Slight Conflict of Interest... maybe Robert can help...

So I have this dilemma that I have come across. Now this is me counting my eggs before I even buy the chicken, and I realize that, just as a disclaimer. So over the course of my college life, I have come to a conclusion that I am more concerned with living my life to the fullest, taking advantage of every opportunity I get to travel, study, learn, grow, etc. I had planned on staying in France for a while after graduation, to spend time with my family and to experience some new things.
So the plan was to be free of any sort of financial and work obligations between the months of January and August. However, I interviewed for this position as a research and archiving assistant with the Atlanta Housing Authority yesterday, and they are looking for a contractor of nine months, paid fifteen dollars an hour, twenty hours a week. Now generally I would not think twice between a good amount of money and traveling (traveling always wins), but in this case I am doing something that I actually would like to do. This is research in my field of interest, and I would be getting paid.
Granted, I haven't even been offered the position, so maybe I need to hold off on this rant, but I feel a conflict on picking over-seas opportunities to really cool, local research opportunities. Its like I'm choosing between money and travel.
If I were to stay here and do this project, it would be an excellent time for me to set money aside, get some awesome references and experience, be part of a archiving project that would allow researchers and policy makers to examine history to come up with new policy, and work for someone in my field of study outside of school. Also, I can only hold myself back from so much with my parents overseas. These are the kinds of choices that kids who live alone have to face, and as we grow, decisions have to be made between family and future.
However, I was really looking forward to getting out of Atlanta and going to France for a while. I was toying with the idea of going around to the United Kingdom for a week or two, hoping between Scotland, Ireland, and Great Britain. I wanted to see my family and spend time with them even if it was just for two or three weeks. I wanted to get out and see what kind of opportunities I could build for myself in Europe.
All this will be settled by next Monday, which is very soon. Perhaps a conversation with the parents, potential-future employers, and a few close friends will be required. Considerations of what would happen to the cats, the car, etc. Or maybe I should just wait to see if I even get the job, and then go from there!