Where Do I Find Worldschool Community?
- Rachel Carlson
- Jul 2, 2022
- 8 min read
Updated: Mar 29
Worldschooling is wonderfully fulfilling… but our lifestyle choices often land us in some unusual situations to navigate. Maybe it’s finding ourselves in a slump, or decision fatigue, or fielding questions from naysayers, or noticing that we voluntarily chose a lifestyle where we lack community, or observing our kids’ desire for peers who understand them and their circumstances.
*Teotihuacan Mexico City | Madison Wisconsin USA | Val Venosta Italy
Unfortunately discussing these issues with someone leading a typical lifestyle isn’t necessarily helpful. They may steer us away from worldschooling when they see us struggle. If we want someone to hear us out and help us brainstorm fresh ideas that fit our life goals, there’s nothing like connecting with other traveling families.
Worldschoolers understand the ups and downs of living outside of the box. We all see each other and are ready to meet one another right where we are in our journeys. Finding a community of like-minded individuals is instrumental in keeping ourselves happy and healthy… and I tell you, the amount of information I’ve gleaned from travel tips, to mental health checkups, to educational strategies, to advice for honing lifestyle and child-rearing goals is beyond valuable.
*Oaxaca Mexico | Valencia Spain | Seoul S Korea | Da Nang Vietnam
OK Great! But where do we go to find community? There are loads of options out there (and please let me know if I missed something, I’m happy to edit the article). I’ll give you links to businesses who offer worldschool gatherings as well as online resources to browse for potential meetups.
Note: There are three sections, hope you make it all the way to the end! So many opportunities!
Tours, Communities, & Pop-Ups of the Worldschool Kind
The following businesses/individuals provide worldschool community options…and each in a unique manner. Some are stationary locations, others are guided tours, others are just meetups at a given point. Some are all-inclusive, others have the families do their own planning. Some have set dates, others are short-term, others are long-term, and even others are ongoing. Some have a dedicated shared workspace, childcare, educational classes, etc, etc, etc.
Note: This is not a complete list of what's available out there. Unfortunately it's really difficult to keep this post up-to-date as many hubs come and go. Everyone, please reach out with new additions (keeping in mind that there need to be public reviews before I list them) or info on programs no longer available.
🌈 Anahata Worldschooling Community [website] [on hold but contact Patty to connect]
Anahata is an inclusive community in Telchac Puerto, Yucatan, which values the gifts of intentional living, cultural exchange, exploration, and adventure. Schedules can include yoga, educational classes, and offerings co-created by participants.
ArcticTerns offers Worldschooling Netherlands, this is a full program of excursions, workshops, and other learning experiences. They move around the country to participate in celebrations, cultural events, museum visits, city trips, historical events, workshops, amusement parks, & educational activities.
ArcticTerns also organizes IQ teen camps. IQ teen camps are specifically aimed at teens who are open minded and motivated, who seek challenges on intellectual and philosophical levels. The teens will explore the country while gaining a higher understanding through special assignments. The program also includes a plenty of games and social interaction.
🌳 Bliss Hubs [Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Koh Lanta, Pai]
Bliss Hubs are free, community-led worldschooling hubs. Families of all ages can join weekly meetups, workshops, and social events. Meetups are self-regulated, maintained by members, and focused on creating supportive spaces where parents and children contribute to the collective growth and education of the community. More destinations to come.
Boundless Life provides a collection of thoughtfully designed communities in beautiful destinations around the world. They provide private homes, co-working spaces, and an education system based on experiential learning. Visa assistance is also offered.
Deliberate Detour focuses on cultural experiential education in Mexico & Peru, harnessing the expertise and knowledge of local people. Their two- & four-week hubs include culinary workshops, museum visits, arts, crafts, and so much more. Their mission is to create a more empathic, peaceful world through immersive, culturally-rich worldschooling hubs.
An outlet to connect with other traveling families in Portugal with options to test out communal living.
Forever Wild originally had a home base in Las Terranas, Dominican Republic, but now they offer mobile hubs. In 2024 they'll explore different destinations throughout SE Asia and are planning Africa in 2025. They provide drop-off education programming for younger kids and a teen mentorship-leadership program for the older children.
The Human Hive is a global network of inspiring organizations and individuals. They operate a school in Cabrera, Dominican Republic, and it's open to local families and worldschoolers. Past programming has included events for young children through young adults.
This hub offers a combination of cultural immersion and education. The program is for children aged 4-18 and plans activities from 10:00 - 16:00 Monday - Friday for 4 weeks. Prepare to learn about Moroccan and Amazigh culture, cuisine, and history.
Mom and Kid Travels LLC is a travel and adventure company focusing on experiential, international learning trips for mothers and children.
The Project World School Family Summits unfortunately have ceased with a final summit in Veracruz, Mexico, March 2023. A "Family Reunion" is loosely planned for Europe in late 2025. However, Lainie & Miro continue to offer teen retreats and if you have teens or tweens, Lainie offers free weekly zoom meetups: Virtual Meetups
The Quartier Collective offers month-long Pop-Up Life events and provide an integrated learning component, long-table dinners, space for parents to work, and deep connection to the local community. Like-minded families gather together to explore and learn in amazing locations.
Shepherd's Rest is located in Spain and offers programming and accommodations. They've also organized family and teen gatherings on their property. Communal dining and playrooms are available, check with them to see what current events are scheduled.
