Could you move to Bangkok with your family? The Watanabe family did. We met Anthony, Rose, Emile and Felix in Chiang Mai near the start of 2014. This family of four left their home in Toronto, Canada for a year-long round-the-world trip together, but they had so much fun that they decided to stay overseas, move to Bangkok and establish themselves there.
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Gap Year Family Travel to a move to Bangkok
In this EER Family Travel Interview, we hear about their travels and what they learned along the way, as well as why (and how) they moved to Thailand.
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EPIC INTRO
- Name: Anthony Watanabe, Rose Swagemakers and their boys Emile and Felix
- Countries Visited: Netherlands, France, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, New Zealand, Fiji, US, Peru, Bolivia, Equador, Galapagos Islands
- Type of travel: Gap year round-the-world trip, and then moved to Thailand
- On the web — Personal: Yolo Mom on the Go. Work-related: Innovolve & Asia Clean Innovations. Recent Interview in Wanderlust Magazine
EPIC ECONOMICS
- They’ve rented their home in Toronto.
- And also managed their company while building another one.
EPIC ESSENTIALS
- Osprey wheeled backpacks
- Arcteryx Pyxis 12
- Chaco sandals
- Keen running shoes
- Merrell hikers
- 1 iPad Mini
- 2 MacBook Airs
- 1 GoPro
- Rose likes clothes by Lululemon
- Soft guitar cases with solid straps were bought in Peru, which was also a fantastic place to buy a guitar!
EPIC INSIGHT
- Homeschooling was the most difficult part of the travel. If they could do it again, they’d have dropped schooling altogether and focus on travel.
- Kids now attend the French School in Bangkok
EPIC RESOURCES
- Math resources: IXL, Math Snacks, Adapted Mind and Mathletics (they also have a grammar section!)
- Typing via the BBC
- Booking via Skyscanner, Kayak and Air Treks
- Budgeting: Microsoft Excel and XE Currency
- Ultimate Guitar
EPIC ADVICE
- “Kids are resilient — one year out and our kids still advanced to the next grade with no problems.”
- Bilingual strategy: One Language, One Parent
- “It’s actually safer traveling with kids.”
- “If the kids don’t sleep well, we don’t have a good day, so we don’t sacrifice too much on accommodation.”
- Look for accommodation outside city centers — it may take longer to get to the hot spots, but often cheaper and quieter.
- Bring along refurbished (older) iPhones, make sure they can take local SIM cards.
EPIC DESTINATIONS
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Krabi, Thailand
- Elephant Sanctuary near Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Cusco, Peru
- Yangshuo, China
- Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
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