Why do I love Central America?

Oh gee…where to begin!?

The first thing that pops into my mind is a song the nuns sing in Sound of Music (sorry–I’ve been in Austria, lately!).  They’re describing wild, energetic Maria…but they may as well be expressing my feelings on Central America:        

How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?       

How do you find a word that means Maria [Central America] ?       

How do you catch a moonbeam in your hands?  

How do you put into words something that isn’t tangible, and easy to pinpoint with exactness?  How do you express a feeling? 

But…I have to try. So, here is my little list about some of the reasons I love Central America, and why it holds a big part of my heart!

I love the colors of Central America

Let’s face it–the colors of Central America are blindingly beautiful. I mean, REALLY beautiful!  Can I underline that and bold it a few more times? Guatemala is a rainbow of colors that excites the senses. You can’t stop pulling your jaw off the ground! The houses, the fabrics, the fruits, the mountains, etc…

I love the personality of Central Americans

Central Americans are some of the kindest, most humble people I have met. They are sweet, genuine, and they love to laugh. Latin Americans know how to party, and they’re not going to push you out their door and tell you its time for them to go to bed. Oh, no…certainly not! As long as you are happily their guest, they are happily your host. They give and give when they  sometimes have so little.

I love the focus of family in Central America

Family comes first. Always.  Someone loses a job?–they turn to their family. Someone is aging and needs looked after?–they turn to their family. The family is the unit that holds Central America together. As a traveling family, I’ve always felt that we have had extra eyes watching over us–because Central Americans respect families with children and they give attention and affection towards the children (none of this “seen, but not heard” nonsense). Yup, they still know what makes the world go ’round

I love the work ethic of Central Americans

They are HARD workers. Living lives so unlike Americans, a large majority of the population does hard physical labor every day of their lives–washing laundry by hand, hauling water in buckets, building homes from brick, collecting firewood, etc.  If they need to feed their family, they do not sit back and wait for some government assistance. They get to work! They bear their burdens with a smile on their face–performing the same tasks day after day–satisfied and appreciative of the life that they have.

I love the simplicity of Central America

In Central America there is no preoccupation with keeping up with the Joneses. In fact, I think perhaps it’s the opposite?  “Oh, you bought a new water heater? Well…look how I fixed up our old one so I didn’t have to buy a new one!”  There is pride in resourcefulness and frugality–a trait I feel we have sadly lost in the US. Everything is reused and recycled–why buy new, when you can make it work?

I love the history and architecture of Central America

Central America is sadly under-appreciated as a travel destination. Within its borders, you will be exposed to immense amounts of history and intrigue, not to mention ancient and colonial architecture! Central Americans are eager to share their cultural heritage with foreigners who appreciate it with sincerity.

Most of all, I love the adventure of Central America

There’s something about Central American (and Latin America in general) that just makes me feel alive. Sure, it doesn’t always come with the conveniences of a perfectly clean hotel room, convenient Wifi, easy transportation, predictable restaurants, or an English language base to make traveling super easy or efficient.

But it IS worth it… soooooooooo worth it!

Alisa and her husband are digital nomads, living a life of travel and exploration with their three young children in tow. After living in and exploring Mexico extensively for two years (delving further south into Guatemala and Belize, as well), they are off to some new adventures that include Europe and Thailand. They are happily building a lifestyle that is outside of the box, and perfectly catered to their family. You can follow their adventures at www.livingoutsideofthebox.com

We are a family of 5. My husband and I met while working summer jobs in Alaska, and we fell in love with an unusual lifestyle of moving to and from Alaska each year, which we kept up for about 8 years. I suppose you can say it created within us a desire to move every 6 months or less…

On first meeting, many people often think my husband is quiet and shy, but he most certainly isn’t—he is a talkative and social person. He has no problem striking up conversations with just about anyone—and he loves to learn all about people and their lifestyles. He devours information—and loves geography. He is an explorer, and can’t help but turn down nearly every road possible, just to see where it goes. I have to reign him in a bit!

As for me—I also love exploration, and experiencing new cultures. I come across as the social bug in the family, although I’d say I’m really an introvert in hiding. I’m extremely inquisitive and will ask a lot of questions until I have answers. I am also extremely forgetful—so I’ll have to ask Jared later what the answers wer!

We are happiest when we’re in the middle of some new experience—looking over the heads of our kids—and saying to each other, “WOW! I can’t believe we get to be here!”

Our oldest, Ella, is 7, and is a hard-to-please personality. She claims to not like traveling, but truthfully she doesn’t like anything unless it includes her friends doing exactly what she wants to do. I’m scared for the upcoming teenage years! Thankfully, she makes friends very quickly and without reservations, and little things like playgrounds keep her temper at bay. She is also very loving and doting over her younger brother and sister (when she wants to be).

Maiya is 4 ½, and she can be a struggle when traveling. She is a terrible walker, and always claims that her “legs are asleep.” No matter how many times I try to explain this is impossible, she persists in acting like she can’t move more than 5 minutes a time. It makes for some long traveling days! She has a very loving and goofy personality, and loves to joke around.

