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And then there was Colombia.

May 26, 2018 by Irene Quevedo Leave a Comment

Cartagena – where an old fortress faces a modern city

Our first South American stop proved to be so much fun. We arrived in Cartagena, Colombia ready for everything this beautiful region of the world has to offer. In fact, Cartagena is truly beautiful in so many ways; from the old world colonial architecture of the Walled City, to the bluest ocean escapes of nearby Playas Blancas, and not to be forgotten – the gorgeous women that pepper the daily city sites. That summarizes Cartagena best…. sun, sites, and beauty.

Our airbnb in Colombia was actually upgraded! This was a first for us and I can’t believe how perfect our upgraded two bedroom, two bath apartment turned out to be. It was oceanfront and so close to the sea that crashing waves usually rocked us to sleep while sunsets overtook every afternoon as our balcony transformed from yellow to orange to pink and purple then grey and finally darkness. I could sit on that balcony for hours feeling such warmth and gratitude. It’s no wonder we stayed in Cartagena for six weeks.

Cartagena is quickly skyrocketing in popularity among worldwide vacationers. One recent travel blogger recently coined Cartagena as “the most photogenic city on earth!” It’s a city full of cultural delight from the vibrant music, to the colorful city streets, and abundant pork dishes (Colombians love pork)!

Cartagena gives visitors a great combination of ocean vibes (be warned lots of street vendors and tourist trap places) and history. The architecture and ambiance of the old Walled City and a nearby town of Getsemani transports visitors to what life felt like centuries ago.

Cartagena also felt incredibly safe. It’s a walkable town full of ample shopping and dinning experiences. Our favorite find had to be the artesanal paletas. These ice cream bars of so many varieties come close to my beloved Mexican paletas and became the perfect after dinner snack combined with a city stroll.

Night time strolls were an experience in and of itself. Horse drawn carriages flood the streets, vallanato music or rapping street performers add to the night’s energy and colorfulness all while folks mingled among the gorgeous architecture. The perfect evening weather meant that for yet another country our coats would stay packed!

Cartagena (well all of Colombia to be exact) will likely be one of my top three favorite counties visited this year. My family felt so at home and this is a feeling that cannot be beat. We were comfortable and welcomed by the locals. There’s one thing about the Colombian people that will always warm my heart… they are constantly kind, incredibly well-mannered, and so, so welcoming.

We’ve said this before, and we will say it again. We do everything to live as locals would on our journey abroad. Therefore, we felt quickly at ease in Cartagena. Whether it was our supermarket runs or daily exchanges with neighbors in our common apartment, we enjoyed every minute of our experience. Truly, it was a pretty fulfilling six weeks. So fulfilling that when the opportunity to live in Medellín for another six weeks came up we jumped right on it and our Colombian adventure only got better…

Stay tuned: our next post will feature Medellín (the first city we lived in that could have become our permanent home).

Caribbean Cruisin’

April 17, 2018 by Irene Quevedo Leave a Comment

The Life. Docked at the unbelievably stunning Grand Turk.

After a whirlwind start to 2018 we decided to spice up our transition from Central America to South America with a trip to the Caribbean. And what’s better than a Caribbean cruise? Our kids would likely answer: NOTHING!

Our Queventure cruise began in Orlando and turned into eight fun-filled days island-hopping and cruising through the Eastern Caribbean. We visited Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten.

This was the 2nd cruise my husband and I had ever been on and the first we’d ever taken our children on. Best part was how affordable this all turned out to be. Carnival offers five-person suites, which is a rare find on many cruise lines. We actually fit very comfortably considering how small cabins can be. For those interested in this route we nabbed it on Expedia and paid around $2,500 (after taxes)!

The Sunshine Cruise Ship route came with a ton of family-friendly amenities including a daylong kids club. This is a free program our kids thoroughly enjoyed. The best part is that while our children spent a ton of independent time at the supervised kids club, we spent time ‘adulting’! This was the first leg of our trip where we got to travel with three other adults and I can’t express how much of a difference that made. Thanks Cruise Crew!

Without other adults, we would have likely forgone late-night casino trips, rum factory tours in the PR, and plenty of boozin’ poolside afternoons. To have friends/family along elevates memories to another level and reminds us how much this journey is more than the destinations on our itinerary. Such fulfillment comes from the joy of relationships filled with laughter and experiences. Since this cruise, we’ve already visited with our friends an additional weekend while in Cartagena, Colombia and will have another “cruise crew” visitor early next month in Medellin.

Thanks to great friends, we had grown up conversations!

