Suzy: Hola and hello! I’m Suzy, and welcome to the Wander Worldschool and Slow Family Travel Podcast, where we discuss the stories, logistics, and finances of long-term traveling families and the many ways to learn and educate along the way.

For this month's recap, I’m going to pull out my favorite quotes and highlight the best tips our guests shared. Our end-of-the-month episodes also include a deep dive into one specific aspect of long-term travel, slow travel, or moving abroad. This is your actionable advice and resources to make your family travel journey even easier and more fun. Today's topic is all things accommodations. Let's get into it!

First, a big thank you to my amazing guests this month for sharing their stories, and thank you to you, my travel-loving listener, for tuning in. If you'd like a shout-out on the show, please send me a fan mail via the link in the show notes. I’d love to hear your questions, travel stories, and favorite worldschool experiences.

Before I jump in, I want to share a little bit about what our family's been up to this month. We hopped around Colorado in the U.S. doing four Trusted Housesitter stays, which gave us the flexibility to spend time with family living a bit further away, explore old favorite spots from my childhood, get lots of dog walks and cuddles in, and pass time until our renters moved out of our house so we could move back in. I’ll talk more about the joys and struggles of renting out your home in a future episode, but let me know if you have any questions before that. Overall, this year was a very good experience, with amazing tenants since February who took great care of our house. We also learned that my remote-working husband would much prefer a more stable working environment. This will be a big priority in our future travels.

We were also thrilled to meet lots of families at our virtual Worldschoolers Meetup back in early August and hope you can join for the next one on October 3rd. If you're in Denver, join us for our in-person picnic on Sunday, September 28th, from 12 to 3. More information is in the show notes. We were also so lucky to meet up with families from our pop-up last year in Seville and another family that lives between Spain and Colorado and is now on their way to Mexico. I love these opportunities to meet up along the way. Our kids also started a dual-language public school with lots of families from all different backgrounds. We’re excited to see their Spanish continue. The Colombian teacher said my oldest spoke such "Spain Spanish," which is a good reminder of all the variation in regions and dialects in the Spanish-speaking world. I'm curious if their school in Spain will say something similar next spring!

Okay, let's get started with our recap of episodes 12, 13, and 14.

Ginny Conforti shared her family’s unique travel and educational philosophy, which blends living in Chicago with extended stays in Sayulita, Mexico. As a former teacher, Jenny has adopted a flexible "lifeschooling" approach for her six-year-old daughter, Aria, complemented by more structured "outdoorschooling" when in Mexico. She also has older children who have done the traditional school system but are fitting in a lot of travel as well. Jenny acknowledged the challenges of this lifestyle, including navigating her husband’s more traditional mindset around travel and managing the emotional complexities of her daughter’s evolving sense of home. Despite these difficulties, she emphasizes the immense value of viewing it as a way to build resilience and empathy while making the world feel like a smaller, more connected place. Jenny's quote is, “Travel is a journey of self-discovery.” Jenny shared her resources with the Harmony Learning Adventurers, and those are linked in episode 12.

In episode 13, Daniela Romero, a native of Venezuela, shared her family’s full-time travel journey, which began as backpacking adventures with her husband before they had children. Now with two young kids, aged six and four, they maintain a minimalist, carry-on-only travel lifestyle, having found that experiences are more valuable than material possessions. After three years traveling Europe in a camper van and giving birth to their second child on the road, they discovered their love for Asia and have since established a base camp in Vietnam. Motivated by a need for community for their children, they founded the Better Together Hubs, which bring traveling families together for organized activities and social connections in various locations, including Vietnam, Spain, and Japan. She also shared how she and her husband fund their travels by teaching Spanish online. They found that embracing a flexible lifestyle and using resources like house sitting and couchsurfing has allowed them to continue their adventures while raising their children. Check out her episode for all those links around accommodations, which we will get more into in today’s deep dive as well.

