Sample Interim Year Scenarios - "Karin"

Karin, a 29-year-old graphic artist, wanted to take a break from what had become the work grind to improve her Spanish skills, concentrate on painting, and experience life in another country. She had been planning for several years to take a sabbatical and had saved money to cover travel costs, daily expenses and program fees. A friend had offered to live in her apartment and cover the rent and bills while she was gone. She was, however, finding it difficult piecing together the elements of her year, and her internet research yielded an over-whelming amount of information. When she came across the Interim website, she decided to come in and talk with us.

During the initial meeting, she expressed how much she had enjoyed visiting a town in Mexico years ago. We discussed language programs there, and told her about an artist in another town who took apprentices to work on murals. We also mentioned art courses in Italy, New Zealand, Greece and Ireland.

Karin signed on with Interim and began looking through specific program information and talking with Interim alumna who had attended the various programs she was considering. She decided on the following tentative schedule for her year:

After applying and getting into all three programs, she embarked on her year. When she returned to the US, she was close to fluent in Spanish and had a beautiful portfolio of jewelry of her own design. She went back to work with renewed enthusiasm and a different approach to her artwork, inspired by her time in Mexico and New Zealand.