Ethan is 2, and is an absolute handful! He is 100% boy—he wants to be playing with cars, playing in the water, playing in the dirt, and in general—running away from us! We have to keep a close eye on him, because he would run off in a crowd without looking back. He also loves his sisters, and will go just about anywhere with their coaching

Where are you now, where have you been and how long have you been traveling?

We are currently in Germany. We moved out of the states permanently in January 2011, and had full intentions of living in Central Mexico indefinitely. After 1 ½ years of exploring the beautiful country of Mexico (which is ENERMOUS!), and neighboring countries like Guatemala and Belize…we decided we were ready for another adventure. So, no “settling down” as of yet, for us–the world is too big! We will be in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland for the next month (September), and then we’ll head down to Spain for a month and a half (we’re allergic to the cold, now)! After that, we have open-ended tickets to Thailand!

Why do you travel as a family?

We do it because we love it, right down to our core. It’s where the magic happens—where we put aside our preconceived notions and step out of our comfort zone. We love being able to share the world with our kids—and most importantly—teach them that the world is a lot bigger than they are. When we see what most kids are like in the US (and many other countries in the world), it is clear to us that our goal is for our children to see a bigger picture. We don’t want our kids buried in iPods by age 8, and watching TV and focusing on consumption for the rest of their lives. We want them to realize that people live many different lifestyles, and that every lifestyle and culture has value! Life can have a lot more meaning to it than Black Friday sales.

What are some of the benefits your family has experienced as a result your travels?

It gives us more opportunities to focus on our children. We work from home, and it can be difficult to pry ourselves away from our computers and just see them. When we’re traveling, they get much more undivided attention! We’ve also made friends all over the world—which is one of the biggest rewards. The memories we’ve built together will be a lot more life-impacting than watching a TV show in the comfort of your couch at home. Giving our children that will change them forever.

What inspired you and your family to incorporate travel into your lifestyle?

When we made the original decision to move to Mexico “indefinitely”, we still planned to travel 2-3 months of the year. It was only after meeting other like-minded traveling families that we finally put the idea aside and said, “If they can do it…why not us?! What’s the hurry to “settle” down, anyways?” Sharing ideas and learning from other like-minded people was and is inspiring, and exactly the motivation we needed. We have the benefit of not needing to be in an office 9-5, we don’t have a permanent home or mortgage, so there is nothing really holding us back.

How do you address education while you are traveling?

Our children are still very young, and we’re still learning in the whole education department. The idea of unschooling/worldschooling is very appealing—as I think most of life’s most valuable lessons can be best learned with real-life applications. Up until this point, our girls have been in a private bilingual school in Mexico. It was an excellent school, but I was exasperated that they load 6 years old down with at least an hour’s worth of homework each day—they had just spent 7 hours sitting in a classroom! Looking through their schoolbooks, I realize that almost everything in there can be taught just through day-to-day interaction with my kids. They don’t need to draw and read about the seasons in a book, they can experience them in person, and reflect on them verbally!

I also love how our children have grown very confident with languages. They are not afraid of the idea of speaking another language (they both speak Spanish pretty well, and probably would have been fluent had we stayed another year in Mexico). When planning to come to Germany, our 7 year old said, “Oh, I’m sure a friend can teach me German”, as if it was just as easy as playing on playground equipment. They’re not afraid of learning—and they are confident in their abilities to learn! I don’t want them to ever lose that!

How do you and your family experience being global citizens?

When we travel we try hard not to be our own worst enemies. We try not to look and act like privileged Americans who expect and demand everything be a certain way. We try to roll with the punches, and are flexible in our itineraries, food menus, and living arrangements. We look for the good in every culture, and focus on that. There is no beauty in going into another culture, and railing on it and telling others what is wrong with their culture. Being a global citizen is to accept anyone from anywhere, and acknowledge that we are all one giant family. If there’s one lesson our children get out of this—I hope it is this.!

Can you share one of your family’s most memorable experiences?

Pinpointing just one experience is so hard to do. Some trip highlights walking through Day of the Dead festivities near Patzcuaro, Mexico, and observing endless Semana Santa parades in Antigua, Guatemala. Those were moments where our mouths hung open, and we just said “WOW!” We also particularly enjoyed visiting the butterfly reserves in Michoacan, Mexico. After hiking all morning, we finally found the trees where literally millions of migrating butterflies were huddled together to stay warm. The sun came out and warmed them up, making the branches come alive with fluttering butterflies, which quickly filled the sky. It was one of those times when speaking just didn’t feel reverent enough.

Can you share one story from your travel experiences when you and your family had an “aha moment”.

We were once in Lake Bacalar Mexico for a week, and met a lovely local family that babysat our children while we escaped for a date night. When we returned, we picked up our children from this family’s very humble home (concrete floors, two beds for a family of 6, etc), and on the drive home our (then) 6 year old daughter exclaimed, “They’re not poor at all!” My husband and I had never used the word “poor” in front of her, and we certainly hadn’t commented on the humbleness of their home to her. But she, having spent a wonderful evening playing with this family’s children, deduced that they must not be a poor family—because they are happy. And sure enough, that is not being poor!