If you’ve never been on a cruise it’s definitely worth experiencing at least once in your lifetime, but do your research! Some helpful tips to bring down costs: be flexible with dates and be willing to fly to a different state to nab your ideal itinerary and cost. We flew LAX to FLORIDA for very cheap and would do it over and over again to journey through the Caribbean and not be limited to the Pacific Coast.

Next, research cruise ships before committing. Our first cruise on Princess Cruises was more adult-centered and higher-end which was perfect for us on a solo trip. Including the kids took us a different route and Carnival Cruises had the best family-friendly activities, meals, and accommodations. So don’t forget to research cruise line reviews and itineraries to get what works for you!

Panama City, Scary Marriage Ups and Downs, and Other Lessons

March 13, 2018 by Irene Quevedo Leave a Comment

PANAMA

When we arrived in Panama City earlier this year we knew it was just the city to regroup. This city is a beautiful metropolis. Each of us was quick to absorb everything it had to offer especially everything we didn’t have access to in the last two countries over 2 and a 1/2 months… cue the endless supply of Starbucks lattes. Now we didn’t visit the city to simply get a literal taste of home.

Panama City was a stop on our Queventure for a few obvious reasons: visit the canal, the beaches, and Central America’s most thriving capitol. What we didn’t realize was Panama would also be a stop full of lessons. Some of those lessons were about marriage while others were much bigger than even that.

Lesson # 1: With that many casinos, you might just need to pace yourself (husband).

Beautiful hotel and casino combos pepper the entire city. You couldn’t go very far without those shinny lights enticing you to partake. Now, I am not much of a gambler, but my husband is a different story. He gambled and boy did he enjoy it. This might seem like nothing but when you’re budgeting every single month on a fixed travel income gambling stakes feel much, much higher than usual. At least to me they did.

One night the husband was out gambling until 4am. This was not a shinning moment for us as a couple. I was so angry. It wasn’t even about the gambling, but the lack of respect I perceived when my husband didn’t bother to return home at a reasonable hour. Here we are in a foreign country after all. It’s scary to feel divided as we try to remain a supportive, dream-chasing, ever mobile team. The husband was pretty apologetic about the whole situation, but that didn’t make me feel much better. Bringing me to…

Lesson # 2: Travel doesn’t change your parenting or marital dynamics.

It enhances them. I was so upset my husband didn’t pace himself gambling so we fought, but then there we were again… just us. We can’t escape to work or friends after fights. As a traveling tribe, we get to deal with annoyances head on and then quickly find a way to harmoniously come back together for the greater good. And many times that is much harder said than done.

Lesson # 3: Take space, it is a must.

When you need space from your family you should take it. Maybe that’s exactly what my husband was doing until 4am at the casino; the jury is still out on that one. Point is, space is essential not only for our traveling family, but all families. I am a huge proponent for making sure to spend one-on-one quality time with your children and spouse, but I just can’t leave myself off that one-on-one date night list!

Panama City was a great hub from which to pop into a cab and find yourself somewhere new to dine, pamper yourself, or simply be alone. One Sunday morning, I went to mass alone and it was the most peaceful and fulfilling morning I’d had in some time.

Lesson # 4: Don’t take your country or each other for granted, just don’t.

In Panama we met so many amazing people. After a while, I began to notice an interesting commonality. Many of the Uber drivers, restaurant servers, beauticians, and on and on weren’t actually Panamanian. The majority were Venezuelans. Hardworking individuals working in Panama where according to them, the American dollar is strong.

If you know anything about Venezuela then you likely know about the years of political instability it’s faced leading to a traumatic economic crisis. Venezuelans are dealing with an employment and food shortage so devastating that most of its citizens are forced to leave their country desperate to earn a living. Imagine having to leave your birth country, a country you love, often, the only home you’ve ever known? Imagine feeling forced to leave in a state of chronic setbacks and uncertainty? Imagine leaving your beloved family behind not by choice but because of literal hunger and famine?

Every single Venezuelan I met was kind, but also clearly pained. Their longing to return home was obvious. The internal turmoil of being in a country that doesn’t fully embrace them was heartbreaking.

The many Venezuelans I met appreciated Panama, but they didn’t feel welcome and often felt attacked. According to them, the local government usually ran on platforms that singled them out as a problem pitting Panamanians against Venezuelans. This sentiment reminded me so much of the current American rhetoric where a sector of our country is being singled out and blamed: Muslims, Dreamers, Mexicans, and on and on.

