Our Global Village
After we finished up our time in New Zealand, we embarked on our next adventure: Australia. We had just spent three weeks in New Zealand, and I was still in an adjustment phase. I was in the throws of learning how to be still. I remember the restless feeling I felt as I attempted to read a book. My mind jumped around and I struggled to focus. That took a few weeks to break, and it was a realization of how little I allowed myself to rest. Imagine. Explore. That was the first thing that had to change, and I was intentional about correcting that habit.
We checked out of our Auckland hotel, coasted through security at the airport, and found these adorable chairs shaped like stones in the terminal. Cameron found a boy his age to play with and together, they hopped from stone to stone. We sat there for some time before going our separate ways. To our surprise, we found that little boy again at our gate. He and his family were flying to Brisbane, too! We boarded the plane and laughed as that boy and his parents sat in the row directly in front of us. What were the odds? In true American fashion, we struck up a conversation. They were a traveling family as well! They had properties in the States and South America; and they took long holidays to homeschool and travel the world. We exchanged information and talked about the possibility of getting together in the coming days at the Australia Zoo.
We weren’t able to finalize plans to meet up with them, as we were in Brisbane just for a few days. Only 96 hours from our initial meeting, we were at the airport heading to Cairns. We arrived to Cairns, checked into our hotel, and ventured out into the city. And there they were again! They, too, had traveled north to visit the Great Barrier Reef. While they ventured out into the jungle, we hung out by the pool, but it was so fun to see them living a parallel life, exploring and enjoying adventure together. We loaded up five days later to head down to Sydney and you’ll never guess who we saw. THEY WERE GETTING ON OUR PLANE TO SYDNEY! It was freaky and weird and awesome. We had several hours to wait in the airport before our plane departed, so we enjoyed adult conversation while the boys played in the airport. They ran in the halls, probably disturbing everyone they got near. It was wonderful and we parents couldn’t care less. There are more important things to fuss at your kids about.
I learned a few things in chatting with these strangers, who ultimately became friends….
Going against the grain is more scratchy when you haven’t found your tribe.
Meeting this particular family at this exact time was so affirming. When we were on our first plane ride together, we told them what we had done. “We sold our house, sold our cars, put everything into storage, and began traveling.” They were almost unimpressed. They were more excited than anything else in hearing what we did. They had done similar things in their lives, and were accustomed to traveling away from their home for long periods of time. They could relate to needing to pack light, teaching life lessons rather than textbook definitions, and being flexible with changing plans. I needed to meet this family at this exact moment. They were part of a tribe I didn’t know I belonged to. And then I remembered….
Our tribe is all over the world. We just haven’t met yet.
When we got off our final plane ride together in Sydney, we were at the baggage terminal saying our goodbyes. The little boy who we had met was trying to get a luggage cart, but they were chained together, requiring money to set them free. His mom (my new friend-sister) walked over and slowly, calmly, patiently explained the process of retrieving the cart from the rest. She was homeschooling him on life right at that very moment, and I got to secretly watch. Parents all over the world are doing this right as we speak. Parents from coast to coast have taken a leap, jumped before they were ready, and are in the process of educating their kids on being global citizens.
This community, with whom I have zero contact, is holding us throughout this process and reminding me that I am right where I need to be.
As we board the plane from Cairns to Sydney!