Family Gap Year: “Our Problems Just Followed Us Around the Globe”

I recently read someone’s reflection of their family gap year. The basic gist was (and I’m paraphrasing here): We romanticized what it was going to be like to live in another country and culture. But our problems just followed us around the globe.

I feel like that’s the start of my reflection. I didn’t necessarily romanticize what it was going to be like to live in other countries and cultures. However, part of me romanticized what our family life could be like while living in said cultures and countries.

The Backstory

We lived the first 10 years of my … Read More

Description

For the final international stop during our Family Gap Year, we settled into a small town right outside of Wellington called Petone.

Petone is a seaside town, and we lived in a tiny bungalow one block from the ocean. We sent our boys to a forest school every day from 9:30am-2:30pm.

Highs

My absolute favorite thing about living in this area was my daily walks along the ocean, collecting sea glass. I also loved that the walkability extended to the grocery store, library, and awesome restaurants (just like our last long-term stay in New Zealand).

I also loved visiting New Zealand’s largest Montessori school. I just can’t get … Read More

Description

I honestly can’t remember what was going through my mind when I planned only a one-week road trip around the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand nearly a year ago (to take place in April 2023).

On the one hand, I’m patting myself on the back for only planning a week of “fast travel” at this point in our trip. It’s tiring to travel constantly and to feel untethered from a home base.

On the other hand, it was so hard to soak in the beauty and magic of the North Island in only a week.

Highs

Luckily, my internet-friend-turned-real-life-friend basically planned the itinerary for me, and we loved … Read More