Hey friends, I receive many questions / comments asking me to explain the value a family receives from attending our popup events. Well, they word it in a different manner such as “why does it cost so much?” or “is it worth the money?”
Siem Reap Pop-Up 2024
Like the saying, “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,” the pop-ups provide different benefits for different types of people. Many of our attending families find multiple layers of value within our events and look forward to attending more in the future.
But First… Does It Really Cost That Much?
I’ll begin by saying I’ve worked on pricing for a long time and do my best to keep our events affordable. For a family of four, a popup runs US$4.00 - 6.50 -per–person–per–day to have someone plan a thoughtful week of engaging activities.
Not only do we make sure your family experiences the highlights of the local nature, history, art, food, & culture… but we also guarantee you’ll share those activities with worldschool peers!
We work very hard to create fantastic itineraries as well as draw other families to the same destination at the same time as you! This didn’t just happen by itself. With our popups, someone (specifically your host and me) has put loads of hours into our events to ensure your family gets a great overview of the destination and the opportunity to connect with other unique and inspiring families.
And this is the key – the popups truly are not about the list of activities. Of course the itinerary is an important piece of the puzzle… but the real value comes from meeting other families like yours, families willing to break the mold and live life on their own terms.
Yogyakarta 2024, Brasov 2024, Bentonville Arkansas 2022
So who benefits from our popups? There's a little something for everyone!
The Planner
It’s very likely someone in your family spends much of their time picking museums to visit, finding unique things to learn while traveling, looking for the best night markets, researching appropriate activities for kids in the area, locating playgrounds and outdoor areas to burn off some energy, or even choosing which destination is next in line.
We carefully craft our events with diverse activities: museums, parks & plazas, festivals, nature areas, historical sites, local classes, food courts / street food, active options like hiking or biking, stroll-able areas like pedestrian malls or riverside walks, local markets, and often a fun thing or two (say a reasonably priced waterpark, upside-down house, or amusement park). Though you won’t find all these options in any single event, we spend lots of time behind the scenes to research a wide variety of engaging activities for the kids.
Not only are all the bases covered, but each evening you receive a reminder message from the host with the following day’s program and location pins. It’s such a fantastic system – the plan is in place, someone reminds you of tomorrow’s activities, and your family just chooses how much to participate.
Your “Planner” will be so grateful that the must-see activities are scheduled and grouped by neighborhood for maximum sight-seeing efficiency… there is very little decision-making during the week when someone else did all the research and organizing. The “Planner” gets the unique experience of sitting back and enjoying the week!
Marathon Texas 2023
The Budgeter
I often hear people say “I don’t have enough money to worldschool” or “there’s no way I can afford a hub and all the activities they do.” I’d like to challenge that…
Families do not need to be independently wealthy to live this lifestyle. They may need to be creative, but there are ways to explore our planet without breaking the bank.
My family went full time in 2018, and we can live on less money now than we could when living in our passport country. BUT we are careful with our budget… not stingy, yet we thoughtfully consider prices of activities, meals, lodging, transport, etc, as we travel. We decide if each activity is worth a splurge, or if we save our dollars for another experience in the future.
Our popups are designed in the same manner as my family’s approach. We’re not throwing money around at high-priced attractions like Disney or zip-lining and ATV-ing… we don’t even eat out much (unless we are in an area where eating out is very cost-effective).
Each itinerary is based on free and low-cost activities so your family won’t feel pressured to spend big bucks once you arrive. Of course there is variation within each destination, but we do try to have inexpensive alternatives if we include an activity with a higher entrance fee.
Over the course of the week, there will be a handful of activities with additional costs such as museums, park entrance, or workshops where families cover their own fees. If an activity has a higher cost, like Angkor Wat or the Tower of London or the Parthenon, we only include those for culturally significant experiences, and often these are must-see locations that worldschoolers already plan to visit while nearby.
Regardless, every activity on our schedule is optional – if there is something that doesn’t meet your budget, there is no pressure to attend every event. To me it’s a no-brainer. If the itinerary includes a more expensive item, there likely is good reason to splurge while we’re in the area. Even within my family we occasionally split up (perhaps no one wants to do the cooking class or gondola ride). We’ll just catch up with the group later in the day.
