Cross-Pollinating: Sharing our Substack

 

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6 Core Concepts for Worldschooling Families

We see worldschooling as a lifestyle where learning is centered around the world and its people, culture, and nature. It's a journey of discovery for the entire family – whether you’re exploring your own proverbial ‘backyard’ or traveling abroad. If you're considering this path, here are six core concepts to guide you, from your first steps to a sustainable, long-term approach.

1. Dabble

The best place to start is by exploring your child(ren)’s interests. What are they naturally curious about? Instead of diving into a rigid curriculum, dabble in various topics to see what sticks.

• Use surveys or interest inventories like the Renzulli Profiler to discover passions you might not have known about. Get in touch with us if you’d like to try this out. 

• Spend time at your local library, letting your children browse freely and pick books based on what catches their eye.

• Visit nearby museums, parks, or historical sites. Pay attention to what sparks questions and conversations.

By allowing this initial exploration, you'll build a foundation for learning that feels exciting and personal, not like a chore.

2. Reconfigure Routines

Moving away from a traditional school and 9-5:00 schedules can be a big adjustment. Rather than trying to replicate the classroom, think about what kind of structure works for your family. Some people thrive on a more strict routine, while others need flexibility.

The key is to find a rhythm that balances the needs of everyone in your family. If you have children with different needs or learning styles, you might need to compromise to create a schedule that gives everyone space to learn and grow. This is where the concept of "unschooling" often comes into play, allowing for more spontaneous, interest-led learning.

Here’s a free template you can adapt for your needs.

3. Find Resources

Your local community is a treasure trove of learning opportunities. Start local by planning day trips or field trips to museums, libraries, and historical landmarks. These short outings are a great way to test the waters of learning outside the home. 

Once you feel comfortable, plan an overnight or weekend trip. This is a crucial step for understanding your family’s travel needs. As you get more established, try incorporating learning experiences into your vacations. For example, a trip to Copenhagen could include a visit to the Viking Ship Museum along with enjoying the Tivoli Gardens.

For longer stays, consider slow travel, which involves staying in one location for an extended period (often three months, depending on visa regulations). This allows you to truly immerse yourselves in a culture and community.

No matter where you are, online resources are abundant. Our community, Worldschooling Quest, has a searchable database filled with resources to help you along the way.

4. Connect with a Tribe

Worldschooling can feel isolating at first, but you are not alone. Finding a community of like-minded families is essential for support and inspiration. You can connect with worldschool hubs, home education groups or alternative education providers for practical advice, emotional support, and even travel companions.

Groups like Family Travel Hive are great places to start. These communities offer a sense of belonging and a space to share your experiences, challenges, and triumphs. You can even create your own swarm to find others nearby with similar interests.

If you’d like to experience cross-cultural connections without travel, we offer Quest Path sessions online, which develop essential skills through real-world, collaborative problem solving utilizing technology. 

5. Be Open & Adapt 

The most memorable moments in worldschooling often happen when you least expect them. It’s important to stay open-minded and willing to adapt your plans. Sometimes, the friends you meet along the way will change your trajectory entirely, leading to spontaneous adventures. 

For instance, our family's plans shifted when we met new friends in Bali. We ended up celebrating birthdays at their hotel – the Hard Rock in Kuta, a memory that wouldn't have happened if we hadn't been open to a change of plans.

6. Communicate, Reflect, Iterate

Worldschooling is a continuous learning process for everyone. Set aside time, at least once a week, for a family check-in. This is a dedicated space to communicate openly and honestly with each other.

One great method is the "roses and thorns" reflection. Everyone shares a "rose" (a high point or something they enjoyed) and a "thorn" (a challenge or something that didn't go well). For example, your child might say, "My rose was seeing the monkeys in the jungle today, but my thorn was feeling tired during the hike." This simple practice helps you understand each other's experiences and gives you insight into what’s working and what’s not.

Based on these reflections, you can iterate your approach. To stay on track, establish SMART goals for your family in various areas, such as finances, education, and well-being. For example, we have a goal to complete a monthly learning project, like our son Leo’s presentation about shipwrecks. We also have an annual budget spreadsheet to ensure our spending aligns with our financial goals.

