Send us a text! Questions? Feedback? Shoutouts? Text here!

🎉  Erin Riska from RoamBase (and episode 18!) had the idea to bring the voices of the worldschooling kids to the show and I am so grateful for these 3 lively kids for sharing their perspectives (and their families for letting them!)  

Meet Micah (15), Sammy (12) and Zuri (12)!

🌎 They overwhelmingly favor "slow travel," preferring to spend several months in one location to maximize cultural immersion, language learning and historical exploration.

👍 They emphasize the benefits of flexible, adapted schooling methods—ranging from homeschooling to online programs—over traditional classrooms, noting that the group hub environment is vital for maintaining a strong social life. And don’t miss what they envision for the perfect worldschool hub!

✨ ACTIONABLE TIPS:

• Prioritize "Slow Travel" for Immersion: Give children sufficient time to learn the language, understand the local culture, and feel oriented in their new surroundings.
• Ensure Social Time with Hubs/Groups: Utilizing world-schooling hubs or planning co-travel with other families is crucial for consistent peer interaction.
• Opt for Flexible Curricula: Choose online education programs or homeschooling methods that allow for a variable schedule to adapt to travel days, cultural events, and individual learning paces/needs.
• Establish Clear Financial Education: Use an allowance or chore system, but actively teach children about international currency exchange rates and the hidden costs of debit card usage (foreign transaction fees) to make small purchases meaningful.
• Develop an Arrival Checklist: Confirm essential logistics such as the drinkability of tap water, the necessity of filtration, and country-specific rules regarding waste disposal
• AND MORE! LISTEN NOW!

Resources:

RoamBase Facebook group, Instagram

Denver Worldschoolers Meetup- Dec 18 from 4:30-8 at the German Christmas Market

🎤  Send me a voice memo “This is NAME and our family is currently... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Record it right now in Speakpipe!

Support the show

Host: I'm Suzy May and my family lives between Spain and Colorado. 🌞

🌎 We feature traveling families + worldschool creators taking learning global. 🚀 The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice ✔️

❤️ Follow + review!

📧 Email me! [email protected]

📲 Substack, Instagram, Website

Send us a text! Questions? Feedback? Shoutouts? Text here!

🎉  Kathryne Imabayashi, a retired international educator and parenting coach, discusses her extensive experience living and working in diverse locations like Japan, Lebanon, Bangkok, and Georgia, and raising and educating her son around the world.

🌎 She shares her passion for the Reggio Emilia philosophy, which emphasizes children's competence, the environment as the third teacher, and interest-led learning. She focuses on the unique needs of boys: the importance of parent awareness and advocacy, providing ample physical activity, limiting screen time, and adjusting communication styles to accommodate boys' tendencies.

👍 Kathy advocates for parents to respect gender differences and cultivate a deep, lasting relationship with their sons built on understanding and time.

✨ ACTIONABLE TIPS:

• View your child as competent and capable and allow them to lead their own learning. 
• Educate yourself on the typical developmental needs and gifts of boys. Use this knowledge to advocate for accommodations (like movement breaks) in school environments.
• Plan for physical activity before, during and immediately after learning (e.g., stopping at the park) to help them regulate their energy.
• Shift away from expecting intense, face-to-face conversations. Instead, opt for "shoulder-to-shoulder" interactions (like talking in the car or while doing an activity) which are often more comfortable
• Boys excel at single-focus: use brief, direct instructions to ensure your message is received.
• Actively help your son create a robust emotional vocabulary by providing words for different feelings.
• AND MORE! LISTEN NOW!

Resources:

Kathy's Sonhood Coaching website, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube

Kathy' Podcast: Unlocking the Parenting Code 

Raising Remarkable Men book 

Denver Worldschoolers Meetup- Dec 18 from 4:30-8 at the German Christmas Market

🎤  Send me a voice memo “This is NAME and our family is currently... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Record it right now in Speakpipe!

Support the show

Host: I'm Suzy May and my family lives between Spain and Colorado. 🌞

🌎 We feature traveling families + worldschool creators taking learning global. 🚀 The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice ✔️

❤️ Follow + review!

