Last year, we took our two kids (now ages 10 + 12) out of the country for the first time for one week in Costa Rica. After an incredible week as a family, we sat our kids down and announced that we were moving to Peru for four months. And they both cried.
It seemed overwhelming at first. Working remotely. While homeschooling our kids (who have always been in public school). Finding a solution for our house and pets back home. Navigating a new city.
We’re now at the end of our time in Cusco, and we can say without a doubt that it has all been worth it. Here are the obstacles we faced and a few things we’ve learned along the way.
Why is living abroad worth the effort?
Perspective
One of our goals in living in a different country was to expose our kids to another culture. My husband lived in Cusco and worked at Maximo Nivel in 2004, and we returned in 2009. Our time here drastically changed how we view the world, and we wanted to share that gift with our kids as well.
We’ve already noticed an increase in gratitude for our “simple” privileges at home (here’s looking at you, dishwasher).
Language
Speaking a second language can unlock doors for travel, college, and work. Being immersed and learning from a dedicated native speaker is the best way to learn a language.
My kids arrived with no Spanish experience. Their comprehension and speaking have improved thanks to their incredible teacher at Maximo Nivel and a few months of listening to daily conversation! We invested one hour a day during the school day while we were here.
Adventure
Our family motto is “McSparrans can do hard things.” That means it is okay to be scared to do a hard ski run, sign up for a new instrument without your friends, or even move abroad—but we have the grit to keep going.
We’ve taken our kids to Machu Pichu, the Amazon Rainforest, Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, Lake Humantay, and mountain biking through the sacred valley. We hope that as the kids grow up and face hard choices, they’ll have the courage to take big leaps. (And maybe when they’re surly teens, we can show them the photos of our family having fun together!) @klmcsparran @mcsparran
How Did We Prepare
Pick a Location
This was easy for us – we’ve both lived in Cusco, Peru, and we knew this was an ideal place for a family.
- It is incredibly safe; we have spent hours walking and playing and always felt safe.
- The food is easy to access, and our kids have loved experiencing the local flavors (their favorite is Aguadito or, as we call it, ‘chicken foot soup’) and also some gringo comfort food (you’ll find us at Jack’s Café every Saturday.)
- It’s affordable. The cost of living, especially with the current exchange rate, means that we can rent our apartment, get around town (we mostly take the local bus), and eat here – all within our monthly budget.
- Maximo Nivel made things incredibly accessible. Outside of Spanish class, the International Office helped to recommend safe local restaurants, exchange money for smaller bills (which you need for local transportation), find activities for the kids, and book travel around the country. This trusted one-stop-shop gave us peace of mind throughout our entire trip.
Homeschool Curriculum
We are NOT homeschool experts, but after some research, we were pleasantly surprised with how well we managed “school.” Here’s what worked for us.
- 30 minutes of reading per day (both kids got Kindles so that they could download new books in English)
- 45 minutes of Language Arts (we used the Good & the Beautiful curriculum)
- 45 minutes of math (we used the free Khan Academy program, and the kids met virtually with a tutor once a week)
- 60 minutes of Spanish (we booked private classes at Maximo Nivel for the kids)
- 20 minutes of piano practice (a friend helped us track down a keyboard for our apartment, and we have lessons virtually once a week)
- 30-45 minutes of blog time (we created a schedule, and the kids need to write, edit, and post one blog a week about their experience. The bonus is that this has been a great way to stay connected to their friends!)
Taking Care of Our House + Pets
We have a dog, cat, and bearded dragon back at home. We posted for local friends and found an incredible young gal to rent our place (at a discount). She’s been able to enjoy a few months of living on her own and has taken care of our house and pets. The bonus is that she can send us updates.
What We’d Do Differently
Engage in the Community.
We had to work and homeschool full-time. I wish we could’ve engaged more in the community by signing the kids up for soccer or art classes.
Don’t Push the Kids too Hard.
We took a few side trips throughout our time here. On our first excursion, we had three overnight buses over the course of six days. While the kids were troopers, we quickly learned that kids need to travel at a different pace, and we needed to honor that in order to keep morale high.
What Our Kids Say (In Their Own Words)
Advice from a 10-year-old: You get to learn a new language and have a bunch of first-person experiences of really cool things. I was most nervous about leaving our pets – so bring pictures and get pictures texted to you.
Advice from a 12-year-old: Moving from a house to an apartment without a backyard is hard because you don’t have as much space. You should bring a Kindle and maybe some new games to play with. You get to go on a bunch of fun adventures and see cool places.
Are you thinking of moving overseas for a season as a family? If so, contact Maximo Nivel to learn about their Spanish Immersion and volunteer programs to kickstart your adventure today!
– Kelly @klmcsparran and Ryan @mcsparran McSparran 💙