Why wander? A few goals for our year away
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We’re embarking on this journey with a few goals in mind (how very American of us). We hope they will help steer our decision-making as we go.
To experience wonder. It’s a big cliche, but watching Luca develop from a baby to a toddler has made me miss that feeling of childlike awe in my adult life. He finds joy in spotting a Daddy Long Legs and learning its funny name. I find it in discovering beautiful new landscapes, tasting unfamiliar foods, and experiencing different ways of life. In these hard times, looking out at the world with appreciation and an attitude of openness feeds my soul and makes me hopeful.
To foster adaptability. So much of baby/toddler life revolves around schedules and predictability. Wake-up times, mealtimes, nap times, bedtimes. Since Luca has had a lot of challenges with sleep, I have been particularly rigid about his sleep schedule. My dream is that traveling will force all of us to go with the flow and adapt to our circumstances, making us more flexible, confident, and resilient in the long run.
To get closer as a family by spending more time together. All three of us. Each of us with Luca. And with each other as married adults. As David and I have learned in our past travels, confronting the challenges of travel and making it out the other side is extremely bonding.
To shift the balance. Toward fun, adventure, and exploration, and away from the drudgery and busyness that comes with everyday life, jobs, and maintaining a house. To trade comfort and familiarity for confrontation with the world beyond.
To challenge ourselves to be the kind of parents we want to be. We say we want Luca to learn things on his own, we say we want to trust him to find his own way in the world. But in the chaos of our lives at home we often find ourselves doing everything for him and rushing through what could be meaningful learning experiences. Part of our goal with this time away is to really take the time away, to indulge his curiosity about the world and to move at a pace that is more conducive to his process of learning and discovery. It’s also about challenging ourselves to keep traveling even though our circumstances have changed with a child.
To save money. It seems improbable to travel to save money, but by selling our house and traveling for less than our regular monthly expenses, we are actually saving as we go. In practical terms, this is as meaningful to our future as the other goals listed here. A huge part of this is saving on accommodation through house-sitting. I’ll have more to say about that in future posts.
To give up our stuff. It is amazing how freeing it can feel to let go of material possessions. We experienced this once before while living in Tunisia for a year. It did give me some agita to box up Luca’s toys. But I know that getting rid of stuff opens up room to focus on having experiences and making memories. Not having the exact right thing on hand when you need it also makes you more creative and flexible.
