Meeting inspiring retirees was a recurring theme during our trip. I traveled extensively as a student, thinking it was my last opportunity before starting a career and a family. I embarked on this family world trip thinking it was a…
A Passion Does Not Have To Be A Job
I paid my way through college as a journalist, writing for “De Delftse Courant”, a local newspaper, and the university paper “Delta”. What I liked most about these jobs was the excuse to interview others about their lives. Similarly, when…
Our Modern Battle at Thermopylae (Greece)
We stopped at the natural, hot springs of Thermopylae, which means “The Hot Gates”, on our way from Delphi to Meteora in Greece. It should have been the perfect end, to a perfect day. We had experienced unusual homeschooling success…
Happiness and Hobbies (Month Four Lessons)
We have now completed four months of our family sabbatical. One month ago we left familiar Europe and traveled to Hong Kong, China and Japan. The kids had their first bout of homesickness (read here) and we struggled at times…
People, Not Places. Part 2: Lenka
We visited The Czech Republic to see Lenka, our third au pair. She lived with us when Seven was about one, Eight was not yet three and World Trip Girl was about five. Lenka is an actress and YouTube personality (though she also…
Living the Dutch life that could have been
I have had a very happy childhood. Living with my parents again in my hometown of Heeze (The Netherlands) for the past six weeks or so (not counting our vacation time together) allowed me to relive some of that childhood…
Newark Book Encounters
Read about the homeschooling disaster that brought us to Newark here. Visiting Newark, a small local estate near our Wotton-under-Edge house, felt like stepping into an episode of Downton Abby: green lawns with fabulous old cars, a beautiful view across…