“Look, kids, there's a shark under the boat!” I yell, pointing at the missing fin. My 7 year old son grabbed his nose and jumped in.
“Wee!” my 5-year-old son yelled, already halfway up the boat ladder. I quickly took a photo and ran after them. I also want to see sharks up close.
Today is Tuesday, but technically we are in “school”. Instead of sitting in a classroom and drawing different ecosystems, today's lesson plan involves going snorkeling off the coast of Tahiti and observing black bean in their natural habitat.
It's not your average school experience, but it's been the norm since I left my teaching job and homeschooled my kids over three years ago. Since then, we've traveled to Europe, Mexico, French Polynesia, and most of the southern United States on a budget.
Travel was always in the plan
The transition to World School took a long time.
When I was in college, before we got married, I told my now-husband that I would never be satisfied with the way things were. “Okay, let's travel the world!” he said.
We took a few years off to have a baby and start our careers, so traveling didn't start right away. But after seven years of teaching him in Texas, gun violence and the school system's disregard for the health of its staff forced me to accelerate what I had been planning.
After my husband got a job that allowed him to work online, I quit my job, took my kids out of school, rented a house, and moved to France for three months.
adjust your lifestyle
We learned the hard way that it's easier to finance a world school when you have less debt. Our first trip was planned without addressing this issue. Because back then, buying a plane ticket was much more attractive than paying off an old credit card.
These days, people look for the best travel deals before making plans. Our biggest discovery was when we paid less than $200 each for flights from the US to France, including our pets.
To enjoy world school without the stress of worrying about money, you need to balance your financial responsibilities with your desire to travel.
We started downsizing early on and have tried to embrace minimalism whenever our kids let us.
Choosing what to do with the car and house was also a big piece of the puzzle. Now, because we rent out our homes, we can get equity while others pay their mortgages. We keep our car at my parents' house and sleep with them when we're in town instead of helping out on the farm.
These days, our family is constantly on the move. We road trip around the United States and try to go abroad at least once a year. We study from home and work full time on our laptops on the go.
We are constantly adjusting our budgets to maintain a sustainable lifestyle. When we were teachers, we would often go to the mall and end up blowing our budget. We now know how much more enjoyable a travel experience can be than haphazard shopping or eating out. We are as frugal as possible and are always looking for ways to increase our income online.
We have found that balancing frugality and quality of life is the key to achieving your world school dreams while maintaining financial stability.
our new strategy
Whether we can continue our journey depends on a combination of strategic choices.
We embrace slow travel. This means spending a lot of time in each location to minimize transportation costs and take advantage of long-stay discounts. When we were in Europe, we were surprised to find that renting a car for a few days cost more than a full month's accommodation.
Choose free pet sitting opportunities when available. One time, we spent our Christmas vacation free at a house next door to Disney World in exchange for seeing a few soaking wet bulldogs.
When it comes to international travel, we choose our next destination based on ticket affordability. I'd love to go to Asia or Europe again, but budgets often mean I have to explore closer to home for the time being.
Passive income sources like selling digital products can help. I wish I had learned about passive income sooner. The only downside is that it can take longer to develop. I've been working on this project for several years and now earn a small amount of money each month from blog posts I write about both travel and homeschooling that include links to affiliate products.
World School is not an endless vacation
There were many misfortunes along the way. Both of my children contracted COVID-19 in Tahiti, and I sprained my ankle down a rabbit hole in rural France. We also faced criticism for our travel choices. My in-laws are particularly opposed and openly oppose homeschooling.
The biggest setback to world school education is the lack of “adult” time. If you're staying in a hotel or small Airbnb, finding personal space can be difficult.
I did it for my inner child.
For me, World School is also about fulfilling a childhood dream. I'm traveling for my 11 year old self who spent countless hours dreaming of traveling and seeing “House Hunters International”. In many ways, my current lifestyle is a true celebration of my inner child's dreams.
In that sense, you are setting an example for your children. I believe it is essential for children to see their parents, especially their mothers, pursuing their own happiness and achieving their dreams.
My own mother sacrificed everything to be able to homeschool me and my siblings. After becoming a parent myself, I realized that giving up everything for your children is not healthy for you or them. By making my travel dreams come true, I am teaching my children, especially my daughter, that dreams don't die when you become a mother.
Worldschooling is not just about education and exploration. For me, it's a journey of self-discovery and setting an example that empowers my children.
Beth McCarter is a certified teacher and Homeschool graduate.
Do you have a personal essay you would like to share about living or raising children abroad? Contact the editor: akarplus@businessinsider.com.
