Monday, December 26
Glimpses into a Rancher's Life.
Friday, November 25
Poverty for Christmas
This December, over 2.1 billion Christians will celebrate the Christmas season. Children around the world will wait with baited breath for brightly colored packages under the tree. A huge majority of the Westerm parents will spend more money than they can afford, buy more unnecessary garbage that will clutter their homes, and will kill more trees and natural resources on gift wrapping that will end up in the trash the day after. We won't.
Why? We have a deeper agenda for Christmas 2011.
Sunday, November 20
The Ying Yang of Living Without
Has it been easy? No. Have we had our doubts? Often. Has it been worth it? Absolutely.
Saturday, November 19
La Lucha de la Tigra, Costa Rica- June 20
You never fall in love for the first time, again. This was our first taste of Latin America: strong, sweet, and now, bittersweet. La Lucha de la Tigra, Costa Rica. (I can't say it without a sigh).
A loving glimpse back at a simplier life, one that was ours not that long ago; and yet, it feels like a lifetime ago. The following is a touching entry from my personal journal on Monday, June 20th, 2011. Then, we were living life as volunteers, life as locals, life in a rural school, life on the ranch. Ahh. Teary-eyed as I read it.
Thursday, November 10
Wednesday Wanderers- Roger the Panamanian Taxi Driver
Meet Roger. He's a 60 year old taxi driver who's madly in love with his country. He likes to talk economics and politics and reveals the secret to a good life-rum. Roger is one example of the goldmine of amazing people we are meeting along the way, people who are really teaching us (and our children) that the world is fully of remarkable people; and when you open your heart, when you turn to people with genuine curiosity, they will tell your their story.
Saturday, November 5
My Biggest Travel Mistake
Wednesday, November 2
What Would You Put Your Family Through To Save $1000?- Part One
Looking back, we would never have done it this way. But, hey; we're all geniuses in hindsight, right?
As we enter of third continent in our world travels; our nomadic family experienced the longest, hardest journey to date. This journey, lasting two never-ending days and nights was from Panama City, Panama to Cartagena, Colombia. It entailed a taxi, a plane, two boats, a minibus, a bus, and one final taxi. Total en route time of 40 hours, in which 30 hours of it was in motion.
Sunday, October 30
Bells of a Past Long Gone
We heard the bell ringing. Like that great scene in the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when they romanticize 'the candy man' who brings sunshine to the world; we turned, and behold THE ICE CREAM MAN! He's calmly meandering down the street in his orange shirt; we're hysterically running to the house to find Kobi (well, actually his wallet). But the 'ice cream man' means a lot more to us than just sweet coldness.To us, it signifies a past long gone.
Tuesday, October 25
Wednesday Wanderers- International House Sitting With Cat
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| Cat Vann (in pink) with Dahnya and Dell |
As we travel the world we meet all sorts of awesome people. Some travel the scale the globe; some stay near their nest. Some travel alone; some with kids. Some sprint on vacation; some meander slowly as a way of life. But, every single one of them is a fascinating person with a great story to tell.These fine folks have honored us all by sharing their messages with us. You're gonna love our new series Wednesday Wanderers.
Wednesday Wanderers highlights the unforgettable saga of mankind towards his own truth: locals, fellow travelers; people who have found creative ways to many money and sustain their world travels; people with strong opinions about the way things should be; people just getting by, living their life one day at a time; and people who are changing our international world one small footstep at a time.
Friday, October 21
Happy 37th Birthday Gabi
Hi and welcome. If you've only just arrived, here's a hug to you. Our family, husband Kobi, wife (that's me) Gabi, and three unearthly patient children Dahnya, Orazi, and Solai are traveling around the world. They are unearthly patient not because they don't kick each other in the bathroom over who gets to spit first in the kitchen sink, or because they think we don't know that they blackmail and bribe and threaten each other for candy and such; they are unearthly patient cuz their parents are dragging them all across the globe and have really creative ideas about education and the meaning of life and family, and they are very patient with us as we try to figure that all out.
Thursday, October 20
How It Feels Not To Feel Guilty
Last night officially ended the Jewish High Holy Days. It's a string of four holidays strung over the period of a month. Besides the Holy of Days in which (if you're a good Jew) you fast for your sins; the rest of the holidays are filled with celebrating, eating, reflecting, appreciation. All of that cleansing and renewal is just behind us and besides the bananas browning and the rains starting earlier in the day, nothing indicates to me the passage of time, of a new year. It's September so my kids are 'supposed' to be starting another school year. I'm 'supposed' to be entering my soul and reflecting on what I feel guilty about, and I come out blank. My mind and soul are blank; I am totally at rest; I don't feel guilty about anything at all.
