Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Jameses saw an opportunity to travel as a family. They wanted it and went for it, but it wasn't always
easy. Taking your kids out of school can be a real concern too. To which the Jameses said, “You can min-
imize any disruption to schooling with some careful planning. Conor was missing sixth grade and Caroline,
ninth. Conor's middle school was excited about his adventure and confident he could handle seventh grade
when we returned. For Caroline, it was slightly more complicated because there are state requirements for
high school graduation. We needed, at a minimum, to get Caroline through English 9 while we traveled, to
keep her on grade level. To keep Caroline on track we enrolled her in an online homeschool program accred-
ited by Montgomery County. This way, she had a professional teacher available via Internet and we would
get a transcript, making reentry into the school system easier. We had no trouble getting either kid enrolled
with their peers in the fall. I had worried a lot about the high school credits being easily accepted. It turned
out not to be a problem.”
Having a family doesn't need to be a barrier to world travel. The James family did what thousands of
other families had done before them and have done since. Don't believe having a family means ending your
travels.
Moreover, owning a house doesn't need to be a hindrance to your travels. Sean and Dawn Lynch of wan-
deringwhy.com had a house before they went away. As Dawn put it, “Being a homeowner is only an excuse
if you make it one. Sure, it was something we had to figure out how to handle while we were gone, but it is
really not all that difficult. Decide if you are selling or renting, take action, and go—you'll have no regrets.”
Having a home creates many questions, such as what do you do with your home and your stuff? As Sean
said, “Look into a reputable property management company to watch after your home while you're away.
For 5 to 10 percent of the rent, they should run a complete background check on any potential tenants and
have the means to handle the property maintenance while you are away. The objective was not to turn a
profit on our home, but to hit the pause button while we were away.”
The James family also had to do something with their house. Dani recounts, “A friend of ours needed
to rent a house near Washington, DC, for a year, so our house in the Maryland suburbs was a great fit. It
was a fortunate circumstance—our friend needed a furnished house, so we didn't have to put any furniture
in storage. We had no worries about our house or our belongings—we knew they were in good hands.”
For every excuse, there is a solution.
As people in your life offer both praise and criticism of your trip, you may be nervous and wonder if you
are doing the right thing. It's normal to have these fears. Just remember the above tips, calm your nerves,
and ease your fears.
Your future may hold mouthwatering meals in foreign countries, tropical beaches you only thought ex-
isted in a postcard, winding alleyways in European cities that throw you back into the Middle Ages, or
jungles so dense and teeming with wildlife you'll feel like you are living in an issue of
National Geographic
magazine.