Our previous episode was with Rachel Carlson. Rachel and her family have been traveling full-time for over seven years. They initially began unschooling, allowing their children to learn directly from their experiences in the world, from fishing with locals to exploring historical ruins. When the initial years were challenging due to the lack of community, Rachel decided to create the Worldschool Pop-Up Hub, a platform that connects traveling families. The hubs have been a huge success, providing community for their children and creating lasting friendships, which we’ve been a part of and I very, very much appreciate. The family’s journey focuses on the benefits of intentional living. They have found a way to make full-time travel both financially sustainable and personally fulfilling. Their story also highlights how teen and young adult children have developed valuable life skills, confidence, and a unique perspective on life, preparing them for their own future adventures. So especially if you have teens and tweens, this is a great episode to go listen to. So if you have not listened to those episodes yet, please go back and give a listen to Ginny, Daniella, and Rachel’s stories.

Now for our deep dive all on accommodations. Taking your family on a long-term trip, especially if you're worldschooling, is an incredible adventure. But how do you make it financially possible and still have a great time? This month, we're diving into smart ways to find affordable places to stay and make your travel dollars, or euros, or whatever currency you're using, go further.

First step, slow down to save big. A lot of the magic of long-term family travel comes from slow travel. This means spending more time in fewer places. Why? Well, it's a huge money saver. Rachel talked a lot about that in her episode. Renting a place for a month on a site like Airbnb or other short-term accommodation sites can give you a discount of up to 40% compared to booking by the week. By staying put longer, you also cut down on expensive flights or train tickets between cities. This lets you and your family really get to know a place—the local people, the culture, the hidden gems. It's not just a vacation, it's a way of life that enriches your experience and your wallet.

We were renting a furnished place for months at a time in Seville for about the same as what a two-week stay would cost. Now that we have a year-long rental there, it's even less. We're about 1,400 euros a month. It gives us an affordable place in Europe to explore other parts of Spain and Europe. We do have to get renters for when we are gone, and we so far have had great luck with an awesome family staying there this summer, students renting from us this fall, and another family interested in it around the holidays. But it will save us a lot next year when we return to Spain to have a long-term, low rental expense. And we can use it to house swap, which we'll discuss today too.

Let's back up, though. Before you even pack your first suitcase, you need a solid financial plan. This is the money coaching service I provide if you feel you need someone to talk to to get your travel plan in place. Many families pay for their travels by working remotely, freelancing, or running an online business. And on the road, it's important to stay on top of your spending. You can use a budgeting app to track every expense. This helps you adjust your budget as you move from, let's say, a more inexpensive country to a more expensive one. Also, use multi-currency accounts and travel credit cards that have low fees and good exchange rates. And with those travel credit cards, you can often earn points for flights and hotels, especially if you have a U.S. Social Security number. This can make travel much more affordable. We always use points to get our flights to and from Europe. Just make sure you pay off the balance every month to avoid interest.

Okay, let's talk about smarter ways to plan your stays. Hotels are always an option, and we have found some really amazing family-fun hotels in small towns as well, as we like to use our points for things like Hyatt stays when we can. But overall, they're very expensive and not conducive to family travel or slow travel. We will use them for shorter stays or when connecting longer stays. We also do look for aparthotels, which sometimes will at least have a one-bedroom option that is not very expensive. But here are some tried-and-true alternatives that give you more space, privacy, and savings.

There are midterm and longer-term rentals that can be found on sites like Airbnb, Booking.com, and VRBO. They offer great discounts for longer stays, especially for trips that are 28 days or more. Renting an entire apartment or house means you get a kitchen to cook your own meals and a washer and dryer. These can be a lifesaver for families. For even better deals, check out local real estate websites or Facebook Marketplace groups. You might find more affordable rentals that aren't on the big booking sites. Some families shared how they would only rent a place for a few days, then walk around and look for a "for rent" sign, as those usually are more local prices. With these types of rentals, sustainability is important. There are many places where short-term rentals have caused problems, like Barcelona and other big cities, especially. Make sure you're understanding the rental laws of the places you're going, or even better yet, opt to stay in lesser-known locales. So your support for the local economy is even more welcomed. And, like Rachel shared in episode 14, you will have the best selection and prices if you plan further out for longer stays.

