How we travel the world with kids.
My wife, two boys, and I have been “slowmading” since July 2022.
We’ve been to 14 countries.
Here are the most common questions we get about how and why we’re doing this:
First: what is “slowmading”?
Digital nomads work remotely while traveling the world.
We’re doing the same, but because we have kids, we have a base during the school year — that is, moving slower, hence “slowmading”.
We make a base for 9 months, travel all summer, each school break, and many weekends.
Where have you been based?
In 2022–2023 we were based in Zagreb, Croatia.
In 2023–2024 we’re based in Valencia, Spain.
Where else have you been?
U.S., France, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Portugal, Spain, England, Switzerland.
Isn’t it expensive to do this?
Our biggest splurge has been the schools. Aside from that, it costs us less to live here than our US life.
Our living expenses AND travel living this way add up to about the same as our non-travel living costs at home.
How much stuff did you take?
We each brought one bag.
We’ve acquired some things: clothes, Lego, yoga mat, but not much.
Does it feel safe?
Everywhere we’ve been has felt incredibly safe, save for a recent evening in London.
What do you do for schooling?
We have been putting the boys in international schools. This has been our splurge, but it’s worth it, as the schools have been incredible.
How do you decide where to go?
In choosing where to base ourselves, it’s been quick and casual, we don’t overthink it.
We look at places that offer a digital nomad visa, then narrow it down to parts of the world we want to explore more, and that aren’t far from the coast.
We had never been to Croatia, or Valencia, before committing to going there, and that was intentional. We decided on these in a matter of hours. We’re in it for the adventure.
As far as choosing where else to go, we all just toss out ideas, or if someone has a strong opinion, we do it if it’s within reason.
How do you make friends?
We’ve made friends through the schools, and language classes, and I have found local founder friends through communities I’m in such as MicroConf and on X.
How old are your kids?
9 and 11.
How do the kids feel about it?
They miss their friends at times, but they’re having a blast, and have made a bunch of new friends from around the world.
If they had their way, we’d keep doing this, but have a couple of their best friends and family come along :)
What about language?
The kids are in international schools, so those are in English.
We do our best. My wife is great at and loves languages and has been immersing herself.
The kids are learning a ton of Spanish and German and some French and Croatian.
Don’t you think your kids should have more stability?
We feel they have stability.
Being based in places for the school year, they adapt and make friends quickly. It can be hard at the end of the school year and the start of the new one in a new place, but again, they adapt quickly, and we aren’t doing that their whole childhood — we’re only in year 2.
Facetime changes the game too — as they can keep in touch with friends and family around the world so easily.
The biggest hurdle is timezones, which they figure out.
How do you find places to stay?
For the places we rent for 9 months, we find them with local agents.
For weekends and our summer travel, it’s usually Airbnb or Vrbo.
Where do you work?
I work at the dining room table, or the local Starbucks (I know, but it’s reliable). My wife works at the dining room table, a coffee shop, or a co-working space.
Do you get visas?
Yes, we had a digital nomad visa in Croatia for the first year and then one in Spain.
What’s your favorite place you’ve been?
So hard to say!
Sarajevo surprised us in the best way.
Korçula, Croatia is hard to beat for ocean swimming.
Venice in the off-season will always be special.
What do you miss most from home?
Friends and family.
Have people come to see you?
Yes! All four of our kid’s grandparents have come to visit, and a handful of the kids and our friends have met us somewhere along the way. It’s a great excuse for others to go abroad!
What’s the best part of living this way?
So many new adventures, not every day feels the same.
We’ve all been exposed to so many new cultures. The kids in particular have made friends from so many parts of the world. There’s even a large group of Russian and Ukrainian kids together in their school which is beautiful, considering the current events.
The kids have found immense curiosity about the world (as have we), and desire to see so much more. Our 11-year-old now watches Flight Radar as much as he can get away with.
Live without regrets.
Where are you gonna go?