Of course you can keep a personal diary or journal to reflect your internal thoughts too. My husband James often says to our 7-year-old son, “If you go into this with a negative mindset, it will be negative. If you take on a positive mindset, it will be positive.” By communicating regularly and reflecting on your journey, you can continuously refine your worldschooling experience to make it a sustainable and enriching adventure for everyone.

Where are you on your worldschooling journey? We’d love to hear from you! 

– Jess Marsh 

   INTL Edu Director & Cofounder

Blindly Navigating the Gili Islands

Originally written 26th May 2025

I made a major mistake leaving my 👁️ contact lenses in our bags in Sanur (Bali, Indonesia), only discovering this after the 4-hour ‘fast’ boat ride to Gili T island. At first I thought it was just annoying to not be able to wear sunglasses… Then it hit me - our main activity for the brief weekend trip was 🤿 snorkeling! After researching the possibility of various masks and checking if I could buy contacts anywhere on the small island without cars (just horse-drawn carts, bicycles and electric scooters) - I was 100% SOL. It was unsurprisingly impossible. I was unsure about trying to snorkel without my contacts, because I'm really myopic (AKA ‘blind as a bat’). Legally too blind to drive. So could I trust James and Leo to navigate us through a choppy sea?

Well, I decided to give it a try. During the first snorkeling session, we lost our group amongst other tour groups and couldn't find the boat (I literally couldn't read the boat names if you gave me $1 million) but after those moments of panic, we found our guide and boat and didn't make the same mistake again. I couldn't see the detail of the beauty under the sea but I was able to identify the colors of the fish blobs and coral!

I thought the tour company was a bit boastful by 100% guaranteeing us to see a 🐢 turtle. James joked that perhaps they had a turtle in a box on the boat just in case. But then, at the end of the trip, this magic happened…

This turtle chilled with us for a bit!

The value for the money was excellent. It was nice to revisit Gili Air for lunch as well, which looked quite different from 9 years ago. So many 🛥️ boats!

I hope we can come back diving one day, when Leo is old enough, and I hope there are still beautiful creatures thriving in the Gilis. We saw so much dying coral 🪸 on each of the islands - quite sad. There are great organizations like the Gili Eco Trust working on reef restoration.

Trusting in Serial Reciprocity

Originally written 5th April 2025

When you’re a solo traveler, there’s often an unsaid trust amongst other females, for example, that hopefully you will look out for each other in precarious situations. In my experience, you feel this vibe from others, if it’s there. We found that there’s a whole other level of trust when you involve family – trusting almost-strangers with your child(ren). 

Instances when we’ve trusted and helped others abroad:

• 

  Returned rental car back to the mainland for people we met once

• 

  Loaned our spare laptop to a single mother we’d never met, whose work computer was kaput

• 

  Transferred a few hundred quid’s worth of local currency to our neighbor in Thailand, so that she could withdraw it for us from a bank without the ATM fee

• 

  Let our child go for a playdate at someone else’s place and they drove him home (we had met them many times during the weeks here) 

• 

  Took the opportunity to have a ‘date dinner’ by ourselves when our friend offered to have our son help her with a sand sculpture on the beach for an hour or so

• 

  Left our son for hours each week to do art lessons with a parent and 20+ other kids 

How others showed trust in us: 

• 

  A bunch of families trusted James to teach their kids swim lessons (and he did a great job!)

• 

  In Thailand, we drove several children in our rental car, sometimes without their parents present

• 

  We kept an eye on the kids in our villa’s pool when their parents weren’t nearby

• 

  Women’s Circle leader allowed me to use technology to improve registration and comms for her events

• 

  Impromptu play dates 

• 

  Bliss hub leaders shared our community with the larger group 

How do these instances make you feel, especially if you can look at the scenarios from a parental perspective? As you might have thought in our last post, is this insanity?! Or has the Western world conditioned us to be untrusting, skeptical, afraid? Perhaps the pandemic contributed to some of this fear as we all became a bit more insular. Each of these examples has its own story and luckily all of them ended positively.

