All our bags are packed (kinda) and we are embarking upon a grand adventure! It’s an enormous unknown; a family gap year for two doctors, two teenage girls, and Julia (9). It’s our time for lending a hand in medical clinics in South America and Southeast Asia. An opportunity to show our children the world and how we can make a small positive difference by volunteering. Our plan is to spend the first five months traveling through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina, working with different charities and medical aid groups. In February, we venture to Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. It all starts in Chontapunta, Ecuador, in the Amazon basin with timmyglobalhealth.org, an Indianapolis based organization that teams with international partners to expand access to healthcare. Our family will be part of a team that travels between small, isolated villages along the Rio Napo in the jungles of Ecuador.
As we talk to friends, family, and patients about our plans, a few questions inevitably arise. How do your kids feel about this? What about their schools? How do you go about planning such a trip? And how do you pack?
Initially, we had 2 out of 3 kids on board for this adventure. Now, I think each daughter is about 2/3s on board – which we are feeling pretty good about. We all have our moments of total terror as we prepare for our August 4th departure, but we are holding it together. Barely.
Julia is doing homeschool for 4th grade and we are already making headway with the curriculum. I’m still smarter than a fourth-grader. Lena and Mimi are staying in great academic shape with select online courses and we are grateful for the encouragement and support of the administration of their high-school, Mcdonogh School.
Planning? What planning? I think in life, it sometimes boils down to who you meet. We’ve met some amazing physicians and global health advocates who have led us to the various non-profit organizations that we will work with in the coming year. The first few months will see us join efforts with timmyglobalhealth.org in Chontapunta, Ecuador, Jambi Huasi in Otavalo, Ecuador, and Kausay Wasi Health Clinic in Coya, Peru. My Spanish will get sharper by necessity, and I hope to pick up some Quechua phrases as well. Our three daughters speak Spanish beautifully, and thanks to their teacher, Nulbia Morales, their accent is pure Ecuadorean! I’m certain that their translation skills will be in high demand in the clinics, and their fluency will allow them to make friends throughout South America. As for the Asian adventure? Still some planning to do for that.
Packing. This is the part that makes even my most fearless friends quick-shift from wanting to join us to wanting to stay home with Netflix and wine. How do you pack for a family of 5 for an extended journey in three seasons, two jungles, two coasts, high elevation, cities, countryside, airplanes, rental cars, buses, and boats? As one daughter flatly answered, “We are just packing all our ugly clothes.” Yes, we are trying to make do with less, which is easy for Andrew, and a bit tougher for us girls. As we look around our rooms, there just isn’t much that doesn’t seem essential. But we are paring it down – just the basics, and some medical supplies and equipment. And some games. And art supplies. And a few choice hair products. Bugspray, lots of bugspray. And of course, the chargers for all things electronic. So we are aren’t traveling as light as planned – but we are trying.
And we are off!
-Gail
Good Luck! Go get’um Goldsteins!
Awesome! Bon voyage!
Have an awesome trip. Looking forward to hearing about all the adventures and charity work. Amazing!
Safe travels. Have fun!
FANTASIC! Way to change the world!! Safe Travels.
Very excited for you. Can’t wait to hear more!
OMG!!! We are so proud of you! And we’re looking forward to following all your adventures as you post them~ and cheering you every step of the way. Extraordinary!!!
We wish you guys an awesome trip! So very happy you get a chance to help the world. Love always.
Congratulations!
Today is your day!
You’re off to climb mountains,
Godspeed all the way!
Oh, The Places You’ll Go
By Dr Seuss (slightly paraphrased 🙂
HAVE FUN! We will miss you! ?
xoxo
Gail, I am so excited to follow along on your adventure. Jim (my husband) and I have been working on a 5-year plan where he retires and I take a year off from my newly hatched career of nursing and we drive with our then 13 year old to the tip of South America and back, taking a year to do so. I hadn’t even thought of trying to work in some volunteer nursing work along the way; brilliant! Jim (jokingly) said that maybe he could work in some volunteer city Planning. Ha. Anyway, we are looking forward to hearing more about your trip. How exciting!!!!! Catherine (Lombardi) McDonald
Wishing you all a wonderful and safe adventure. What a trip and what a wonderful thing you are doing. All the best. Love you all
We wish you a safe and fulfilling journey.
We will miss you!
I know that your first blog addressed excitement and a degree of worry, but … Don’t worry about a thing. We will be fine without you. It might take some adjustment and some therapy, but we will manage.
Much love and deep hopes for a meaningful and cherished experience.
Ari
What a wonderful experience to all of you. Those countries that you will live in South America and South East Asia are lucky to have such an amazing family.
Both Hezi and I wish you a safe and meaningful journey.
Best,
Sarit and Hezi Brosh
Mazel tov to you and the people who will benefit from your generosity! We wish you safe and happy travels and can’t wait to read all about it!
I love following your blog. I have been in New York for the last two days having a fabulous time . Saw great show, The Curious Incident Of The Dog in the Nighttime . Real theatre. Saw amazing show at the MET about Chinas influence on fashion by Haute couture designer and marelous porcelain heads done by a friend of Simons. Head dresses of shards of broken plates, vases etc.
I go to sleep,I think about you, I drink my coffee, I think about . You will never be out of my mind. Keep the blogs coming. I am so excited about your adventures. Don’t forget to send my love to Nana. LOVE YOU ALL. LOVEY AND COACH
Have not heard from you in days. Maybe because of poor reception in the jungle. Most interested about the girl’s reaction to their new life style. Hope to hear soon. Much love, Lovey and Coach
Sorry we were not home to receive your phone call. Glad the jungle experience was so positive. Glad to hear your voice . All is well here. Mom and Dad