Above Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, with majestic San Pedro & Toliman volacanoes

We asked you, "If we were sitting face to face, and you could ask us any question, what would it be?"

Below are the questions we received. We're creating video responses to each of them, as part of our project to help others Live Deliberately.

As each video is completed, we'll link to it here (you might want to bookmark this page), and share them in individual posts (subscribe to our email list to make sure you don't miss them.)

This is a work in progress and is not yet complete! Be patient. 🙂

Travel

  1. How do you overcome the fear of traveling to countries that are so different?
  2. How do you find creative ways to continue to fund your travels?
  3. How do you find cheap ways to travel?
  4. How do you pick the countries that you travel to?
  5. Will you ever decide to call a place home?
  6. How much planning did you have to do before you began your ongoing trip (Alaska to Argentina)?  What sort of things, upon looking back, are really important to know before you start?
  7. Do you plan to transition at some point back to the societal "normal" style of living? If so, what preparations did/do you make to plan for that (i.e. career, financial, etc)?
  8. What were or still are the things you don´t enjoy about traveling like you do, and in which situations you even thought about giving it up, if there were any moments like that, some kind of crisis...
  9. I perceived that your husband is the one that "led" you to this nomadic life. How did you take that leap of faith? Was it slowly? or one day you just decided to stop fighting or resisting it? Did you follow screaming and kicking at first? Or did you just let go and went compliantly? I read about your financial hardships and the million dollar houses, that's why I ask about your heart attitude toward the change of lifestyle.
  10. Do you have fears regarding your children? i.e. sickness, violence, getting lost etc during the travels... how do you deal with it?
  11. So far, what was the hardest thing that you had to give up?
  12. If you left the planning of your next trip totally up to your children where would they take you and what form(s) of transport would they use?

Caye Caulker, Belize

Travel Logistics

13. I am so dependent on internet, for schooling my children, entertainment, business... how do you guys make sure you have access to internet connection most of the time?? Is there a phone service or internet phone service that you recommend?

14. When you go to a new country do you plan out your itinerary or do you just follow your heart? or do you do a little of both? When you go to a new place do you book your lodging before or after you arrive? How do you get along in different cultures not knowing the language?  Can you usually get by on what you know? How to pack, how much to bring, and what type of luggage is best?

15. What are some things you can do to remain as safe as possible while traveling?

16. How do you actually make travel a reality, instead of just dreaming about it? 

17. How do seven of you manage to sleep in that truck? It must be like the TARDIS in there!

18. How long after you decided to travel full time did you do it? I would like a detail of all the little stuff you had to do before hitting the road.

19. How exactly you camp for free (or nearly free)?

20. What is the biggest challenge with kids and traveling?

21. I'd enjoy seeing how you are outfitted for day to day life just out of your truck.

22. What is the biggest conflict you run into on the road?

23. How do you line up WVO (waste vegetable oil) along the way?

24. If you had it all to do over again (sell everything and hit the road), what would you do differently or better? Do you ever regret not getting a small RV?

25. How do you pay for the adventure you're on right now?

26. How do you camp every night? I have done that drive didn't see much camping. Where/how do you spend the nights?

27. What is your monthly budget?

28. I've read that upon entering, many countries want to know or have proof that you can afford to vacation/live within their borders even for 6 months. Have you found this to actually be a practice of theirs?

Live Deliberately

29. What keeps you stoked?

30. How do you discover your purpose?

31. Do you need a specific amount of savings in the bank?

32. How do you minimize?

33. How do you make yourself believe that you have the ability to live deliberately? My biggest concern is believing in myself. Believing I have the ability to travel with my son by ourselves. Believing that I'll have the guts to leave my "current world" behind... Believing that happiness is something you take with you and not something that I'm going to look for. My biggest problem is letting go of the security of my everyday life in order to follow a dream.

34. How do you deal with negative criticism? Does it roll off your back or do you get defensive or do you have a typical response for people?

35. How did you shed the norms that society has placed out for us and decide to live deliberately when society really tries to force us to live the 9 to 5 life style? Were you ever afraid of shedding these norms and if so, how did you deal with that anxiety?

36. How would you live deliberately if you were suddenly faces with raising your children alone? I ask this because I am a single mother with dreams of freedom and travel with my children but there seem to be so many daunting obstacles in creating the life I want to live.

37. What is the biggest challenge you find maintaining a life of deliberateness and travel?

38. I would like to know how you decided that this deliberate life of travel would be beneficial to each and everyone of your children, given there different personalities, interests, etc.?  Was that a hard decision? Do you fear that they will have a hard time as adults because of missed opportunities in a "normal" life? My fear and hesitation, as well as my husband's, is how is this good for the kids?  Don't they need stability and have the opportunity to have long lasting friendships, a good education, the ability to participate in extra curricular things that interest them, and have a "normal" life?  I have four children (ages 5 through 13) that I don't want to damage them by my need for change and experience.  They don't like moving the way that I do. So my overall question is this.... How did you decide that this would be the best thing for ALL of your family members?

Education, Kids, Health & Money

39. What about educating your kids, do you follow a curriculum?

40. What about health insurance?

41. How do your children adjust to the constant change?

42. How do you fund your lifestyle, everyday expenses today?

43. What about retirement?

44. And how are going to afford your kids’ college? (Do you want your children to go to college and where's the money going to come from?)

45. I'd like to see more from you about "unconventional education of children".

46. What keeps you 'up at night?

47. Will you change from traveling if/when your children do not embrace this style of living?

48. What happened to your debt (if any)? How do I vanquish my debt?

Religion & Faith

49. I am curious how you can balance your lifestyle with your religion... I really appreciate the time that Greg gives to his family and not to his religion.

50. How often are you able to attend an LDS church, and have you been able to hold any callings while traveling?

51. Have you been able to visit any temples?

52. Are you a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ? If so, how does your faith play into all that?

Comments

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10 Responses

  1. Lee

    I am really looking forward to this video series. While I am sure most of the questions posed are from a place of true curiosity and sometimes concern, there is a bit of testiness and challenge in a few. It is very generous of you guys to do this. As always you guys live up to the name of your blog. You help people discover alternative options and new ways of approaching “regular life” and you are willing to share and therefore inspire. Keep on!

    Reply
    • Rachel

      We’re excited to address these questions, and clear up misconceptions, if there are any. 🙂

      Hope you do enjoy it! Thanks for commenting, Lee!

      Reply
  2. Janet

    I have a question related to education:

    Do you/your children learn the language(s) where you are living/traveling? How- Formally? Informally? Are you/they orally proficient?

    I have read most of your writings and it appears your husband does speak Spanish but I was wondering about the others. I know the importance of being bi- or multilingual at this time and know it would be a great benefit for all.

    Reply
    • Rachel

      Thanks for your question Janet.

      We are learning Spanish currently, some French, and plan on doing Portuguese when we get to Brazil.

      I’ll include a more in depth answer in our videos 🙂

      Reply
  3. ramblinrovers

    Great! waiting and watching… Just for fun you could add some theme music to the vids. http://www.sentex.net/~charlesc/cd.html See Heartwood’s song “My nine to fives are over”.
    [My nine to fives are over, I’ll be a ramblin’ rover
    Contentment be my wages and delight my tax and tithe
    And my heart will mind the ledger, no more the hours by measure
    And to rise and greet the morning, come what may I will be blithe]
    🙂

    Reply
  4. Kathrryn

    Great video responses! I actually love the idea you have that you let people ask you questions and answer them after..

    Reply

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