Honestly, my inner anxiety compass was wavering some of these times but I trusted my intuition and tried to quiet my logical mind from worrying. The real trust had to start with trusting ourselves. We observed how relaxed the local island culture was and also how much the worldschool community relied on each other like a ‘village’ raising the children. All of these examples would be naturally done at ‘home’ – in a place where you’ve known the people for months or years. Although we were only here for a few weeks, the connections felt much deeper than that. Perhaps it is the way of this lifestyle that the masks are thinner and you can see people for who they are, purely and truly. 

What have you done lately to ‘pay it forward’? Who has shown you trust? I’d love to hear.

– Jess

Brilliant or “Slightly Insane” Visa Run Plan?

This post is about an epicly (I think that's a word?) long day. Really – we even had a time change due to Daylight Savings!…

We decided to make the most out of the need to extend our visa for Thailand by just a week… we didn't want to do a trek from Koh Lanta to Krabi and have to pay 1900 Baht per person (that's about $160 USD / £130 GBP for the 3 of us) to not even stay for Songkran (yep, we opted out of the massive annual water fight, but that's another story).

Here we were annoyed that Leo wouldn't just smile lol

If we're going to need a stamp in the passport, why not make it interesting & fruitful? I thought I was all clever wrapping up this visa need with Leo's upcoming birthday - what better way to have a birthday abroad than at Legoland?! 

All seemed ambitious but possible. Our fellow worldschooling families described it as a “slightly insane plan”... It was only earlier on the day our flight was departing when we realized, in describing our plan to a neighbor, that we hadn't mapped out all of the details. Can of worms opened - in the matter of a couple of hours, we needed to sort:

• a place to stay in Krabi the night of our return, because the light bulb 💡 went off that we'd never make the car ferry ⛴ after our late flight 🛬

• checking in to both flights

  🛫

  🛬

  that were within the span of 24 hours

• completing passenger arrival forms for both Malaysia and Singapore (yep, this trip involved trekking to and back across 3 countries in a day)

• packing, which was somehow harder because we wanted to pack super light - only taking a backpack 🎒 with us (we ended up taking 2 - another for the added overnight stay, and it felt great traveling so lightly!)

• sustenance 🥜 for the drive and car ferry ride to the airport (we traveled by land, sea and air all within the span of a few hours)

You can imagine the insurgence of anxiety that this immediately caused but we were grateful for the neighbors keeping an eye on Leo for a bit while James and I started to breakdown and delegate the tasks. Poor James also wasn't feeling 100% during all of this so extra kudos for him being such a trooper through one of my nutty ideas. As we always do, we worked as a team to solve each challenge one-by-one and prepared for the trip's imminent reality. ❤️

Throughout the actual day, there were surely points when we felt like this was a crazy, bad, no-good idea. We learned that at the Singapore airport, you can only use the sleeping pods if you're there for at least 6 hours; our flight was delayed so we were there for about 5 hours. It felt like pulling an all-nighter (memories from many years ago in university) but with an overexcited kid chomping at the bit and expensive airport coffee instead of Nescafé. How he went to sleep for a few times here and there was surprising but such a relief, especially after he had a night terror literally as we were boarding the flight to Singapore. That's when my ‘mom guilt’ really set in – I felt terrible for subjecting my poor little guy to all this chaos – sleeping across chairs in the terminal. Some fellow travelers’ eyes and expressions on stints of our journey, like the shuttle bus from Singapore to Legoland Malaysia, were mirrors of our inner dialogues – ‘Are these people nuts?’ 😂  Others applauded our efforts and something clicked for me – I realized why people tell us we're brave for doing this stuff.

The 'Rain Vortex' indoor waterfall

Then there were lovely moments that made the trip 100% worth it - like Leo making insta-buddies waiting for the bus to Legoland and also in the build stations inside, his amazement and appreciation throughout the day, and seeing the world's tallest indoor waterfall at Singapore's Jewel Changi Airport. We also had a great time cycling around the Gardens by the Bay and chatting with our Grab drivers! 

(Fun fact: we visited all of the airport's terminals throughout the day as well!)

