We landed in Bran, Romania after Budapest for more summer adventure — and what an unforgettable first week it was! We’re sharing a house just a short walk from the iconic Bran Castle with three other families, totaling 17 people under one very busy roof. Needless to say, we are a sight at the grocery store — imagine four carts, piles of produce, enough milk and juice to float a boat, and wide-eyed cashiers watching our chaos unfold.
The house is alive with energy. The kids bounce between card games, Dungeons & Dragons, computer games, and running around outside. There’s a calisthenics crew that meets a couple of times a week (some people just cheer them on while holding coffee mugs), and one afternoon, Chris gave an impromptu talk on probability and how to win at gambling — a very worldschool moment if ever there was one.
We’ve been doing plenty of cooking and baking — The kids and I made Chocolate chocolate chip cookies. Mealtimes are a mix of laughter, chopping, negotiating counter space, and a minor miracle of coordination. Feeding 17 people is no joke, but it’s somehow become one of our favorite parts of the day.
We’ve also had some memorable outings. A highlight was our visit to the Libearty Bear Sanctuary in nearby Zărnești. The sanctuary is home to over 100 rescued brown bears who were saved from captivity and abuse. It’s an inspiring place, surrounded by forests and rolling hills. The kids were especially excited to “adopt” a bear named Grisha, who now holds a special place in our hearts. Grisha is in one of the enclosures with a camera, so sometimes we can spot her.
Of course, no visit to Bran is complete without a trip to Bran Castle — often associated with Dracula, though the connection is more legend than fact. The castle itself is stunning, perched high above the village, with winding staircases, secret passageways, and sweeping views of the mountains. The history is fascinating, and the kids had a blast imagining vampire stories while we adults admired the architecture and soaked up the eerie atmosphere.
As if our house wasn’t full enough, we hosted a cookout and welcomed even more worldschoolers! Rachel, who runs the Worldschool Pop-Up Hubs, came by with her family, and two other families also came. One who runs a hub right here in Romania and another who’s attending. It was great to swap stories, share a meal, and let the kids run wild together.
Lucas celebrated his 15th birthday this week (how is that possible?!), and it just so happens that our friend Kristian shares the same birthday! We marked the occasion with a trip to go bowling and some wandering through Bran— followed by a low-stakes poker night with the dads.
Lucas and Henry love having their friends so close, and honestly, so do we. Being surrounded by our chosen family in this beautiful place feels like such a gift. The rhythm of the week — a little bit of adventure, a little bit of learning, a whole lot of togetherness — is exactly what we hoped for.
Here’s to more weeks like this one in Bran.
