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car with trailer

Home is not a place, it’s a feeling!

Our slow traveling way of living comes from a long number of defeats and struggles.  When we believed we won we soon came to realize that we actually lost and vice-versa. So in time we learnt that after every harsh time there was something amazing coming up.

We once believed that having a house of our own would make us happy so we worked hard for several years and we built the house of our dreams in Timisoara, a very nice and friendly town in Romania. In several months, our excitement vanished and we were back looking at one another with the same feeling of disappointment, feeling so empty and blocked.

Mediteranean House
suspended chimney

Hard work, heavy bills, no time for us or kids, no time for reading books, looking to the birds or enjoying the sun… We had already moved from our birth place, Bucharest, to Timisoara so travelling came as a natural choice for us. We chose to travel because we like to experience and learn new things and because when you travel you stick together.

After a while we moved to Portugal, an amazing country that became our home for the next six years. Portugal was like a breath of fresh air, calm and nice people, warm ocean and beautiful landscapes. We bought a car and a trailer and we traveled all the way from Romania to Portugal. We felt alive, happy and free.

Last year, we decided to move to Peru and was one of the most important and inspired decision we have ever made. We sold almost everything that kept us away from the ultimate freedom. Our possessions fit in 5 travel bags and all our memories in our hearts (and an external hard 🙂 ). Simplicity is for us the true sophistication. After an adventurous year in Peru we are almost ready to spread our wings to new experiences in South America.

We bought an epic Vw Combi 1974. For 4 long months our new Volkswagen  home is in a “Taller” in Pisac, Sacred Valley.

volkswagen T1

We repaired the engine, we changed all important parts, we patched him and now he is ready to receive a new fresh face! All these months were a lesson of patience. Though, it’s very easy to be patient and to enjoy life in this sacred place, surrounded by mountains, tropical fruits and crazy friends!

car repair
car rust

As you already know, our children are unschooled. They developed a sense of responsibility and they are learning every day something new, developing freely in their own area of interest.

South America Map

Carla is learning mathematics, chemistry and physics, Aris is learning Photoshop and he is editing his photos by himself and Ana, 5 yo, has just wrote her first letter to Santa Claus.

Santa Claus letter

They are so excited for the next adventure that they are planning to draw their own pirate map. After one year in Peru we can say that:

– we work less and read more
– we cry less and laugh more
– we eat less meat and more fruits and vegetables
– we have less diseases and more health

We will keep you updated with our route in South America. Soon on Iamfamily.eu!

3 Comments
  • Adrian Mihai
    Posted at 14:02h, 21 December Reply

    Sotia mi-a forwardat site-ul vostru pe mail insotit de afirmatia: “OMG, uite altii mai nebuni decat noi…. la next level….”
    Ne regasim foarte mult in ceea ce ati scris, dar suntem abia la inceput…. Nu am facut inca pasul de a ne lua casa mai mult din pricina fobiei pe care o avem de a nu fi datori la banca. So, now we are free… dar nu cred ca pentru mult timp… ne gandim sa cumparam o casa, de fapt incepusem sa citim anunturi, cand a venit mailul asta…
    Deci chestii/trestii de astea de care faceti voi, se invart in capul nostru de mult timp, fara sa fi avut pana acum curajul sa facem vreun pas… Ciudati suntem (sau ma rog, din acelasi material cu al vostru), in grupul nostru de prieteni prin care ne invartim suntem considerati cei mai ciudati, nu ne gasesti acasa 2 weekend-uri la rand, calatorim mult, in special haladuim prin munti. Avem un gust deosebit pentru calatorii, am facut chiar unele lungi (exemplu intr-un an de zile am avut peste 2 luni de concediu, 30 zile in Thailanda, ceea ce e inadmisibil pentru unii “oameni ai muncii”) unde a trebuit sa ne luam concediu fara plata de la serviciu si sa spunem ca avem nevoie de aceste zile pentru niste studii, pentru ca unii oameni chiar nu inteleg aceasta nevoie de a pleca si explora.
    Nu stiu de ce scriu / am scris acest email, poate pentru a va felicita, pentru exemplul pe care-l dati, pentru ca vrem sa mai stim de voi, cum va merge.
    Urmatoarea noastra destinatie, anul ce vine, este sa mergem in Peru si sa ne drogam cu Ayahuasca, la samani.
    Cine stie, poate ne si intalnim. Mult succes in ceea ce va propuneti, sunteti ca o gura de aer proaspat, ca un exemplu ca se poate si altfel, iar pentru unii sunteti ca o speranta ca viata poate fi traita si altfel

    • Gabi
      Posted at 15:28h, 21 December Reply

      Draga Adrian,

      In primul rand iti multumim pentru vorbele frumoase. Ca si orice lucru in viata, o casa va veni cu bune si cu rele. Bunele si relele sunt de fapt noi perspective nu exista chiar bun si rau! Aveti un spirit liber, de aventurieri si credeti-ne ca nu va va da pace pana cand nu va fi complet satisfacut. Nu pot spune ca drumul calatoriilor este unul simplu, lipsit de challenge-uri si intrebari, dar cu siguranta este unul care-ti face sufletul sa zambeasca. Cat despre Ayahuasca… abordarea si intentia ar fi primordiale in a experimenta acest “guiding spirit”. Planuiti-va acest pas cu mare bagare de seama. Vedem chiar in fiecare zi turisti ce tocmai au sosit, avand energia mintii si a orasului si sar in Ayahuasca. Sunt mai zob si mai bulversati decat inainte! Aveti nevoie de o dieta, de liniste in voi si de un saman cu suflet mare. Putem spune ca in Peru Ayahuasca a devenit un business si sunt mai multi ne-samani decat cei adevarati. Daca intampinati obstacole conceptuale in drumul vostru, dati-ne un semn si promitem ca va vom raspunde. Cu drag, 🙂

  • JohnKelheim
    Posted at 08:16h, 04 April Reply

    Ah Timisoara 🙂 orasul in care m-am nascut; din pacate nu mai e ce a fost. Felicitari pentru curaj! Eu am parasit orasu de bastina, dar am urma o cale mai … “traditionala”. Calatoresc in timpul liber, dar inca am un “office job”.

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