Rebel Families Break All the Rules to Live Their Dream Life
Last week, Chris from RemoteBase talked about how important it is to know WHY you want to go remote.
It might be that you want the autonomy to travel more often than an onsite role might allow.
Perhaps it’s the appeal of containing costs by eliminating community expenses.
Or maybe it’s a matter of spending more time with family.
For some of us, it’s all of the above and then some, because a little more travel and a lot more time are simply not enough.
We want cultural immersion.
We want novel experiences.
We want an expanded worldview.
And so we dive head first into digital nomadism.
But what comes to mind when you think of Digital Nomads? Or more to the point, WHO comes to mind?
Chances are that in your minds’ eye, you see someone between the ages of 25 & 40, probably single - MAYBE partnered - but almost certainly not a parent.
The truth is, there is a LARGE and GROWING community of families who are leading their own remote rebellion. Parents of children young and old, many and few, who have embraced location independence and international exploration.
I should know. Because I’m one of them.
Hi, I’m Erin Riska and this week marks the start of my family’s fourth year of full-time travel.
Three years ago today, actually, my husband and I - along with our two school-aged sons - touched down in Croatia to begin a Family Gap Year. Since then, this experience - which was conceived of as a fun and fantastical coping mechanism in the midst of a global public health crisis - has evolved into a way of life. It’s led us to the sixteen different cities spread across seven different countries that we’ve called home, while exploring dozens more.
And while it may look like a vacation on the internet, I assure you it’s anything but.
In fact, it’s almost always a lot more work than living the conventional life we left behind.
A lot more fun too, because nothing brings me more joy than showing my kids the world and seeing it through their eyes.
So that’s my why, but what about how? Well, I’m glad you asked, because I have a few insights ot offer:
Live a Rich Life
It’s no secret that Digital Nomads like to get up to a little something called geoarbitrage.
This is - in essence - leveraging a lower cost of living in order to elevate your lifestyle, amplify your savings, or both.
There’s a reason why so many of us flock to places like Bali, Bulgaria, Colombia, Georgia & Portugal rather than Canada, Finland, Japan, Singapore & New Zealand, and that reason is that they’re a lot more affordable.
So, I get it. Geoarbitrage is appealing for good reason, but it’s not a game my husband and I play much anymore.
As nomadic parents with elementary-aged kids, we don’t choose places just because we can live cheaply in order to enrich ourselves. Instead, we try to choose places that will enrich our childrens’ lives and offer unique experiences, while also providing them with a safe, secure, fun and free childhood.
We’ve asked them to sacrifice a lot for this life, and we do the same for them, by ensuring they have access to creature comforts and experiences that they know, love and find comfort and familiarity in.
One example of this is that we travel with their stunt scooters and scour AirBNB for homes in locations with easy access to good skate parks.
Don’t Confuse Sameness with Stability
I learned a long time ago that people aren’t always on board with our untethered approach to life, and their reasons almost always stem from one thing: Concern for our kids and a perceived lack of “stability.”
But stability is not born of sameness; It’s born of systems, which we have in spades. I may be a free wheelin’ kinda lady when left to my own devices, but I’m rather rigid when it comes to my kids.
So much of what they see, smell, taste and do each day is new to them, so we work hard to make sure our home base is a bastion of comfort and consistency. No matter where we are in the world, they lay their head on pillow cases they’ve used since they were toddlers. We make space for stuffies in our suitcases. And I always travel with one very specific scented oil, because scent sends powerful olfactory signals to our limbic system, inspiring a sense of place and peace.
The World is a Classroom Living Laboratory
Time has taught me that when people share their concerns about “stability,” what they’re really referring to is school.
If I had a nickel for everytime I’ve been asked what we do about school…well, let’s just say I’d have so much money that remote work wouldn’t even be on my radar.
It’s an incredibly complex and nuanced topic, so in the interest of space and time, I’ll simply say this: Most nomadic families ascribe to an approach called Worldschooling, which incorporates cultural immersion and experiential education such that children spend a lot of time learning, without necessarily being taught.
Connect with The Community
Remember when I said that some folks simply want to spend more time with family? Well, this lifestyle can easily lead to a type of togetherness that I can only describe as relentless.
After three years, I can’t overstate how important it is for every single one of us to spend time without family on a regular basis.
The good news is that there is ample opportunity to do just that. Similar to how certain cities have become Digital Nomad Hubs, so too are some well-known Worldschooling Hubs. Perennial favorites include Fethiye (Turkiye), Hoi An (Vietnam), Pai (Thailand), La Herradura (Spain) and Bansko (Bulgaria). Yes, you read that right: That Slavic enclave where yes means no and no means yes has become a warm and welcoming meeting place for Digital Nomads of all stripes - both with and without kids. In fact, it’s the only hub I know of where both of these communities are so well represented. It’s really something special.
Slow down and Stay a While
I’m endlessly inspired by seeing what other Digital Nomads get up to, but sometimes it looks like they’re running the Amazing Race. I love that for them, but for me and mine? Well, let’s just say my mind may move a mile a minute, but my body definitely does not. We’ve found that our sweet spot is 10ish weeks in one city, because slomadding gives us a chance to settle in, find our favorite places, learn a lil’ bit of the language, see more than just the major sights, and of course…work. It’s also better for the budget because booking accommodation for a month or more makes for major discounts.
Speaking of, we almost always opt for AirBNB and our rule of thumb is that we only book properties that are owner operated, avoiding obvious investors and property management companies at all costs. This approach has made for many wonderful stays with hosts who were onsite or nearby and treated us to amazing hospitality and a more immersive and interesting experience than we might otherwise have.
Summary
And there you have it! Five insights into how you can make your dreams of location independent family life a reality.
The most important thing to know is that - as is the case with any flight of fancy - there is no one right way to live this lifestyle.
Some families sell everything and hit the road indefinitely.
Others take a well-timed ‘family gap year.’
Some maintain a home base and travel for prolonged periods of time throughout the year.
Others slowly cycle through a few choice locales on repeat.
There are as many ways to approach nomadic family life as there are ways to make a family.
Ready to apply to genuine remote jobs? Check these out👇
Stay rebellious,
Michelle
This week's article was written by Erin Riska, the author of ‘Digital Nomad Moms: Women Who Carved Out Successful Careers to Travel The World With Their Children’