I'm Naima, chief strategist of my families adventure as world schoolers, digital nomads, and full time wanderers. Our story began several years ago. My husband Aaron and I, and our girls Amélie, Indi, and Lucienne were living what we had thought was our 'dream' life; big house, two cars, and one Bernese Mountain dog.
One day, while Aaron and I were trying in vain to remove nail polish from one of our THREE couches, we looked at each other and were struck with how absurd it was to have all that space and all those things. While we loved hosting guests and entertaining, it all seemed to be too much. The girls and Frida Pup literally followed us from room to room, and we all basically lived in the same three spaces. It was painfully obvious that in this respect, we were falling at living intentionally. We sat down and quickly pinpointed the things that were meaningful to us and we wanted as the cornerstones of our family life. The goal was simple: connection with each other and others, and respect and appreciation for the earth and her inhabitants. We immediately set out to realign our life with our intentions and chase our joy. Travel, specifically traveling deep, was the clear path to create the life we *really* wanted.
For our family, worldschooling is about providing opportunities, and the space to let curiosity grow. As much as is possible, we follow the girls interests wherever they lead us. This method has actually widened the scope of our travels too. This year we will be traveling to Russia to take the Trans Siberian/Mongolian train - all because of a National Geographic article the kids read. Last year their interest on the impact on the planet from the destruction of mangroves lead us to the Cayman Islands. And we spent a year keeping a home base in NYC because the kids missed city life.
We just adore this girl fam. Thanks so much for sharing your story Naima! XO
One day, while Aaron and I were trying in vain to remove nail polish from one of our THREE couches, we looked at each other and were struck with how absurd it was to have all that space and all those things. While we loved hosting guests and entertaining, it all seemed to be too much. The girls and Frida Pup literally followed us from room to room, and we all basically lived in the same three spaces. It was painfully obvious that in this respect, we were falling at living intentionally. We sat down and quickly pinpointed the things that were meaningful to us and we wanted as the cornerstones of our family life. The goal was simple: connection with each other and others, and respect and appreciation for the earth and her inhabitants. We immediately set out to realign our life with our intentions and chase our joy. Travel, specifically traveling deep, was the clear path to create the life we *really* wanted.
Worldschooling, consequently, fell into our life. Amélie and Indi had attended an amazing Montessori school, and were thriving. We had more than a little trepidation about pulling them from an environment that was serving them so well. So, we decided to use Amélie's kindergarten year as a trial run with home educating. It was a huge success! The girls flourish with the freedom that comes from self directing their education, and Aaron and I cherish getting to spend these formative years with them.
For our family, worldschooling is about providing opportunities, and the space to let curiosity grow. As much as is possible, we follow the girls interests wherever they lead us. This method has actually widened the scope of our travels too. This year we will be traveling to Russia to take the Trans Siberian/Mongolian train - all because of a National Geographic article the kids read. Last year their interest on the impact on the planet from the destruction of mangroves lead us to the Cayman Islands. And we spent a year keeping a home base in NYC because the kids missed city life.
Now, that's not to say that we don't incorporate structure into our days. While most of our days follow a more unschooling approach, I maintain a tiny bit of sanity by sticking to a routine. (I also am a stickler for penmanship; and I like to sneak it in anywhere possible. Muahaha!) Our mornings are spent doing structured schoolwork. We have tried a number of curriculums (especially math!) before settling on our current plan. My approach combines traditional education with project based methods, heavily influenced by the people, places, and things we have access to in our current location. This summer LuLu will have her first brush with school when the girls attend a jungle Montessori in Mexico!
This very moment, the girls are adding to their bucket lists. Right now they're dreaming of the Green School in Bali, gold mining in the Sierra Nevadas, and visiting with the penguins in both South Africa and Antartica. See you around the world!
We just adore this girl fam. Thanks so much for sharing your story Naima! XO
2 comments
We can’t wait to follow you all on your next adventure!! We love you guys❤️❤️
We can’t wait to follow you all on your next adventure!! We love you guys❤️❤️
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