Also, our itineraries are released 2-3 weeks prior to the start date so prices are not a surprise (disclaimer: it’s happened more than once that prices have increased since we finalized the schedule). Your “Budgeter” will have time to decide which activities your family will attend that week, along with a decent idea of upcoming costs. Plus, there will absolutely be an inexpensive activity each day, so you’ll never be left out if you have to decline an activity due to budget.
Iceland 2022, Poconos Mountains 2024, Yakumo 2024
The “Tooth-Puller”
We have a saying in the US that when something is difficult to accomplish, it’s like pulling teeth!
Thanks Grammarist: Like pulling teeth is an idiom indicating that something is exceptionally difficult or unpleasant, especially when it requires cooperation from an unwilling participant.
Do you ever have unwilling participants? In my family the “Tooth-Puller” is the one convincing the kids it’s time to get out of the house and explore something that may not be their first choice… but is also very relevant to learning more about the local area.
The good news is that when the popup is in full force, families want to hang out together… if the itinerary says we’re visiting the Museum of Modern Art or hiking up the hill to the vista point or waking up at 4:30am to see sunrise at Angkor Wat (!!!), it’s 100% more likely that the kids will be on board with the plan because the other friends will be there.
Aside: there was still some grumbling for the 5am morning, but manageable 😉 not pulling teeth.
Your “Tooth-Puller” will appreciate that the work has already been done for them and the kids will be more open to activities they may normally dismiss as boring, uninspiring... or stupid.
The Second-Guesser
Many of us in the worldschool lifestyle have our own questions about whether this is the best route forward for our families. We often trust the path wholeheartedly, but there can be underlying questions such as “am I providing the best experiences for my children?” or “will they learn what they need to be productive adults?” or “can they get into university if they choose to do so?”
This is one of the aspects I love most of the popups. I get to talk with many families, learning their views and strategies for raising their children to be amazing adults… but I gain so much more: their favorite places they’ve visited, how long they stay in destinations, how they educate their children, how they fund their lifestyle, how they’ve dealt with naysayers, how they keep up with family/friends back home, how they manage their children’s needs and desires, how they’ve found creative solutions to so many worldschool issues – the amount of relevant information we can learn from one another is astronomical!
Your “Second-Guesser” will have a receptive sounding board for their concerns. Interacting with other like-minded and creative families validates our life goals and choices. It’s a huge advantage to learn from one another and add a few more tools to our toolkit for dealing with whatever life throws our way.
Normandy 2023
The Lonely One
As much as I love worldschooling, we sometimes experience lulls in socializing and creating meaningful connections with peers – maybe we’re in a remote area, or perhaps a place without many children, or something like covid happens and changes the dynamics of how people interact with strangers.
In my opinion, if a family does not consider how they will socialize while they worldschool, it increases the risk of creating an isolated environment that cannot meet the needs of the children (or adults).
This is why the Worldschool Pop-Up Hub was born – WE WERE LONELY. After three years fulltime worldschooling, we only met two worldschool families (and not for lack of trying) before we landed at the hub in La Herradura Spain. Ah, those first moments being surrounded by other families who understood our lifestyle goals were pure bliss!
We didn’t even know how lonely we had become. Seriously, we all need to keep tabs on this!
I often see families post in the worldschool groups that they plan to go back home because the kids just don’t want to travel. First of all, this is 100% acceptable, there is no judgment at all… for some families it is the best move, their kids honestly do not like the travel lifestyle, and I won’t pretend I have all the answers for each family’s specific dynamics.
However, many of the posts often mention it is because the children want access to friends. If the family has not found a solution to this important developmental need for their kids while traveling, the kids absolutely will want to go back to the last place they remember hanging with friends.
Same with my kids! For a while all three of them just wanted “to go back to school.” When we talked about what they missed from school – the classes, the routine, daytimes away from the family, the peers, being stationary, the sports team & drama clubs, etc – it all came down to being around friends.
