A very big shout-out to the Mitchells, the Horner-Olsons, and the Garcia-Couohs, three families whom we have spent time with this summer, who have supported us in our transition to nomadic unschooling. Thank you for your kindness, your encouragement, and your assistance. We couldn’t have done this alone.
We’re setting off tomorrow for Guanacaste Province in Costa Rica, where we will live in a small community near the ocean. The three of us will volunteer in the afternoons with groups of local children. It will be the boys’ first “job.” They’ll be helping out as teaching assistants and conversation partners.
Our goals there? Get to know a new culture and environment. Relax. Slow down. Swim. Learn Spanish. Swim some more. Learn Costa Rican cuisine. Get accustomed to a world that doesn’t shop all the time.
[Ironically, though, in order to prepare for our travel to such a world, I have had to…shop all the time.]
Yes, our suitcases are brimming with school supplies for the volunteer program we are joining forces with. Pencils. Markers. Scissors. In line at the store checkout, I was laughing: I thought that by deciding to homeschool the kids, I’d be dodging all of this Back-to-School malarkey——yet here I stand!
We fly out tomorrow. It’s going to be a shocker! None of us has ever been to Central America before. So keep your fingers crossed.
27. August 2010 at 3:32 pm
Wow! Roadschool Warriors is really interesting, and there I was thinking homeschooling parents were religious nutters. Keep it up and keep us posted.
23. September 2010 at 5:23 am
Lucy—-you raise a really good issue here. Homeschooling and unschooling can be just as much for families who are free from religion as it is for those who subscribe to magical thinking and superstitious beliefs. A psychic lady told me so!
27. August 2010 at 11:24 pm
You’ll get to see monkeys won’t you????? Howlers in Nicaragua – not sure about Costa Rica………Will be anxiously awaiting pictures on this site…..Are you using Word Press? Lots of love and have a great adventure!
23. September 2010 at 5:11 am
We are not all that far from Nicaragua, actually, and so some of the monkeys are indeed howlers. I just wrote about one monkey today, as a matter of fact.
30. August 2010 at 4:06 am
So envious, but so excited for you! All the very best!
23. September 2010 at 5:12 am
Thank you, Rocky. Make sure America behaves itself while we are away!
31. August 2010 at 9:42 pm
Safe travels! Looking forward to hearing about your trip and your experiences living in CR. Thanks for writing this blog.
23. September 2010 at 5:12 am
Thank you for your good wishes, Alison, and thank you for reading!