Ellen Pearce, from Somerset, has decided to quit full-time teaching for good after an amazing holiday to countries including Peru, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos , the Philippines and Indonesia.
A schoolteacher handed in her chalk and closed her ledger after taking a life-changing vacation.
Ellen Pearce decided to leave the class after embarking on a post-confinement vacation it completely changed his outlook on life. The 25-year-old from Somerset had been experiencing serious itchy feet during the pandemic so decided to take six weeks off.
What started in Canada and the United States took her to Peru, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines and Indonesia. Ellen loved exploring so much that she decided not to return to school, preferring to pursue what she described as an “adult gap year.”
“As soon as the borders started to open slightly, I left. I had difficulty finding insurance that covered me for Covid but True traveler was one of the only companies to offer this and I’m very glad they did because it gave me my freedom from the world. After lockdown, I started traveling to countries where the borders were open,” Ellen told the Mirror.
“What was supposed to be a six-week trip turned into a year, where I traveled and worked in Australia, including working on a sailboat in the Great Barrier Reef and visiting countries like Fiji. More recently, since starting my business and being able to work remotely, I have traveled to Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Maldives. I love small-scale travel budget, but since I’ve been in the business, I really like to experience a little luxury along the way.”
Moving away from her professional life wasn’t easy for Ellen, given how much she loved working with children. But she felt she needed to make a change due to the difficulty of finding a job.
“I’m a primary school teacher by trade and I love teaching, but not all that it entails,” she explained. “Making a difference in a child’s life is the most rewarding thing, but I’m sure most teachers would agree that teaching is now so much more than that. There is an endless amount of paperwork, a list endless things to do, increasing stress and pressures. which I felt was wearing me down and tainting my love for the profession.”
Having discovered a new side of life during her year of travel, Ellen decided to pursue a career without these drawbacks upon her return. “I was looking for a career in something that I enjoy equally, that I can control and that can also revolve around my travels,” she said.
This passionate explorer decided to start her own business, which allows her to travel and teach others how to best visit different parts of the world.
“I now organize trips for other people. This involved acquiring my travel agent licenses from a hospitality company so that I am protected by ABTA and ATOL to book trips for others people and have access to incredible systems with over 90 suppliers so you can compete. “Although I use a host agency, my business is in my own name and I am my own boss, so I can work wherever , when and how I want,” Ellen explained.
“I have also started organizing group trips around the world that I book and organize together. This is something close to my heart, as I truly believe that everyone should travel and experience the world at least once in his life.
“This December I will be taking a group to Iceland to experience this magical winter land and get us into the Christmas spirit. I have always been the group planner and by creating my own group tours I organize, I want to help others. Also discover the world and take part in must-see experiences and activities along the way.
As she grew her business, Ellen kept one foot in the classroom as a substitute teacher. “It’s something I’ve loved doing because I get to enjoy all the joys of teaching without the stress and pressure. Plus, I can get on a plane and travel whenever I want,” said she added.
“Teaching is something that will always be there and I will be qualified to do it. Since starting my business I always keep my feet in the water and supply teach when I return to the UK. I live each day as it comes, but next year I see myself teaching less and focusing on business.”
Ellen is not the only one to leave the profession full-time. British public schools are finding it increasingly difficult to retain teachers. Among newly qualified teachers, 12.8% now leave a year after graduating, compared to 12.5% the previous year, according to Schools week.
The percentage of departures after two years also increased, from 17.3 to 19.9%. Department for Education data shows vacancies for full-time and part-time positions doubled in the two years to November 2022. After a lengthy strike by a number of teaching unions over wages and working conditions, four of the largest accepted the government’s 6.5% salary. increase in July.
