it is the weekend; or I have not spoken to Aunty MERJ in a couple of days. I feel selfish even typing this, but I just want to get away. This desire to escape from the stagnancy that is my current life is not a new or temporary feeling; the recent events I described are not a nidus but more an impetus of this desire.

Read more: Sunday Funnies | The Life Cycle of a Corporate Drone

What?


The whole reason I started this blog was to document my journey out of the workforce and into financial independence. I am simply redefining the parameters at this point. So, while I shall certainly not be financially independent by 2020, my plan (God-willing) is to save enough money to be financially-able for a while. Five years to be exact.

Until this moment, I was vacillating between leaving the workforce (on my own terms) in two years and sticking it out a little longer to properly reach financial independence and retire early. But I am about 51% sure now. So here is my declaration of intent. I intend to leave the workforce on my own terms: Labor Day 2020, Monday, Sep 7, 2020.  That will be five years from when I first started working at my current job in my chosen profession in medical communications for a pharmaceutical company.

I knew this was the job I wanted when I was still in professional school (or graduate school to some), and I was so happy when I finally got it, thanks to a fellow classmate who referred me. The work itself was exactly what I thought it would be - structured and rote. Just as I thought I wanted my life to be. I was wrong. It turns out I would rather be inspired by my surroundings. I am not growing as a person or professionally.

The workplace dynamics while not unexpected is not completely ideal. I do not really like any of the people I work with, but I do not suppose that is all that unusual. In general, my motto is I do not go to work to make friends, I go to work to make money. I am not one of those people who is proud to say I have been working since age 12 or age 16 or the like, nor am I one of those people who believes if you love what you do, it won't feel like work.  If that were true, it would just be called love. There would not be a separate word for it.

You can call it frame of mind or work ethic. You can call it whatever you want; I do not have it.  These different facets of the workforce may have played a role somewhat in where I am now, but my health has played the biggest role. I have never been sick so many days in any time frame or paid so much for healthcare. Given the last nine to twelve months of my health history, I do not seem to be getting better health wise. It is perfectly acceptable for parents to take time away from the workforce to nurture their family. Similarly, I am taking time off to nurture myself.

Physically, I have carpal tunnel in my right wrist aggravated by eight hours a day of computer work; poor gut health; persistent mild to moderate neck, shoulder, back, leg, tailbone, leg, side pain. Additionally, my incision wound from my surgery in March 2018 still has not healed. It weeps like my soul. My mental health seems to be on the decline as well. I have intermittent trouble focusing and recalling event details.  I used to be really smart and clever and sharp. Those seem like different words to mean the same thing, but not to me.

On the wellness front, I would love to be part of a community again, do good works, and be part of a church. I want to work on my spiritual growth and seek joy.

Overall, what I hope to accomplish with this sabbatical is to heal within and without.

When?


Start:  Labor Day 2020, Monday, September 7, 2020


End: 2025 (tentative)

Where?


I do not know yet where I shall go. I currently live in North Carolina, and I think a proper fresh start would involve a big move. However my primary focus will be a place that is in my budget. Logistically, it would be easier to stay in the United States.  Some affordable cities I have looked into include Lillington NC, Missoula MT, and Bloomington IN. Adventure is certainly built into trying out a brand new identity in a brand new country. Some affordable countries I have looked into include Chiang Mai Thailand, La Algarve region Portugal, Croatia, and Spain.   The first roadblock for me with international destinations is obtaining a visa to stay longer than three months. Travel and adventure is not my priority so moving to a new place every few months would detract from my goal of finding calm and peace and a simpler life. Overall, my focus for a destination is one that is in my price range that will allow me to accomplish my sabbatical objective.

Read more: Using Scenes From My Childhood To Figure Out Where To Live Next

Why?


As I mentioned, I want to nurture myself back to whole again. I am achy all the time. I sleep but I am not well rested. It could be something as simple as my mattress. Or it could be mental stress manifesting as physical pain.  It could be sitting in the same position eight hours a day.  It could be my lack of social interaction. I do not know, but I am starting with eliminating my job. Even as I write this, it is not as cathartic as I thought it would be. I am mostly just scared now. What if leaving my job fixes nothing. I shared some of these same thoughts in my guest post on another blog.

