Hello SteemIt, I'm Jaclyn Snow!
Originally from Los Angeles, California, I moved to San Francisco when I was 18 to study humanities for my B.A. While my formal education was enlightening, I learned a more important lesson in how to survive and thrive in the roller-coaster whirly-gig culturef*ck clusterjam of San Francisco during the tech/start-up boom. I lived in SF and worked as an early childhood educator for three years after I graduated college. I loved the children and families I worked with, and my flatmates who had become a second family to me; but I was burning out trying to balance a livable wage with quality of life in an underpaid profession in one of the most expensive mega-cities in the U.S.A.
I decided to make a drastic change at the end of the 2015 school year. I found a super cheap flight to Europe and put together a basic itinerary to visit Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Czech Republic. I told my boss that I would not return to teach the following school year, and she graciously said I would always be welcome to return to my position. One of my best friends leased my room in my beloved SF flat. I packed a backpack, said my goodbyes to family and friends, and set out alone. I left with the idea that I would solo backpack through Europe for three months (although I hoped to make it 5-6 months).
14 months later I came home, still with some small savings in tact, immeasurably enriched by my experience abroad. I visited a total of 27 countries and maintained a minimal budget mostly by exploring various facets of the sharing economy. I found free rides, worked or volunteered in exchange for meals and accommodation, couch-surfed, and made friends who were generous to host me. I learned how to maintain a healthy diet on a minimum budget, how to trust my intuition, become self-reliant, convert currencies I had never heard of, and communicate in languages I don't speak. I learned to carry the weight of all my belongings on my back, literally and metaphorically, as I worked on letting go of the things that weighed me down. I left home alone and anxious, but within an hour of my first flight I was offered free lodging in Oslo, Norway, and along the way I had the pleasure to meet many wonderful people who let me into their lives for some time and largely restored my faith in the human species. I learned so much about myself and the world as a whole in my 14 months away.
At the end of 2016, I came back to live in Los Angeles for the first time since I was 18. I was only one class away from receiving a Master Teacher/Site Supervisor permit in California, and the requirements are changing soon, so I enrolled in that and a Spanish class for the Spring semester. I applied for a substitute position at a preschool, and that same day a teacher gave 2 weeks notice, so I had the privilege of teaching a fantastic class of children at a wonderful school with a great co-teacher.
Coming back home provided a meaningful experience to connect with my family and friends, engage in professional development, and save up money for the next round of travel. I don't know how long I'll go for this time and there's still some question of where, but I intend to leave within the next few months, and I'll keep you updated on where I'm going!
