Testing Worldschooling: A Month in Mexico
How our family is combining public school, slow travel, and cultural immersion through a month-long worldschooling experience in Mexico.
Greetings from Mexico!
I’m writing this from a beautiful café in San Miguel de Allende, our family’s home base for the next month. We’re here so our son can experience worldschooling, which is something I’ve dreamed about for several years. I’m deeply grateful that we have the opportunity to experience this adventure together as a family.
So, what is worldschooling?
Worldschooling uses travel as a vehicle for learning, combining academics with cultural immersion and real-world experiences. It is an extension of the homeschooling and unschooling community for many people. Some families (like us) join worldschool hubs, which are temporary communities that typically last one to three months and offer group learning opportunities, activities, field trips, and community-building experiences for both children and parents.
Many families choose to worldschool full-time. While that lifestyle sounds exciting, I know that a month-long program each summer is probably the best fit for our family. We all enjoy the comforts of home, the stability of a consistent routine, and spending time with friends and family.
As a public school educator, I also want my son to experience K–12 education in the United States. Despite the frequent criticism directed at public education, I believe our schools offer tremendous opportunities and experiences for children. Worldschooling, for us, is not a replacement for traditional schooling but a complement to it.
There’s also the practical reality that neither my spouse nor I have careers particularly well-suited to the digital nomad lifestyle. The work we love (and, crucially, the work that pays our bills) is deeply rooted in being physically present.
My hope is that one month of worldschooling each year lets us enjoy the best of both worlds: a strong home community and traditional schooling, paired with meaningful opportunities for travel, cultural immersion, and global learning.
Over the coming weeks, I’ll share more about how to find worldschooling programs, what they cost, and a full review of our current program once it concludes. I’ll also provide recommendations for families considering a trip to San Miguel de Allende.
Hello. I came here via Midstack, and am very glad I did. Living somewhere for a month, experiencing a place slowly, is a treat, and I look forward to reading about your experience. (I am a former educational researcher, have been learning Spanish for many years, and think travel is the best opportunity to learn - a lot of intersections).
You are creating a beautiful experience for your children and making memories that will last a lifetime. Great article.