Why We Chose Worldschooling: Learning Through Travel

When we packed our bags for a year of family travel, we weren’t just leaving home—we were stepping into a new way of learning. This is the story of how worldschooling challenged everything I thought I knew about education and why the best lessons rarely happen at a desk.

When we set out on a 13-month journey across seven continents with our teen and tween, then 13 and 10, we weren’t just taking a break from traditional school—we were redefining it.

Our goal was never to recreate a classroom on the road. Worldschooling, as we came to define it, is about making the world your classroom. It’s about immersive, real-world experiences that spark curiosity, develop critical life skills, and expand a child’s worldview.

And that’s exactly what happened.

In Morocco, the kids navigated chaotic medinas, learned how to barter, and got a firsthand sense of Islamic culture and North African history. They watched snake charmers and sipped mint tea with local artisans—lessons no textbook could replicate.

In Tanzania, we learned about wildlife conservation on safari in the Serengeti, tracing migration paths and identifying animal behavior in real time. As we traveled, they read Because of Khalid, a novel set in the region, grounding their understanding in story and place.

In South Africa, after visiting the Apartheid Museum and walking through Soweto, our kids reflected on the legacy of Nelson Mandela, connecting it to what we read in Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. These weren’t abstract lessons—they were deeply human and tangible.

In Antarctica, we stepped onto the icy shores of the southernmost continent, studying climate change, marine ecosystems, and the impact of tourism on fragile environments. They even tracked penguin behavior as part of a field-based science project.

In Brazil, we lived with a host family and studied Portuguese as a family at a local language school. It was an intense immersion—and the kids quickly saw how learning a language opens doors to connection and belonging in a new culture.

And in Cambodia, they used riel to buy their own ice cream, calculated exchange rates, and learned to ask for change in Khmer. Those small interactions taught confidence, independence, and math in a real-world context.

This is the heart of worldschooling:👉 Integrate learning into daily life👉 Pair books and podcasts with physical places👉 Let curiosity lead the way.

Of course, it wasn’t always smooth. There were meltdowns over math. Essays that fell short of the mark. Moments when we questioned our life choices. But overarchingly, there was growth—so much growth. Our kids learned to adapt (and so did we!), to speak up, to try new things, and to view the world with more empathy and wonder.

We didn’t have a strict curriculum, but we did have structure, and we set clear expectations by quarter. They journaled. They read globally-relevant literature. They worked on math assignments online. We sought out cultural sites, museums, street food stalls, and conversations with locals. Basically, we used travel itself as a framework for teaching everything from geography to economics to ethics.

And here’s the secret: any family can do this. You don’t need a year or a big budget. You just need to approach your travels—whether a weekend road trip or a summer abroad—with intention.

Worldschooling isn’t a rejection of traditional education. It’s an expansion of it.

So whether you're curious about alternative education, considering a family gap year, or just looking for more meaningful ways to travel with your kids, I hope our journey sparks ideas for your own.

Because the world is full of lessons. You just have to be willing to learn.