by That’s it—the stars finally seem to be aligning for us! Our project is finally becoming a reality. At this point, we can say that we will be starting our around-the-world trip around February 15, 2020! It’s a flexible date, but it gives us an anchor point and a reference to manage our to-do list.
So, where are we at with our planning?
1. Drumroll!!!!!! We received our Green Cards this week! What a huge relief to finally have this step behind us. After more than two years of process—from piles of paperwork to an interview with a USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) officer—we’ve finally made it. This now opens doors for our return destination. We just need to apply for a re-entry permit, which allows us to leave the country for up to two years and then return to settle again in the United States.
2. We also now have passports for all three children! (which includes all the paperworks, the research to find a place that does Canadian-format passport photos, getting the photos taken, etc.)
3. We’re downsizing more and more. We’ve sold a lot of things (pool, books, camera, etc.), and we’re also giving away a lot. Robin is still in full “Marie Kondo” mode and talks to his belongings to ask them whether they still bring him joy.
4. We’re starting to shop around for storage units where we can store our boxes. We think we’ll be able to fit everything into a 5’×5’ or 5’×7’ unit. Knowing that storage units are about 8 feet high, that gives us plenty of space to stack boxes! Yes, yes—we won’t be keeping any large furniture; everything will be given away or sold before we leave. We’re crazy like that!
5. Ah, renovations… We’re still stuck in that cycle where everything breaks as soon as we fix something else. Next big step: changing the kitchen countertops. It’s so much fun when you have absolutely no idea about the differences between materials and don’t really care about countertop patterns…! We have zero talent when it comes to interior decorating!
6. We’re actively researching car lease contracts in Europe (6-month leases). We’re gathering more and more information and are finally starting to plan our trip more concretely! We’re learning about European car brands (Citroën, Peugeot, etc.) and trying to understand which models would suit us best (Aircross, Crossback…!). Knowing that roads are much narrower in Europe and that cars are smaller, we need to find something that will allow Robin (who is 6 feet tall) and the three kids to be comfortable for a long journey.
7. We’re waiting for Black Friday or holiday sales to buy our gear. We’ll need five backpacks, good quality ones, so they can withstand 18 months of being hauled around. Each child will have their own small backpack for books or a few toys they want to carry along. Osprey seems to be the highest-rated brand for now.
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So, the project is moving forward in small steps. We don’t have much time to do research for the trip—with school, work, renovations, boxes, and planning the sale of our house. We’ll take advantage of our first few weeks of our world tour (a U.S. road trip up to Quebec) to start booking Airbnbs and planning our route in Europe. We’ll spend a few days in Quebec before our international departure and will go say hello to those who want to see us!
Thank you for following along! If you have ideas, advice, or questions, don’t hesitate to contact us—we’ll be happy to respond!