What’s next?
Other than our flight to Thailand in November, we have no definite plans. We hope we fall in love with Thailand and that we can spend a great deal of time exploring that side of the world, bouncing back to Europe every summer to experience more here, as well! When you look at all of the places on the map—it’s hard to think a lifetime is long enough to see it all!

Name: Alisa & Jared from Living Outside of the Box
web site: www.Livingoutsideofthebox.com
facebook: facbook fan page

We’re suckers for covered bridges, and Thun had a very beautiful one!!

We considered whether or not we should leave the girls behind…

An impromptu photo session helped break up the walking…

The castle is peaking over the top left of the photo below:

I wish I knew the story of this sunken boat sculpture, but I can only guess!

Medieval castle can again be seen just to the left of the tallest tower:

Maiya forgot how to walk. Again.

We happened upon an open-air market with many vendors, including vendors selling some second-hand clothes. Since it was cooling down more and more, we let Ella pick out a sweatshirt.

I was tempted to purchase some musical instruments for my parents (both musicians), but since we were on a long-haul trip, souvenirs like this weren’t a luxury we could carry.

We admired the detail of various buildings and signs:

Ella wore the crown:

I loved this fire department vehicle:

I would definitely recommend a stroll through Thun! Is there anywhere in Switzerland that isn’t GORGEOUS?!  Hm…I think not!

If you’re looking for a script for an activity, here’s one I put together with the help of other resources I found online, and then edited to fit our needs. For our activity, we met on a farm/ranch with the youth, leaders and “ma’s and pa’s”. We invited everyone to come in their trek-wear, which made it feel and look authentic. We had “Captain Willie” gather everyone together (sitting on the ground), and he led off the company meeting. The characters from this script were pre-selected from various participants, and they were scattered among the audience. Each stood up in turn, and had their parts memorized. It was a very moving experience to have this “conversation”, as if we were truly part of the company having to make the hard decision about when to leave on our journey.

SCRIPT:

Captain Willie: I want to welcome you brothers and sisters tonight, and thank you for joining us! My name is James Willie. Some of you may know me better as Elder Willie, as I have been serving among you as a missionary in England, my native homeland. I joined the church 20 years ago and emigrated to the United States to live among the saints in Utah. I have been blessed to serve the Lord in England for four years, and am pleased to now return to Utah while serving as your handcart company captain. As you know, the first Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ has issued the following General epistles (it is okay to read this part, as if it is from a letter)—“To all Saints in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and the adjacent islands and countries, we say emigrate as speedily as possible to this vicinity . . . “(December 29, 1955). Even so, “let all things be done in order, and let all the Saints who can, gather up for Zion and come while the way is open before them; let the poor also come, whether they receive aid or not from the [Perpetual Education] Fund, let them come on foot, with handcarts or wheelbarrows; let them gird up their loins and walk through, and nothing shall hinder or stay them . . .” (Oct 29, 1855).

We have a long journey ahead of us, and I’d like to invite some among this company to introduce yourselves to those who will share this crossing with you. If you could please stand up and tell us a bit about yourselves and where you’re from, we’d be much obliged.

(we’ll then have introductions…some of these which may be eliminated depending on participant availability)

1. My name is Ole Madsen, and I’m a farmer and laborer from Denmark. While in Denmark, we often held meetings for our branch in our home. We experienced a lot of persecution after joining the church. We had to withdraw our children from school, and one time a mob gathered outside our home as the missionaries were inside, and they threw rotten eggs at our windows. I am traveling with my wife, Anna and four of our children, ages 5-15. Our oldest daughter, Karen, traveled with us to Copenhagen, but she had a dream that her aunt had died, so she turned back. Sure enough, we received word that my wife’s sister had indeed died, so our daughter stayed in Denmark to help with the burial and to help her children. We can only pray that someday we will all be together again.

2. My name is Anne Olsen, and I’m also coming from Denmark with the Danish saints! The journey by boat was long to get here, and I was planning to travel by wagon train instead of handcart. However, as we were pulling into the New York harbor Elder Ahmanson spoke to the Saints and requested that those who had temporal means to help others should do so. I’ve felt impressed to step forward and give all I have to help the other Saints, so I will be traveling by the less-expensive method of handcart, instead. I am a widow, so I am the only one left to care for my 12-yr old son, Lorenzo. I pray that we will make it to Zion together in safety. (Esther Pollack)

3. I am William James, and I’m a farm laborer from Worcestershire, England. My wife, Jane, and I joined the church two years ago and have eight children. At least, we did have eight children—our precious baby Jane died near the end of our six week journey across the ocean. It nearly broke my wife’s heart. She begged the captain to let her keep the baby so she could have a proper burial on land, but he felt it wasn’t wise, so we had to bury her at sea. She was just 8 months old. (Nate Tanner)

