FAQ

From where did this idea come?

We have educated our 3 girls at home for the last 4 years and we were ready for a change.  The obvious next option is public school but we wanted to look at more ideas first.

We started discussing the subject in January, and by February I really needed to know which direction we were going in order to begin curriculum research for the following school year.  Dennis and I went on a get-a-way with his two, always-inspiring brothers and their wives and used that time to talk about our life and family goals.  Stepping out of our normal environment was very instrumental in making these evaluations.  It’s difficult to lay out a plan between clearing the dishes and getting kids to bed.

So, we knew we wanted something different, but what?  Funny story:  Dennis had placed an Amazon order and a book mysteriously jumped into his cart and, oddly enough, after multiple attempts, he was unable to remove it—so he bought it!  The Global Student opened our eyes to the world of education abroad and then our wheels began to spin. 

Many late night meetings were had through the next couple months, wondering if we could pull it off for the 2011/2012 school year.  We were continually sparked by seemingly fluke events, including friend Kris’ innocent comment in March of “Why don’t you guys just take a year sabbatical?“  We started at ground zero and started chipping away at the biggest obstacles of finances and Dennis’ work.  Many family prayers were had on very specific issues.  It is amazing what God can do!  Our eyes were truly opened at how he works in the details.

Is the whole family going?

Yes, everyone is going, even Raleigh.  We are excited that Papa will join us for ten days in Spain!

<>

Did you win the lottery?

No, Dennis has been saving frequent flyer miles since 1984 for a family trip to Europe.  We are not rubbing shoulders with the jet-setters in costly hotels.  We are staying on farms and in homes among the locals. 

We are taking our grocery budget with us.  We will enjoy shopping at the outdoor markets and will experience cooking the different foods in the different kitchens.  I am looking forward to learning some new recipes!

We traded the expense of school clothes and book bags for the expense of passports, travel clothes and backpacks.  We traded all the expense that goes along with extra-curricular activities such as camp fees, team fees, coaching fees, uniforms, shoes, gas, food and hotels for the expense of our field trips abroad.

Why Europe?

We didn’t just want to TELL the girls that they can do anything and go anywhere—we wanted to SHOW them.  We considered other places but we’re not that brave...yet.  Dennis has toured Europe three times so we will ride some of his previous experiences.     

Why now?

Everyone in our immediate and extended family is in good health.  The girls will remember and appreciate travelling—and currently they still like hanging out with us…we think!  It’s just easier to go while we’re still home schooling and before high school commitments rule the day.

Will you rent a car?

Cars in Europe are much smaller than here. To rent a car that seats a family of 6 is too costly, so is taking the European trains. We researched the European Delivery Program which allows you to purchase a car at the manufacturing plant at a discount and they ship it back to the U.S. at no additional cost—making it foreseeably less than renting. Some companies even offer free round-trip tickets or lodging if you purchase a car there.

Why 86 days

The car needs to be shipped back within 90 days to avoid hefty VAT taxes.  Three months of immersing ourselves in a foreign culture will be a lifetime learning and family bonding experience.




Can Dennis just leave work?

Dennis has worked extensively over the years digitizing records and files and seeking out business systems and methods that operate electronically to give him the efficiencies and flexibility to perform most of his responsibilities with a laptop and internet connection. 

His loyalty to his clients, especially Mitch, keeps his desire high to perform his job wherever we are located.  And, with Network Consulting Services, a company he works closely with, he has the technological support needed.  The continued income is, of course, necessary too.

Are you taking all your school books with you?

No, we use too many books for each subject, not to mention our trips to the library with the laundry basket, yes, I said laundry basket (the girls have self-proclaimed us to be the "dorky home school family").  Oh, how I will miss my friendly library lady, Connie! 

How will you do school?

This will be a semester that looks a little different from the others, although no semester ever looks the same with a home school family.  Learning happens whether a text book is open or not. 

There are the days when my parents stop by for a quick cup of coffee and stay all morning to hear what we’re learning about and end up giving us an American history lesson.  There are the times when a friend comes over because she needs a listening ear or when grandpa calls to say the weather is perfect for a 17-mile canoe trip and asks if he can take the girls. 

There were the months when the girls did school through the summer so we could relax and enjoy our time bonding with Raleigh while I recovered from a C-section. 

Then there were the four years that our fragile, 95 year-old grandma came to stay with us so we could care for her and help her through the end stages of life.

These are the experiences that God has allowed us.  We are thankful for the atypical days, months and years because life-long lessons in character and selflessness have been learned.  I admit I feel much more accomplished as a teacher at the end of a day when the workbooks have been done and tests have been taken, but I know, as a mother, there is much to learn beyond a textbook.

In anticipation of our travels the girls have continued to do math through the summer so we could avoid a lengthy review of what they didn’t retain over a 3 month hiatus.

We will take notebooks, a Bible, a Kindle, a laptop and an iPad.  Our focus will be in studying God’s word and applying it to everyday life, observing other cultures and writing about them and, of course, the dreaded  math.  We will visit many monuments and museums of science, art and history.  We will also look at how the English language is rooted from Latin and Greek and be on the look-out for the many words that are used cross-culturally.  Every day will be different than the previous one and every day we will learn to live life among the people of Europe. 

What about your house?

We are hoping to rent it for 3 -12 months while we tour.  We are fortunate to have an option of staying at Papa’s house when we come back while he is in Arizona.

Who is your travel agent?

God has truly been in the details since day one.  Some prayers took months to receive an answer while others just seconds—just like the best travel agent.  We prayed that God would show his amazing self to us through the planning process and He has. 

We used websites that allow you to put in your parameters of where, when, how many people, budget and what kind of lodging: apartment, villa, home, hotel, cottage, bungalow, or castle—in the country or smack dab in the middle of the city.  We mostly opted for homes in the countryside or in small towns that skirt the cities.  Don’t tell the kids we passed on the enchanted castles!
 
We pray that God prepares our hearts and mind—and the hearts and minds of those we stay with and whom we come in contact.  We ask that His light shines through us and we develop life-long relationships with those we meet.