Our 6-Month Mark!

I’ve had to double check the math a few times just to make sure it was accurate because it just doesn’t seem like we’ve been gone for 6 months already. Partly because this lifestyle feels so natural to us that the transition has been surprisingly easy.

As you probably know we began our new lifestyle (can’t really call this a “trip”) with Cozumel, Mexico.  We loved it there, and Tigger showed amazing flexibility adjusting to life in an undeveloped country where most people don’t speak the language he knows.  It was also where he showed an absolutely stunning relationship with water. For a kid who had been raised his whole life in a landlocked state, he’s phenomenal in the water.

So far we’ve experienced 5 foreign countries, and some of them more than once.  Our 6th month finds us still on the small Honduran island in the Caribbean.  We’ve been able to leave Utila a few times to explore other parts of Honduras and have also returned to Guatemala once so far.  Our intro to Honduras was a bit rocky, and it’s also been a place of some continued transition, but Honduras and I have a better understanding of each other now. So much so that I can honestly say I have a great affection for it.

My favorite question we’re asked remains: “So how long will you be in Honduras?”  Like any facet of our journey the answer is always “I have no idea.”  More so here since I became a scuba instructor and wish to stay on the island to gain more experience before leaving.  At the very least the plan is to be here until April.  I imagine we will stay beyond that, though.  We have no schedule so it really doesn’t matter how long we stay here.  We love our little island, and we recently moved into a very tiny home that we are quite fond of as well. So we are absolutely in no rush, even though occasionally we both get a significant itch to leave Honduras and continue with exploring the world.

We have been able to meet some absolutely wonderful people on our travels, including some fellow bloggers.  Erica & Shaun of OverYonderlust.com stayed on Utila, and in our small apartment, for long enough that they have become like extended family.  We recently met a young man during our travel back to the island from a trip who has been here for almost a month doing volunteer work, and we’ve kind of adopted him as well.  We continue to see that the world is full of amazing, caring people.

Tigger has grown in more ways than one and is quite popular on the island.  Mostly because he climbs almost everything and is more charming than a politician. He’s instantly recognizable since he’s pretty much the only person who walks around wearing only shorts.  During our last trip off the island some people saw him wearing shoes & a shirt and instantly figured we must be leaving.  Among divers I’m known as Talon, but everywhere else I go it’s “Oh, you’re [Tigger’s] dad!” Celebrity by proxy.

I find myself reflecting daily on how wonderful my life is. And then there are the moments when we’re talking, and Tigger shares a memory from one of the countries we’ve visited, or compares something to another location, and I smile and think “Yep, this is why we’re doing this.” I wanted my son to grow up with a deeper connection to the world, to be a global citizen.  So far I think it’s pretty easy to say that mission is definitely being accomplished.

While it was a bit hard to leave the security of a good job, close friends, and familiar surroundings, I am reminded daily that this really was one of the absolute best decisions of my life.  A half year into it I’m still loving it.  I think that bodes well for the future. I look forward to writing about our 1st anniversary, but even more I look forward to living it. We definitely are living without regrets, and it’s freakin’ awesome!