4. My name is Bodil Malene Mortensen, but my parents combined my first and middle name and just call me Balena. I am almost 10 years old and am the fourth of five children. My father is a weaver and a well-digger, so he doesn’t have enough money for the whole family to travel to Zion together. They’ve already sent my older sister, Anne Margaret, to Zion. And now it’s my turn! I’m excited to see Margaret again, but I was sad to leave my parents and siblings behind in Denmark. I can’t wait until we’re all together in Zion next year. On the ship we saw many huge icebergs and a wrecked ship floating in the water. I even saw dozens of sea horses, or I guess you call them dolphins. The sailors caught one boy from England who stowed away. They usually punish stowaways by making them wear a wooden jacket or barrel, but this boy was a member of the church so the captain collected 2 pounds to pay for his passage. The Danish Saints gave three dollars to help pay for his ticket. I am traveling with the Nielsen family, and it’s my job to take care of their little son, Niels, who is five years old. Here he is now—

5. (Niels Nielson) Actually, I’m almost six years old. I can’t wait for my birthday on October 29th—maybe we’ll already be in Zion! I’m a little sad that we sold our farm in Denmark, but Dad says the money we got will help lots of families go to Zion, not just ours. We were on the boat for forever. I was really sad when my friend Thomas Pedersen, who was almost my same age, fell down from the top deck to the bottom deck. I wanted him to get better but he died four days later. They wrapped him in an American flag before they buried him at sea. We even had a fire in between the two decks, but we all prayed and prayed. We were really glad that they were able to put the fire out.

6. My name is Lollie Neilson and I’m also from Denmark, though I’m not related to little Niels. I left my home in Denmark with my dear grandparents, but I unfortunately lost them in the first part of the journey before we even made it to Liverpool. I am traveling with the Wicklund family so I can help with their four young children. Sister Wicklund will certainly need my help when she delivers her baby, which should come sometime in October. I hope I will be a help and a comfort to her and her young family.

7. I am Lars Wandelin, and I’m from Sweden. I’m a watchmaker, and I joined the Church in Denmark. I don’t have many worldly possessions and couldn’t carry them in a handcart if I did, but I do have a treasured silver watch. If something is to happen to me along the way, please do not bury my watch with me. I want it to be turned over to the Perpetual Emigration Fund to be used to assist others in coming to the Valley. 

Captain Willie: Thank you for some of your introductions. I look forward to getting to know many of you over these next few months and learning more of your stories of conversion.

On a more solemn note, we’ve also gathered you together today to discuss some complications that have arisen. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are already months behind the typical departure time for handcart companies. While many companies have traveled successfully before us, none have left so late in the season. We need to consider if we should continue our journey of over 1,000 miles and risk winter storms, or stop here in Florence, Nebraska for the winter. If we stay here, we will be a burden to this community as well as face other challenges such as a shortage of jobs and resources. We have been asked by a prophet of God to gather to Zion. We know that it will not be easy. There are challenges ahead with either choice, but Brothers and Sisters, I exhort you to go forward regardless of suffering, even to death. There are some who may not share my determination to follow the counsel of our prophet, and you have the choice to wait here until spring. I’d like to introduce Levi Savage, who is another one of our sub-captains. Brother Savage, will you please share your thoughts with us?

Levi Savage: If I speak, I must speak my mind–let it cut where it will.

Captain Willie: You may certainly do so.

Levi Savage: As we ascertain who wishes to go on now, and who wishes to remain here, I must speak my mind. I, myself, am not in favor of taking women and children through when they are destitute of clothing, when we all know that we are bound to be caught in the snow and severe cold weather long before we reach the valley. If we proceed, there are many hardships that we should have to endure. We are liable to have to wade in snow up to our knees at night wrap ourselves in a thin blanket and lie on the frozen ground without a bed. We won’t have wagons that we can go into, and wrap ourselves in as much as we like and [lie] down. No, we are without wagons, destitute of clothing, and we couldn’t carry more supplies, even if we had them. We must go as we are. The handcart system I do not condemn. In fact, I think it preferable to unbroken oxen and experienced teamsters. The lateness of the season is my only objection to leaving for the mountains at this time.

Captain Willie: The God that I serve is a God that is able to save to the uttermost. That is the God that I serve, and I want no Job’s comforters with us.

Levi Savage: What I’ve said is the truth. Elder Willey, if you do not want me to act in the place where I am, you are at full liberty to place another man in my stead. I would not think hard of you for it, But, I do not care what you said about Job’s comforters. I have spoken nothing but the truth and you and others know that.

Captain Willie: (seeing another man raise his hand or stand, acknowledge him) Millen Atwood, I see that you also would like to share some thoughts with us. Brothers and Sisters, Millen Atwood is also one of our sub-captains.

Elder Atwood: I must confess that two nights ago, Brother Savage and I discussed this matter. Since I have been a member of this Church and with all my experience, I have never been placed in a position where things seem so dark to me as it does to undertake to take this company through at this late season of the year.

Nevertheless, I have listened today to what has been said. I exhort you to pray to God and get a revelation and know for yourselves whether you should go or stay, for it is your privilege to know for yourselves.

