Using Your Time Off to Draw Near

“What’s the one luxury you can’t live without?”

It’s a question that often pops up in interviews or icebreaker games—lighthearted, maybe even fun. But the more I sat with it, the more uncomfortable I felt. The premise behind the question assumes a world of excess. It normalises indulgence as necessity. Yet the vast majority of the world’s population lives without luxury—not by choice, but by circumstance. So, I found myself needing to reframe the question entirely.

Instead, I asked: What do we choose to spend money on?

For us, the answer is holidays.

Not in the extravagant, five-star, infinity-pool sense. Our travels are modest and intentional. But yes, we spend more on holidays now than we used to, and we do so for two reasons.

1. A Window That Won’t Stay Open Forever

Both of us are still working, but we know this won’t always be the case. A chapter is closing, slowly but surely. With that in mind, we’ve decided to be deliberate. We prioritise travel now because we know that in a few years, it won’t be possible in the same way. Our future breaks will be simpler, slower, closer to home. So while we can, we factor travel into our lives.

Since COVID, we’ve had the opportunity to visit Sri Lanka, China, Chile, Argentina and Antarctica. These trips have offered more than just relaxation—they’ve provided insight. They’ve helped me connect more meaningfully with the students I live and work alongside, many of whom come from these very countries. Understanding the history of Chile and Argentina in the 1970s and ’80s, for instance, gives context to some of the political and economic dynamics shaping other parts of the world today. Experiencing Antarctica gave a greater sense of the challenges that we currently face and the possibilities which are available when countries work together collaboratively. Travel, in this sense, becomes less about escape and more about encounter.

2. Rhythm and Renewal

Work for both of us can be intense. Over time, we’ve learned that we function better when we take a proper break every six months—even just for a week or two. These pauses help us stay grounded. They restore clarity and perspective. They remind us we’re more than our to-do lists.

That said, we are under no illusion. Holidays are not necessary. They are a luxury. But recognising something as a luxury is different from pretending it’s a right. We name it for what it is—and hold it with gratitude, not entitlement.

And importantly, our holidays aren’t about indulgence. They are modest attempts to connect with people and cultures beyond our own. They are shaped by curiosity and empathy rather than bucket lists or social media highlights.

In the end, this reframing of the question helped me realise something: Luxury isn’t about what you can’t live without. It’s about what you choose to live more deeply with. And for us, at this point in life, that means carving out time to rest, to listen, and to broaden our understanding of the world—while we still can.