The first house we rented was beautiful, old, full of character, and almost certainly had mould.
It looked exactly how we wanted it. Colonial old villa, tropical garden, the kind of worn wooden doors that tell you a house has had a life. We loved it immediately. Having the space, nature and huge swimming pool out in the middle of nowhere was bliss.
Then we all got sick.
One by one. The kind of tired that settles into your bones and doesn’t shift.
We’re fairly sure it was the house. We will never know for certain.
The mould situation required a move and after a month living where we thought we would stay a while we found the perfect, modern villa that fit our family (will show you soon - once I pick up all the Lego).
Here’s what I’ve learned about arriving somewhere new: the imperfect choices are still choices. The mouldy house gave us a month of memories and taught us exactly what to look for next time. We found something better. We always find something better.
That’s also been the pattern of this whole adventure actually.
The first version is never quite right. You learn from it. You find something better. You keep going. 💛
Big World Little Adventurers
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We came back to Element Unschooling in Ahangama for a month. The boys had been here in December and made friends then — real ones, the kind you think about after you leave. Coming back meant picking up exactly where they left off, which is its own kind of magic when you’re 7 and 8 and you’ve spent time wondering if you’d see your friends again soon.
And somewhere in that month of reconnecting and playing and being in a completely unstructured environment — the Diablo appeared.
The bigger boys had one from their travels back home. It was new and exciting for all. My son watched. He picked it up. He started figuring it out — slowly, then obsessively, then with the kind of quiet confidence that comes from mastering something genuinely difficult through pure persistence.
But here’s what I didn’t expect.
The Diablo became a social tool. He takes it everywhere now. To the beach, to the café, to any space where there are people. Adults stop and ask about it. Kids want to learn. He teaches them — patiently, generously, in this completely natural way that no classroom has ever managed to draw out of him.
He is 8 years old and he is teaching adults a skill he taught himself three weeks ago.
That’s not a toy. That’s confidence. That’s communication. That’s the ability to connect with anyone, anywhere, across age and language and background — because you have something worth sharing and you’re not afraid to share it.
I didn’t plan for the Diablo to be part of the curriculum.
It might be the best thing he’s learned all year. 💛
bigworldlittleadventurers
This is not the perfectly coordinated family gap year it might look like from the outside.
My husband is holding down our business in Dubai. Flying back when he can, which is not as often as any of us would like but more often than the boys notice between surf sessions. We zoom after school. He reads to the boys every night. We have built a version of this that works — not because it’s easy but because we both believe in what we’re building enough to make it work across two time zones and a lot of patience.
I’m here with our two boys. 7 and 8, full energy, zero volume control. I do the school run, the market, the meals, the refereeing, the Muay Thai pickup, the bedtime routine, the power cut candles, the mouldy house aftermath, the tuk tuk negotiations and the daily question of what’s for dinner when the shop doesn’t have what you planned to make.
Some days I feel like I’m completely nailing this.
Some days I eat crackers for lunch and call it fine.
Both days are part of the same good decision.
Anyone else doing life in a slightly unconventional configuration?
Tell me how you make it work. I genuinely want to know. 👇
14/07/2026
We didn’t have a roadmap. We had two kids, several suitcases, questionable decision-making skills, and an unhealthy amount of optimism. Turns out that’s enough to start an adventure.
There’s something about starting again… in the most unexpected places.
What began as a two-week escape has quietly unfolded into something much bigger. We’ve landed in Sri Lanka, the boys are thriving in forest school, and for now, we’re letting life lead a little more than we planned.
Today, on Sri Lankan New Year, we stood around a simple pot of milk and watched it boil over — a symbol of abundance, of new beginnings, of hope spilling into what’s next.
And it felt like the right moment to come back to this.
Big World Little Adventurers was always about this exact thing… learning through place, through culture, through experience. Not perfectly planned, but deeply lived.
So here we are. Starting again. A little differently. A little softer. But with the same heart.
More to come 🤍
11/07/2025
You guessed it … INDONESIA! 🇮🇩 Our next stop is full of colour, culture, and creature-filled adventures.
From jungle-cloaked temples to bustling food stalls, Indonesia is the perfect playground for curious young travellers.
And now, you can explore it with your little ones through our two brand new activity packs:
Indonesia Country Guide – Packed with fun facts, drawing prompts, puzzles, and cultural surprises
Indonesia Colouring Book – 28 beautiful pages of temples, tigers, satays, sea turtles, and more!
Whether you’re travelling there, learning at home, or just love discovering the world together — this is your next big adventure.
Download instantly. Designed for kids aged 3–10.
Available now at www.bigworldlittleadventurers.com
10/07/2025
NEW COUNTRY LAUNCH! Can you guess where we’re off to next?
This country is made up of over 17,000 islands, is home to dragons, jungle temples, and magical shadow puppets…
It’s one of the world’s most popular destinations for beach-loving expat families and adventurers alike.
Think rice terraces, island hopping, spicy satays and colourful dances.
🌋🐒🍢🌊
Drop your guesses below 👇
We’ll reveal the answer tomorrow… and launch TWO brand new activity packs on the website to explore it with your little adventurer!
29/06/2025
Jet lag is still hanging around, but so is a deep sense of relief — and gratitude. Gratitude for the kind strangers who helped along the way, for the resilience of two little travelers who kept going despite the long days and curveballs, and for the reward of being here now.
We’re easing into the days slowly — outdoor play, long chats, slow mornings, and that unmistakable feeling of summer in Canada.
It wasn’t the journey we expected, but we’re here. And it was worth it.
25/06/2025
Back to the place I once called home — but not quite returning.
This life we’ve chosen stretches us in so many ways.
But maybe that’s where the magic is.
28/05/2025
🥢 Waiting for hot pot magic…
One of our favourite things about eating out with our kid isn’t just the new places—it’s the everyday moments that become part of the adventure. Tonight, we’re waiting for our bubbling hot pot to arrive at a local Chinese restaurant, and while the broth warms up, so do our conversations.
Out comes our My Country Guide to… —part coloring book, part travel journal, part conversation starter. We flip through the prompts, draw what we see around us, and chat about what all these unfamiliar ingredients might taste like.
Food is such a gateway to culture. It’s where curiosity and courage meet at the table. 🥬🍲🐟
And as the kids circle their guesses and doodle dumplings, we get to slow down and really be in the moment. This is what Big World Little Adventurers is all about.
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