📧 Email me! [email protected]

📲 Substack, Instagram, Website

Send us a text! Questions? Feedback? Shoutouts? Text here!

🎉  Lizz Quain, a solo mother of 16-year-old twin girls, shares her family’s extensive world schooling journey that began in 2016. She transitioned into long-term slow travel, using a variety of different educational methods—unschooling, local schools, and online tutoring—to adapt to her kid's needs.

🌎 Lizz emphasizes that this lifestyle fostered independence and global citizenship, with both her girls now thriving academically and possessing crucial skills

👍 She encourages families to adopt world schooling, even for short periods, calling it an invaluable gift that focuses on making lifelong memories and teaching children how to learn.

🎤  Send me a voice memo with your favorite holiday travel memory! Record on your phone: “This is NAME and our family is currently... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Email [email protected]. 

***Or record it right now in Speakpipe!

✨ ACTIONABLE TIPS:

• For children under eight, focus on self-directed learning, exploration, and nature, as this is how they learn best.
• Focus on teaching critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity, as these are more important for the future workforce
• Utilize strategies like slow travel to lower costs and pet sitting
• Consider taking worldschooling or hub creation courses and joining communities to avoid costly "newbie mistakes"
• Be willing to try various methods—online schools, local schools, tutors, or world school hubs—to find what works best for each child at different phases of their life.
• Leverage the world schooling lifestyle to actively spend time with your kids, observe their learning styles, and adjust your approach

Resources:

Trusted Housesitters

Hive, Popup Hub, Project Worldschool

Trailblazing Families

Denver Worldschoolers Meetup- Dec 18 from 4:30-8 at the German Christmas Market

🎤  Send me a voice memo “This is NAME and our family is currently... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Record it right now in Speakpipe!

Support the show

Host: I'm Suzy May and my family lives between Spain and Colorado. 🌞

🌎 We feature traveling families + worldschool creators taking learning global. 🚀 The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice ✔️

❤️ Follow + review!

📧 Email me! [email protected]

📲 Substack, Instagram, Website

Send us a text! Questions? Feedback? Shoutouts? Text here!

🎉  October’s recap includes the best highlights of episodes 20-23! Don’t miss these insightful episodes with Susie, Melissa, Kate and Benef and Trecia!

🌎 We then share Taiwain worldschooling tips and Deep Dive into finding the most affordable flights! Points and miles is always the way to go if you can but these tips can help you save when you need to purchase flights. 

👍  Would you please consider sending me a voice memo with your favorite holiday travel memory? Record on your phone: “This is NAME and our family is currently located... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Then email to [email protected]. 

***Or record it right now in Speakpipe! Thank you!

✨ ACTIONABLE TIPS:

• Utilize dedicated websites (like Going or Secret Flying) to find steep, temporary price reductions and book them quickly
• Set up alerts on tools like Google Flights Tracker to monitor flight costs instantly or receive summaries for your tentative travel dates.
• Time your booking window depending on if you’re purchasing international, domestic or at peak times. 
• Fly into a large, affordable major hub airport, and then use budget airlines or trains to complete your journey to the final, more obscure destination.
• Use tools like Skyscanner's "Everywhere" feature if saving money is more important than a specific destination
• Book with airlines (like Icelandair or TAP Air Portugal) that offer free stopovers to visit a new city for up to 3-7 days on the same ticket.
• Utilize airline credit cards to save on checked bags - book together to be seated together without paying extra. 
• Sign up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred travel card if you have never received the SUB before! Use my referral link to support the show! 🙌
• AND MORE! LISTEN NOW!

Resourc

Denver Worldschoolers Meetup- Dec 18 from 4:30-8 at the German Christmas Market

🎤  Send me a voice memo “This is NAME and our family is currently... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Record it right now in Speakpipe!

Support the show

Host: I'm Suzy May and my family lives between Spain and Colorado. 🌞

🌎 We feature traveling families + worldschool creators taking learning global. 🚀 The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice ✔️

❤️ Follow + review!

