Would You Take A Trip To Get Away From Your Job?

The Avenue President Wilson market was one of the places we visited in Paris with Patricia Wells.

Christmas season is over. It’s cold in many places. And work is starting to pile up again. This is the time of year when a lot of people wish they were somewhere else. Instead of a planning a vacation, what about planning a career break?

Career break travel is becoming a way to take a sabbatical from an exhausting job, or even build a bridge to a new one. These are trips lasting three to six months, where people get out of their elements and have the kind of experience that their normal lives don’t allow. I wrote about career break travel for Forbes, and in doing so, I realized it’s perfect for people who love food. In fact, I’ve had a mini-break myself.

Jeff Jung, a career break travel expert, says the best career breaks are spent with a purpose. Some people want to learn a language. Others do volunteer work. Still more study a new skill, like cooking, baking, or something else in the culinary world.

I love taking cooking classes at home and when I’m away. In 2006, I actually combined my career with a break that changed my life. I had recently purchased a new condo, and my plan was to spend the summer outfitting the kitchen with new appliances. Instead, I wound up in Paris studying cooking with Patricia Wells, the author of The Food Lover’s Guide to Paris and many cookbooks.

Usually, her classes sell out months ahead of time (she’s taking reservations for 2014). Months before, I had signed up to be notified in case there was a cancellation. The note came and I had two weeks to decide. Oh, and full payment would be required, rather than the usual deposit. I looked at the calendar and realized that the open week fell just two weeks after the Paris Motor Show, which I was scheduled to cover for the New York Times.

I asked a few friends for their thoughts: buy a refrigerator, or take Patricia’s class? Everyone to a person said, “Take the class. You’ll never regret it.”

I did, and I’ve always been glad. It was only a week, not the three to six months that many career breakers are traveling, but it was the start of a wonderful journey to food and travel writing, and the creation of CulinaryWoman.

If you’re interested in knowing more about career break travel, check out Jeff’s blog and The Career Break Traveler’s Handbook. Be sure to tell me where you’re going and whether you can use some food tips.