Traveling the world is no small feat, but Spanish teacher Allison Tomlinson wants to turn that dream into reality.
Without parents or children to take care of, Tomlinson decided last year to travel the world with her husband, who also loves to travel, she said. Tomlinson isn’t retiring, but she is going to permanently leave her job at MHS after the school year ends, she added.
“I’m still healthy, (I’ve) got lots of energy, and this is a great time to take advantage (of my life) instead of waiting until retirement,” Tomlinson said. “I think a lot of people put off their dreams, especially because they’re busy with family and things, but I don’t have to do that.”
Tomlinson plans on starting the journey this September by traveling to Alaska to see the northern lights, which is the only U.S. state she hasn’t visited, she said. Afterward, Tomlinson plans on traveling to Japan, Micronesia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Nepal, and India, she added.
“We haven’t planned beyond that,” Tomlinson said. “We’ll definitely hit Europe and also Latin America. I’m not sure about Africa; it seems to be adding a lot to the cost. And luckily, I’ve been to Africa a couple times.”
Tomlinson studied abroad in two different countries as a college student and went backpacking in Brazil for six months after college, she said.
“I thrive when I’m changing my schedule,” Tomlinson said. “I don’t do well with routines. I find them really boring.”
Tomlinson planned the mostly westward travel route herself, she said.
“First, I tried a travel agency that specializes in tickets around the world, but it had really rigid rules as to how many segments you could have on each continent,” Tomlinson said. “I think it ended up being much cheaper to do it (the planning) myself.”
Income from renting out a house in Georgia paired with Tomlinson’s saving habits allows her to be financially prepared for the journey, she said. However, Tomlinson and her husband still need to prepare for vaccines, healthcare, and visas, she added.
“I have a big list (of things to prepare); moving is always a pain in the butt,” Tomlinson said.
Prior to teaching at MHS, Tomlinson taught in Spain for two years, she said. She enjoyed the flexibility of teaching in Spain, where teachers didn’t bring their work home, she added.
“I love working with these (MHS) students and the school,” Tomlinson said. “I just don’t like how much of my life is dedicated to my profession.”
Tomlinson taught Spanish I and II at MHS for three years, she said.
“It’s been a really nice experience, because I felt like I really connected with a lot of students here on a personal level,” Tomlinson said.
Sophomore Janvi Balakrishnan, who was Tomlinson’s Spanish student in both her freshman and sophomore year, cherishes her relationship with Tomlinson, she said. Tomlinson was her “constant” as her personal and school life fluctuated, and she would visit Tomlinson’s room before, during, and after school every day, Balakrishnan said.
“My current favorite memories are after school when she’s playing music and sometimes we’d be dancing,” Balakrishnan said.
Tomlinson and Balakrishnan exchanged personal emails to keep in touch in the future, she said.
“I felt like she deserved it (the trip) and her life here wasn’t as fulfilled,” Balakrishnan said. “So I felt really happy with the decision she made.”
Sophomore Mikayla Serna, who was also Tomlinson’s student for Spanish I and II, is also proud of Tomlinson for choosing to explore the world, she said.
“’I’m really sad because I know that I could talk to her whenever I’m stuck with something, but I’m also happy for her,” Serna said. “She’s going to go explore new things and move on with her life, and there’s probably better opportunities for her outside of school.”
Tomlinson loves encouraging students to study abroad in college, which many students told her was one of the best experiences of their lives, she added.
“I graduated from high school, I went straight to college, and then I went to find a career, and you do this ladder thing,” Tomlinson said. “Every once in a while, ask yourself if you want to just take a step off the ladder for a minute. (…) Grab that opportunity while you have it.”