A group of families traveling the world together with a teacher for their children. They take 'school' wherever they go and plan playdates, movie nights, and weekend explorations. This setup fosters friendships and community. Europe, Mediterranean, and Asian destination so far!
Toucanto offers responsible tourism by supporting local conservation projects, providing carbon-neutral tours, and supporting small local businesses. They've run communities in Ecuador and in the Galapagos Islands.
The Traveling Circus is a self-organizing group of 5 to 7 families exploring different countries all over the world. Come experience shared meals and community activities while still enjoying the independence of selecting your own accommodations.
Organized tour group. Traveling Homeschoolers coordinates river cruises, rail journeys, road trips, sleepovers, and trips to Washington DC, NYC, Boston, Disney, England, Italy, Ireland, France, and more!
Robyn and Eduardo from "The Wanderlust Worldschool" share a deep passion for travel, culture, and people. They create and host unforgettable experiences for traveling families where local culture is woven into their well-curated events. Explore, discover, create, and connect with The Wanderlust Worldschool.
Wild Life operates month-long hubs in Marsa Alam, Egypt, with accommodation, education, activities, and some transport included. Their hub is located on the Red Sea with the option to learn or experience pristine SCUBA diving there.
Family- and community-centered trips to temporarily live in amazing destinations. Kids and teens enjoy hands-on learning projects and field trips with similarly-aged local youth. Meanwhile, parents can work remotely, volunteer, or experience all sorts of outdoor and cultural adventures.
This hub is based on a beautiful farm with a playground, football field, animals, and space for running free! They offer a children’s enrichment program steeped in Guatemalan culture and traditions. Programming runs 9am-1pm (Mon-Fri) for ages 3-12, and they organize family fun outside the hub hours, too!
Temporary week-long gatherings designed to bring worldschoolers together to develop community and explore our planet. Each week's activities highlight nature, history, culture, food, local offerings... and time to create connections with other like-minded families.
Families have full autonomy over where they stay, how they get around, and how involved they are with pop-up activities. And if you can’t join the locations on the schedule, you’re able to run a pop-up of your own: Host a Pop-Up Q&A
In Bansko they offer a 12 hours per day/5 days per week activity program for the whole family that consists of skiing, snow fun, hot springs, volunteering, family diners, parents’ nights out, coworking, classes, games, etc. Families buy in for a month at a time, with or without accommodation.
Rebecca Wegmann organizes a variety of worldschool gatherings. Hubs may include learning about local wildlife, swimming and snorkeling, kayaking, art workshops, cooking classes, volunteering in a permaculture farm, coastal cleanup, hikes, horses… activities suited for families of all ages.
*Guanajuato Mexico | Tashkent Uzbekistan | Marathon Texas USA | Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Private Facebook Groups that Highlight Upcoming Events
Some Facebook groups are specifically designed to help worldschoolers connect. However, many of the worldschooling community groups allow you to post your upcoming itinerary to see if anyone will be in your general vicinity. All are excellent options.
This group highlights alternative schools, hubs, meet-ups, and pop-ups.
A place to list events and find causal gatherings that cater to teens & tweens.
This group page includes two pinned posts of events and has opened their Event Tab for anyone to post gathering and meet-up info.
A separate Facebook dedicated to organized meetups.
This private group is for Worldschoolers in Europe to communicate, share information, and plan meetups.
A family-friendly group where families and hub creators come together and share their community-based projects and gatherings.
Within this Facebook group there is a pinned post listing both past and future events.
A collection of posts which include child-friendly communities, camps, and worldschool activities around the world.
This group has weekly posts for multi-day events, hubs & schools, and single-day events.
*Guanajuato Mexico | Florida Keys USA | Bentonville USA | Bentonville USA
Additional Resources to Meet Other Families
Lastly, here are a few other organized outlets including apps and platforms which allow you to post your current location:
🌷Dots
Dots creates matches between families to meet & create experiences together. Families are invited to meet new friends by placing "dots" on their map. Create a profile, find other like-minded families, and join their hangouts.
This app has a desktop version as well as an android version. The platform offers a worldwide map to locate other nearby traveling families as well as an events tab and chat.
A conglomeration of digital nomad info including communities and activities categorized in worldschooling, RV life, and digital nomad sections.
A free online map with pins for current hubs, classes, & meet-ups, as well as co-working spaces and childcare offerings. All designed for families.
A centralized, independent (and free) directory of worldschool locations & hubs, for worldschooling families to find their next adventure -- these could be organized schools, independent communities, traveling "villages" or anything in between.
A page on the We Are Worldschoolers website dedicated to community offerings.
This platform gives worldschoolers the opportunity to create an account which shows their world-wide location. Free to join, but paid service to access other accounts via the map.
The WorldSchooling Map showcases hubs and educational travel opportunities around the world. It's a paid service but they also offer discounts to select hubs.
This site is a conglomeration of worldschool events of all kinds.
This is a free platform which connects families with worldschooling opportunities including lists of schools, an events calendar, community chats, a global directory map, and worldschool resource section.
Wishing you all well with finding your connections within our diverse and expansive worldschool community! For edits or additions to the list, please comment below or email me (Rachel) at director@worldschoolpopuphub.com. Wishing you all happy travels!
Thank you for sharing this! I find it really helpful as we begin our countdown to full-time Worldschooling 🥰 —Mikaela&Me