Why do you want to do this?
The most common question we get when sharing our travel plans is “WHY?” My very wise brother put it perfectly when he said, “Why not?!” Here are a few of our other reasons:
No Regrets: If we don’t take this leap, we’ll always wonder what would have been.
Create Lasting Memories: We want to form unforgettable memories while the kids still think we’re pretty cool.
Cultural Enrichment: To immerse ourselves in diverse cultures and experiences, broadening our horizons.
Embrace the Challenge: To truly step out of our comfort zone and grow together as a family.
Where do you plan to go?
The world is a big place and deciding where to go took a long time. We knew we wanted to plan our travel around when locations are warm. There’s only so much space in a backpack and we did not want to worry about needing warm clothing. Our hope is to spend a month or two in each location to truly immerse ourselves in the culture. Each country we are visiting requires proof of onward travel when you enter. We don’t plan to book the entire year in advance. We will book a couple of locations at a time, giving us the flexibility to change our minds.
Here are the countries currently on our list but it’s subject to change. Costa Rica, Japan, Guam (not a new country, but we will be going here with Dave’s mom), Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Croatia, Spain, and Portugal.
What will the kids do for school?
The kids will be home-schooled for the year. We will combine world schooling with an online curriculum for math. Most of their assignments will center around whatever country we are in. Learning about their culture, religion, ecosystem, and much more.
Will you continue to work and how are you paying for this?
Dave and I both will leave our jobs and will not work for the duration of our travels.
As for how we plan to pay for this, that is a personal question, yet one we get a lot. If you know us, you know that we have always lived a frugal life. Without giving too many details, investment income and the income from renting our house will pay for the year. We have a budget and we plan to stick to it. We are not approaching this as a year-long vacation, but as a year of living in different locations. Many of the countries we plan to visit cost significantly less than the United States. The entire year will not exceed the amount we would spend for a year living in Colorado.
Won’t you miss your family and friends?
Absolutely!! Come visit us anytime!
How do the kids feel about this?
Both of the kids are excited! They have the normal feelings about missing friends, family, and their home. They have moments of apprehension, but overall their outlook is positive!
What will you do when you get back?
Good question! Our plan is to move back into our home. Alexis will enter her first year of high school and Braxton will finish his final year of elementary school. As for the rest… well, that’s still to be determined.
How long have you been planning this and what will you do with all of your stuff?
The idea of a family gap year has worked its way into our conversations for about three years. It took approximately six months of serious planning to finalize everything.
We will be renting out our house for the year and most of our belongings will be put into storage. Both of our cars are over 20 years old. We plan to sell them and purchase a different vehicle when we return.
Aren’t you worried about your safety?
Risks are everywhere in the world, even our current home. By nature we are cautious people. We have received all the required vaccines for the countries we plan to visit. We have also checked any travel advisories.