...The wrench in the situation is I still do not know what exactly to do once I retire. In fact, once early retirement became a possibility, I found myself retreating a bit. I had  gotten used to this idea that I would have to work for the rest of my life. It was my security blanket of sorts. I had gotten comfortable in my mediocrity and my pursuit of nothing. I got comfortable having work be a time-suck and energy-drain.  Because if work was sucking all the life out of me, no one could blame me for holing up in my house every night and weekend, right?

...I mean who says just because I have time to do it that I am suddenly going to start eating more vegetables; exercising more; flossing twice a day; communing with nature on nature walks; be a service to my community; end world hunger;  bring about world peace; find a church family; find my purpose; or experience life altering, past hurt-erasing joy?
Perhaps the question is not whether to FIRE in five years or ten years, but rather what if I do all this, and it does not work?  What if after two or five or ten years, I am still just as aimless and discontented as I am now?  I shall be out of options, then what? ~ My Early Retirement Journey on Scotch Street

I shall say this though - having this milestone makes the noise more bearable. On the other hand, maybe I am just getting pulled into a different kind of noise.  Honestly, I do not know if this is the right decision, but it is a decision. And it is something to which I can look forward. Even if I fail, my life now is not that bad.

How?


So how exactly will I be able to swing this financially. More than one person has pointed out that even my initial plan to FIRE is flawed because of my massive student debt. But my financial independence plan never included student loan debt elimination. So maybe that means I do not match that definition of financially independent. I am okay with it.

Here is what I have so far in my financial plan to pursue a sabbatical in 2020.  Check out my Budget Struggles page for notes on this and other calculations along this journey.

The best thing I have taken away from the FIRE community is not just great tips and support on savings and investing but learning to get comfortable with the numbers. I may have doubts about what I may actually achieve during my sabbatical, but as for funding it - either I shall have the money to do it or I shall not. That need not be one of the unknowns.

Sabbatical 2020 Budget: $1,500/mon  ($18,000/yr)

Duration of time: 5 years

Total needed: $90,000

But, and this is a big but, I need to save and have this money in my bank account and my brokerage account. I do not plan on taking money out of my 401k to fund this sabbatical, nor do I plan on stopping contributions to my 401k. I may do a Roth conversion ladder after the fact, but that is down the line.

Sept 2018 check-in. (accurate as of 30Aug2018)

Savings (currently earmarked as my Safety Net Fund): $22,628

Brokerage Account:  $33,378

Total: $56,006

Difference (left to save): $90,000 - 56,000 = $34,000

Left to save: $34,000

By my calculations, I should be able to save this much in my savings and brokerage account by Sept 2020.  My annual savings target is not going to change much from where it is now, I am just going to access it sooner.

As the time gets closer, the plan would be to max out my 401k and Roth IRA early in 2020 and funnel the rest to my savings (as opposed to brokerage account) so it is easier to access when I pull the trigger.

FAQs


Maybe all you need is another job?

Maybe not.

What if you lose your job before then?

I shall continue along the plan to raise my goal amount and sabbatical when I reach that amount.

What if you get to your goal amount before Labor Day 2020?

I don't see how that could happen.

What if you fall in love and get married or pregos?

Don't make me laugh.

What if your health declines further and you need routine doctor's visits?

For this I have no answer. I would probably have to keep working to get health insurance. Alternatively, I would need to figure out how much health insurance would cost on the marketplace and sum that figure into my Sabbatical Budget. Furthermore, I am in the process of taking preliminary steps to at least maintain or better my current health. Check out my back to school life list for more info.
Updates:

TBD

Read more: My Alternatives to Returning to Work After Sabbatical

My Alternatives to Returning to Work After Sabbatical


So for awhile now, I've been toying with the idea of taking a sabbatical in 2020. Why not, you say? Well the biggest mental hurdle is that if I waited until 2025, I'd probably be able to FIRE for good. Check out my budget calculations for more details.  I don't think I'd be able to fully enjoy the sabbatical knowing I'd have to come back to work.

Read more:
Notes on Life | Aug 3, 2018: Floor Mattress, Blogging Nook, Writer's Retreat
Notes on Life | Jul 27, 2018: Doctors Without Borders, Repo Man, Hotel Holiday
Journey Update | Week Ending Jun 29, 2018: Evil, Gums, Chocolate

But with my ridiculous ongoing aches and pains and just the general feeling that I'm getting dumber and less functional, I can't shake the feeling that there has to be something more to life than this. I thought I'd be okay with a mediocre life, but it turns out I was wrong. No one around me inspires me, further more they drive me to complacency and selective silence. I've all but lost my voice as it were. Pretty ironic for someone who works in a call center. A couple more late nights stewing on this Sabbatical vs FIRE internal debate and I recently became 51% sure that I wanted to take the Sabbatical in 2020, instead.

