Written by Christi Sparrow
A Letter to You...
Dear Chloe and Camden,
We are six months into our 12-month journey around the world. We have visited 16 cities in 10 countries on four continents, and we plan to continue traveling for another six months before returning to our home in San Antonio, Texas.
Your Dad and I are so impressed with how amazingly you are managing our travels. Traveling is not easy. Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we figure it out along the way. Thank you for playing contentedly while we scramble to fix a missed flight connection or find the correct train platform. Thank you for listening to, (or tactfully ignoring), Mom and Dad discuss our travel budget. Thank you for trying new foods. Thank you for continually asking questions. And most profoundly, thank you for your unique, unfiltered, honest perspective— it has deepened our understanding and appreciation of what it means to be curious and content, no matter where we are.
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Chloe, you are riding your scooter everywhere and clocking miles even in the hallways of our apartments. You belt out the songs from the first Frozen movie with the unabashed emotions of a Broadway performer. We are making great progress on your reading lessons, and you love when I read “James and the Giant Peach” to you every day. You are also an incredibly empathetic, compassionate, and observant spirit. The wisdom in your soul is a beautiful gift to witness.
Camden, your vocabulary is exploding. You are communicating your feelings, memories, ideas, and preferences with new clarity and intention. Your budding independence and sense of humor evolve almost daily. Your confidence has led you to dangle, climb, and slide on the playground without assistance. And you copy everything your sister does, from repeating her silly songs to sneaking rides on her scooter!
Your Daddy and I have always loved to travel, and we dreamed about an extended trip years before you two were born. This was, (and still is), a dream in our marriage. While we were running the soccer business and I was working full time, the years slipped by so quickly. They seemed to roll into each other. When you were born, our perspective on the passage of time shifted. You both grow and change so fast. Each year, month, and day with you is so utterly unique. And the time we get is finite. We want to seize this time with you.
So why did we decide to embark on such an ambitious, and sometimes difficult, around-the-world travel adventure with you both? We have many reasons, but it boils down to this: we love exploring and learning as a family. Regardless of where we are on a map, we want to make the most of our time together by following our collective curiosity, packing in as much life and fun and adventure as possible, and making joyful memories.
Related post: How to Prepare to Travel for a Year with Your Family
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Here are some of the reasons why your Daddy and I decided to voluntarily push our family way outside of our comfort zone and travel around the world for a year.
- We want to discover new places and meet new people with you. Curiosity is what fuels exploration, wonder, growth, and fulfillment. We want to show you that your curiosity can take you to fantastic places, both literally and figuratively. We want to visit new places, live among different cultures, and keep learning. This trip has nudged all of us to seek new friends in new places and broaden our minds. You are developing the confidence, humility, and skills to make new friends wherever we go by finding common ground quickly.
Your Daddy and I are addicted to experiencing life through your senses and hearing your impressions. You show us new ways of looking at things, and you remind us to slow down and take it all in. Just as we spend time teaching you, you most definitely reciprocate by teaching us— and you don’t even realize it! - We want to challenge ourselves to build resilience, confidence, and optimism. Traveling can be difficult. As a family we try to approach every day with positivity. Some days we get it right, and some days we leave plenty of room for improvement. Some days are quiet and easy, and some days push us to stretch our resourcefulness and resilience or navigate disappointment. But we figure it out together! Learning how to solve problems creatively is an invaluable life skill that you will always be honing. The same goes for approaching each day with optimism and gratitude.
- We want to grow together and continually strengthen our family. Home is wherever you feel entirely free to be your true self, free of judgment and filled with love and support. We find comfort in each other’s company no matter where we are, no question. But when we’re traveling and spending our days in unfamiliar places far away from the comforts of our home, the strength of our family unit is all the more crucial. We are forced to rely on each other to solve problems, plan our time, and stay engaged. And when one of us falls ill or needs help, the rest of us change our plans to support them. That’s what family does.