Meeting so many and hearing their stories made me not only appreciate my home country, and the abounding resources, but also my fellow American citizen especially those being singled out and victimized day after day. Today, even more can be done to embrace and appreciate each other, our differences, and speak out against prejudice political platforms that only seek to divide us.

For now, if you are reading this and guilty of complaining about your job, lunch, or coworker, there’s someone right now in the world desperately wishing they had one of those three. What we so often take for granted is a blessing. Instead, let’s remember to appreciate all we’ve been afforded, no matter how minor it may all seem.

A New Year Full of Surprises

March 5, 2018 by Irene Quevedo Leave a Comment

January felt like an entire year was lived in one month and it all started with a secret…

Two months earlier, I got word that I’d be flown back to California for work. Unlike the first time around when I unexpectedly picked up and headed back to Cali, this time my husband and kids wanted in on the action. We’ve diligently saved enough money to travel anywhere in the world for a year and just like that anywhere in the world meant home.

The best part of knowing I’d be coming home was the thought of surprising my mother. Her voice had softened over the last few months. She was clearly missing her daughter, yet she seemed uplifted by my recent October visit. Coming home with the kids would surely delight and lift her spirits even higher. So operation ‘Surprise Our Mommas’ was underway, but first we had to partake in a very Happy New Year in beautiful Panama.

Panama

We rang in the new year in Panama City, Panama and while the city vibe was a wonderful change of pace from countryside bliss in Costa Rica, the trip was also a slam-packed two weeks, complete with the type of duality and contrast only travel can bring.

We began our Panama visit on the bustling Pacific Ocean side and naturally ventured over to tour the Panama Canal. It’s a fascinating wonder of ingenuity everyone should witness at least once in their lives. Panama has a lush colonial history beautifully preserved in Casco Viejo combined with the most developed city life just across the bay. Like Nicaragua, not enough tourists flock to the gem that is Panama.

If city life isn’t your thing, then do what we did and escape to the Caribbean ocean where remote virgin beaches await. Laid out among small fishermen villages are beach communities such as Maria Chiquita and Bala Beach. These are lesser known, quiet, off the beaten path beach towns. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in these small towns and their proximity to Portobelo, Panama. Portobelo is overflowing with pirate-like motifs, reminiscent of Panama’s history protecting itself from foreign sea invasions.

Truly, there is something for every traveler’s preference in Panama. Our two weeks were well spent traversing it’s beautiful landscape. You can drive from the Pacific to Atlantic side in less time than ships traverse the actual Canal, about 90 minuets to be exact. Quick tip: if you ever get a chance to visit Panama skip the town of Colon. It’s popular on many cruise itineraries, but there isn’t much of a scene to explore for more than a couple of short hours.

Once our two weeks in Panama came to a close, we were giddy and home bound. Only a handful of family members knew we were on our way. After traveling for 12-hours we were suddenly face to face with California and ready to surprise our mommas at our favorite pizza joint. I’ll never forget the look on my mom’s overjoyed face and the hug she gave me.

With that tearfully fulfilling reunion out of the way, we moved on to living a slam-packed two weeks at home. We squeezed it all in…. birthday celebrations, anniversary staycations, weekend trips with friends, playdates for our children, shopping sprees, one-on-one time with family, and a pretty busy work schedule. It was only the best two weeks full of non-stop commitments, celebrations, and connection. Somehow we pulled off a full itinerary of to-dos, which reminded me life’s meant to be lived. The best surprise of January was probably realizing just how much anyone can do in 30 or 31 days every month.

Oprah Winfrey says it best when she asks God to, “USE her all up.’’ She wants to leave this earth completely depleted having lived such a full life of service. I am no Oprah, but January reminded me how much any one human being can accomplish in a month’s time. We often say we don’t have time; yet, we have all the time we need. Don’t give up on time. Get out there and live yourself what feels like one year in one month, if you so choose. Then, get in the habit of doing that again and again because life is worth living every minute of every single day.

Top 5 Things to Consider Before Homeschooling

March 1, 2018 by Diego Quevedo Leave a Comment

Considering homeschooling your kids?

It’s a hot mess! Don’t do it! Just kidding, read on!

Some time ago, my family and I decided to go on a small adventure. Our kids’ education has always been very important to us so we had to think long and hard about how traveling would affect their schooling. What should a traveling, world-schooling, location-independent family do? How to make sure our Kindergartner, 2nd Grader and 6th Grader don’t fall behind?

In all honesty, I was worried about how this would play out. On the outside I said, “2nd grade math, I got this!” But internally I definitely had my concerns.