So instead of equating friends with school, we rolled with it and found an easy way to create connections with other traveling families via popups and worldschool community options. My family has benefited tremendously from interacting with other worldschoolers (we’ve made so many Forever Friends), and I know so many others have as well. Your “Lonely One(s)” don’t need to be lonely, you never need to do this alone ❤️
The Solo Parent
Hello Solo Parents, I see you! Not only are you raising wonderful humans, but you may be doing it without the support of another adult figure. I’m always impressed by those of you traveling with your kids on your own.
It’s challenging to manage all the decision-making from education to destination to meal prep to discipline to transport to screen time to budget… as well as being the readily available adult for your child(ren) during your adventures. Perhaps you’re their only companion while you travel.
Additionally, the choices you make are made without much outside adult input –in some cases that’s an advantage, but it also means you may not have another adult to use as a sounding board or decision assistance. It takes a lot of energy to do what you do!
We’ve had loads of solo parents attend our popups. It’s such a relief to have the planning in place as well a built-in social circle for you and your child(ren). And there are other advantages, too… occasionally solo parents share lodging or transport with one other to cut costs (just post in the popup’s private FB group to see if anyone is available).
I believe that our Solo Parents have the highest return rate for attending multiple popups! It’s refreshing and validating to access a network of like-minded folk who believe you are making fantastic choices for your family.
Kuala Lumpur 2024
The Adolescent
Oh man – one of my favorite things! Our events have an excellent track record for attracting teens and tweens. Maybe one of those reasons is because my family has teens and we’ve been worldschooling since they were 8, 11, and 13.
Another reason is when worldschool children start entering tween & teen years a few developmental changes occur: there is more need for peers and autonomy, children are more likely to notice their own needs, they are more likely to voice those needs, and they are outgrowing the standard way of meeting other peers (free play at a playground, sharing a bucket and shovel at the beach, going to a children’s program at a local library).
Families with children entering this stage need a plan to meet their child’s social needs. Though the worldschool hub world is expanding rapidly, hubs weren’t always designed for adolescents. Many have programming up through age 10 or 12… and the available programming is drying up just adolescent needs are expanding.
Families with teens/tweens are looking for opportunities to meet and gather and foster peer relationships. Our popups offer a simple and casual solution: meet for a week, no pressure to attend everything, see if you make some friends, but also if it isn’t a good fit, there really isn’t anything lost. It’s all about providing opportunity. Each popup has the potential for your “Adolescent” to create connections with peers, and not only similarly aged children, but children who know and understand the challenges of living this lifestyle.
PS I blog a bit about traveling with teens. Please check the "Travel With Teens" blog category.
The Local
Locals attend our events all the time… but why? They already know the area, likely have been to the itinerary activities more than once, and really don’t need anyone to coordinate a list of cool things to do in their town…
But here’s the thing… they don’t come for the activities. Locals attend our popups for the community, the connections, and to satisfy their curiosity about who is visiting their town. It’s always neat to share your favorite experiences with people who are seeing it for the first time! And we have such an assortment of families who attend our events, there are always interesting people and kids to meet.
I do have one request for the locals – please try to attend as much as possible. I know you’re working around work and school schedules, but past participants have expressed that they would have liked more time with those living in the area to hear their viewpoints and get an inside perspective as to what life is like in your homebase. We value you, too!
Our Da-Nang Pop-Up at Ba Na Hills 2024
The Grandparent
This one is so important to me. Embracing the worldschool lifestyle can create concerns for extended family, especially if those family members were raised in a different manner.
I can’t tell you all the doubts I’ve repeatedly heard about worldschooled children: how will they make friends? what are they learning? will they know how to listen to a leader? can they get along with their peers? are you isolating them from society? are you living a stable lifestyle?
Sometimes the best thing is to see worldschooling in action! Watching the children interact in multi-age groups and meeting other families successfully embracing this lifestyle can reassure grandparents that the grandkids are not slipping through the cracks. Talking with other families embracing the same lifestyle can help quell fears.
It’s really beautiful to see all the things we can create for our children when we live intentionally… and to witness it happen spontaneously within a community is powerful.
Lastly – grandparents always attend for free with their family and our itineraries are flexible. This means they can choose the amount of participation that meets their activity level or need for a break. Grandparents are always welcome!