Chloe and Camden, you two are best friends, and we hope that by traveling together, your sibling bond is strengthened. You already do a terrific job of looking out for each other, helping each other, and sharing. You are navigating new surroundings and situations with grace beyond your years. Our hope is that you will remain the best of friends and provide for each other a sense of home and belonging and safety long after your Daddy and I are gone.
- We want to show you how to travel. Traveling can be intimidating, but it’s so worth it. We are teaching you the mechanics of travel so that, if you so choose, it becomes part of your life. (Although I do acknowledge that we are planting seeds that may one day take you very far away from us which tugs deeply at my heart.) If you ever feel stuck, traveling is a terrific way to gain a new perspective; and it will always be there for you. You don’t have to go far.
Caversham Wildlife Park, Western Australia. Click here to watch a video of our day with the Kangaroos and Koalas.
- We want to make incredible family memories! Like I stated earlier, the time we get is finite. While you are young and before formal schooling monopolizes our household schedule, we thought this would be a good time to travel with you to experience life in multiple places. Through exploration we are discovering wondrous sights, activities, and emotions. For your Daddy and me, the excitement of travel is multiplied exponentially because we get to share it with you.
When we arrive in a new place, our senses are heightened. Our eyes and minds and hearts are more open having been thrust into new surroundings. It is this acute awareness that attracts us to travel because it reminds us to live in the present and enjoy making memories with you. There is so much to discover!
Travel is challenging, and so it builds confidence. Travel can be uncomfortable, and so it fosters appreciation. Travel is exciting, and so it feeds curiosity. Travel is rewarding, and so it is worth it.
We hope that you never stop exploring in whatever ways feel right to you. Travel far if that’s what moves you. But don’t forget to look for adventures in your own backyard. Exploring doesn’t need to be expensive or even geographic. Traveling is just one of countless ways to challenge yourself, learn about yourself, and grow. Figure out what makes you curious and find the courage to follow it.
Being your parents is the best adventure we’ve ever experienced. It is an indescribable gift and privilege. The capacity of our hearts exploded on the days each of you were born, and we continue to savor every moment of being your mom and dad. Each day you enhance our lives and challenge our hearts in ways unimaginable before you joined us. Thank you.
We are so excited and humbled to be on this adventure with you! We love you no matter what!
Love always,
Mom and Dad
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21 thoughts on “Why We Love to Travel with You”
This is adorable. Our family travels a lot, but even a two week trip is a lot. You guys have stamina!
Haha, thanks, Adriane. Yes, it’s certainly an adventure! 🙂
What a lovely letter and I imagine this will be a great keepsake when they are older. What a fantastic time you must all be having travelling together and experiencing new things. This is our dream, when our kids are a bit older to take them for a year to travel.
Thanks, Katy! It’s not always easy, but it’s totally worth it. Good luck with your travel plans! What are your family’s bucket list destinations?
I love how you decided to record your travels with your lovely children with a letter. Brilliant and your children are adorable! You’ve been well blessed. Happy travels.
Thank you for reading our post! 🙂
This is so sweet. They will have this letter forever to re-read, remember, and share with their kids. What a beautiful thing to do for them.
Thanks, Jenny! We enjoy your blog, too! We’re currently using your “Useful and Fun Travel Blog Post Ideas” article. 😉
Beautiful x x
Thanks, Laura! Hope you are doing well. 🙂
What a sweet way to share these memories with your kiddos! It’s wonderful to see your experiences traveling with little ones! ❤️
Thanks for reading this post! Love your blog. All the best!
Agreed! Traveling can be difficult but it is so worth it!!!
Yes it is… soooo worth it!
This is so sweet. Such a great adventure for you all.
Thank you!
I admire families who do this. You are so brave. The memories that the two cuties will have will be amazing. Hope the rest of your world tour is as great as the first part.
Thank you so much for your kind words.
What a beautiful letter! It made me all teary and smiling at the same time. It’s like reading my very own thoughts and hopes and excitement for our son and the adventure we plan to have ahead. Thank you.
Hi Giang! Thanks for your comment. We look forward to hearing about your adventures!
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