From Boston Nurse Practitioner to Paris Culinary Femme – Uncertainty to the fullest (haha)
I’m scared but I’m excited, so I know it’s what I want to do.
Shortly put, I decided on a self-sabbatical and left my nurse practitioner career and way of life for Paris. 14 months later, I am still in Paris. I live with my boyfriend, introduced by mutual American/Paris friends, and will start a 2025 contract job at a bilingual culinary school in my local Paris neighborhood – just 3 minutes of a walk down my street. Very, very lucky.
Sabbatical Activities I pursued:
- spontaneous travel
- conscious budgeting, spending, consuming
- eco-conscious consuming, importing (much more commonly done in Europe)
- new workout regimens – joined Strongfirst gym, switched boxing to kettlebells
- 6 months of culinary schooling at Le Cordon Bleu Paris – gastronomy, plant-based cooking, nutrition, food-based trends
- developing new recipes; considering food entrepreneurism with one specific product and/or pre-diabetes/diabetes food regimens, ex. worked on meal options with dieticians at Le Cordon Bleu Paris
- cooking daily or almost daily
- new appreciation of personal passions – restaurant food quality, photography, chasing passions, networking, meeting people from around the world on a daily basic, speaking French English and Mandarin Chinese throughout Paris when opportunities present
- soon: employment at a culinary school in Paris
- much more!
Reflections on the Career Change Sabbatical
How long was your sabbatical?
61 weeks
What were you most concerned about when contemplating a sabbatical?
Money (too expensive), optics (what people will think of me), and responsibilities (how I can afford the mortgage/take care of my family, etc.)
Did HOW you work change at all, post-sabbatical?
Went from full time to part time
What kind of work did you return to? Different company, similar role, Totally different work
How did your sabbatical experience change the way you thought about your employer?
(Burnout) Working Pandemic as a Nurse Practitioner in a well-known COVID hotspot in USA, (Death) Passing of older sister, Health (Prolonged grief, COVID adult primary care burnout)
Why do you think others should (or shouldn’t) take sabbaticals? Are there occasions in life where it’s particularly helpful?
Social support, burnout, career curiosity, financial backing from savings/company/loved ones, etc.
You can connect with Wendy Lin on LinkedIn or Instagram.
Interested in more career change sabbaticals? Try Kira’s Story.
