We met back up with our worldschooling family in Montenegro after a long, five-month separation. We were last with our friends in Southeast Asia. We met the Sigtons at a worldschool hub in Bankso, Bulgaria, in 2023. We met the Blackbourns in Chiang Mai at the end of 2023 after Michael met Renee through Facebook. We met the Crabtrees at a hub in Krabi Thailand, in 2024. We first met the Costellos at a worldschool hub in Ecuador in 2022. We have only known these families for a short amount of time, but it feels like we have known them forever.
We are fortunate to have met such a great group of people. Community is important to us, and we have found a way to travel and have community. We spend a lot of time together, so it has sped up the getting-to-know-each-other process.
Traveling in a community has so many benefits. One of the biggest challenges of long-term travel is leaving behind familiar faces. But when you travel with a community, friendships follow you wherever you go. For kids, this means instant playmates, adventure buddies, and learning partners. They can explore new cultures together, helping them adjust to unfamiliar places. Traveling with other families means fewer complaints of “I’m bored” when there’s always someone ready to go to the park or a take deep dive into a new interest.
For parents, it’s just as beneficial. Having like-minded adults to share the journey with turns an already incredible experience into something even more fulfilling. There’s something special about bonding over shared adventures, late-night conversations, and the collective experience of navigating the ups and downs of worldschooling.
Beyond logistics, group travel opens doors to activities that would not be possible (or as affordable) alone. Many tour companies require a minimum number of participants for group rates, so traveling with others can make private tours, group classes, or unique experiences more accessible. We’ve joined everything from fencing lessons to cultural workshops because another family had the idea and organized it—experiences we might have missed on our own.
Travel is amazing, but it’s not always easy. There are delayed flights, lost luggage, stomach bugs, and moments when the energy of travel catches up with you. In those times, having a community is invaluable. Someone to watch the kids while you run an errand, bring over soup when you’re feeling sick, or to be there to offer reassurance when plans go awry makes a world of difference.
Support isn’t just logistical—it’s emotional, too. Travel can be overwhelming, especially when adapting to new cultures, foods, and languages. Having a community means there’s always someone to talk to, laugh with, and remind you that the challenges are a part of the journey.
Worldschooling often means moving from place to place, which can sometimes feel isolating. But when you have a community, there’s a sense of continuity and belonging, even in the most unfamiliar destinations.
We are so happy to have a solid long-term travel group that travels with us to different countries throughout the year. We also stay connected with several families we have met along the way and often have reunions in unexpected places. When you find your people, distance becomes just another adventure to navigate.
Traveling as a worldschooling family is an incredible experience, but it’s even better when shared with a community. The friendships, support, and shared experiences create a deeper, more connected journey—one that goes beyond just seeing new places and becomes about growing together.
