Teacher's Journey Through Chronic Illness
Michelle Traub, a former teacher from Canton, shared her journey of listening to the universe and pursuing her dream of long-term travel despite health challenges. After being diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease at 17, which severely impacted her physical abilities, Michelle maintained her passion for travel, eventually taking a sabbatical from teaching to fulfill her dream. When her initial sabbatical request was denied, she found an unexpected opportunity to teach in West Hartford from September to January, allowing her to afford her 8-month travel plans.
Traveling and Teaching Abroad
Michelle shared her travel experiences in Mexico, where she followed her grandmother's footsteps and lived on a budget of around $2,000 for two months. She connected with a Rotary Club in Oaxaca and taught a class, which led to an opportunity to give a presentation on revamping the English program. Her journey in Mexico inspired her to continue traveling, and her next stop was South Africa.
Budget Travel Adventures in Africa
Michelle shared her travel experiences in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and other African countries, highlighting how she managed to travel inexpensively while enjoying comfortable accommodations like business class flights. She described meeting friendly locals and fellow travelers, including a hostel owner who became a chance encounter in Johannesburg, and recounted a challenging but ultimately positive experience walking with a stranger in Zimbabwe.
Travel, Teaching, and Career Transitions
Michelle shared her incredible journey of extended travel and career transitions, starting with a teaching position in Costa Rica funded by the U.S. Department of State. After traveling affordably through Vietnam and Indonesia, she founded a travel agency called "Travel Anyways" to help others with disabilities or limitations pursue their travel dreams. She eventually found work as a community manager at Coinhound, a search engine for points and miles travel deals, while also taking on a part-time teaching position at Hampstead Elementary School. Throughout her journey, Michelle accumulated valuable travel experiences and connections that led her back to her home in Connecticut, where she now combines his passion for teaching and travel by helping others book trips using points and miles.
Travel Tips and Language Navigating
Michelle shared her experiences traveling and navigating language barriers in various countries, highlighting the importance of Google Translate and local currency for budgeting. Michelle also explained how he accumulated travel points through credit card sign-up bonuses, offering a free consultation service to help others maximize their points for travel.
Travel Experiences and Cultural Insights
Michelle shared her experiences traveling as an American woman, discussing how she sometimes pretends to be Canadian to avoid political conversations, particularly in countries with complex relations with the US. She described her health issues that prevent her from trying local foods, despite her interest in indigenous cuisine, noting that Vietnam was the only country where she didn't get sick from food. Michelle also highlighted the warm welcome she received in Vietnam, contrasting it with the political discussions she faced in South Africa, and shared her insights about the different perspectives on the Vietnam War presented in Vietnamese museums.
She has been to over 40 countries and most recently returned home from an 18 months trip all around the world. Professionally, she is a teacher, working most of her career in Canton Public Schools. Michelle was the first faculty advisor and helped start the Canton HS Interact Club, which still runs today. She holds a BA in elementary education and Spanish, an MBA with a concentration in International Education, and a 6th year in Educational Leadership. Michelle loves all things learning, teaching, and travel and is excited to be able to share how she is able to combine the 
three passions in her day to day life with you today.