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22 Comments

  1. Very informative!

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  2. I have been researching moving 4 times already in the usa and not being really happy or having a quality life and way too expensive . I have lived in ND FL MI and now NC  I have a car payment and a house payment. I am not going to be able to afford in 5 years. more to that explaination if you message me on facebook i can tell you more and why I need a less expensive life and not just living to see if we can survive this recession and mantaining a home. I have spoken to others who are unschooling and traveling with their families. I too have been traveling in the USA  .I have not had the courage to go outside of the usa. I also  am a single mom unschooling   learning from life and just living. We are survivers.We have never learned to scuba dive. I grew up in Miami Florida .My daughter is 12  and she loves learning and life. I pulled her out of the public school system when I saw she was in 3rd grade and not getting any where.  Also she would come home crying every day and complain about bullying and we were in a good school district area. Amazing I thought this is weird in this school district so we moved to a more rural area .It didnt work there either. My daughter has issues that arise from sensitivity to different things in life .  I have asked her if she wants to live in an area  that has lots of ocean andmarine life she said she was scared. This is because I taught her so well about the creatures and big fish she could meet up with in the sea .We homeschooled marine BIOLOGY, Sea life  and this is causing a bit of fear that she doesnt even want to go on to a beach fear of jelly fish and turtles might attack her.  While I am wanting to free my self of a car payment and a house payment .Life over seas seems very nice. I will research Utila  and Honduras might be a bit expensive  .I might like Uitila for a change. And if we could walk or use bikes that would be nice.   Here in NC there is a village called Love Valley  they dont aloow any cars or vehicles   except horses and some carts  some city trucks if they need them. I was thinking about this place to experience living the cowboy life and teaching my daughter  12  horseback riding. I also thought about moving to a state that isnt so strict on testing requirements for homeschooling  and allowing unschooling and living experiences to learn instead of teaching to test.   Bless You I would love to keep in touch on Facebook and maybe meet you and your son some day.  ~Dianne ~

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    • Central America is very inexpensive, including Utila. Guatemala and Nicaragua are especially inexpensive. Definitely worth checking out more.

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  3.  Great Blog!
    Its really nice that you people have so much fun. Your son is lucky to have been traveling to new places with you and experience so much.

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  4. Wow, great post, and it sounds like a great life for you and your son! I recently wrote a guest post for our friends at yTravel Blog about how travel and adventure are the greatest gifts we can give our kids. It sounds like you’re giving your son an incredible gift, indeed. There’s a chance we’ll be coming to Honduras in 2012. If so, I’d love some tips on what to do!

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    • Thanks! As far as Honduras goes what kinds of things do you like to do?

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    • Thanks! As far as Honduras goes what kinds of things do you like to do?

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  5. its great you are travelling with your son, but how do you take him to school?

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    • He is homeschooled

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  6. Congratulations! Saw your blog via Flipnomad and i am glad that i found your blog. Your son is lucky to have you as his father 😀

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    • Thank you! Glad you found us

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  7.  Congrats!  I just hit my 1-year mark, and I also cannot believe it has been that long.  I have also adjusted well to my new lifestyle of being a poor, jobless backpacker 🙂

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    • Congrats to you as well. Kind of fun being a poor, jobless backpacker, though, no? Js

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  8. Glad we could be there to celebrate your 6 month mark.  It really is easy to fall in love with Honduras after spending some time in Utila.  We came expecting to stay a week.  Now that we’ve been here for three, we are planning to stay a full 2 months longer.

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    • WOOT! Yes, Utila could also be known as Hotel California. J

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  9. Hello 🙂 this is stunning and very much inspiring. I have a son still too young though but I would love for us to go around the world trouble free. I love travelling, I work for a travel and tourism company as well and they offer accommodation all across Africa.. beautiful might I add.so i have all the things i need , simplified for me and right under my nose for one day when I do decide to spread my wings with my little family 🙂 If your interested in ever making your way down here you could have a look at our company’s website http://www.ubuntustay.com or even if you just want to have a look at the kind of accommodation in Africa. Its free of charge to book and browse. (that’s why I use our own companies website) hahaha! Thank you again for sharing this with all of us. some how in some way its inspiring to each and everyone. Well done daddy 🙂

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  10. Hi, I’ve just come across your blog and think it is great what you are doing! Tigger is so lucky to be having all these great experiences and this blog will be neat for him to look back on in a few years 🙂 

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    • Thank you! I’m glad you’ve found our blog as well.

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  11. Tigger is living proof that there is no greater playground than the world around us. Enjoyed meeting y’all! Hugs and kisses, M&T.

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    • Amen! We loved meeting you guys, too, and hope to spend more time with you somewhere in the world!

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