Wonderstruck

A NEWSLETTER FROM THE TEAM AT WONDER YEAR

Volume 5 • October 2023

guide to worldschooling

Book News

We launched!

September was a big month for our book. It was mailed to customers who pre-ordered and bookstores for the official September 5th on-sale. We also traveled to promote it, visiting bookstores and community venues in Colorado and California. It was fun to experience how people responded to Wonder Year. We were also an Amazon bestseller in two categories, and sales have been strong in both the print and e-book versions.

A highlight of the month was speaking to a sold-out room at the iconic Boulder Bookstore, followed by an after-party with contributors, friends, and plenty of dancing.

Blog Roundup for July

We published four blog posts this month, all with the aim to help prospective and current worldschoolers solve problems and find inspiration. Our first post of the month was Angela’s Judging a Book by its Cover. Angela’s eye for design and detail led our team through the book design phase, and her recap of the process is a fun behind-the-scenes look at what you’re holding in your hand, as well as helpful information for anyone wondering about the journey of a book.

Next, Annika’s friend and fashion stylist, Daisy Tinsley Barnett, wrote a guest blog post on the three shoes to pack for long-term family travel. With helpful links and a stylist’s sensibility, this post just might save you hours of agonizing. I now think of these three options even when I’m packing for weekend getaways.

Our third post was our next in the Fernweh Family series, the Hunters. The Hunters are currently on their second stint of long-term family travel, driving their tricked-out Land Rover Defender across Western Europe. Originally from Canada, mom Kyla shares her moments, both challenging and rewarding. If you’re pondering a Wonder Year, this mode of transport might open your eyes to possibility. And, if you’re currently on the road, Kyla’s insights might help you start thinking about your 2.0.

Lastly, we have another “Story from the Road” from guest blogger Mark Heisten, who shares the poignant moments of worldschooling in Hiroshima, Japan. This is another side of the Oppenheimer story, and his meditation on how children (and adults) process complicated feelings translates to other locations and family experiences.

We hope you enjoy these reads.

October Happenings Around the Globe

  • Deepawali, or Diwali, is a five-day holiday considered India’s most significant festival of the year. A Hindu tradition, Diwali celebrates the inner light that overcomes darkness and goodness over evil, and is marked by the lighting of rows (avali) of clay lamps (deepa). Over centuries, many non-Hindu communities have come to love and celebrate variations of Diwali to commemorate enlightenment, liberation, and remembrance of ancestors.
  • Celebrated in the United States on the second Monday in October, Indigenous Peoples Day recognizes the inherent sovereignty and acknowledges the vibrant, diverse, and invaluable contribution of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians to the United States. Indigenous Peoples Days are observed around the world. Here is a teaching resource from Twinkl that explains the history and importance of Indigenous Peoples Day in the US.
  • Trick or Treat! Halloween originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, marking the end of the harvest and the coming of darkness–a blurring of edges between the living and the dead. Today, Halloween is draped with different beliefs, but what is universally true is Reeses Peanut Butter Cups are the #1 candy!
  • Little known but loaded with impact, October 1 is celebrated as World Vegetarian Day. To celebrate, visit a local farm or market, eat local foods, or avoid meat for the day. Or, make it a worldschooling day and examine the benefits of a vegetarian diet, including heart health, animal welfare, water and soil protection, greenhouse gas reduction, and how the efficient use of grains helps feed more people.
  • Oktoberfest. Did you know Octoberfest is celebrated in many countries beyond Germany and the US, including the Philippines? As the rains ease up, people in the Philippines hit the streets for local and international brews, street food, music, and even people-watching for celebrities. Now in its 30th year, check out the Masskara Festival in Bacalod, the City of Smiles.