Here’s the good news: there’s lots of information online to guide you. The bad news: there’s LOTS OF INFORMATION online to guide you. Quite frankly, it was a bit overwhelming when we first looked into it. After hours of research sometimes I would feel even more confused than when I started.

So without further ado, here’s our list of the top 5 things to consider before homeschooling your kids:

1. Your personal level of involvement.

Are you considering being the primary teaching source? If so, will you require lesson plans and teacher guides? Or do you plan on outsourcing most of the “teaching” via online courses and/or even online tutors and virtual classrooms? The gift and the curse of homeschooling is, well, you’re in charge. Which is very empowering but at the same time the added responsibility can be daunting.

We have about an 80/20 split with us doing most of the presswork and teaching. But we do use Khan Academy and other self-guided tools to help with the process.

2. How formal will your “teaching” be?

Do you intend to essentially duplicate a traditional class and grade curriculum? Or will you fully go the “unschooling” route? There’s a sense of structure following the traditional method. Many online curriculums basically follow whatever the government’s requirements are. Unschooling completely is very liberating and allows kids to develop a sense of control for their own education. It allows the child to learn at their own pace, many times this leads to a child who’s more interested in the material. (By the way, make sure you check with your State’s/Country’s legal requirements for withdrawing your child(ren) out of a formal school. In our State of California, the requirements are not very stringent and there’s plenty of advice on how to make sure you’re doing it right.)

Our family is at about a 50/50 split. We’re aware of the curriculum requirements as defined by the California Board of Education and make sure they are at least up to par on the core competencies for their grades. However, instead of learning about the Boston Tea Party, our oldest chose to learn about the history of the Mayan civilization. Further, he learned not through a text book but by visiting actual Mayan ruins. No big deal!

3. Your financial commitment.

As mentioned earlier, there are A LOT of options and styles for homeschooling out there. Are you looking to invest a few thousand dollars in your child’s homeschool curriculum? You can find that. Are you more comfortable starting out with a bunch of free printables? You can find that as well. The reality is there is a financial component to homeschooling your kid(s), even if it’s just to print material out. Understanding your finances and approach will help you avoid wasting time/money on resources that are just not what you’re looking for.

We have spent about $800 on basic school textbooks/supplies and online services. We have spent a significant amount more on Tours/Travel/Museums/Diving and “world schooling.”

4. Your level of patience.

These kids will DRIVE YOU UP THE WALL. I have a new found appreciation for the patience teachers exhibit, God bless them. Even with the best laid out plans, kids have a way of turning everything upside down, of being dismissive or just not focusing. All things that can really irate us as parents in general but become even more magnified when you’re trying to teach them how to add double digits. (REGROUP THE TENS, SOFIA! REGROUP THE TENS!!!…oh, sorry about that.)

I thought I was a patient person prior to homeschooling. But now, let’s just say I’ve taken up meditation. I say this with more truth than as joke. Your patience will be tested and it’s a good idea to start thinking about that now. How do you handle it? Can you start working on increasing it now?

5. Internet Access.

This is a subtle but important consideration. I wrote here on some of the major decisions we reversed while traveling. While traveling the world is incredible, we’ve visited many places where the internet connection is poor at best and nonexistent at worst, in spite of “wifi” being part of the reason we stayed at a particular location. You have to consider how reliant you will be on being connected in order to teach your child.

Our original plan was to be as close to 100% paperless as possible. That changed and now we carry textbooks.

You may have noticed these five considerations don’t function in a vacuum. If you’ve settled one item, it doesn’t mean you’ll never have to address it again. On the contrary, all five things work in a sort of dynamic harmony. The more you give in one regard may require you to take from another. Low patience may mean you need to spend more money on virtual tutors. Going 100% traditional curriculum may save you lots of time in figuring things out. You may be able to solve the internet problem by paying for satellite internet access but your financial investment will be higher.

The sweet spot is where you will be most comfortable from a teacher perspective, financial commitment, time devotion and internet connectivity.

The Bottom Line

Do not let not having it all worked out stop you from doing it. Invest as much time as you’d like and then push forward. Hopefully this post helps with, at the very least, settling some of the anxiousness when starting your research. What you will learn by actually doing it, not to mention the direct feedback from your kids, will be as valuable if not more than all the research and preparation in the world.

Keep it as simple as possible and then build up! Get a generic “Nth grade curriculum” list from online and get the minimal amount of materials. And then build up from there.

Lastly, know that many parents have done this before with great success. You can too and we’re here to help!