Wednesday, October 19
An Apple A Day
Benjamin Franklin was beyond wise in his untimely advise about eating right, sleeping right, and moving your body for optimal health. But my dear friend Ben probably didn't travel the world (actually he did!) and he probably didn't eat for emotional comfort (I have no idea on this one!). Ok, so screw Ben, I have no excuses here. I'm not standing up to the nutritional standards I strive to. And when I'm not beating myself up for wolfing down sugary/starchy things at night while I chug away at the keyboard; I'm actually quite proud, amazed, and fascinated by how well we have been able to bring a strongly-accented raw food diet stably into the ever-changing, every-alluring world of international travel. And so, enjoy our "apple a day"- sprouting (detailed instructional video at the end) ....
Monday, October 17
These Small Hours
In Meet the Robinson's Rob Thomas sings "All life remains in these small hours", and I know it, I know it, now. Until we can catch up (never) and make a video of it, I 'd like to share a collection of videos dear to my heart. This, This, This is why we are a nomadic family traveling the globe. Not to discover foreign lands (an added bonus), not to raise trilingual children (looks good on a resume), not to create open-minded world citizens (though it's cool), and surely, not to live our one life to the fullest by making our dreams come true (ok, so I'm almost lying). But, why do this nomadic family thing? Watch the videos and find out! (and tell me what you think!)
Saturday, October 15
International American Dreams
Once upon a time, I woke up and realized that I have had a pretty transformational journey towards, around, over, and through the American Dream. Unlike most of the Americans around me; I am a naturalized citizen to the United States of America. It was not my born right to live the life of privilege that I did. My American Dream began in 1975 when my parents came to the land where "money grows on trees". We had an eventful roller coaster of being rich with a private plane, pool, and live-maid to declaring bankruptcy. Maybe I had to taste the world of materialism and consumerism (My parents' American Dream) to reach my own dream?
Wednesday, October 12
How To Make Money As You Travel The World- Part One- Ryan at Half Throttle
a- he's a nice guy and jumped on the trampoline with my kids
b- he's a nice guy and ate my food even though he's a picky eater
c- he showed us how to finally use adobe premiere so that we can start making decent videos with cool effects
d- he is another great role model for those who wish to travel the world and make money.
Sunday, October 9
No One Told Me I'd Be Lonely
This entry has video of me crying, cuz I'm really sad. The kids lately have missed their friends; Kobi misses having friends. I was the empathetic listener, until I broke down, and felt something missing, empty too. I miss having people who love me and have known me for a loooooong time [These are Gold]. As a nomadic family traveling the world, we are constantly meeting new. beautiful strangers-turned-friends. [Those are Silver]. But, because I suck at keeping up with people; I feel sad. Of course, in a second, I could fix that; but I don't. These are the sad moments when I feel lonely on the road as we travel the world.
Saturday, October 8
Dirty and Injured..
Back
in the day when we homeschooled, a parenting school
graduate of mine (and dear friend) took the kids for 10 hours a week
to explore the world. Yael would take my three darlings out to nature trails,
places of work, and anywhere that magnetized them, to learn from the serendipitous
magic of whatever came up. My directions to her were always the same, "For
me to consider this day with you a successful one, you are required to do
two things: return my children to me dirty and injured"..
Wednesday, October 5
10 Nomadic Families Traveling the World, 7 Continents: How They Afford It
Monday, October 3
Sick Chicks
As a nomadic family, it doesn't make sense to have any pets. Back home in Israel, we had a dog for 15 1/2 years (who was hit by a car the year before we left) and several adorable cats. We are animal people and so, it's been nice to have chicks in our lives on the road. It's nice until they get less fuzzy and Mommy has to beg the kids to take care of them. (That's another story). This blog reflects our lives with chicks, in pictures and in movies, and all the amazing lessons children get to learn having pets in their lives: responsibility, physical affection, and the cycle of life.
Friday, September 30
Oh Shit! A Snake!
Wednesday, September 28
New Friends in Old Places
Friday, September 23
It's a Dog's World
Kobi loves dogs. He always has. As we travel the world as a nomadic
family; he finds himself gravitating towards them. We could be on a
mountain hike up Volcan Baru, Panama; at an outdoor show in Houston's
Miller Outdoor Theater; or in a park in San Jose, Costa Rica; and we
Kobi suddenly disappears. He's found some dog dragging his owner by the
leash or jumping up on people, and our dog trainer is there, engaging
the owner in conversation and offering some tips. This entry is
dedicated to the work work and volunteer work Kobi has done around the
globe empowering dog owners to be leaders and helping shelter dogs
become more adoptable.
