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White Christmas Dreams, or fun on the beach. It is not that we’ve spent every winter holiday season at home. We even spent another white sand Christmas under the sun in Mexico. But, even in those years where we left home, we first had our own tree and our own decorations pulled out of [...]  A Gap Year Redux~ It was nice to be home, surrounded by friends for a few weeks. The sense of love and belonging I get from those I choose to surround myself with is such a central part of my life. Although the months spent just the four of us are not without love and humor, [...] A Gap Year Redux We are making our plans to head back out: South Africa in November. It has been nice sitting here for a time, surrounded by friends and family. Slowly, more things have been sifted out of storage, and we’ve been shopping, as well. Coming is the process of paring back down to the [...] Early morning light on the walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia and its small harbor. Things we have learned along the way As we are taking time out of our world tour to spend time with a family member who is approaching the end of his life, we also have time to reflect on the things we have [...] Internet. It has become such a central part of our lives, even more on this trip around the world than at home. Its reach is beyond the time spent in front of the computer at work or school, it shapes where we stay and our days when we are there. It is a love-hate relationship, [...] Shrek speaks Spanish, you know. We had yet to go to the movies on our trip, and Hannah’s teenage movie yearning took us to see Shrek in 3D the other day. In Spanish, of course. The girls have watched a smattering of TV in various languages we’ve passed through, usually dubbed over familiar ones where [...]
The sisters sharing a view of Andorra Sometimes it feels like living under a microscope, being in such close proximity to the family at all times. There is no independent life, when we explore it is together, everyone wants to go along to the grocery store, taking the car alone means someone else is left [...] Storm Clouds gathering in Andorra We spent nearly 12 hours underway, mostly windshield time in the car, driving from the tiny hilltop village of Pignona, Italy, in the hills above Levanto, to Andorra. We followed the freeways around the north shore of the Mediterranean, and cut inland as we approached Spain. We didn’t know much [...] The family has grown more egalitarian; teamwork through travel. The lessons are very clear and obvious. Not a lecture from a parent about some abstract thought, but the reality that if we don’t all carry our own bags we will miss the train. Understanding that to figure things out, like how to weigh and label [...]
Yesterday we visited Mirabella, the pirate fortress above the old town of Omis. Before leaving to wander, I spent hours researching online schools. Having the specific need of a child in high school who would be returning to the public school system at the end of our journey meant there were not a crowd of [...] A car. We are longing for a car. Early on, we conceived of the idea that we should rely on public transportation for this trip. My Oma lived in Germany her whole life and never learned to drive. She could go anywhere she wanted to via public transportation. A short walk to the local train [...] The image of discarded furniture and belongings sitting on the side of a trail, wood warping in rain and sun fading fabrics always made me sad. I would picture people moving slowly across the country to Oregon, and becoming too weary under their load of belongings, perhaps due to the death of an ox or [...]
Old buildings in the Meribel valley, France We’ve made it to Chandon, Meribel. The view from our windows includes several ancient buildings, barns in disrepair quietly passing through time. Beams of timber, stone, and plaster patiently bearing snow of the winter season, another year blending into other decades. It was raining yesterday, as we settled [...] February 24th or 25th, Somewhere over the Atlantic, waking up. The low passenger count on this flight allowed me the best sleep I’ve ever had in flight, although I have no idea how long. Of course, the two and a half hour night before we left helped me sleep now. The last few days were [...] Breathe. The swarm of thoughts and details that buzz through my head include an important one which I keep pulling back to the surface. Breathe. I look through my countdown list several times a day, and try to keep myself working on something, anything, rather than stare at it in blind panic. As things have [...] |
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