What many people don't think about is that schools, colleges, and universities employ all sorts of workers for the academic year. Take a sabbatical. Periodic year-long paid sabbaticals are standard for professors, and common for teachers even at the elementary and secondary level. But sabbaticals aren't limited to academia anymore. More and more employers have formal or informal programs for granting paid or unpaid extended leave.
Sabbaticals improve employee skills, productivity, morale, and loyalty.
Take an unpaid leave of absence. Even if your employer doesn't have a formal leave program, you can always ask. Even if they think travel is irrelevant to your job, they'd probably rather you come back to work for them after your travels than go to work for someone else. Quit your job. Get a better one when you get back.