If I Only Knew Then
As a Skype family therapist, my parenting clients stutter when I ask them "what will your chicks have under their wing when they fly from the nest? What tools will you have given them to lead meaningful, joyful, productive lives?" And when I ask myself those questions too, I stutter. I want to teach them so much, but there's always soooo much to do. "One day' I'll get around to that, too. And if I don't get around to it as I travel the world, when the hell will I?
Tuesday, September 20
The US in Twelve Minutes
We loved experiencing the desert, snow, mountains, rivers, new friends, and (best of all) hearing our kids speak in English! This entry depicts that journey.
Below, we posted an amazing 12 min video of this RV Trip.
Edumacation
Monday, September 19
Bad Ideas and Precious Moments
Saturday, September 10
Shattered
It’s Monday morning. We went for our morning exercise, all five of us.
First round, second round: I'm with kids and Kobi, talking, singing, laughing.Third round. This time I'm alone. My sweet nomadic family has all gone to shower. And, alone, exercising, (very much like writing) my mind and soul do their best scrubbing. Here’s the three shattered things that I recall running through my mind.
Peaceful Days
The Perfect Family Evening
Thursday, September 8
Orange Misery
Orange is my son Orazi's favorite color. He has two orange shirts on the
trip. He loves eating carrots and oranges. He loves picking oranges.
Today, unfortunately, he is in orange misery.
Wednesday, September 7
It's Gabi. Ugh!
Monday, August 29
Saying Yes To Something Else
Monday, August 15
A Week Within
After the emotional and physical entrapments of last week, we took a week to go within. We barely spoke or saw anyone. We didn't go to the Tuesday night Gringo Party, didn’t go talk to the
neighboring school about volunteering, didn’t go to the weekly Gingo morning market at Boquete Community Players, didn't follow up with the Boquete Rotary, we didn’t go online, didn’t go meet neighbors, didn’t follow up on classes and
activities we wanted to pursue. We went inside, on a deep journey inside to
cleanse and heal and balance our souls and our family relationships.
Glass Jars
I’m alone with Volcan Baru, a coconut, and my first glass
jar. Back home, drinking water out of glass jars was a real joy for me. One of
those simple things that made me so happy. I’d take a jar and go outside, with
the sun and the air tickling my water and glistening on the jar’s translucent
beauty. Just holding a cool glass jar in my hands is quite a spiritual thing
for me. It’s mine. I love being alone, to write, with a glass jar.
David Days
Kids Need Socialization
That’s right. And it’s one of the things I have felt guilty about, until tonight. I felt guilty because a- I guess parents always have to feel guilty about something and b- though I’m taking my kids on an open-ended world adventure, I feel I am taking them away from their social network of school friends and cousins. So, this nomadic way of life if great, but they miss having friends.
Who?
Who are they supposed to turn to? Who is supposed to guide
them, direct them, comfort them, lead them? Who? Their grandparents? Their
friends at school? Their teachers? Who? Who in the world is supposed to take
care of my children’s emotional needs when Kobi and I are falling apart? Well, we are… and we’re not there for them.They’re fighting
and falling over each other. They’re lost and have no lighthouse to shine their
way.
Being a nomadic family has its very poignant disadvantages.
Being a nomadic family has its very poignant disadvantages.
Wednesday, August 10
Media Coverage and Speaking
Friday, July 29
Our New Nomadic Family
As a nomadic family, we are touched by the kindness of strangers-turned-friends along the way. While living on the ranch in Costa Rica, so many community families adopted us as if we were their own. These simple, good-hearted souls opened their homes to us; and filled us with laughter, good food, love.. This entry reflects some of the kind angels who wrapped our family in their wings, and became our new extended nomadic family.
Jesus Talk
The Grandparents in Houston
Sunday, July 24
Ugly Gifts Too
En Route to Panama
Monday, July 18
La Lucha School
Free Rainforest Exhibition
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| en route with my son's new best friend Ever |
Sunday, June 26
Best Friends, Cowboy Gatherings, & Pineapples
Friday, June 24
Costa Rican Shabbat
As a nomadic family, we are honored, when (once in a while) we get to share magical moments with our new friends. Here, on the ranch in La Lucha de la Tigra, Costa Rica we had so many magical sharing of cultures.
Wednesday, June 22
Stay or Go
When you are a nomadic family scaling the globe, you have total freedom to decide each and every next step. Very cool, and, at the same time, very over-whelming. These two videos reflect our confusion and how we're trying to wade our way out of it.
Tuesday, June 21
What I've Learned This Week- June, La Lucha de La Tigre, Costa Rica
As a nomadic family living on a remote ranch in Costa Rica, we discovered new and marvelous things. In this entry, I want to share 11 surprising and wondrous insights from our lives here.
Saturday, June 18
Sonia and Don Jose Ramon
Friday, June 17
Joy in the Simple Things