Lars Wandelin: May I have a word? You may ask yourselves what it is that gives you the strength and courage, against all odds, to remain faithful and come on this long journey? You have never met the Prophet Joseph. The good news of the restoration has reached most of you in far-away lands, long after the martyrdom. Yet you, and I, know that Joseph was called of God and truly was a Prophet. We know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. We go to Zion to be obedient to the commandments of the true and living God. We pray that our posterity will stand firm and faithful to the truth, and be willing to suffer, and sacrifice all things they may be required to pass thru for the Kingdom of God’s sake.

Captain Willie: Those in favor of proceeding on our journey, raise your hands (pause to wait for hands to slowly and thoughtfully raise). Brother Savage, will you stay behind?

Levi Savage: “Brethren and sisters, what I have said I know to be true, but seeing you are to go forward, I will go with you, will help you all I can, will work with you, will rest with you, will suffer with you, and if necessary I will die with you. May God have mercy bless and preserve us.”

Captain Willie: Those of you who are willing to go—I will see you on the trail. Until then, let’s celebrate with a dance!

END OF  SCRIPT

Also, I made an intro video for our kickoff event. I made it generic, so that anyone can feel free to use it for their activities, or to share with their trek participants!

https://youtu.be/fnLoHNt_AA8

Here are links to some additional resources that I used in preparing the video and the script:

https://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1045&context=annals-of-iowa
https://history.lds.org/exhibit/willie-and-martin-remembered-a-tribute-to-the-mormon-handcart-pioneers?lang=eng
http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/pioneers_and_cowboys/handcartcompanies.html
https://wecandotrek.blogspot.com/p/vignettes-from-trek.html
https://www.lds.org/youth/activities/bc/pdfs/stake/Handcart-Stories.pdf?lang=eng
https://www.lds.org/youth/activities/bc/pdfs/stake/Handcart-Trek-Guidelines-June-2015.pdf?lang=eng
https://history.lds.org/exhibit/historic-sites/wyoming/passing-through-the-sweetwater?lang=eng
https://www.lds.org/youth/article/the-teens-of-the-plains?lang=eng
https://history.lds.org/section/pioneer-story?lang=eng
http://overlandtrails.lib.byu.edu/essay_mtrail.php
https://history.lds.org/article/historic-sites/wyoming/remembering-handcart-pioneers-in-the-sweetwater-valley?lang=eng
https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/pioneers?cid=lp-pc15-3361#/

Admittedly, New Zealand gets flooded with Asian tourists over the Chinese New Year. We found busloads of Chinese groups everywhere we went, and we sometimes found it humorous to watch what excited them the most. For example, in the evenings we saw buses drop off the busloads at the local Kuirau Park—and the adults ran around and enjoyed the children’s playground equipment (I didn’t see any kids in tow). My parents lived in China for half a year, and admitted that playground equipment like we’re used to is a bit of a novelty for the Chinese—so it’s no wonder they enjoyed it so much. It sure put a smile on our face just watching them!

Anyhow, we found info online that said there would be a Chinese New Year Celebration at the Rotorua Night Market (Thursdays) when we were in town. The event description said: “An evening bursting with activity for all the family – animal face painting, calligraphy, Chinese folk dances, Chinese food, dragon dances, lantern displays, a tea ceremony, Tai Chi, and the very significant red envelope gifting. A fabulous opportunity to experience traditional customs!”

And that, it was!

We stood right next to the drummers, which was an explosion of sound!

And sure enough, just as the event description said, our children were receivers of traditional red envelope gifting (with small coins inside).

It was a fun experience, and the crowds weren’t too terrible. If we hadn’t already eaten, there was also a plethora of food options which would have been yummy to try!

If you happen to be near Rotorua during their Chinese New Year Celebration, it’s a fun pit-stop that will have the kids entertained!

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://livingoutsideofthebox.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/P5075177.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]My name is Alisa, and I love traveling the world with my adventurous husband and rambunctious 5 small children. I am passionate about gorgeous scenery, meeting new people, and I’m a certified salad nut. Most of all, I love making memories with my family, and I enjoy sharing our travels with others! [/author_info] [/author]

It’s known for being a center of volcanic and geothermal activity—but unlike Rotorua (which is stinky), Taupo is not stinky, and is well known known for hot springs! It’s not nearly as “touristy” as Rotorua, and was a quieter stop during this busy Chinese New Year holiday!

We found a great, basic Taupo rental just West of town in a beautiful neighborhood. It had two bedrooms, and featured sealed plywood floors (we came across this numerous times in NZ)! The landlord lived next door, and rented this home out as a vacation rental to visitors:

The view from kitchen sink looked out towards the lake.

Just down the street was a park which we visited frequently.

The day after we arrived in town, I was shocked to get a message from an old college roommate, Lilian (who lives in Texas and loves to galavant around the world), telling me that she also was in Taupo while on a two-week stint in New Zealand! We hadn’t seen each other for at least 15 years (likely more)! Our visit was short, but sweet!

We were able to attend church in Taupo, and found the ward to be kind and welcoming. I introduced myself to three of the Young Women and asked them what their favorite activities were (so I could report back to my YW in Oregon). I was surprised to hear them rave about “net ball”, which I had to get an explanation for. It’s essentially New Zealand’s more-popular version of basketball (no dribbling or running with the ball, and no backboard). Who knew, right?