Funny unintended consequence: we saw the day's 🌅 sunrise and 🌄 sunset from Grab taxi rides… 

At the end of it all, Leo said he was so grateful and happy. We actually had an awesome day. It was a lovely way to celebrate his birthday (albeit a month early), and even in spite of the pouring rain, it all worked out as it should.

Ironically, we didn't get stamps in our passports for Malaysia or Singapore because everything was scanned and digital, but we did get a stamp to show we exited Thailand before our 60 days was up.

Poor James had another crazy journey ahead of him. We’ll see what he learned from that trip…

More Than Just Tech: Our Transformative Time with Mudita Foundation

Our family's #WorldschoolingQuest often takes us to unexpected places, teaching us lessons far beyond any textbook. Recently, that journey led us to Mae Sot, Thailand, and the incredible Mudita Foundation, a learning center providing vital education for Burmese refugee and migrant children. Stepping onto their grounds, we knew we were somewhere special, but we couldn't have predicted how profoundly the experience would shape us.

While our goal was to contribute in various ways, one major project was tackling the school's computer lab. It was equipped with 27 older PCs, struggling under the weight of outdated operating systems. Access to digital tools is crucial for modern education, and we wanted to help bridge that gap. Enter Google's free ChromeOS Flex. 💻


For those unfamiliar, ChromeOS Flex is designed specifically to revitalize older hardware. It's lightweight, cloud-centric, secure, and remarkably easy to install. Over several days, we carefully wiped the old systems and installed ChromeOS Flex on each of the 27 machines. Seeing the lab transform from sluggish relics to a fleet of snappy, functional computers ready for learning was incredibly rewarding. It felt like we weren't just installing software; we were unlocking potential.

Of course, technology in the field always comes with adventures! During one of our first tech lessons in the newly revamped lab, the power for the entire region suddenly cut out! 💡 After the initial groans (mostly from me!), it turned into an unexpectedly valuable lesson. We couldn't use the computers, so we gathered everyone and had an "unplugged" discussion about how computers work, the importance of saving work, and even brainstormed alternative ways to learn and communicate when technology fails. It was a funny, memorable reminder that adaptability is key, and learning happens with or without electricity!

Our contributions weren't limited to the computer lab. We had the immense joy of engaging students through other avenues as well. We led sessions on Design Thinking, US History, played chess and dove into Readers' Theatre. 🎭 📚 And perhaps most energetically, James led PE classes with all of the students.

Working alongside the dedicated staff and incredibly resilient students at Mudita was truly transformative for our whole family. Witnessing their eagerness to learn, their warmth despite facing immense challenges, and the strong sense of community fostered by the foundation was humbling and deeply inspiring. This experience was a powerful reminder that education is a beacon of hope, and connection transcends borders and backgrounds.

This journey wouldn't have been possible without the support of so many people, both near and far. Thank you to everyone who offered encouragement, resources, and well wishes. A huge thank you to the leadership, staff, and especially the students of the Mudita Foundation for welcoming our family with open arms and sharing their world with us. 🙏

As we reflect on our time there, we also want to acknowledge the ongoing challenges faced by communities connected to the families Mudita serves, particularly in light of recent events. Many have been impacted by the recent earthquake. If you feel moved to contribute to the relief efforts, you can find more information and donate via this link: https://gofund.me/1b399389 🌍

Our time in Mae Sot was more than just a volunteering stint; it was a profound exchange of knowledge, culture, and humanity. We left a part of our hearts there and carry invaluable lessons forward on our #WorldschoolingQuest.

Wats & Waterfalls

 "Be soft in your practice. Think of the method as a fine silvery stream, not a raging waterfall. Follow the stream, have faith in its course." — Sheng-yen 

(Quote via the 5-Bullet Friday newsletter - tim.blog/fbf)

Embarking on a worldschooling quest means embracing the unknown, and our time in Thailand has been a testament to the thrill of exploration, the joy of discovery, and the resilience needed to tackle new challenges. From sacred wats to cascading waterfalls, we’ve pushed our boundaries, tasted unfamiliar flavors, and formed connections with people from all around the globe.