📧 Email me! [email protected]

📲 Substack, Instagram, Website

Send us a text! Questions? Feedback? Shoutouts? Text here!

🎉  Benef and Trecia from the Rhythm and Roam Podcast discuss how their backgrounds, including military assignments abroad for Benef's family and Trecia's multicultural upbringing, shaped their approach to travel. 

🌎 They've since raised travel-loving adults and share the value of exposing children to diverse cultures, both through living abroad and dedicated travel, which fosters adaptability and a global perspective.

👍  They introduce their book's framework, ROAM, which helps travelers navigate discomfort and cultural clashes by focusing on recognizing misconceptions, observing differences, accepting potential clashes, and maximizing shared human similarities. 

✨ ACTIONABLE TIPS:

• Seek out opportunities where older children can travel as part of an activity like a band tour or specialized program to gain independence and global skills. 
• Identify your own preconceived notions about the destination; awareness of these biases helps you approach new cultures with grace.
• Include older kids in the planning process by having each child prepare a presentation or itinerary detailing location, cost, etc. 
• Do research on cultural expectations before you go, especially regarding dress codes or behavior in sensitive areas.
• To manage anxiety or cultural clashes, look for similarities like people wanting happiness, community, good food, and family time to build genuine connections.
• If you know certain situations are triggers, talk through coping mechanisms ahead of time. Use affirmations, journaling, or a pre-agreed-upon strategy to move through the experience.

Resources:

Rhythm and Roam Podcast website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube

Staying Sane travel book

Benefsheh Verell Instagram

Trecia Cooke Instagram

Passports.com Educational Group Trips

Denver Worldschoolers Meetup- Dec 18 from 4:30-8 at the German Christmas Market

🎤  Send me a voice memo “This is NAME and our family is currently... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Record it right now in Speakpipe!

Support the show

Host: I'm Suzy May and my family lives between Spain and Colorado. 🌞

🌎 We feature traveling families + worldschool creators taking learning global. 🚀 The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice ✔️

❤️ Follow + review!

📧 Email me! [email protected]

📲 Substack, Instagram, Website

Send us a text! Questions? Feedback? Shoutouts? Text here!

🎉  Kate McAllister shares her extraordinary journey from a traditional educator in the United Kingdom to the founder of a worldschooling education center, The Hive, in the Dominican Republic. She sold everything to travel with her daughter, only to find herself "stuck" in the Dominican Republic at the start of the pandemic. They’ve now built their home rooted in community and nature!

🌎 Her educator background inspired her to create The Hive. The program's core philosophy is built on a self-regulation cycle for children and project-based learning with a social impact.

👍  The Hive offers a signature six-week changemaker program, summer marine biology camps and a year-round membership for families seeking a grounded home base.

✨ ACTIONABLE TIPS:

• Don't wait for perfect conditions to start your journey. "Do it scared, do it underprepared... just do it."
• Put down roots for an extended period to allow for deeper immersion in the local culture, strong community connections, and a sense of stability.
• Before expecting academic learning, help children develop self-awareness and nervous system regulation. 
• Notice how you feel and use tools like breathing or taking a walk before you react.
• Instead of being "knocked over by the wave" of a strong feeling, learn to recognize it coming and ride it with conscious control.
• Embrace a low cost, nature-rich lifestyle to both save money and enjoy your surroundings.
• Make your time with family and friends back home precious and intentional by scheduling long, focused visits. 

Resources:

The Hive Adventure website, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, 

Kate McAllister LinkedIn, email ([email protected])

Upcoming 6-week Changemaker dates: 

Nov 3 - Dec 13 2025 

Jan 13 - Feb 21, 2026 

Mar 4 - Apr 12 2026

Denver Worldschoolers Meetup- Dec 18 from 4:30-8 at the German Christmas Market

🎤  Send me a voice memo “This is NAME and our family is currently... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Record it right now in Speakpipe!

