When we first decided to take a year‑long global sabbatical — a mix of worldschooling, slow travel, and intentional family time — we imagined the big moments: watching the sunrise over the savanna, wandering through temples in Thailand, sipping coffee in tiny France. But long before any of that could happen, we knew we needed to get organized and come in with plan to manage the mountain of logistics required to make a year away from home.
So today, I’m sharing the unfiltered version of our real, month‑by‑month to‑do list. It’s not glamorous, but it’s the scaffolding that makes the adventure possible. And honestly, it’s become part of the story — the anticipation, the planning, the “oh wow, we’re really doing this” moments.
Below is what our prep has looked like so far, plus a peek into what’s still ahead.
We started with a blank document and a vague sense of “there’s a lot to figure out.” It quickly turned into a month‑by‑month roadmap that spans everything from passports to packing cubes.
A checklist can make everything look tidy, but the emotional undercurrent is its own journey.
There’s excitement, of course — the kind that bubbles up when we talk about safaris or street food or the kids’ first time snorkeling. But there’s also the quieter stuff: the nerves about leaving home for so long, the bittersweet feeling of stepping away from routines and communities we love, the occasional “are we actually doing this?” moment.
We’re all excited but none of us can truly appreciate what travelling together this long is going to look like.
What We’ve Learned So Far:
- Big dreams are built on small, unglamorous tasks.
- Planning a year away is basically a part‑time job.
- With constant adjustments to the plan, its really hard to make sure everyone stays on the same page.
- The more we plan, the more excited and nervous we get.
And the biggest lesson: this is going to be one hell of a year.