We had a lot of heavy, rainy weather while we were in Taupo, so we often stayed in the rental house and were fortunate that our host brought over some movies that helped keep the kids entertained.

One day we ventured out to Huka Honey Hive, which is a great spot to taste some authentic New Zealand honey of various flavors! This gift shop features an extensive tasting station, it also has a great informative area for kids to learn about bees and bee-keeping. We enjoyed looking through the glass to view the live bees at work in a beehive that was accessible to the bees from the outside.

But of course…the true highlight was the tasting station! Who knew there could be so many flavors?!! Every white sign below represents a different flavor (and this is just one half of the display):

Our very favorite honey turned out to be Lavendar Honey! It’s light, flowery, and oh-so-divine! Nothing like the manuka honey that New Zealand is famous for, or any type of “honey” you can find in the US. While New Zealand grocery stories have several rows dedicated to various flavors of honey, it seems the US just sticks to the golden honey-bear type flavor that I’ve never really enjoyed all that much.

The prices at Honey Hive were high, but there’s no comparing these honeys to the bland ones we’re used to. We bought a few very small jars that we rationed throughout our NZ travels.

One of the best highlights of our stay included going to AC Baths, which is a family-friendly recreation center with a complex outdoor pools, a “hydroslide” (waterslide), and indoor lesson/swimming lanes. But what makes it extra-special is that the pools are thermally heated using natural hot spring water (not stinky!). We spent hours soaking in the bathwater-like water, while it was fairly chilly outside and even rained on us for awhile.

A sign in the entrance indicated the water’s temperatures that day (in Celcius, of course):

And just for kicks, I took photos of a few other signs with the quirky New Zealand verbiage that always makes me smile:

And don’t forget your “togs”, okay?

We ended up staying longer than expected at the pools as we waited for the hydroslide to open (after school hours). What we didn’t realize then was that the privilege of riding the slide cost an extra $5 each for unlimited rides. Ouch! They let each child do one run for free, and we decided it wasn’t worth the extra $5 (when the children’s admittance to the pools was already $4/each).

A few other signs in Taupo also made me smile:

And I must admit…New Zealanders know how to “merge like a zip”!! They respectfully merge one car at a time, like a zipper. Apparently, Americans just can’t figure this out…

Baby food flavors often feature lamb, a New Zealand staple:

I may have fed my baby some spring lamb, but I skipped the mint peas, which I hear are quite good!

We told our landlord we were undecided about where to head after Taupo, and we asked if he had recommendations.  He mentioned that we wouldn’t be able to find accommodations in Napier, on the East Coast, during the following weekend. We inquired why, and he told us about the Napier Art Deco Festival . Of course it sounded amazing, and after further investigation and great lucky at finding a last-minute accommodation, off we went to the Coast, after all!

As we drove East towards Napier/Hawkes Bay, we enjoyed gorgeous vistas out the window:

I wouldn’t mind doing that drive again!

We returned briefly to Taupo at the end of our trip, on our return drive up from the South Island in April. The weather was clearer by then, so we stopped by Huka Falls, which is the biggest natural tourist attraction in Taupo.

Overall, Taupo is a sweet and simple town with enough to do, and yet not too much. It is sooo much less touristy than Rotorua, and the small-town feel was a great fit for our family.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://livingoutsideofthebox.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/P5075177.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]My name is Alisa, and I love traveling the world with my adventurous husband and rambunctious 5 small children. I am passionate about gorgeous scenery, meeting new people, and I’m a certified salad nut. Most of all, I love making memories with my family, and I enjoy sharing our travels with others! [/author_info] [/author]

Through Facebook and travel forums, I’ve gathered insights from fellow full-time travelers who often express their bittersweet feelings when it comes to concluding their journeys and facing the prospect of a “return home”. In an effort to delve deeper into this topic, I initiated a survey to explore potential discrepancies between those who seamlessly adapt to life back home and those who encounter challenges. Despite the modest participation of 45 families, I believe this survey sheds some light on the dynamics of repatriation for traveling families. As I sift through the responses, I aim to uncover valuable perspectives that could benefit not only my own understanding but also fellow travelers contemplating their next steps, perhaps even considering the transition aided by hybrid campers by Prime Campers.

Before jumping into the actual repatriation portion of the survey, I wanted to understand what precipitated the family travels in the first place. I asked survey participants why they started traveling, and let them select more than one reason (because, of course, there are many reasons we travel!). Of the participants, here are the percentages that selected the following answers:

So…everyone jumped off and began their extended travels. Whether those travels lasted 3 months, 1 year or 10 years, somewhere down the road they decided to return. So…I asked why did they return? Was it because they wanted to, or they felt forced? Survey says…

Ouch. Over 50% felt like they HAD to return, for one reason or another.

First, let’s take a look at those who did NOT feel forced to return. They reported that they:

Those that were “forced” to return had a whole slew of answers, including being out of money, required at a job, family/health concerns, a job working overseas ended, etc. Answers were all over the place!