Support the show

Host: I'm Suzy May and my family lives between Spain and Colorado. 🌞

🌎 We feature traveling families + worldschool creators taking learning global. 🚀 The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice ✔️

❤️ Follow + review!

📧 Email me! [email protected]

📲 Substack, Instagram, Website

Send us a text! Questions? Feedback? Shoutouts? Text here!

🎉  Melissa Levi, a first-generation Canadian with Turkish roots, shares her family's unique journey to Cambodia. After meeting her husband in Cambodia and having twins in Canada, they moved around Southeast Asia and North America for two years before settling in Kampot, Cambodia.

🌎 Melissa discusses the community in Kampot, which is made up of welcoming locals and expats, as well as the unique, child-led, play-based education her twins receive at a local playhouse. She also shares how she funds her lifestyle by teaching English online with VIPKid.

👍 Melissa also details her experience as a worldschooling hub host in Kampot. The hub, a one-week meetup that runs monthly, focuses on adventure, nature activities, and hands-on workshops that connect with the local culture.

✨ ACTIONABLE TIPS:

• Travel hack: Take advantage of travel credit card points to fund flights and use layovers as an opportunity to spend a few extra days in a new city.
• Embrace language learning: Encourage children's natural curiosity to guide their language learning and education.
• Prioritize community: When choosing a location, look for a welcoming environment which can provide a strong sense of belonging and enrich your family's experience.
• Work remotely: Earning in a high-value currency while living in a lower cost of living country allows for more flexibility. 
• Seek out child-Led education: Let kids explore their interests in hands-on activities with lots of time outdoors. 
• Don’t stress the small stuff: “When in doubt, leave it out” which applies to both packing and planning!

Resources:

• VIPKid: Teach English online. Melissa's referral code is MELIS1259
• Pineapple Playhouse in Kampot, Cambodia
• Worldschool Siem Reap in Siem Reap, Cambodia
• Shanti Shanti Kampot: Kampot’s worldschooling hub, yoga and food
• Upcoming dates:
  • Nov 29 -

Denver Worldschoolers Meetup- Dec 18 from 4:30-8 at the German Christmas Market

🎤  Send me a voice memo “This is NAME and our family is currently... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Record it right now in Speakpipe!

Support the show

Host: I'm Suzy May and my family lives between Spain and Colorado. 🌞

🌎 We feature traveling families + worldschool creators taking learning global. 🚀 The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice ✔️

❤️ Follow + review!

📧 Email me! [email protected]

📲 Substack, Instagram, Website

Send us a text! Questions? Feedback? Shoutouts? Text here!

🎉 Susie Chau, founder of Carpe Diem Traveler, shares her personal journey from a corporate career to helping families achieve their travel dreams. She reflects on her early travels, including a life-changing year-long sabbatical with her husband across seven continents. This experience was surprisingly less expensive than their normal life in Chicago and inspired her to pivot her career and help others realize that long-term travel is financially attainable by "swapping" existing expenses.

🌎 Susie announces her new company, Roam Collective, which is launching a five-week summer program in 2026 in a surprise location (tune in to find out where!!).

👍 The episode outlines how travel can be financially attainable and emphasizes the importance of intentionality, community, and courage to  slow down and reconnect with your family.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How you can swap your regular living expenses for travel costs to make long-term travel financially possible.
• The importance of prioritizing intentionality and personal interests over a packed itinerary.
• Why traveling with young children is a worthwhile investment, even if they don’t remember it later.
• The value of slow travel in slowing down your brain and reconnecting with family.
• How a curated community and a well-planned program can make long-term travel stress-free and more enriching.
• The importance of giving yourself patience and grace, especially when starting a new lifestyle.

Mentioned in the show:

• Roam Collective Summer Camp
• Carpe Diem Traveler
• New Modern Mom
• Ilo Retreats
• The Everywhere Classroom by Andi Almond
• Retire Often by Jillian Johnsrud

Denver Worldschoolers Meetup- Dec 18 from 4:30-8 at the German Christmas Market

🎤  Send me a voice memo “This is NAME and our family is currently... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Record it right now in Speakpipe!

