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Why Do I Blog?
Hi, I'm Rachel! These articles are my reflection on the communities we create and the life my family lives as a fulltime worldschooling family (nomadic since 2018). I share insights, personal stories, and lessons learned from our long-term travels, self-directed learning, and efforts to build community on the road. Some posts focus on our pop-up gatherings and the importance of connecting with worldschooling families. Others discuss the realities, challenges, and everyday moments of worldschooling life. Together, they’re meant to help families understand what this lifestyle looks like in practice.
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Solo Parent Worldschooling: Understanding the Challenges and Learning from Real-Life Stories
Solo parent worldschoolers often face unseen challenges -- from navigating emotional and logistical challenges to building a supportive community on the road. This article shares insights and real-life stories from solo parents who are successfully navigating life on the road as the only adult.
Rachel Carlson
Dec 9, 202522 min read
Selecting a Quality Worldschool Hub
Looking for the perfect worldschool hub? Learn how to choose the right program for your family—what to look for, red flags to avoid, and the best questions to ask before you join.
Rachel Carlson
Nov 21, 202515 min read
Vault of Travel Sleep Hacks: 75+ Tips
Travel undoubtedly interrupts our sleep patterns: poor quality mattresses, noisy environments, poor diet. Here are 75+ travel sleep tips to offset any surprises at your accommodations and settle in for a good night's rest.
Rachel Carlson
Sep 22, 202520 min read
Brilliantly Organize Your Digital Travel Documents
I’ve found a super-efficient way to organize and share border control paperwork... and it’s through a WhatsApp Community.
Rachel Carlson
Oct 6, 20248 min read
Teen-Friendly Travel Themes
Travel with teens doesn't need to be drab -- lighten up, incorporate their interests, and find a way to pique their curiosity via travel!
Rachel Carlson
Oct 3, 202412 min read
The Value of a Pop-Up and Other Worldschool Communities
Worldschool communities provide more than just activities -- the real value is the people you meet and the memories you share.
Rachel Carlson
Aug 20, 202414 min read
Traveling Fulltime with Teens
We began our nomadic lifestyle when our kids were 8, 11, and 13… clearly in the tween stage, but in 2022 they leveled up into triple teenagers! And I must tell you, this has been my favorite stage with my children. Salem, Jasper, Kemaya, & Rachel. One teen is in a stage of intentionally closing eyes for photos 🤣 Why do I love this stage so much? I’m not sleep deprived; I don’t need to micromanage their days; I love seeing the world through their eyes; and I'm super excited t
Rachel Carlson
Jul 25, 202313 min read
Pop-Up Prep
We’re so excited to create these opportunities for worldschooling families and want your kids (and you!) to have the best possible experience. Here are some suggestions to help your popup go smoothly! Pre-Pop-Up Planning Join the WhatsApp Communication Groups: Do this as soon as possible, WhatsApp links are typically emailed 2-3 weeks prior to the event. You can mute the conversations until the popup starts, but it’s really nice to have everyone participate in the groups ahea
Rachel Carlson
Apr 2, 202316 min read
Broken Bone: Triple Country Care Plan
Here's how we navigated a bone broken in the UK, surgically set in Greece, and final pin removal in Turkey. It can be done!
Rachel Carlson
Feb 12, 202319 min read
Pop-Up Recap: Iceland 2022
The land of fire and ice... we found the ice and missed the fire. However, we did observe amazing evidence and stunning effects of the volcanic activity here! *Kolugljúfur Canyon and Gorge Walk Our Iceland story is a bit odd, many people have Iceland on their bucket list for years before making the trip. Personally, I didn't see the draw until we noticed flights from NYC to London were significantly cheaper if we landed in Iceland first. Our family is originally from Wisconsi
Rachel Carlson
Oct 20, 20229 min read
Where Do I Find Worldschool Community?
Worldschool hubs come in many shapes and sizes! Here are links to some of the established hubs plus ideas on how to find worldschoolers and get yourself connected in the community.
Rachel Carlson
Jul 2, 202210 min read
The Day I Sent Everyone to a Strip Mall
Seasoned travelers know that not everything goes to plan, even when you have done your research and plotted out the perfect schedule. For example, sometimes businesses are unexpectedly closed…or prices increase…or the address isn’t correct…or a pandemic interrupts local festivals and celebrations. The more we travel, the more we learn to expect these unexpected snags in our plans. However, even the most seasoned travelers are bound to make mistakes which is why I want to tell
Rachel Carlson
Mar 3, 20223 min read
Pop-Up Recap: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Jan 2022
Hola amigos...from the fun side of Trump's wall (seriously, there were some pretty funny t-shirts in Cabo, not all were quite so child-friendly)! We've just wrapped up a full week in Baja California, meeting and connecting with new friends as well as rekindling friendships with those who've attended popups previously. We're so glad to welcome you back! Our weather was darn near perfect -- warm, sunny days and comfortable evenings -- which made exploring all the better. We hun
Rachel Carlson
Feb 1, 20223 min read
Crossing Borders During Covid
Gone are the days of nonchalant border crossings where you could just waltz right into a country to explore with little to no preparation.
Rachel Carlson
Jan 15, 20225 min read
Tips & Tricks on How to Use WhatsApp’s Communication Platform
The WhatsApp platform is used worldwide for phone calls, text messages, photo/video sharing and business operations...and it's packed with nifty features for effective group communication. The biggest advantage of WhatsApp is that both android and apple phones can send long messages without truncation or getting the pieces of the messages jumbled. However, some users are new to the platform and don’t know about the neat features which make this app ideal for our popup communi
Rachel Carlson
Jan 13, 20224 min read
Navigating AirBNB’s Guest Refund Policy
Did you ever run into a rental with an inaccurate description? We did, and we blew our chance of a partial refund due to a technicality.
Rachel Carlson
Nov 29, 20217 min read
Even Cheaper Cheap Flights: How to Use Volaris Airlines' Friends & Family Membership in Mexico
An explanation of how kids fly free and other benefits of Volaris Airlines' Friends & Family v.club Membership.
Rachel Carlson
Nov 3, 20214 min read
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