Next, I wanted to know where people went when they returned—did you go somewhere new, or a familiar place you had lived before? The results showed:

Next…would you say that you made an easy adjustment when returning to your home country?

I thought the next question was the most telling. The same pie (above) is centered in the below image, but I’ve broken it down to additional answers for each party.  For those who answered “No” (they did NOT make an easy adjustment) 73.75% of those people felt they were FORCED to return. Of the 54.8% who answered “Yes” (they had an easy adjustment) 81.8% of them WANTED to return.

While it’s not surprising…it is telling. If you are going along in your travels and suddenly you are required to return home, the odds are certainly against you that you will NOT have an easy time adjusting. There are a billion reasons why…so I won’t go into that. But let’s just say that my talk went into “Reverse Culture Shock”, keys for success in adjusting to ANY culture (whether that’s your own, or a foreign culture), and ways to enjoy and honor your current home, wherever that may be.

But back to the survey…for kicks, I asked participants what surprised/shocked them the most about returning to their home culture after an extended time away. They answered:

I also wanted to know what kind of schooling returnees put their kids in. After all, when traveling there is no question that homeschooling/worldschooling is by far the trend. So…if people are returning home, are they sticking with that model or going back to the status-quo of enrolling their kids in school? Survey says:

Also, I wanted to know what struggles people had when returning home. What were some of the obstacles/discouragements they faced that made transitions difficult?

The truth is, the survey had a lot of questions, and divided responses up into had an easy time adjusting, and those who didn’t. I could go on and on with a lot of results, however, I only collated and prepared (aesthetically) the answers for the ones I wanted to use in my presentation/talk at the summit (because I do have a life…and as much as I wanted to make a beautiful presentation, I also need to feed my children and shower…on occasion). However, for those of you who are interested in looking more in detail at the survey questions/answers (and will then realize how cumbersome it was to sort through the data)—here is a link to view the results of all of the questions.

Thanks to all who participated—I appreciated that insight into your repatriation process, and I enjoyed sharing this at the Family Adventure Summit. Additionally, my family adored the summit and the opportunity to connect with so many like-minded families (shout-out for 2018, it’s in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico over Dia de los Muertos…I hope to meet you there)!!

Lastly, I just wanted to say that I appreciated this article, written by Jeremy from TravelFreak.net, entitled: Traveling The World To Find Myself Only Made Me Feel More Lost

While I in no way “feel lost” after traveling the world as his title might suggest, I think there are many travelers who can relate to some of his insights. I particularly appreciated these words he wrote:

“I realize now that this lifestyle has afforded me almost none of the things I need. Purpose, structure, community, and love are all key elements of a happy, healthy, sustainable life. And you know what the funny part is? I had those things five years ago…Buy a one-way ticket and go travel, dream, discover and love the world deeply. It will change your life at its very core. Travel is part of your journey, but remember that it’s only a single part…Transformation takes place within, and part of that transformation involves coming to terms with who you are and where you come from. Ultimately, we all have to return home at some point, wherever that may be.”

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://livingoutsideofthebox.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/P5075177.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]My name is Alisa, and I love traveling the world with my adventurous husband and rambunctious 5 small children (soon to be 6!). I am passionate about gorgeous scenery, meeting new people, and I’m a certified salad nut. Most of all, I love making memories with my family, and I enjoy sharing our travels with others! [/author_info] [/author]

You have to admit, this port town has a sweet little spot on the water!

There goes the ferry!

On TripAdvisor I spotted the Edwin Fox Maritime Museum in Picton, and immediately found myself fascinated and wanting to visit. The Edwin Fox is a boat that was built in 1853 in India, and was the last of her type (made exclusively from teak and saul timber). She has quite a history–first being a cargo ship, then transporting troops for the Crimean war, and then again carrying civilian passengers and cargo. It also spent time carrying indentured servants from Southeast Asia and China to Cuba, where they worked in cane fields. In 1858 she was chartered by the British Government to transport convicts to Western Australia, and then in 1873 it was charted by the Shaw Savill Company to carry immigrants from New Zealand to England. This especially piqued my interested…because I am a “Saville” (also sometimes shorted to “Savill”), and I’m almost certain there is a relation, although I have yet to track down c0-owner Walter Savill in my genealogy research. The Edwin Fox did 4 voyages carrying a total of 751 passengers to the new colony in New Zealand (the longest emigration route in the world), and then she was repurposed as a freezer hulk to support the booming sheep business on the South Island. She reached her final resting place in Picton in 1897, where she remained as a freezer ship, then a coal hulk. The Edwin Fox society purchased her in 1965 (for one shilling) and after many delayed efforts they finally got her on a dry dock in 1999 where they have preserved her as a tourist attraction.

We started our visit in the upper room of the museum that showed an informational documentary about the ship’s history. The kids didn’t find it too interesting, but while the adults tried to watch the kids happily occupied themselves with the dress-up bin!

The room had great displays with artifacts, placards and many photos. When we had our fill, we headed down to the ship itself!

Since it also had dress-up, the kids’ fun continued!

