Sabbaticals are not your typical cocktail conversation. Most companies don’t even include the word in their employee manual. And many busycrazy people fail to use all their vacation days, let alone scheme about taking three months off.

But rest assured: Big Breaks are no longer just the privileged province of preachers and professors. So if you dig in, you’ll find many gems to enlighten you—books, websites, blogs, periodicals, zines, and more.

Here’s a select list of favorites for you to check out. If you find anything that you think rocks, please let us know!

• CAREER BREAK/RTW TRAVEL SITES

http://meetplango.com/

http://meetplango.com/basic-training/

http://www.bootsnall.com/rtw/

http://careerbreaksecrets.com/

http://rebootbreak.com/

http://www.gobackpacking.com/Blog/

• MONEY/BUDGETING SITES/BLOGS

http://www.rtwexpenses.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-travel-around-the-world-year-1-summary/

http://alittleadrift.com/2009/10/rtw-budget-travel-around-the-world/

http://travel.booklocker.com/2009/05/04/round-the-world-travel-budget/

http://manvsdebt.com/

http://www.bootsnall.com/rtw/round-the-world-tips-budgeting-for-your-rtw.html

http://www.theroadforks.com/offtheroad/how_we_budget_for_rtw

http://almostfearless.com/2009/09/07/planning-a-travel-budget-that-works-day-7-of-30w30d/

http://globetrooper.com/notes/travel-budget/

http://takeyourbigtrip.com/2010/03/03/how-to-estimate-a-big-trip-budget-an-introduction/

http://www.rtwexpenses.com/

• ACCOMMODATIONS

Hostel/Hotel Sites

hihostels.com

http://www.gomio.com/

http://www.hostels.com/

http://www.hostelworld.com/

http://hostels.bootsnall.com/

http://www.hotels.com

Apartment/Condo/House Rental Sites

http://www.vrbo.com/

http://www.homeaway.com/

http://www.airbnb.com/

House Sitting

http://www.caretaker.org/

http://www.housecarers.com/

http://www.trustedhousesitters.com/

http://www.mindmyhouse.com/

http://www.sabbaticalhomes.com/Home_Exchange.aspx

Staying with Locals

https://www.tripping.com/

http://www.couchsurfing.org/

Homestays

http://www.usservas.org/index.php

Home Exchanges

http://www.homeexchange.com/

http://www.homexchangevacation.com/

http://www.homebase-hols.com/

Working Abroad/Exchanging work for room and board

http://www.helpex.net/

http://www.wwoof.org/

http://www.aupair.com/

http://www.workaway.info/

• VOLUNTEERING/VOLUNTOURISM

http://b2b.meetplango.com/2009/03/how-to-choose-an-international-volunteer-program/

http://www.idealist.org/

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/

http://toolkit.bootsnall.com/volunteering-abroad-travel-guide/volunteer-abroad-links.html

http://www.geovisions.org/

• PACKING

http://www.bootsnall.com/rtw/faq-packing.html

http://meetplango.com/2011/08/choosing-the-perfect-backpack/

http://www.poweredbytofu.com/how-to-pack-for-a-1-year-round-the-world-trip/

http://alittleadrift.com/rtw-travel/rtw_packing/ (includes a female packing list)

http://blog.hostelbookers.com/travel/how-to-pack-your-backpack/ (how to best pack your backpack)

http://www.travelindependent.info/whattopack.htm

http://gogreentravelgreen.com/extended-travel/ultimate-packing-list-for-a-round-the-world-trip/ (2 female packing lists)

http://www.aswetravel.com/rtw-gear-list-our-2011-packing-list/ (male and female packing lists for two digital nomads)

• AIRFARE SITES AND DEALS

http://meetplango.com/round-the-world-tickets/

http://www.bootsnall.com/tripplanner.shtml

http://tripplanner.airtreks.com/?ref=BOOTSNALL

http://www.kayak.com/

http://www.hipmunk.com/

• INSURANCE – MEDICAL/TRAVEL

www.insuremytrip.com

http://meetplango.com/travel-insurance/

http://www.hthworldwide.com/

• TRAVEL MESSAGE BOARDS

http://boards.bootsnall.com/

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/index.jspa

And last but not least… BOOKS!!!  Remember those?

• BOOKS

The Art of Non-Comformity:  Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World; Chris Guillebeau

Power Sabbatical: The Break That Makes A Difference; Robert Levine

The Career Break Book: Swap Your Briefcase for a Passport and Live Your Dream; Lonely Planet

The Family Sabbatical Handbook: The Budget Guide to Living Abroad With Your Family; Elisa Burnick

Gap Years for Grown Ups; Susan Griffith

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich; Timothy Ferriss

Die Broke: A Radical, Four-Part Financial Plan to Restore Your Confidence, Increase Your Net Worth, and Afford the Lifestyle of Your Dreams; Stephen M. Pollan

Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic; John De Graaf, David Wann,

A Family Year Abroad; Chris Westphal

Life Lessons: Two Experts on Death and Dying Teach Us About the Mysteries of Life and Living; Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler