The last few months I’ve been focused on traveling abroad with the kids and lately it’s become an obsession. It all started with my trip to Mexico City in 2009 where I saw and met many ex-patriots living abundant lives and la vida loca worlds away from their former lives in the U.S. At restaurants or out shopping, we kept running into Americans that raved on and on about how fabulous their new lives in Mexico were. Then there were my two trips to Haiti last year. One for pleasure, another for work but both life changing for me. My work trip involved an American co-worker who fell so in love with the island that he went back to Haiti just two weeks ago and is thinking of buying a home there.
The more time that passed, the more I found myself talking about this trip and really wanting to make it happen. First, I found myself having more and more conversations with people that are or have gone abroad for one reason or another. For example, a few weeks ago my neighbor tells me she’s taking her kids to Greece for five weeks. A few years before, they all went to Columbia. We had a great conversation about traveling abroad with kids and giving them the lifelong experiences. Next, I find out my 13 year old nephew was selected to participate in a summer exchange program where he will go to Spain and France. What an awesome opportunity!
One night, while watching back-to-back episodes of House Hunters International (see, I am obsessed), I started to do my research. I looked into destinations, costs, and the feasibility of going away for four weeks. Where would we stay? Safety? Could I handle the kids alone? For so long? Cost? Turns out some trips were not much more expensive than spending a week in Orlando and a couple days at the Disney Parks. Something we do each year.
When you think of the life experiences this trip will offer for my kids, it is well worth the price. In fact, priceless!!
When you think of the life experiences this trip will offer for my kids, it is well worth the price. In fact, priceless!!
I’m happy to report that I am this close to making it happen and I’ll be sharing my tips, experiences, and updates about the process of making this dream come true. Hopefully, soon I’ll be blogging from our temporary home and looking out the above window as I write.
Where is that you ask? Stay tuned because I’ll be sharing all those details here! Until then, feel free to take a guess!
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