Does RV life sound like a way to go for your family? Living in an RV is the ultimate way to see the world with your home in tow. You'll have the freedom to go anywhere, from national parks to beaches. You'll always have a familiar place to sleep, and you get to carry everything with you, which can be helpful if you are doing more of a traditional curriculum or you just have a lot of things for the kids. It can be a great way to bond as a family and potentially save money by not paying a mortgage or regular utility bills. Bjorn from episode 3 is currently on his long-term RV travels in Canada, and he detailed their first RV adventure in his episode as well. But it's not all sunshine and open roads. The freedom of RV life comes with some challenges. Fuel and maintenance can be surprisingly expensive. The space can be small, which can be tough on a family, and privacy is pretty much nonexistent. You'll also spend a lot of time and money on laundry, and it can be hard to find a good place to park or a reliable internet connection. If you're thinking about RV living, be prepared for a different kind of stress. You're trading one set of responsibilities for another, and it can take a lot of flexibility and patience. However, it can be really freeing and definitely a way to get into more nature sites.

Let's take our accommodation discussion to the next level. We're talking about some truly innovative and, dare I say, almost free ways to find a place to stay. These aren't your typical hotel bookings. They're all about sharing and community.

First up, Couchsurfing. Now you might think that Couchsurfing is just for solo backpackers, which is when I last used the site, but it can work for families too. It connects you with locals who let you crash on their couch or have a spare room. It's the ultimate way to get to know a place from an insider's perspective. Of course, with kids, you have to be extra careful. Make sure you read the reviews, look for other families who have stayed with them, and trust your gut. And always, always have a backup plan, just in case. The good news is some hosts love having kids around and it's a great way for your kids to meet new friends too.

Now on to pet and house sitting. I talked about this in episode 5, and our family did a fair share of it this summer as well. This is a fantastic option if you love animals, especially. Thankfully, my kids are really into playing with pets right now, but since they don't really want to do most of the cleanup, I can remind them that this is why we are not opting for pets in our own life quite yet, because it's a lot of work. Platforms like Trusted Housesitters and MindMyHouse connect you with homeowners who need someone to look after their pets and their home while they're away. The best part? You get to stay for free! For families, this is a win-win. You get a whole house with a kitchen and a yard, which is way more comfortable than a hotel. It feels like home because it is. The only catch is you have to be ready to put the pets first. Your travel plans have to fit around their needs, and some sits are more demanding than others. There's also usually an annual membership fee, but it's a small price to pay for free accommodations all year. Use my discount code in the show notes for 25% off, and if you have Rakuten, you also can get up to $20 off.

My other favorite is home swapping. Ever thought about swapping homes with another family? Platforms like Home Exchange and People Like Us make this a reality. People Like Us even has a worldschooling group. There are over 300 families in there that are part of that specific group, so you can swap specifically with another worldschooling family. You let this family stay in your home while you stay in theirs. It's a huge money saver because your accommodation is essentially free, just the cost of whatever you'd already be paying at your house. This is a great option for families because you get all the comforts of a real home, often with toys, a kitchen, and a backyard. There are different ways to do it too. You can swap at the same time, or you can use a point system, like with Home Exchange. That allows you to stay in someone's home even when they're not staying in theirs. Just like with anything, you have to be comfortable letting strangers into your home, and it can take some time to find the perfect match. We recommend locking up valuables and keeping things hidden that you would not want people to touch. But I find that because there’s this level of trust and background checks as part of the site, you're really only going to meet amazing families and people.

