While I am certainly not advocating AA above all else, I am a married father with kids and pets. I couldn’t nor would my family want me to be away for weeks at a time, even if it meant I would then have two off.

to each their own though so you need to come up with what is important. 3.5 years to flow is a long time and I would certainly be trying to get picked up somewhere that fits your needs prior to the flow.