The Newbie
Oh boy – the newbie! I wish these gatherings were available when we started worldschooling. The conversations we have and the information I glean from other participants are invaluable. This would have shortened our worldschool learning curve when we were just starting.
Even as a seasoned worldschooler, I always learn something new from other families. We chat travel strategies, how to support our kids, international education programs, hub life, feeling isolated, keeping up on medical care, investment and money management, our favorite cuisines, how to sleep better, age-appropriate responsibilities for our children… just about everything under the sun! It’s basically a way to surround yourself with supportive mentors both for the parents and the children.
Here’s a quote from one of our newbies, more on our Testimonials Page.
As a family brand new to worldschooling, the pop-up was an invaluable experience. Not only did we have quality built-in playmates for our kids (I was endlessly impressed by every child in this group), but in listening to others’ stories, I gained months of knowledge about the options, challenges, and joys of this lifestyle. After each day, I came home engulfed in thought and could reflect on my family and consider what might work best for us. So grateful for the experience, and the connections we've made with this wonderful community!!
—Nataliya P
Admiring street art in Penang 2024!
The Seasoned Traveler
And you seasoned travelers? I have seen so many of us embracing the words and experiences of the other worldschoolers we meet. Pop-ups are an opportunity for you to share your stories (let’s face it, not everyone in the “real world” is interested in worldschool chatter) and your valuable insights on what has worked / not worked for your family.
More than once I’ve seen seasoned travelers gather relevant information which has sent them in a new, and better-suited, trajectory for their family. Maybe they gain the confidence to travel to an area that they knew little about, or they can give their teens more freedoms to explore the area without parents, or they realize something isn’t working in their lifestyle and have support for making a tough decision, or perhaps they met a few super compatible families and create a co-travel group for a period of time.
I’ve seen so many friendships forged in such a short time – families who continue to meet up with each other whenever their paths can reasonably cross!
The Worldschool-Curious
We are an inclusive entity – if there is a family who values travel and is curious how worldschooling can fit into their life, they are more than welcome to attend. Be forewarned…
hanging out with encouraging people who have figured out this lifestyle is very enticing! Our families absolutely will help you find ways to tweak your lifestyle and create more opportunity for travel.
I think my family’s scariest part of worldschooling was getting started. We had no mentors. We didn’t know anyone who was traveling full-time with their kids (other than a random memoir). We didn’t know if we would find what we needed on the road. I didn’t even know about the term “worldschooling” until our second year of travel!
I envy that you’ve found us at such a pivotal point in your life path. Meeting inspirational families is the perfect way to jumpstart your worldschool potential.
Seoul 2023, Siem Reap 2023, Buenos Aires 2023
The National Park Seeker, the Passport Stamp Collector, the Instagrammer…
The Gap Year Family, the Slow-Traveler, the Friend Collector, the Dreamer, the Campervan Family, the Sailors, the Part-Timers, the Introvert…
Whoever you are, I believe you will find something of value in our events. Even you, The Skeptic!
The Skeptic
On the surface our popups might appear to be an overpriced list of activities… but for those having a hard time finding like-minded families while they travel, it is a welcomed reprieve to be surrounded by people who understand the challenges of living a lifestyle outside of the traditional path.
As much as one might think the goal of the pop-up is to tick off a list of cool things to do, the truth is connecting with others and creating the opportunity for our kids to play with peers who understand their lifestyle is the real, desired outcome.
For families struggling to find solid community, these events are extremely valuable. I have made numerous Forever Friends by finding others who understand my non-traditional lifestyle, my kids now have a mobile social circle that we can meet repeatedly as we travel, and my number one goal is to support the social needs of the worldschool community and ensure they also have these opportunities, too.
So is it “worth the money” – for me and many families who’ve returned over and over again, it’s a resounding YES! Cheers to finding unique locations to explore & amazing people to meet!
I hope to meet you soon!
More Information:
Details such as what is/isn’t included in our popups, including sample itineraries: Event Details
Frequently Asked Questions: FAQs
How to prepare for attending a popup: Pop-Up Prep
Articles & videos others have produced about attending our popups: Press
Other established worldschool hubs: Where Do I Find Worldschool Community?
Madison 2023, Almaty 2024, and Taipei 2023
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