We tried to teach the kids what it would be like to sleep in Steerage Class in these replica bunks. “Steerage Class was the cheapest accommodation, with the world food & conditions. Each “unit” was for a family of up to 6 people-Dad, Mum and up to 4 children. Imagine 3 people sleeping “top and tail” on each level, in dark, damp, smelly spaces, on a straw filled mattress, for a 12 to 14 week voyage!”

There was a great deal of sickness in Steerage Class—as it was often crawling with ticks, cockroaches and rats. There were outbreaks of serious diseases such as measles, diptheria, scarlet fever, typhoid, small pox and tuberculosis.”

Next we went below-decks where a great expanse of open boat was available for exploration…

and make-believe…

Eli (2 1/2 years old) mainly just watched his older, silly siblings!

All-in-all, the Edwin Fox Maritime Museum is somewhat small, but well-done and a fun break after/before a long ferry ride! I think it was also helpful in educating us and providing us perspective regarding the conditions the British emigrants had to face on their long journey to New Zealand!  Now…if only I can figure out my relation to Walter Savill, the co-owner of the Shaw Savill Company who last owned this boat…then I will be fully-satisfied!

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://livingoutsideofthebox.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/P5075177.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]My name is Alisa, and I love traveling the world with my adventurous husband and rambunctious 5 small children. I am passionate about gorgeous scenery, meeting new people, and I’m a certified salad nut. Most of all, I love making memories with my family, and I enjoy sharing our travels with others! [/author_info] [/author]

Paraparaumu!!!

Need some help? Here goes: Par-uh-par-uh-ooo-moo

Simple, right? Kinda catchy, even! Well…we spotted it on the map, and decided we were headed to the Paraparaumu region after our visit to Taupo, and then Napier’s Art Deco Festival.

When telling locals our plans, we were a bit confused when instead of saying Paraparaumu, they used the name “Paraparam” (Pair-ah-pah-ram). Wha–what?!! Oooooooooh…we realized…it’s that *thing* New Zealander’s do…you know…where they have nicknames for everything?!!! Sooo….off we went.

We ended up finding an affordable Beach House rental at Otaki Beach, just north of “Paraparam”. The weather was overcast when we arrived—and it was actually the only day we even looked at the beach in Otaki, which was basically just up the street from our house. Oh well—you can’t do it all!

We appreciated the fact that the beach wasn’t clogged with houses taking up all of the views. Instead–there was a vast stretch of beach, some meadows next to those, and then houses.

I really love these kids!  And they were HAPPY to get out of the car!

Ella must leap wherever she goes…

We wanted some down-time, and so the following days we simply vegged and only took trips to the simple playground in Otaki.

It may have been “simple”…but how cool is this equipment?!!

The next day we met up with our friends, the Pearce’s, and went to one of the most amazing playgrounds we’ve EVER been to in Levin, New Zealand.

Adventure Park has some fantastic, unique equipment—including a free mini train (when running) and courts for various sports.

Kids busied themselves, and we had some time to catch up with the Pearce family!

Have you ever tried a hamster wheel?

Next, we went to an “Unschooling Conference” next to Foxton Beach. It was a bit of a disappointment, as their “Conference” was not much more than a very loosely-organized get-together with unschoolers from around the island. Nevertheless, we met a few fun families living “outside of the box” in New Zealand!

Pole Tennis. It’s. the. thing. We saw it in people’s front yards with little toddlers and kids playing with it. A brilliant, less-demanding version of tetherball, right?!!  I think we need to bring this to the US!

The kids mostly played in the woods and and created a “store” to sell their pinecone-wares.

Around sunset we decided to head home, but not before catching a beautiful sunset at Foxton Beach.

I love the speed limit signs on the beach

(Original visit January 24th-28th, 2016)

My name is Alisa, and I love traveling the world with my adventurous husband and rambunctious 5 small children. I am passionate about gorgeous scenery, meeting new people, and I’m a certified salad nut. Most of all, I love making memories with my family, and I enjoy sharing our travels with others! 

It’s true–we didn’t take any spectacular photos of the outside of the temple—only family photos—shame on me! Here’s a photo that belongs to someone else:

We didn’t have a lot of time to spare, so I just ran into the Visitor’s Center quickly to use the restroom. And what an amazing visitor’s center it is!! There is a replica of the Christus statue, interactive displays, and comfy seating available for those who are visiting. I wish we had time to explore the various displays here—but alas—on we went!

Want to know some random facts? The Hamilton temple has a sister building—the Bern Switzerland Temple! We missed seeing that one when we were in Bern…but I guess we can *almost* check it off the list, now! Ha! Also, it was the 11th operating temple, and the first temple built in the Southern Hemisphere. Next time…we’ll have to plan enough time to be able to actually stop at the Visitor’s Center, at a minimum!

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://livingoutsideofthebox.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/P5075177.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]My name is Alisa, and I love traveling the world with my adventurous husband and rambunctious 5 small children. I am passionate about gorgeous scenery, meeting new people, and I’m a certified salad nut. Most of all, I love making memories with my family, and I enjoy sharing our travels with others! [/author_info] [/author]