Nature’s Offerings

  • Named for the time when tribal hunters gather meat for the winter, the Hunter’s Moon will be full on October 28. Check out this calendar to see what time the moon rises and sets in your location. And, if you are curious about the “Moon Illusion”–why the moon looks bigger on the horizon–you can explore this cool NASA page for a lunar worldschooling lesson.
  • Foraging Fungi in the Fall. When woodlands and forests change from green to brown and veggies and roots are pulled from the ground, animals and humans may slow down but another kingdom makes the round. October is mushroom time! Try foraging with a local expert to learn about these remarkable and gorgeous organisms. But if you forage on your own, be sure to use a guidebook because many mushrooms are unsafe or even deadly to eat. To dive into the mystery of mushrooms and learn about the magic of the mycelial network, check out the incredible documentary, Fantastic Fungi.
  • October in the Southern Hemisphere is the beginning of spring and a nice time to visit with lighter crowds. With days getting longer and temperatures warming into the 40s-60s Fahrenheit, October in Patagonia can be a rewarding time for hiking, boating, sightseeing, and windy whale-watching. For outdoor enthusiasts drawn to this rugged landscape, we have one word for you: layers!
  • On the equator, October is puppy time. Sea lion pups, that is! Though sea lions are born year-round in the Galapagos Archipelago, most births happen between August and December. Sea lions are the most abundant marine mammal in the Galapagos, with approximately 50,000 individuals. The juveniles are very playful, but if you are watching them nearby, pay attention to bulls (adult males), who can be territorial and even aggressive toward humans.
  • Hibernating Hedgehogs. Like all animals, hedgehogs need food for energy. When it’s cold outside in the winter, it’s harder to find caterpillars, worms, and beetles to eat, so hedgehogs hibernate. They enter a state of torpor to conserve energy as their body temperatures, metabolism, breathing, and heart rate fall precipitously. In the UK, these super cute animals are the only spinal mammal, so they are especially loved and looked after by nonprofit advocacy groups like Hedgehog Street and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

Links We’re Loving…

  • Gever Tulley – Gever’s many influential initiatives focus on reimagining education. He is the author of Fifty Dangerous Things (you should let your kid do) and founder of Tinkering School and Brightworks. We love his philosophy on using experiential learning and independent thinking to unleash kids’ creative power, tenacity, and citizenship.
  • Learnersandmakers – The St. Clairs are a full-time traveling family who inspire others to adventure. Their family embarks on road trips throughout Mexico and Southeast Asia and travels in a Class C motorhome across the US. According to their website, “Through travel, homeschool, and more, our everyday adventures combine lifelong learning and joyful making.” See what they did there? Mom Jodie manages their social media and, as an amputee who uses a prosthetic leg, offers expert guidance and resources for accessible travel.
  • the.steinerways are a passionate and inspiring family from New Zealand who have been traveling full-time since 2019. Currently in India, their social media highlights their penchant for getting way off the beaten track, connecting with locals, and learning together as a family. Their website offers destination information and travel resources to help you do the same. Uzbekistan? Mauritania? They’ve been there, and their insights are invaluable.
  • Lady Overlander Radio – According to Wikipedia, overlanding is “self-reliant overland travel to remote destinations where the journey is the principal goal. Typically it is accomplished with mechanized off-road-capable transport where the principal form of lodging is camping, often lasting for extended lengths of time (months to years) and spanning international boundaries.” We met Misti Tokarsky, known as the Barefoot Overlander (@barefootoverlander) on social media, when she was presenting at the Overland Expo in Colorado. Misti co-hosts an informative podcast and teaches classes with Arla Cress (@mrsbatsoffroad) about family travel and the overlanding lifestyle.
  • Deliberate Detour‘s mission is to “create a more empathic, peaceful world through immersive, culturally-rich worldschooling hubs in the planet’s most magnificent locations.” Long-time worldschooling parent and founder Stephanie Tolk has begun taking applications for month-long hubs happening in Latin America in 2024 and 2025.

We hope you found these updates and tips helpful! We wish you all the best in your worldschooling adventures, whether you’re planning your trip, are currently on the road, or have already returned and want to stay connected to the family travel community.

As always, we’d love your feedback. If you have any questions or comments about this newsletter, feel free to reach out to us at any of the emails below. Thank you!

Happy Trails,

Wonder Year Team

Annika: annika@wonderyear.com

Angela: angela@wonderyear.com

Julie: julie@wonderyear.com