Financial review – what can you afford? Do you need to work more before/work during your sabbatical?
Review your group’s sabbatical policy
Decide on rough itinerary
Find renter for house
Rental agreement
Find lodging at destination
Decide what to do with car – store it vs rent it out
Save up money
Find replacement at work
Make sure replacement has appropriate medical malpractice or set them up to use yours
Set flight alerts on Google Flights/Skyscanner/Hopper
Buy plane/train tickets
Rent car for destination
Buy tickets to major attractions
International drivers license
Make sure passports have at least 6 months to a year left on them including kids which only last 5 years
Download Tripit.com and forward all your reservations to it
Apply for visas
Start list of any expenses you have prepaid. I promise you will not remember in 4 months how much you paid of your fishing expedition. You will have a lot going on.
Figure out phone/Sim card options
Make sure your taxes and bills will be paid either via accountant or auto pay
Buy travel insurance
Check in with kids’ current school about paperwork required for rejoining the school after sabbatical
Decide on a rough educational plan for kids, what resources you’ll need
A month ahead
Spring cleaning
Set up house cleaner
Decide what luggage you’ll bring
Buy travel gear if needed
Make sure any upcoming licensing or credentialing requirements are met (ACLS, license renewal, society renewal)
Stop magazine and streaming subscriptions
Forward mail on set date
Get extra prescriptions – many insurances will offer a vacation exemption and supply you with medications for up to 6 months of travel
Vaccines – routine and any travel vaccines per CDC guidance
Well child checks/annual exams
Attempt to use up any food in the house
Tie up loose ends at work, handover projects and meetings
Scan all legal (birth certificates, marriage certificate especially if you have different last names) and travel documents (passports, international driver’s license, global entry cards) and put them into a folder you can access from your phone
Make a folder in your Notes section and for all members of the household put: the global entry or known traveler numbers, frequent flyer numbers, passport numbers and expiration dates
Get a VPN
Figure out how you’re going to get phone service, if SIM card is needed
Figure out how to get from the airport to your housing
Keep a digital copy of all your reservations in an accessible spot in your phone that does not require WiFi/internet
Notify bank of your travel dates
Pause medical, dental, eye insurance if appropriate
