Dear JAMMers,
Happy Presidents Week to all - but especially to teachers and educators. It’s FINALLY February break! The opportunities for fun and relaxation are endless, aren’t they? Guess again. For a teacher to try to book a trip during President’s Week, they are faced with some of the biggest price hikes of the year. And it’s actually infuriating.
I’m sure teachers would admit just having the week off from school is a dream. After all, the nonsense, stress and exhaustion they have to deal with on a daily basis surmounts any issues we might face at our corporate jobs. However, it's one thing to have time off from work, but how you use that time makes all the difference.
If you want to just relax at home, spend time with the kids, or catch up on that show that everyone’s been insisting you watch, then go for it. That feels pretty doable. However, if a teacher wants to use their break to travel, which is a perfectly normal expectation to have as a human being, airlines and hotels have a much different plan.
That trip you thought you could take to a cozy beach town or a cabin retreat? Well, surprise – that 2-night stay has just doubled in price. Need a flight? Congratulations, you’re now looking at plane tickets that cost as much as your rent. Even if you booked a year in advance, you’re still paying premium prices for the privilege of traveling during one of the most expensive weeks of the year. Super fair and reasonable, right? It’s like the universe is telling teachers, “Here, you can take a break, but only if you’re willing to remortgage your house first.”
So, teachers - I see you. And I’m frustrated for you. And to the rest of you (myself included) be grateful if you have even an ounce of flexibility to take a trip at literally any other time of the year.
Everything’s fine,
Nicole