How did I get here? Well, I started brainstorming what it would take other than more money which I can't seem to squeeze out of my budget (or this blog).
I asked my brain supportive questions at night and in the morning until the decision came to me. ~Natalie Bacon

What are my alternatives to returning to work in 2025?
After a couple of hushed whispers to myself of  'I'm going to die at this desk,' I actually tried something I glancingly gleaned from another blogger about asking yourself a question before you go to bed a few nights in a row. I didn't read her full post on how this actually works (or sign up for her paid course), but I tried that part of the process. So I asked my brain something along the lines of what are my alternatives to returning to work in 2025 (at age 41). The best thing about my brain is that I don't have to give it a back story, it already knows what I mean.

So after some Googling and some late night awakenings by my brain, this is what I've come up with thus far.

  • Join a convent

    • A life of service that comes with free room and board. I'm not mad at that.



  • Join Peace Corps

    • I apparently have no skills for Peace Corps Response. But Peace Corps would probably take me and it's free room and board for 2 years and I get to do some good, or at least say I did.



  • Join Mercy Volunteer Corps

    • Do some good with free room and board. This organization is new to me and popped up when I was checking out some international volunteer opportunities on the Catholic volunteer network below.



  • Find some temporary placements on Catholic Volunteer Network

    • Just stumbled upon this in one of my frantic weekend searches to try to find some way to not go to work come Monday. It serves as a job board of sorts for volunteer opportunities that usually come with room + board or a low paying job in a needy area, e.g. teaching 5 kids in a Catholic school for a year. I could that for a year, I think.

    • This I think is the more valuable of the resources I've encountered so far. I don't know how much of this is true, but I like to believe I may not have to go through a rigorous application process for volunteer work because perhaps the supply is low.

    • Perusing this list actually introduced me to some possible FIRE locales like Missoula, MT-seems kinda like what I pictured in my mind when I think of an early retirement locale.  Maybe I could do a volunteer post there and get a feel for the place on someone else's dime and do some good too.








Other options that may require a bit more effort both in applying, skill, or job duties. 

  • Apply for Catholic Relief Services International Development Fellowship

    • I applied to them before, but my heart maybe wasn't in it. Hmm. Maybe it'll be different if I really want it? Mmm..and the participants look extremely young. I'll be in my 40s by then. But you never know.



  • Administrative work with Doctors Without Borders

    •  Ok, maybe not for this single 30-something. Just took a second look outside of a sleepy haze. You actually need to be extremely skilled and bi-lingual even for non-medical positions. But maybe for someone else out there. Hmm.



  • Apply for a job on an Indian Reservation

    • Maybe as a teacher or in healthcare. Seemingly they are always looking for people, but I have had no experience even getting an interview for other positions on the usajobs.gov site. Hmm.




What about you? Any alternative lifestyles out there for you that would allow you to leave your current work situation.

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Using Scenes From My Childhood To Figure Out Where To Live Next

I have made quite a few lists over the past five years or so of what I wanted out of life and where I wanted to live. Often inspired by a pithy movie quote or reality TV confessional, even the occasional TedTalk or sermon, my quest for self-improvement is long-standing. With this blog though, I'm getting better at compiling all my thoughts in a centralized place so where better to document this part of my journey.

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I even found this list I made in May 2013.

A place to live [requirements]
I can afford
Is nice
Near a college-town
Not racist
New ideas, dynamic
Good take out 

I'm looking for a new place to live for several reasons. First, my biggest hope is to find a community to which I can belong. Secondly, I'd like to find something more FIRE-budget friendly. Thirdly, I've fallen in love with the idea of a fresh start. I want a new beginning. Lastly, just today, I received a lease renewal notice from my apartment building and the rent is going up by $44/mon. Hrmph. That all being said, I'm not quite ready to move. Not yet, not without knowing exactly where to go. I'm giving myself two years to find my next best place. In pursuit of that place, I used memorable scenes from my childhood to create criteria to quantify just what I was seeking. Here's what I've come up with so far...

