Let's be serious: Is there any other way than traveling slow as a family? Traveling with children means to go slowly, as naturally everything takes longer with children. Getting out the door is slow, boarding a plane is slow, going through an attraction or just sitting down for lunch is slow. But is that really what slow-traveling stands for? Sure not!
Slowmadism - a trend, which is here to stay!
The slow-trend has emerged as a reaction to the stressful, fast-paced and jam-packed lifestyle of the last decades. "Slow" essentially means putting the handbrake on everything, taking a deeper approach to life, delight in the moment and seek for quality instead of quantity.
The main focus of slow-traveling is to change locations less frequently, take time to immerse yourself into the place you chose and get the most authentic and enriching travel experience. This meaningful type of location-independent lifestyle is called "slowmadism". Slowmads are the digital nomads that take their time and usually stay multiple months at a certain location. They tend to pick less touristy destinations, where they can capture the genuine culture and spirit of the local community. They go to shops and restaurants where the locals would normally go, eat the food the locals would eat, get to know the community, listen to their music, learn their beliefs and appreciate their history.
What are the benefits of slow-traveling as a family?
Less stress: First of all, travel can be exhausting - especially for families. Slow travel means less travel, and less travel means less stress for parents and kids. You simply have less packing and unpacking, less flights to catch, less visa requirements to complete, less jet lags your kids have to handle and less often to deal with unexpected transport or accommodation issues. And this helps making travel much more enjoyable for the whole family. It gives you the opportunity to maintain your own family routine, which supports well-being and happiness of little and grown-up travelers. Ultimately, a less stressful way of traveling allows you to better relax, recharge your batteries and improve your mental health.
Authentic experiences: Staying longer in one place allows you to dig deeper into the local culture, embrace new lifestyles and traditions or even pick up a new language. Taking time to appreciate what is near you and deeply learn about a place instead of rushing through impressions and scratching on the surface. Learning Egyptian mythology at the pyramids of Giza, understanding world economy in Shenzhen, dancing tango like a local in Argentina - taking time and moving out of your comfort zone has a significant educational impact on the learning process of your children as well. Traveling slow allows the whole family to create unique memories for a lifetime. Also, it gives you the opportunity to give back to local communities by contributing to social or environmental projects, buying local products from local stores etc.
Affordability: It is in the nature of slow traveling that less expenses incur for flights and commute. Also, staying longer in one and the same place allows you to book a long-term accommodation, which can drastically reduce the price. Landlords regularly offer enticing discounts on monthly stays. Staying long is a smart way to save money. as you will profit on better deals. A 3-month gym membership is for sure more beneficial than paying for a week.
Higher productivity: Staying longer in one place allows you to establish a productive work routine, which is key to keep the work-play balance in check. Having to do things like packing, researching flights or managing travel bureaucracy only once every few months frees up a lot of time. Rather than being in constant motion, non-stop looking for places with acceptable WiFi and filling every moment with novelty, you can instead focus on getting work done and take your time to relax and enjoy. You now have a chance to truly appreciate the rich opportunities a place has to offer. You have time for friendships, exercising, cooking healthy meals and soaking in the beauty of a place with all your senses.
Eco-friendliness: Slow travel is the basis of responsible travel, and therefore, the most sustainable travel option. The obvious benefit is that you can reduce the environmental impact of your trip by sticking to exploring one destination, instead of whizzing around multiple places in a short period of time.
While slow-traveling is the most beneficial travel option for families, slow-traveling with Nomadville is a whole different level! Taking community and school around the world, we empower families to live the best of their nomad life. We follow a breath-taking itinerary, staying about 2 months in one location, which allows for deep, life-changing experiences, while kids enjoy a forward-thinking education. They are educated, entertained and socialized around the world - enjoying meaningful learning experiences and strong social bonds at the same time. Does that sounds like an opportunity you have been craving for? Come, embark our journey!
Julia C. Lautenbacher, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Head of Education at Nomadville
Nomadville is a slow-moving tribe of nomad families with travel school www.nomadville.org
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