Support the show

Host: I'm Suzy May and my family lives between Spain and Colorado. 🌞

🌎 We feature traveling families + worldschool creators taking learning global. 🚀 The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice ✔️

❤️ Follow + review!

📧 Email me! [email protected]

📲 Substack, Instagram, Website

Send us a text! Questions? Feedback? Shoutouts? Text here!

🎉  Suzy highlights the actionable tips from this month’s guests, personal travel updates, favorite Substacks and a warm welcome to the new listeners from around the world!

🌎 This month’s Deep Dive is the Wander Financial Framework, a six-step blueprint to plan and fund travel. This will take time and dedication! As a Certified Financial Educator, I can help!

✨ THE WANDER FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK:

•  💭 Step 1: Dream and define your ‘why’.
•  💰 Step 2: Create a Realistic Budget by estimating travel expenses (and adding a buffer). 
•  🔍 Step 3: Assess Your Current Financials and assets and savings. 
•  💸 Step 4: Look at Current and Projected Income from earned, passive and portfolio sources. 
•  🗺️  Step 5: Create a Financial Plan based on gaps in travel budget and savings/income.
•  🚀 Step 6: Put the Plan into Place to increase savings and income!

Mentioned in the show:

• Please support the show!
  • Trusted Housesitters, Rakuten, Home Exchange, Rover, Wise
• Substack Links:
  • Suzy May Wander
  • The Flow by Connie Siew Peters
  • The “Why” Matters
  • Rebel Parent by Amy Ruth Curtis
  • Worldschooling Quest
• Side Hustle podcast
• Retire Often
• FinCon
• COL episode 6

Denver Worldschoolers Meetup- Dec 18 from 4:30-8 at the German Christmas Market

🎤  Send me a voice memo “This is NAME and our family is currently... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Record it right now in Speakpipe!

Support the show

Host: I'm Suzy May and my family lives between Spain and Colorado. 🌞

🌎 We feature traveling families + worldschool creators taking learning global. 🚀 The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice ✔️

❤️ Follow + review!

📧 Email me! [email protected]

📲 Substack, Instagram, Website

Send us a text! Questions? Feedback? Shoutouts? Text here!

🎉  Erin Riska, her two boys, husband and two cats turned pandemic job loss into over five years of full time nomadic living! She transformed from never leaving her own homestate until she was an adult to now living between Europe, Mexico and the US, all while working for herself and homeschooling her tweens.

🌎 She shared the origin of RoamBase during a surf camp in the Canary Islands to now the eleven week homeschool co-op in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, centered around the important holidays and historical events of the area. 

👍 We dive into the evolution of their homeschooling journey, which began as a necessity during the pandemic and has become a preferred lifestyle by mixing structured academics like math and literacy with child-led, interest-based learning.

✨ IN THIS EPISODE:

• How the mindset of adaptability can transform what seems like a crisis into an opportunity for new adventures
• The evolution of strict homeschooling to unschooling to curriculum-led focus in the core subjects (and how you can think through this for your family!)
• Why the challenges of saying ‘bye’ to friends led to RoamBase!
• Top tricks to save money long term (and it’s not always even in the ‘low-cost’ countries!)
• Tips for traveling with your beloved pets (particularly cats and small dogs)!
• How to smooth out sibling fighting that is inevitable when spending so much time together!

Mentioned in the show:

• RoamBase Facebook group, Instagram 
• Erin Riska's LinkedIn
• French winter ski hub

Denver Worldschoolers Meetup- Dec 18 from 4:30-8 at the German Christmas Market

🎤  Send me a voice memo “This is NAME and our family is currently... and our favorite holiday memory is…. Or this holiday season, we will be traveling …”. Record it right now in Speakpipe!

Support the show

Host: I'm Suzy May and my family lives between Spain and Colorado. 🌞

🌎 We feature traveling families + worldschool creators taking learning global. 🚀 The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice ✔️

❤️ Follow + review!

📧 Email me! [email protected]

📲 Substack, Instagram, Website