Worldschooling Pre-Launch: Closing Up Life at Home
Some people need to plan things to the nth degree. Others leave it to the gods. Regardless of your traveler DNA, embarking on a worldschooling adventure is a veritable plan-a-palooza! Managing all the details can feel daunting, and it definitely will keep you busy for a while. But it absolutely can be done by anyone, whether you have years to prepare for your journey or you are leaving in a few months. By walking you through the planning stage, we hope to show you that not only is it manageable, but it can even be engaging and fun for everyone in your family. And if something is not relevant to your particular adventure, we wholeheartedly encourage you to skip it!
Leaving home for an extended period of time is quite different from departing on a two-week vacation. Entire portions of your life need to be closed down, or at least temporarily paused. On the flip side, being away from home for longer may mean you need to take parts of your life with you that wouldn’t normally be needed on a short holiday.
Your Residence
Figuring out what to do with your current residence is likely one of the first decisions you’ll encounter. If you rent, will you depart when your current lease is up, and if not, are you able to sublet the property? Check in with your landlord to discuss options. If you own your home, do you plan to keep or sell it? If selling, you’ll want to contact a real estate agent or begin preparations for self-listing. If you’ll be renting out your home for the short or long term while you are traveling, start exploring ideas for marketing, listing, and getting it ready to show. You may need to research property managers or work out an arrangement with a trusted friend to deal with emergencies. You’ll also need to make arrangements with local services (utilities, trash, internet providers, etc.), just as you would when relocating.
Work
Although it isn’t always possible, most people try to leave work behind when they go on vacation. But what about for long-term travel? Will you be working for an organization during your time away? If so, you’ll need to sort out details with your employer. It may mean a change in scope, responsibilities, or reporting relationships, and it helps to start those conversations early. You’ll also want to start thinking through the logistics and technical requirements for working remotely and talk with your family about how that will impact where you go, when you go, and how you spend your time.
If you are quitting your job to go worldschooling, you’ll need to decide how much notice to give your employer (and maybe how to keep your plans quiet in the meantime). Instead, maybe you’ll ask for an extended leave of absence, work sabbatical, or other special arrangement. Regardless of your proposed plan, most employers will appreciate you coordinating with them as early and as flexibly as possible. If you own a business, you might need to find someone you trust to manage it while you’re away, or at least be on the ground to coordinate with you while you travel.
School
One of the most significant steps in closing up the home shop is arranging for the education of your school-age kids while traveling. In the US, decisions about education requirements are governed by each state. In all fifty states, you have a right to withdraw your kids from school to travel, but the specific rules for doing so will vary from state to state, including reporting procedures. It’s important to know before you go whether you must educate for a set number of hours per day and/or days per year, notify administrators of academic progress, submit to any testing requirements upon reentry, or adhere to other rules.
In some states, the process is simple, with few requirements. In others, you may have to register your traveling child as a “homeschooler” for the time you are away. (School districts and states likely won’t know the term *worldschooler*, so you won’t find that word on any documents or forms.) If your family already homeschools, you may be aware of the legal requirements. If you’re new to the process, check in with your school, the district, or the state for details. Research your state homeschool law as a starting point. If they are not returning to their home state after travel, some families also investigate other states’ laws to determine whether residency elsewhere would be advantageous to their worldschooling plan.
Because education is such a key part of a Wonder Year, we dedicate an entire chapter of our book Wonder Year to it. The takeaway here is to understand your rights and responsibilities before you depart. And regardless of the rules, we encourage you to reach out to the homeschool point of contact in your school district, a current teacher, or one who teaches the grade your child will enter upon your return. Good suggestions and relationships can emerge from this proactive outreach.
Belongings
In this blog we talked about how to sort your personal belongings before embarking on a Wonder Year. After you’ve decided what you’ll keep, you’ll need to figure out where to store anything you aren’t taking with you. You might have movers pack and take it to long-term, remote storage, which is often less expensive than local self-storage options. The latter may work better if you’ll need access to your belongings during your Wonder Year. Angela’s family returned to their storage locker several times, exchanging seasonal clothing and returning things they were tired of carrying. If you’re lucky, a friend or family member might offer some extra room in their basement or garage. You might even be able to leave some items in your home, either in a locked area or accessible for your renters’ use.
Give yourself time to sort out your vehicles, too. Some families sell their cars for travel money and to eliminate insurance and maintenance costs while away. Others lease or lend them out. If they won’t be used, vehicles will need to be stored somewhere secure, either at your residence, a storage facility, or possibly in a friend’s driveway or garage.
