Tokyo is a bustling metropolis that makes New York City look like a small town. It seamlessly blends traditional culture with ultra-modern technology. Henry is all about the vending machines. It is the capital of Japan, covering an area of approximately 2,194 square kilometers, and it is home to over 37,000,000 people. Despite its size, Tokyo is surprisingly clean. We…
Worldschool Pop-Up in Osaka
We have been worldschooling for almost five years now. The biggest lesson we learned is that community is everything. We also learned that from the centenarians in Okinawa. Many of the most memorable times on our travels have been with other worldschooling families. Our friends, the Carlsons created Worldschool Pop-Up to help traveling families find that community. https://www.worldschoolpopuphub.com/ The Carlsons…
Osaka, Japan
We arrived in Osaka on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon. Okinawa was a bit cool. Osaka in March is downright cold. Cold weather was not in our Asia plan, so we do not have warm-weather clothes. The high the day we arrived was in the 40s (that’s single digits for all my non-American friends). It took us about two…
Okinawa, Japan
Okinawa has been on Michael’s bucket list since Karate Kid II came out in 1986 (even though the film was shot in Hawaii). We decided to spend a week in Okinawa on our way to Osaka and Tokyo. It is a short flight from Taipei, but there is an hour’s time change. We spent two days in Naha. We had…
What Not to Ask a Worldschooler
When talking to a worldschooler, the question “What’s your favorite place you traveled to?” might seem like a harmless inquiry. However, this seemingly innocuous question can be problematic and does not fully capture the essence of worldschooling. This question annoys Lucas and Henry because it is such a broad question. They feel pressured to choose one place over another, even…
Taipei
Our family’s recent trip to Taipei was nothing short of amazing. Taipei is a clean city that is easy to navigate. The metro and bus system make it easy to get around. The garbage trucks play Für Elise to let residents know it is time to bring out their trash. In many other countries we visited, the garbage sits on…
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Arriving in Taiwan after spending a month on the small island of Panglao was a bit of a shock. We arrived in Tapei late at night. It was raining and much cooler than the Philippines. We spent one night in a hotel near an MRT station and then took the train the next day to Kaohsiung. We took the slow…
Scuba Diving in Panglao
Lucas and Henry dove into scuba diving in Panglao. Diving is why we chose to spend a month on the island. They completed two try dives in Cham Islands, Vietnam, in September. That introduction was all they needed to get hooked on diving. After that, they completed their scuba certification in Koh Tao, Thailand, in November. Michael did too. In…
Panglao, Philippines
The Philippines consists of more than 7,000 islands. In our research, we came across dozens of amazing islands that are “must-visit” places. We ended up choosing Panglao Island to spend a month. It is touted as Bohol’s best beach destination. The main deciding factor in choosing Panglao was Sierra Madre Dive Center. The dive center was open to creating a…
Why We Chose Worldschooling: A Parent’s Perspective
Many of our family and friends think we lead an unusual life (OK- they think we are batsh*% crazy). I acknowledge that what we are doing is not the norm but, to Michael and me, it makes the most sense. For as long Lucas and Henry are school-aged, we will constantly be asked, “How are they learning?” and “What ‘school’…