South America, Under Construction: Anecdotes of Progress
In South America, we experienced roads and WiFi that were worse than you could imagine. But those are disappearing, fast. This is what we saw.
Reflection
How Our Gap Year Changed (and Didn’t Change) Us
Reflecting on our transcontinental journey is bittersweet. It makes me miss people and places. It also forces me to face that a change of scenery didn’t change the things about myself that I wish were different. That transformation takes a deeper, harder journey within.
What It Was Really Like Taking a Year-Long Vacation
Originally a newsletter post, I’ve expanded this edition with some more insights on the realities of traveling for a year with our family of five.
“Life Begins at 40.” A Gap Year Abroad at Midlife.
I reflect what it’s like turning forty on our year long family gap year in South America, and what Pink Floyd has to say about it.
Coming Home to U.S.A. After a Year in Latin America
After a year traveling to seven South American countries, we face one last border crossing — the one to our own home. So strange and yet so familiar.
Ten Months into our Family Gap Year, Homesickness Hits
We’ve been on the road for nearly a year and are starting to think about our return home. Here are some of the first things each family member wants to do when we cross the threshold and put our bags down.
When the Water Runs Dry: Bolivia’s Struggle With Scarcity
Visiting areas of water scarcity in South America, and specifically Bolivia, has underscored the value of the “liquid gold” that sustains all life.
6 Surprising Discoveries After 6 Months of Long-Term Travel
Six months into our family gap year, I reflect on the things that have surprised me the most about long-term travel and how our family has adapted (or not).
Normalcy, Time-Crunch, Homeschooling Blues, and Dreaming: Thoughts at 6 Months
Halfway into our family gap year, we reflect on how we’ve grown, how we’ve failed, and what’s ahead.
In the Heart of Farming Country During Brazil’s Presidential Elections
Snapshots from our time on the ground observing the Bolsonaro-Lula faceoff.