Scoring:
0 - Hard no
1 - Doable
3 - Satisfactory/ Neutral/ Yes
5- Desirable
Calibration 1: Palo Alto (Desirable)Calibration 2: Washington DC (Neutral)Calibration 3: Decatur, IL (Not Desirable)Calibration 4:
RTP, NC (Current)
*score to beat
Manageable Weather
FIVE OR LESS months with avg hi > 70*F: (0 = NO; 5 = YES)
0550
Mild Summer
NO MORE THAN ONE month with hi > 80*F: (0 = NO; 5 = YES)
5000
Mild Winter
THREE OR LESS months with avg low </= 32*F: (0 = NO; 5 = YES)
5505
Culture/Diversity3513
Backyard Without Buildings3000
Seasonal Activities I can Walk To3000
1 to 3 hour drive to major airport5515
Walking distance to Nature3100
Campus Town5111

Church1511
Affordable Rent ($500/mon)0110
Potential for nice solo apartment at current budget ($910/mon)0055
Potential for desirable housing options (new, nice, modern or country/renovated chic)5515
Potential for fresh start (0 = bad/negative history; 5 = fresh hope)1110
Slower pace ( 0 = no; 5 = bucolic)0033
Desire to live there pre-FIRE5310
Desire to live there post-FIRE5000

Total (highest = desirable)49372128



A run-on sentence explaining just how this chart came to be.
It started with lots of different scratch notes over the last 2 years trying to figure out where to go next; this list is still just a start; I did similar sheets when applying to graduate school twice; but in finding my next place, I had an idea of how I wanted to feel, but I couldn't find a way to measure that or properly identify it; Frugalwoods mentioned using a spreadsheet to find their forever home and it taking years, that let me know it I was on the right track; a couple weeks ago I stumbled on a travel blogger who used a number system but what inspired me was how they accounted for how they would feel or how it would affect the other person...in a way, my partner is future and past me...

... so then I started writing down some of my memories and turned that into quantifiable data i.e... I loved being able to walk to celebrations in my small town, didn't have to get in a car or worry about parking; I liked watching softball games from my front porch... that turned into no buildings in my backyard... well that's just really any yard...but you get the idea... and I couldn't find a way to quantify, how sometimes you just want to try somewhere new...like I have no desire to go to deep south Mississippi even if it ticked all the boxes; I know in an unspoken way that's not the life for me, or maybe it's just too many reasons to list...

...but sometimes it's not so clear... so I added two more lines about 'desire' to account for unexplained feelings or the psychological impact of a place; there were about 9 other things that I spit-balled that didn't end up making the cut right now...some because they cancelled each other out...like not a red state or more liberal; weather got three lines because I couldn't find a way to capture all I want out of weather in one line item; that actually took me 30 minutes to an hour to calibrate the criteria to get the result I wanted... and looking up the actual data; for example North Carolina was designated too hot, and Decatur, IL was designated too cold, I remember California being pretty hot, but I don't remember it being as miserable; but when I looked at avg hi vs avg lo... the differences weren't notable, so I actually ended up comparing 7 aspects of weather before I could find a noticeable difference that could be quantified and compared.

As for the cities chosen, these are places I have lived in the past that had identifiable characteristics. There's no real accounting for the fact that I was in different stages of my life in each city, so what may or may not have worked then may or may not work now.  Still, there are consistent themes that have persisted over my 30 years of life such as my feelings on weather, tribe potential/ diversity/community, commuting (for work or recreation), and in one way or another potential for adventure (captured as access to nature or community events or airports).

Moving forward.
I know from this chart wherever I decide to go has to be at least as good as where I am now. If I'm honest, where I live now meets 80% of my needs. It's close to work and for the most part I'm left alone. I just think if I'm not getting any fulfillment from work it would be beneficial to enjoy my life outside of work more.  Life and I are too beautiful to be wasted going from one cube (work) to another cube (home) without enjoying the space between (cue Dave Matthews Band). If that place is here, my mind is closed to it because of all the undesirable things that have happened. Sometimes a new beginning provides enough momentum to get things going again (sometimes not). I know also from the chart, whatever score the next place gets has to be not just as good as my current place, but more than my neutral place and closer to my desirable place. After all these years, this is a good start. I'm happy with it.   How did you find your current home?

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