Short version: we want a bigger life. Longer version: we’re aiming our little circus at Chiang Mai, Thailand for a long stay—think years, not weeks. Texas hasn’t felt like home for a long time; we’re ready for a different rhythm and new ways to grow as a family.

Yes, I said “broaden our horizons.” It sounds corny, but it’s true: we want to learn on purpose.

Why Thailand? Why Chiang Mai?

• Kid-friendly pace. Parks, markets, temples—lots to walk, watch, and smell without needing big-ticket plans every weekend.
• Everyday adventure. Night markets, mango sticky rice, tuk-tuks, mountains nearby. The kind of “wow” you can tuck between naps.
• Simpler living. Smaller spaces, less stuff, more outside. That’s our lane.
• Built-in learning. New foods, new words, new neighbors—perfect for our relaxed homeschool vibe.

What “worldschooling” means to us

Not buzzwords—behavior. Worldschooling = practicing respect for different people, cultures, languages, and religions. Being good guests. Listening more than we talk. Teaching our kids:

• to learn hello/please/thank you in Thai and use them,
• to follow local customs (temple etiquette, dress, shoes off),
• to try new foods with curiosity (backups allowed),
• to notice who’s around them and be kind first.

Who’s going?

Us: Jen + Matt, our three kids—Raspberry (3), Bay Bay (2 in December), Alien (8 months)—plus a rotating crew of foster cats who won’t be rotating forever. Our resident cats Jinx and Lola will join later, once we’re settled and all the pet paperwork is squared away. (Fosters will be placed with solid families before we go. Rescue stays rescue.)

The messy middle (aka what has to happen first)

This isn’t a montage; it’s a checklist with snacks:

• Passports & paperwork. Kids’ passports, grown-up documents, all the pre-trip admin.
• Visas & timeline. We’re mapping a long-stay plan. I’ll post the steps we actually use.
• Budget. We target ~$100/week for groceries here; we’ll track what it looks like there. Blog + Etsy + printables + a lean lifestyle = the plan.
• Housing. Small, safe, walkable. We’re not chasing fancy; we’re chasing doable.
• Cats (Jinx & Lola). Vet visits, microchips, vaccines, export paperwork, right airline/routes/season—full series coming.
• Fosters. Everyone adopted to patient, permanent homes before lift-off.
• Stuff. We own too much. We’ll pare down to what we actually use.

How the kids fit in

We’re life-schooling now—gentle rhythm with small structured moments. In Chiang Mai that looks like: counting mangoes, greeting the same shopkeepers each week, playgrounds as conversation class, and museum days when naps allow. Simple routine: morning outside, midday rest, afternoon explore.

What makes me nervous (and doing it anyway)

• Being the new people—mispronouncing words, getting lost, figuring out where the diapers are in a new store.
• Sleep schedules—time zones + toddlers = chaos math.
• Food with littles—we’ll offer try-bites, keep familiar backups, and let curiosity win in small steps.
• Paperwork—checklists will save me from tears (probably).

Nerves mean it matters. We’ll pack them with the baby wipes.

What this means for the blog

• More Travel Prep posts: visas, budgets, housing, packing, and cat travel (with printables).
• Still plenty of Family Meals, because dinner never takes a day off.
• Cats & Home stays strong—small-space systems travel well.
• Homeschool → worldschool as we go: simple activities you can do in a hotel kitchen or tiny apartment, with respect front and center.

If you’re curious (or nosey—in the best way)

Follow along:

• Comment or email — What do you want to know (housing? grocery prices? cat travel?) → [email protected]

We’re not promising perfect. We’re promising honest—the wins, the “well, that didn’t work,” and the bedtime debriefs where we count small victories. If this gives you courage to try your version of “bigger,” that’s worth it.

Here we go. 🌲✈️