Depending on how long you're planning on sabbatical-ing, you might consider applying to the Recurse Center [1]. It's basically a (free) 6- or 12-week self-directed learning program that you do with others.

I had done a half batch last year and really enjoyed the experience.

[1] https://recurse.com

Ha. It's long been on my someday list, since before the rename from Hacker School, and something that I've been explicitly considering for my sabbatical. I've glanced at batch schedules more than once in the past weeks. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

9 years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13778951

I wonder if there'd be an appetite for this in an area w/ population of say 100k people. You'd still have most conveniences, but far less traffic, less distraction, etc.

I believe there's a remote option

I am in a similar stage.

In brief:

25 years of experience including FAANG. Recently got divorced (complex litigations, fought hard, very satisfied with the outcome).

Now rethinking myself. Want to do something useful for humankind in the rest of my life. Having big ideas for the future. Trying some research-focussed 'side' projects. Considering writing a book. Learning new things. So on.

Will you write a bit about it? I find this sort of move really interesting. I'd be curious to see what you've learned by the end of that sabbatical.

I do want to write and publish more, generally. Perhaps some of it will be about the sabbatical itself.

I'll let you know what I've learned by the end when I figure out what "end" means. It's not my goal to go back to what I'm doing now.

I'll post about this again the next time (end of May presumably) this "What are you working on?" thread is posted, for anyone who wants to follow along. Also, email address in my profile; use subject, "What are you working on?".

Lovely! Enjoy it.

This sounds very cool! Do you have any travel planned? A move within country to more of a "reset" locale? :)

I do want to travel more, in general.

I'm eyeing some tech conferences in the next months, which would involve varying levels of travel and sightseeing.

I went on a ~three-week roadtrip once, which I saw as a shorter/practice version (it was originally planned for two weeks) of a longer one I'd like to do one day. So I might do something like that.

Are tech conferences really in tune with working on yourself??

I think I see where you're coming from, but then, is the travel you were asking about in tune with working on myself? Perhaps.

I've never had to go to a tech conference/meetup for work; the ones I've gone to have been social/community/fun events for me.

I was at North Bay Python last weekend and I'm going to PyCon US in May.

Curious what you tell people you do when they ask? Does everyone know what a sabbatical is?

I’ve been on a long sabbatical myself but I don’t feel like people would understand that so I usually just still say software engineer.

Btw feel free to email if you want to chat sometime. I haven’t especially productive so it would be great to get some inspiration.

I hear you. For social! The way I think about it tho is, if taking some dedicated time for working on myself, I want to get as far away from all work/tech stuff as possible! For a while anyway :)

>Are tech conferences really in tune with working on yourself??

Why wouldn't they be?

I like the concept of "refactoring" one's life.

When I move cities it feels like a rebase.