Taking the Leap – Ziplining through the Jungle

Suspended high above the lush canopy in the mountains near Chiang Mai, we soared from tree to tree, the wind rushing past our faces. Ziplining wasn’t just about the adrenaline rush—it was about trust, about stepping off the edge despite the nervous energy bubbling inside. Leo, giggling giddily and grinning ear to ear, showed us that courage often comes in small, determined packages – he chose the activity and even decided to pay for the extended package because he was enjoying it so much!

See video clips here.

Visiting Tham Luang Cave – A Story of Courage

One of the most poignant stops on our journey was Tham Luang Cave, the site of the dramatic rescue of the Wild Boars football team in 2018 (shortly after Leonato was born!). Standing at the cave entrance, we were struck by the sheer scale of the rescue operation that had captured the world’s attention. The memorials dedicated to the brave divers and volunteers that risked their lives to bring the lucky 13 to safety was an emotional and humbling experience. It was a powerful reminder of human resilience, teamwork, and the incredible feats that can be accomplished when people come together in times of crisis. We spoke with Leo about how the assistant coach helped the boys stay calm by meditating while they were stuck in the cave for 17 days. 

Leo was entranced by the rescue story.

Conquering the Sticky Waterfalls

One of the most unique experiences of our journey was climbing Bua Tong Waterfalls (Nam Phu Chet Si), also known as the Sticky Waterfalls. Unlike any other waterfall, the mineral deposits make the rocks grippy, allowing us to scramble up against the flow of the water (although there are some slippery parts that left us a bit scratched and bruised too!). With each step we were reminded that nature is full of surprises, and the best way to experience it is to dive right in — sometimes quite literally (& even if it's a bit chilly)!

We still managed to slip on the sticky waterfalls.

Culinary Adventures

Thailand is a feast for the senses, and its cuisine is no exception. We navigated bustling markets, daringly sampling sizzling street food, applauding Leo whenever he tries something new. From the sweet creaminess of fresh coconut ice cream to the crunchy kick of Khao Soi (a soup dish you can only find in the north), every bite was a step further into the culture. We had a grand time at the Yummy Tasty Cooking School, learning how intricate and complex the dishes are to make from scratch. 

Leo loved the make-your-own-soup restaurant

Connecting Along the Way

One of the most beautiful aspects of worldschooling is the people we meet. Whether it was fellow travelers swapping stories or locals sharing insights into their way of life, our journey was enriched by these encounters. Watching Leo play effortlessly with new friends, even when they didn’t speak the same language, was a powerful reminder that connection transcends words. (And Google Translate is an amazing tool too!)

Lessons from the Temples

There were lots of tourists at Wat Rong Khun.

Among the golden stupas and intricate carvings of Thailand’s wats, we found moments of stillness and reflection. At the stunning Wat Rong Khun (White Temple) and Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple) near Chiang Rai, we were mesmerized by their intricate details and symbolic meanings. Top tip we learned from some of our new friends: go to see the blue temple's lights and atmosphere at dusk! 

Leo's dragon impression at Wat Rong Suea Ten.

Southwest of Chiang Mai, our 'Little Engine that Could', a Toyota Yaris rental we nicknamed Lolita (our Ford Kuga back home is "Lola") somehow climbed to the highest point in Thailand at Doi Inthanon National Park. We enjoyed the stunning views and felt a deeper appreciation for the country's natural beauty, particularly the breathtaking Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon and Nophamethanidon, the twin pagodas dedicated to Thailand’s King and Queen. Surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens and offering panoramic views of the rolling mountains below, these sacred structures stood as a testament to Thailand’s deep respect for its monarchy and spirituality. The serenity of all of the sacred spaces we visited gave us a chance to pause and appreciate how far we’ve come — not just in miles/kilometers, but in experiences and personal growth. Travel has a way of teaching lessons that no classroom ever could.

Celebrating Our Journey

We’re proud of the challenges we've taken on thus far! By no means has it been simple or easy. Honestly surprised we've found time to write this blog post haha... We’ve tested our limits, expanded our perspectives, and strengthened our bond as a family. This journey isn’t just about the places we visit — it’s about who we become along the way. And as we continue forward, we carry these experiences with us, knowing that the greatest adventure is always just around the corner.

Connect with us on socials here.