I quit teaching to become a luxury-travel advisor. Since making the transition, I've learned a lot and grown professionally.

Danielle James Studios

Kaylee Stith is a travel agent at The Travel Mechanic, a luxury-travel agency in North Carolina. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Stith, who left her full-time teaching job to become a luxury-travel agent last year. It has been edited for length and clarity.