Another option I haven't utilized yet is working for your stay through a work exchange. This is a totally different way to travel, and it's all about trading a few hours of work a day for a place to stay and sometimes even meals. Think of platforms like Workaway or WWOOF. The jobs can be anything from working on a farm to helping at a hostel or doing childcare. We went to a buffalo farm and wolf rescue in Canada a few years back, and they both had work exchange travelers staying with them, which was really cool to see. Work exchange is becoming more and more family-friendly. A huge benefit is that you get to live with locals, learn new skills, and make a real impact on the community. It's perfect for worldschooling because of the learning opportunities. But you do have to be prepared to work. The usual is about four to five hours a day, five days a week. It can be a challenge to balance that with watching your kids, and just like with anything, you have to do your research. The quality of the accommodation can really vary, and you need to make sure that the host is a good fit with your family.

Also look for co-living or shared accommodations like the Shepherd's Rest in Orilla, Spain. Often the accommodation is reasonable and you get the benefit of community, shared activities, and possibly even communal meals together. So while these options might not be for everyone, these are an incredible way to travel more, spend less, and have a truly authentic experience. It's not just about finding a place to sleep; it's about connecting with people and making a positive impact on your travels.

Traveling with your family for an extended period of time can take a lot of careful planning. Whether you're bouncing from one location to another, you need to think about a few key things to make sure your family stays safe, healthy, and on track with their learning.

First step, focus on safety by vetting your accommodations. When you're staying in someone else's home, whether it's through house sitting, a work exchange, or a site like Couchsurfing, safety has to be your top priority. You can't be too careful when it comes to checking out hosts and locations. On platforms like Couchsurfing and Work Exchange, do your homework. Look at the host's profile carefully. What do their photos and self-descriptions tell you? Most importantly, what do the reviews say? Look for hosts who have a lot of good reviews, especially from other families. Some sites, like Trusted Housesitters, even have verification badges or background checks, which are great for peace of mind. Don't be afraid to reach out to potential hosts directly. A video call can tell you a lot about a person and if it'll be a good fit for your family. We always do a Zoom chat with the house sit family beforehand to get a feel for them and their house. This is your chance to talk about expectations, house rules, and any special needs your family might have. Being on the same page from the start prevents misunderstandings later.

When you first arrive, try to get there during the day. Do a quick safety check of the place, note where the emergency exits are, and make sure there are not any hidden cameras or other surprises. It's also a great idea to share your travel plans and host contact information with a trusted friend or family member back home. Most importantly, always trust your gut. If something feels off, be ready to leave. Have a backup plan ready, like a nearby hotel, just in case.

Visas are an important part of long-term travel too, especially if you're planning on doing a work exchange. The type of visa you need depends on the country, how long you're staying, and if you're working, even if it's unpaid. Some countries might still consider it work and require you to get a work visa instead of a tourist visa. This is a critical point that requires careful investigation for each country. Don't assume that just because you're getting free accommodation, you can skip the visa requirements.

And since we cover all things worldschooling on this show, I must include that aspect into your lodging and considerations. You'll probably want reliable internet and devices for any online programs the family is using. Looking for accommodations with enough personal or workspace for each family member is important, especially if staying long-term. Is there a space for the kids to study, read, have downtime, etc.? It's such a gift when we stay somewhere family-friendly too. Even a few toys, games, or kid-friendly items can go a long way to help an accommodation feel welcoming to the kids. You may also want to focus on staying in neighborhoods with a lot of parks or near kid activities or other families on the hub because then you can facilitate impromptu get-togethers with their friends. Joining local activities, classes, or sports clubs can also help the kids make new friends. So look at what is around your accommodation as well.

Okay. That's a lot of great information, I hope, but let's summarize the key accommodation considerations for slow and long-term travel.

