Traveling, or better, being on the road is one of the favourite activities (or way of living ) of my family. The first time we traveled abroad with the children has been 13 years ago. We came to Finland for the first time (by plane ) with a three years old, two one year old twins and pregnant with our fourth baby. It sure has been an hectic vacation, but fun and exciting indeed. The following year we became more brave. One four years old, two two years old and a newborn. And we didn't only stay in hotel in the city centre, but we rented an old VW and headed to the countryside and then a friend borrowed us his apartement in town.
Two years later we traveled for the first time by car, from Italy to Finland, and lived in Helsinki for few months. Long story short, our travels became such an important part of our life that on 2010 we bought our first caravan and lived on the road for 3 months straight, visiting almost all Europe.
First day in our first caravan
And the following year with a bigger caravan ( the one that we still have ) we traveled again for four months, up to NordCap.
Our actual caravan
On 2011 we moved here in Finland, and traveling happens at least once a year to go to Italy and back to Finland. And here we are, on sunday evening we will be leaving for a new adventure.
Two ferries, from Finland to Sweden and from Sweden to Germany, and then the neverending road unfolding in front of us.
As a (mainly) unschooling mama, traveling has been one of the biggest sources of learning for my children and the best curriculum. While traveling they learned to read ( by themselves ), to count, to read numbers. They learned about the geography, the flags, the currencies of many countries. The form of governement and the products and typical foods. They had hints of the history of Europe, ancient and contemporary.Traveling ignited they will to learn english. And they learned to know and appreciate people. Different people, same heart. Home is where your heart is. Learning is where life is.
Here my own words about our first experiences of 'roadschooling' from my old blog
'' Last year in april ( on year 2010 ) we left our more then comfortable
suburban home for the unknown. Actually we were leaving for Finland, and
we couldn't imagine how longer and interesting that joureny would have
been. So while taking care of boxes, traveling plans and rental homes we
started unschooling. I left the kids free to manage their days, just
proposing them interesting activities in the garden or letting them help
us with the move. Once in Finland, in may, I felt it was too late for
formal schooling so we kept just crafting, exploring and unschooling all
the way.
Then our life took another turn. Long story short, we came back to Italy
in July and we bought a very old motorhome ( out faithful Elnagh Magnum
560 ) and decided to travel from Rome to the south of Spain and then
once there we went all the way back through France, Belgium, Holland,
Germany and Finland. We got aquainted with the idea of roadschoolig, as
we call it. It is not really unschooling, it's more like soaking in the
place we're visiting, knowing people, talking and listening people,
telling our story and learning other people's stories, and watching
around, the nature, the monuments, the animals ... whatever, and trying
to learn about them, not because we have to, and not even because we
want to, but because we're part of it, like getting to know your own
body, made of all the wonders of the world....Call it relax. Call it faith. I know they will learn what's right for them.
So when we decided to leave again in june we were ready to jump again in
the exciting waters of unschooling. We traveled from Rome up to North
Cape and back, visiting Germany, Finland,Norway,Sweden,Danemark. The
kids kept learning, and asking, and knowing people, listening stories,
getting to know different lives, and kept using their skills, reading,
writing, studying, talking in english just naturally.''
Of course I know it's not a choice suitable or possible for everyone. But in my opinion so often parent are afraid to engage in traveling with young ones, and this is a mistake. I remember how difficult and hard it was to travel with 4 tiny beings, and how fun and easy is now, travel with four travel companions and a little one fully concentrate in learning. How wonderful it is, as a parent, to see my children confidently walking in the ferry, grocery shopping in sweden, looking for their favourite treat in Norway, and looking forward to some good pasta in our beloved Italy.
Well, very long post to tell you all goodbye for a while. I will try to be active on Instagram and to make few updates here in the blog. We will be back at the beginning of august with so many stories to tell.
Have a wonderful month of july !
