Many people are curious as to how I can afford 6 months of traveling. The truth is… I can’t. BUT I am fortunate to work for a company that is ‘cloud based’, meaning I can technically work from anywhere so long as I have internet access. We have no central office, but the majority of my co-workers are based in the Bay Area. So, I will be working while I am traveling. Luckily, I am a bit of a work-a-holic and haven’t taken a full vacation in almost two years so I have about a month of time saved up. I will only be staying in hostels or places that have WiFi and will be taking long weekends or early days here and there (definitely planning to take a week off in Italy!). I had to create a REALLY thorough travel plan (a google doc actually, being the OCD Virgo that I am) detailing timezones and schedules to ensure I am as available as possible to my co-workers and clients in Pacific time. Even though Australia is almost a full day ahead, I’ll actually be able to work a somewhat normal schedule there (8am – 5pm). I had to take a vacation day on every Friday that I am ‘down under’ since Friday in California would actually be Saturday in Australia (and “I don’t roll on Shabbos!”). Europe will prove to be a bit more difficult as it’s 8-9 hours ahead depending on the country. This means I’ll need to work from 1pm to 10pm. On the bright side, I will have the morning free and I know most of the nightlife doesn’t begin until late anyway.

I’ll be honest, it’s a difficult mindset to be working in a separate timezone. Since December 7th, I’ve been working in the Eastern time and just the three hour difference has proven interesting! I’ve worked late nights before, but doing so on a consistent basis so that I am available in the Pacific work day is going to certainly require some shifting in my brain and routine. I’m grateful to have co-workers who have not only been supportive and encouraging but are also being flexible in their schedules so that I won’t have to attend any 4am conference calls!  It will probably be the craziest four months of my life (and most of the time I will probably forget where I am in time and space), but I already know it will be worth the hectic and sometimes maddening moments or exhausting days!