Financials
Review your other financial payment records and responsibilities to determine what needs to be addressed before your departure. These will be specific to your family but might include the following:
* Car insurance (if you’re planning to park and leave your vehicle or lend it to a friend)
* Health insurance (if you’re moving to a different plan while you travel)
* Cell phone and internet services
* Monthly subscriptions for TV streaming and satellite radio services
* Gym memberships
* Instrument and hobby equipment rentals
* Home and lawn maintenance
* Anything else with a recurring payment or on autopay—perhaps a quick look at your bank account and credit card statements will help you review other financial obligations
Additionally, you may need to consider how you will handle taxes and tax filings while you are traveling. This might include gathering documents earlier than normal, taking them (or photos of them) with you on your travels, and/or arranging for a friend or tax preparer to assist you while you’re away. Another option might be deferring your tax filing until after you return. The IRS allows taxpayers a six-month extension if you need more time to file, and it grants extensions automatically if you complete the proper form on time. Be sure to check your state tax laws and department of revenue for additional guidance, as some states accept the federal extension while others require a separate form.
The USPS will hold mail for up to thirty days, then it must be picked up or forwarded. Many people use a trusted friend or family member to receive, sort, and forward their mail. There are also virtual mailbox service companies that will receive your mail, send you a scanned copy of the envelope, and ask if you want the interior to be scanned as well. Many of these services can mail you the hard copies or forward your mail and packages in bulk. As of this writing, these services cost between \$25 and \$60 (USD) per month depending on the volume and number of scanned items you request.
Some people use a PO box to receive and hold mail, but contents must be picked up periodically or the postal service may discard it. Also, sensitive items like a driver’s license or ATM card might need to go to a physical address. In the US, you can have mail sent to the attention of General Delivery at a local post office (make sure the closest branch offers the program) or UPS store. Poste restante is a similar service available at some post offices outside the US, or mail can be sent to hotels, campgrounds, businesses, or new friends willing to receive it for you.
Voting
US citizens can vote in federal elections via absentee ballot when they are away from home. If you are a US citizen overseas, you can request an absentee ballot online. Be ready to share your voting residence information (the address in the state you last resided in or that you use as your home address while traveling). You can receive a ballot by email, fax, or download link, depending on your home state. Note that you must submit a new request each year to vote in US federal elections. Absentee voting is also available in state elections; check your home state for valid reasons for voting absentee, key deadlines, and instructions for requesting and returning your ballot. Tip: all of these processes can be great worldschooling opportunities, so involve your kids as much as you can.
Pets
We all love our pets, and one of the most important—and sometimes one of the hardest—questions you may face when planning for long-term travel is how they will be cared for. It’s tough enough to find trusted care for your pets when you go away on vacation, much less an extended journey! Here’s the good news: it is doable. All three of our families had pets to consider when planning our time away, and we can happily report that we each returned with, or to, healthy and much-loved four-legged friends.
Fortunately, there are many avenues for finding pet sitters. Family or friends may be willing to take your pets in, even for a longer time frame, in support of your adventures. They might even be happy to reside in your home with them, providing house-sitting services, too. Either of these choices works particularly well if your animals already know the sitter. It may be the most comforting option for you, as you’ll have a direct line of communication to the sitter, and you’ll know your pets will be well loved.
You might also look at professional boarding options. This can be quite expensive, so consider asking for a volume discount. Boarding can also be stressful for your pets, especially as you’ll be away for such a long time. An “in-between” option may be professional pet sitters who offer boarding services in their homes. Ask pet-owning friends for recommendations, or see if your veterinarian’s office can refer you. We’ve had great luck with online services such as Rover that match vetted pet sitters with families seeking care. If you choose this option, make sure the sitter and your pets have plenty of time to get to know each other before you embark on your journey.
Depending on your circumstances, it’s possible you may have to look at rehoming your pets. This might apply if you will be away for several years or if you have no return date at all. Only you will know what is right for your family—we just encourage you to start thinking and talking about it early on so that everyone has time to prepare.
What if you want to bring your pets with you? This option can be great if you are traveling via RV or camper van. It could also work for those slow-traveling abroad. Some ambitious pet lovers even find a way to country-hop with their animals. Be sure to check transportation rules and immigration and quarantine regulations for any country you want to visit with your pets. Julie took her dog along on their RV adventure; Annika had friends host her menagerie of creatures in their homes; and Angela leveraged a combination of almost every option listed above for her mutt!
Wrapping up life at home before a worldschooling journey can feel like a crazy mix of spring cleaning, checklists, and emotional goodbyes, but it’s all part of the process. As you cross off the final to-dos and pack your bags, remember this isn’t just about leaving—it’s about stepping into a life-changing adventure.
