- Benjamin Fields manages to work as an educator and travel around the world unnoticed by his bosses.
- Fields, who is pursuing his Ph.D., conducts online classes, enabling him to explore different places whenever he isn’t based in Oklahoma.
- Field finances his journeys by teaching, running a perfume company, and authoring e-books on personal finance.
This essay, presented as a first-person account, is derived from an interview conducted with
Benjamin Fields
, a 26-year-old educator, learner, and entrepreneur. The passage below has been condensed for brevity and clarity.
I studied at Cornell University where I pursued two majors in global and public health sciences along with sociology.
According to my mother’s earnings, I was awarded almost $300,000 in grants to assist with my college expenses. Additionally, I participated in Division One track and field, enabling me to compete in international competitions.
Currently, I manage frequent travel along with holding two teaching positions without my employers being aware.
Upon completing my degree in 2020, I joined a Ph.D. program at U.C. Berkeley to focus on sociology studies.
Due to the pandemic, the initial year was conducted remotely, hence I attended my classes via the internet. Once the pandemic subsided, I relocated to the dormitory on campus.
As part of my
Ph.D. program
, I am required to instruct one course per semester and during the summer as I lack external funding. Besides teaching classes, I also assess student submissions and hold office hours.
I am required to be physically present at the location, yet I carry out my tasks remotely and conduct virtual lessons instead. The professors do not check whether I am actually on campus—I handle all my work via Zoom.
I initially took a discreet vacation in December 2020.
I got the chance to present at a conference in Dubai, with the local government covering my travel and accommodation expenses.
I agreed since spending five days in Dubai turned out to be quite an enjoyable experience. I kept this trip from my university though. Following that, I was completely intrigued.
I traveled to Colombia early in 2021 and visited the Ivory Coast later that same year. I made a promise to myself to embark on more journeys like these.
quiet vacations
as much as possible.
In 2022, I traveled to Portugal, London, Barcelona, Sydney, and Ibiza.
My mother is a public school educator, and the school district where she taught was desperately short of teachers.
After residing on campus for some time, I decided to leave Berkeley as I wasn’t fond of the university atmosphere. I realized no one would be aware, plus it was more affordable to stay in Oklahoma.
I chose to take on an additional role.
instructing mathematics to students in their second year of secondary school
where my mom works.
In 2022, I secured a position as a public school teacher. During the academic year, I conduct classes in person, then use my breaks for traveling. Each summer, I take an extended peaceful hiatus away from the educational institution.
I travel for career growth opportunities.
I deliver a one-hour presentation as part of my study on digital nomadism. Following these journeys, I go on a serene getaway.
In late 2022, I embarked on an incredible three-week journey to Antarctica. Most of my vacation time from teaching at the public school was utilized for this adventure. None of my colleagues at the university were aware that I had been away for such an extended period.
In 2023, I made several trips back to the UK and passed my summers exploring Vienna, Barcelona, Portugal, Seville, and Paris. In early autumn, specifically October, I visited Corfu for seven days. Later, in December, I traveled to Cameroon staying there for about a month.
I live with my girlfriend in London and with my family in Cameroon. When I’m not crashing at a friend’s place, I share an Airbnb with some buddies.
I used 2 phones to successfully enjoy my vacation without disturbances.
I possess one telephone number for my personal use, while another handles all matters related to my business activities.
I use a VPN
That indicates my position as San Francisco.
I opt for Google Fi as my mobile service provider since it offers WiFi tethering along with up to 50GB of global data usage. This allows me to maintain a connection effortlessly wherever I travel.
On two occasions, I feared being uncovered. Once, I needed a coworker to fill in for my class which I could not attend, and another time, I had to conduct a lesson from inside a closet to ensure nobody found out about my whereabouts.
I blend the style of a backpacker with that of a luxury traveler.
I manage to cover my travel expenses by taking up reader positions at the university on campus. These roles involve getting tasks assigned to me, holding office hours, and receiving payment for my work. The income from these readerships helps me sustain myself while living in Oklahoma.
I utilize my teaching income for traveling. Post-tax, I receive $3,000 monthly, which I supplement with credit card rewards and miles.
I similarly own a petite niche perfume business named
Maison Jila
The enterprise generates roughly $1,500 monthly for me. I prepare the packages in advance, and whenever we receive an order, my mother affixes the shipping label and takes it to the post office.
I also wrote some
eBooks on personal finance,
And I gather the sales figures for them every two months.
I’m crafting my ideal life and maintain a detailed schedule.
I have approximately three one-hour classes, scheduled three days each week. There have been occasions where I had to stay up extremely late to join a class from another timezone, though things could certainly be more challenging.
Following that, I handle some teaching duties. It involves sitting through the primary lecture of the course and subsequently conducting the weekly tutorial sections we lead.
Starting from there, I dedicate my time to marketing activities and developing content for my perfume venture. Additionally, I allocate specific periods to pen further personal finance literature.
I aim to complete my Ph.D., explore different places, and establish a venture that completely sustains my way of life.
In high school, I spent my summers working 60-hour weeks at Subway. Back then, I aspired to someday become the owner of that very same Subway so I could establish my own regulations.
I wasn’t aware of spots like this.
Monaco
, Colombia, Singapore, or Macau — all I experienced were roles where people treated me badly. Growing up, I knew that wouldn’t define my life.
I aspire to possess properties across the globe and create a life where work isn’t mandatory. My perfume enterprise will sustain me, and should I continue teaching, those earnings would cover my travels and investment needs. Living life exactly as I choose is what appeals to me.
Looking to tell about your peaceful getaway experience? Send an email to Lauryn Haas at lhaas@LIFEHACK.
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