First up, slow down. Longer stays can unlock major discounts and foster deeper connections. Look beyond traditional rentals to alternatives like house sitting, home exchange, and work exchange to reduce lodging costs. Think about staying in locations where you can immerse in the culture, develop skills, and make a positive social and environmental impact. If choosing to travel by RV, you'll have unparalleled freedom and family bonding, though you also need to consider logistical challenges like space and connectivity. And through all of this, we'll also eventually talk about renting out your own home if you are keeping your home in your home base and how that can also play a role in helping you choose where to stay on your travels.

How to Be a Good House and Pet Sitter for Families

Our last segment about this topic today will be on how to be a good house and pet sitter. Since we just finished up a bunch of these, this is top of my mind. If you choose this method of travel, there will be some things to consider to ensure families pick you for sits, you have a good time, and that you get good reviews to unlock future sit opportunities. Families might not be the first choice for many pet sitters, so it's important to stand out. We did experience this where some of the short-notice ones that I was applying for, we were selected, whereas the ones that had families or I booked further out and I could do a Zoom call with, they were much more interested in our family.

Before the sit, it's all about building trust. Do your homework on the listing. Make sure you are searching specifically for "family-friendly" sits. Trusted Housesitters has a tab for this, and there's been many times where I've started a search and there's so many options and then I make it "family-friendly" and there are fewer. If you read that this opportunity is a household with kids, you're probably more likely to get picked as the pets do like being around kids already. Also, read the responsibilities to make sure it's a fit for what you can provide. And especially if you have little kids, you do want to make sure that the pets that are in the house are going to be safe around your kids so that you feel comfortable being around these pets too.

Next up, create a great profile. Include photos of you with pets. Make sure your bio focuses on why you love house and pet sitting and the advantages you may provide over other sitters that are single people or couples. For example, as a family, there are more of us to walk and play with the pets. And with one person working from home, the pets are going to have a lot of humans keeping an eye on them—more than a single person who may want to explore the area more. Make sure you highlight any past experience you have with pet sits and taking care of homes.

Then communicate, communicate, communicate. Offer a video call. And on those calls, make sure you highlight your enthusiasm for taking care of their pets, not just exploring the local area, though that might be part of why you are choosing to stay at their house. Ask about the pet's routines, any special needs, house rules, and what is expected of you. Bring up any needs that your family may have, such as if you need a crib or a safe area for the kids to play. Homeowners should be willing to provide a detailed guide with vet information, emergency contacts, pet feeding schedules, home quirks such as the Wi-Fi password, and any special instructions. Read this over ahead of time and ask questions if you have them.

During your sit, be professional and respectful. Avoid the homeowner's personal belongings and make sure you clean up after yourself. Leave it cleaner than you found it by washing and remaking the beds, taking out the trash, and making sure everything is tidy. As far as the pets, stick to their routine. Feed and walk them at the recommended times. Send the homeowners regular updates and photos. I would rather send too many photos of their pets than not enough. It gives them peace of mind and shows them that you're doing a great job. Lastly, be proactive on your sit. If something breaks or issues do come up, don't hesitate to reach out to the homeowners right away. They'll appreciate your honesty, and it shows that you're taking your responsibilities seriously.

After the sit, the steps you can take can help you secure future sits. Leave a handwritten note thanking the owners for trusting you with their home and pets and wish them safe travels. Sometimes if we bake cookies or other baked goods, I'll leave extra for them when the family returns. Also, ask for a review. The more positive reviews you have, the easier it is to find your next sit. For our first ever sit, I opted for a local one over Thanksgiving. Holidays tend to have a lot of sit needs, so I could meet with them in person beforehand, and this review really helped us secure future sits that were not local.

On that note, thank you for listening through this journey with me. What are your thoughts? What did I miss or what can I expand on in future episodes? What unique accommodation options have you explored? I'd love to hear your experiences. Where we stay on our travels is a big part of the planning process, so share your thoughts with me. If you're thinking of signing up for any of these platforms, I kindly request that you use the links in the show notes. This helps support this show. Until next time, stay curious and keep exploring.