As the saying goes, they must come to an end… eventually. With severely mixed emotions, we are fast approaching the end of our life-changing, mind-expanding, family-enriching Year To Think. Part of us could go on exploring and making short films about our adventures forever, but in about a month’s time, we will return to our home, and our friends, and our schools, and our careers making films longer than three minutes, and we will wrap up A Year To Think. But hey, we needn’t dwell on that today, do we? We still have about four more weeks to go and so much ground to cover. In the weeks ahead, we’ll be posting about a variety of topics that many of you have requested — such as “How We Pack,” “Our Favorite Cities,” “How We Spend,” “The Movies We Never Made,” “The Things We’ve Learned” and an attempt to answer the potentially unanswerable “What It All Means” (lower your expectations on that one, we’re still trying to figure it all out).
So what would you still like to know about a family taking a year off to discover the world? As we enter the home stretch, we’re officially taking requests. If you have nagging questions you’d like answered or travel mysteries you’d like solved, please add them to the comments below as we prepare for the thrilling (albeit bittersweet) conclusion of A Year To Think.
First of all, NOOOOO!!! Don’t stop.
Second… What were the mistakes you made? Any regrets? And what were your favorite destinations?
Best meal you had? Best eating city? Place you felt the most comfortable? Place you felt most scared? How many meltdowns for each person on the trip? Most glorious sunrise? Country that needs a new government? Nicest people? Rudest people? Place that was so breathtaking it made you cry?
And ps, can’t wait to see you!
Would Franny or Finn, sometime in the distant future, want to do something like this with their kids?
Remember those questions you asked at the beginning? How were they answered throughout your travels in different countries? I guess my question is: What kinds of things are universal regardless of race, religion, culture & country? And what things are very different because of race, religion, culture & country?
There, that should be easy.
How did you manage with languages other than English?
Did anyone use the language you learned in school?
Did it ever feel uncomfortable or especially comfortable being Jewish?
After all this, what foreign language do the kids want to study in school?
tell us about the new friends you made,what places you missed that were on the original itinerary, what places you visited that weren’t on the itinerary, how many modes of tranportation did you use (including camels as well as trains and planes),your favorite museum (no surprise from your Mom)
Have either of the kids expressed a desire to stay longer in a paricular place? Made plans for returning as soon as they are old enough to do so on their own?
Did you keep a ranked list of places you would move to? With or without kids? How is Los Angeles sitting on the list?
What experiences or discoveries surprised you the most during your Year to Think?
xox
Nah, come on, do another lap.
Since everyone is making millions of requests, my question is, “Do you regret asking for requests?”
However, since I don’t want to be left out, my request is that Franny write and perform a song for us that expresses her feelings about the year of travel and exploration that is coming to a close.
xox,#1FANNY.
I will miss your postings forever, and I am sure I won’t be the only one, so you’ll have to come up with new subjects, perhaps about going back to “normal” life, just to start.
I’d like to add these:
From the children’s perspectives:
How did you get along with each other, how did this experience change your relationships with each family member?
Feelings about the “return” to prior life?
From parent’s perspective:
Will you do more long term traveling with kids before you are empty-nesters? Time passes so quickly!!!
Love your family even though we’ve never met!!!
So many questions! But for today —
Did y’all make any new friendships that you will definitely continue exploring?
Did you have a daily budget and were you able to stick to it?
What advice would you give a family thinking of doing this trip?
The most moving experience you had?
What one thing did each of you miss most (about leaving LA)?
What one thing will each of you miss most (about returning)?
Any chance you will do a version of this trip again when the kids are older?
xoxox
Nancy
We have fallow your Journey with most interest I am courious to Know how long did it took to prepare your Journey, What criteria did you use to prepare the itinerary and if you use profesional help to completed.
Selfishly we look forward to seeing u.
No words can comprehend my admiration for all of you guys !!
So much questions to ask . Maybe just a suggestion !??
How’s about a book ?? I’d defo be the first one to buy it!!
Like most friends setting off on a journey travelling the world I always say this
to them .
Only those who go will ever know!
for the money, what was the most affordable bang for your buck place? And yes i too will miss your blogs.
As summer rapidly passes, you’ve been in my thoughts. I keep thinking about how it must feel to be this close to the end of the journey (although the journey never truly ends). Travel is transformative, so I wonder how this much time away as a family unit has changed you. What dynamics in your family have been altered? I check for new posts everyday, savoring every last day of your adventure.
Where would be the place that all four of you would agree to go back?
Jay and Lesley
How have you each individually changed over the year? And what did you expect at the beginning of the journey and how is that different now at the end? What is your new world perspective? How do you think this trip has changed your life, and going forward, how will it affect what you do everyday?
Can’t wait to see you all!
Merry
We spoke a year ago before your journey began. I’m wondering, how has the trip been like what you expected it to be? How has it surprised you? And what do you think it will take to hold on to what you have found?
Brace yourself. Here comes the next challenge: Re-entry.
Continued best of luck, and wonderful story-telling.
Now that you have lived for a year on the road, how do you expect to change your setup at home back in LA? What habits are you hoping to keep with you? What luxuries of stationary life are undervalued and overvalued? As a family is there a new tradition you plan to incorporate into your weekly or daily ritual after this trip together that you did not do before?
Oh and most importantly, can’t wait to see you guys again!!!!
I want packing tips!!!
Have so enjoyed your posts. My viewing treat during my hectic work day is to escape with your family to far away lands. I want to know if there will be a soundtrack album or at least a playlist. Loving the music!!
Best guide?
Worst guide?
—
Best lodging?
Worst lodging?
—
Best meal?
Worst meal?
—
What local holiday/festival did you guys enjoy the most?
What was the most “foreign” holiday/festival you guys experienced?
I too will miss the blog entries, very fun reading and watching the videos.
i finally thought of something to ask, that of course no one else has — SHOPPING! certainly you could not resist shopping in all the exotic places you visited, n’est ce pas?! well what in the world did you do with what you bought, ie. and esp. b/c you packed so diligently and couldn’t shlep things from country to country? did you ship things home? or did you have strict shopping rules? inquiring minds wnat to know!
xx
Are you glad you took a full year rather than say, 12 one month trips over the course of a few years? Did you get RTW plane tickets or use some other system for your travel. Do you find that you’re ready to dive back into your lives as they were or have these travels changed how and what you’d like to do for work/school?
Thanks for sharing your travels.
We are planning a similar trip with our family and we are trying to find the right balance between going light and documenting our trip.
1. How do you balance carrying a bunch of gadgets that keep you connected to the world while staying focused on where you are?
2. Where do you store your laptop, camera(s) and other gadgets when you don’t want to carry them (for places with no safe / front desk etc?)
3. What video camera are you using? Do you carry one camera for still photos and another for video? As a follow up what editing software do you use to turn out these great videos?
4. How do you do the phone thing? Global cell phone? Prepaid / disposable cell phones in each conuntry? Skype off of an iPhone at an internet cafe?
Thanks very much. Looking forward to hearing how you make this all work.