A British family has abandoned the rat race to travel to 23 countries and “educate their children in the world”, which they claim has put them “far ahead” of other children.
Nikki Collinson-Phenix, 47, had always dreamed of an “adventure” with her husband Ian, 50, along with daughter Laanii, 12, and son Raif, six.
She managed to convince Ian, a long-distance running coach, to travel around Europe full-time in a caravan and the family have now been traveling for three years, having visited revered destinations such as Greece, Turkey and Spain.
Nikki says the experience for her two children has been “powerful” and allows them to learn about the world in an immersive way.
The remote working consultant, originally from the Isle of Wight, said: ‘His confidence is through the roof.
A British family has abandoned the rat race to travel to 23 countries and “globally educate” their children, which they claim has put them “far ahead” of other children.
‘I want them to be wise in the world. I don’t think it’s good for children to be protected. I feel like they should see the realities of the world.’
Nikki and Ian had grown tired of the “rigid” structure of their lives and decided to take the step of traveling full-time with their children.
Nikki previously worked as a chiropractor and Ian as a prison officer.
The mother of two admitted: “Before, life was like a hamster wheel. Everything was at a rigid time. It was everything we wanted to get away from. I felt like life was being rinsed and repeated.’
The couple spent two years sorting out their finances and looking for remote jobs before leaving the UK in September 2021.
The family of four left for France without a plan and has spent the last three years traveling around Europe.
Making the decision to travel full-time, Nikki decided to homeschool her children.
“We enrolled Laanii in an online school, following the British curriculum,” he explained.
Nikki Collinson-Phenix (LEFT), 47, had always dreamed of an “adventure” with her husband, Ian (RIGHT), 50, and their children: Laanii (BELOW LEFT), 12, and Raif ( CENTER), six.
Nikki and Ian had grown tired of the “rigid” structure of their lives and decided to take the step of traveling full-time with their children.
She managed to convince Ian, a long-distance running coach, to travel around Europe full-time in a caravan and the family have now been traveling for three years, visiting 23 countries, including Greece, Turkey and Spain.
The couple spent two years sorting out their finances and looking for remote jobs before leaving the UK in September 2021.
‘Part of what he does is homeschooling. It has a combination of books and online resources. “I thought homeschooling was poor, but it has been very powerful.”
Nikki’s son Raif is homeschooled, but she is looking to enroll him in a similar online school.
She said: ‘He’s working at the level of an eight-year-old. If she had been at the local school, she would possibly have been quite disturbed. Teachers have restrictions on what they can teach.’
Kids spend their mornings learning online before the family heads out to explore.
‘We arrived at the museums. We just go and have fun,” she explained. ‘They don’t see us as teachers. They see us as mom and dad.’
‘They gain global and cultural learning. They are not afraid to try. They have a cultural awareness.
‘It’s important for children to see the opportunities they have by seeing cultures that don’t have as many. These are experiences that are not had at the Isle of Wight school.
Nikki loved taking her daughter to Greece, as she expressed an interest in Greek mythology.
Children spend the morning learning online before the family heads out to explore the landscape.
Nikki said the family goes to museums and “has fun,” adding that the kids don’t see them as teachers.
Nikki says her two children’s global schooling has been “powerful” and they are now “far ahead” of other children their age in education.
Planning their next big adventure, the family has ambitions to travel to the United States and explore.
She said: ‘She planned where she wanted to go. We went to see Olympus.
Nikki also loved visiting Venice, Italy, for her son, who had seen the city in a cartoon.
They bought a renovation in Bulgaria in May 2023, but still rent out their house on the Isle of Wight.
Planning their next big adventure, the family has ambitions to travel to the United States.
The mother also said they have regular meetings to “check that everyone is happy.”
“The moment someone says we’re not sorry, we’ll re-evaluate it,” he added.
Nikki wants others to take the plunge and travel if they have the need. “One of my biggest fears is regret,” she admitted. ‘I just thought we had to try.
‘It has exceeded my expectations. People assume we are filthy rich. We are breaking that myth.
‘Our children are thriving and are far above what they would have been…’