When people learn that I am a travel writer, they immediately ask if I majored in English Literature in college or if I went to journalism school. The truth is that I’m really a recovering attorney.
I went to law school after studying chemistry in college and spent my first few post-law school years at insurance defense firms, where I defended doctors in medical malpractice cases and businesses in slip-and-fall litigation. I loved arguing motions in court and preparing my cases for trial.
Downsizing my career for my family
This all changed when I met my now-husband, who is also an attorney. As we married and started our family, it quickly became evident that it would be a major challenge for both of us to have intense jobs with long workdays while we had little kids at home. I decided to take a less intense position at an insurance company, where I was able to pick up my kids before it got dark and be there for field trips and special events.
We moved from Chicago to California when my kids were ages 5, 4, and 2. My husband was able to get a law firm job in California as he was already licensed here. Continuing my law career would mean taking the California Bar Exam, which sounded like a nightmare, especially with three little kids. I paused my law career, focusing on helping my family adjust to our new situation.
I don’t know what drew me to peruse the writing and editing job section of Craigslist, but that’s where I discovered a job listing looking for parents who’d like to write about fun things to do with their kids. I immediately applied and was hired.
The pay was nowhere near my old salary, but the job served a purpose
Of course, this $50 per story job was no comparison to what I was making in my fancy law firm job (or even in my less fancy insurance company job). But it served a purpose for that period of my life, where I needed to be available for my young kids. Best of all, it gave me access to all sorts of museum events, theater productions, and hotel openings where I could take my kids along with me, allowing us to explore this area of the country I hadn’t lived in for decades.
Over the years, I continued to say “yes” to any opportunity I had to write more for this publication, eventually moving up to becoming an editor and then the travel editor. These roles came with lots of travel perks, allowing me to take my family to private islands in Tahiti and fancy resorts across the US.
I could be making more money, but the lifestyle is better
While I could be making a lot more money had I continued my law career, I wouldn’t have had the time or opportunity to take my family to these far-off places. I wouldn’t have been able to be a room parent in my kids’ classes and pick them up from school.
Traveling with my kids has allowed me to see them problem-solve, deal with uncomfortable situations, and really come into their own as teenagers. I’ve been able to learn about them as individuals as we took a cruise in Costa Rica, went snowshoeing in Rocky Mountain National Park, and pushed ourselves in countries where we didn’t know the language.
This career change was what my family needed
When people learn I’m no longer using my law degree, they inevitably ask if I regret attending law school. While I certainly wish I never had my law school loans to deal with, I’m still happy about my career progression. When I was an attorney, I learned how words had an impact. At the insurance company, we regularly argued over comma placement and how a comma changed the meaning of a contract. I’m still using these skills in my writing today.
I also think that my career progression is a good example for my kids as they approach college age. We put so much pressure on 18-year-olds to decide what they are going to do for the rest of their lives. I am clearly an example that you can always change and evolve.
