If This Family Of 3 Can Travel The World And Work, Can you? — The Jeanne D’Arc Interview
on Feb 27, 2009 - 6:24 PM PSTThe full program
This is an audio program. Listen and/or download it here:
A few lessons from this program
Did you read Tim Ferriss’s book and wonder if you could really travel the world and work?
Jeanne D’Arc, her husband and young daughter are doing that. She recorded this Mixergy program to help you learn how she does it, and maybe even encourage you to be a digital nomad too. Here’s an edited excerpt from the program.
How nomadic is your family?
We are traveling around the world. We’re into our 3rd year of an open-ended world tour.
Is it as expensive as it seems?
We try to live really large, and do it on little money. We do this on $25,000 a year. Which people are amazed by.
I can travel the world for much less than I can live at home. And that’s exciting too.
How does your daughter stay in school?
We home school. We home school in English year round. But when we’re in Spain, she goes to the local school. Because one of our goals to have her immersed in her second language, culture and literature.
People who read this site want to stay online and work while they travel. Is it possible?
We take our laptop everywhere find wifi. Even in Morocco. We took it deep into the Sahara, if it’s there–and there’s nothing there–then it’s everywhere.
What do you say to someone who’s thinking of being a digital nomad?
It’s easier than people think. That’s the thing that I found. It’s cheaper. Easier. And more enriching than people think. And I want people to know that.
I think in this economy they SHOULD know it.
And people think they can’t do it if they have a family. Actually, it’s GREAT to be done as a family.
Want to show your support for Jeanne and her family?
Send them a message on twitter.
Or, leave a comment below.
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February 27th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
SoulTravelers3 are a wonderful cornerstone of the online travel community and should serve as an ideal model for parents everywhere. Their warm, friendliness and willingness to share is absolutely delightful.
I had the pleasure of spending a year abroad in Europe with my family in 95 (I was 11 at the time) and then 97 RVing across the US in a 32 foot fifth wheel. Travel of this sort is an incredible opportunity. To those concerned about the homeschooling element – don’t be. The creative curiosity experiencing the world instills is far more beneficial and powerful than the hours of “learning” your child would otherwise spend in a classroom. After two years of it, I was significantly ahead of my fellow students when I re-integrated into the public school system.
Also, the chance to travel for two years with my parents and brother brought us all together in a way you just don’t find all that often anymore.
My only regret is that at the time the technology wasn’t there to support the type of media rich, interconnected interaction SoulTraveler3 has put to such astounding use!
February 28th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Jeanne is a Twitter friend, and I think what she and her are doing is amazing.
I too am an expat…living, working and traveling in Asia for the past 8 years. In fact, today is my 8th year anniversary of arriving in Korea. Time flies when you ar having fun!
March 3rd, 2009 at 1:06 pm
They make it look easy. With a tough global economy, it makes you wonder how accessible this lifestyle is the average single person, let alone a family. Now I have to go over and give’em a Twitter.
March 4th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Thanks for the great interview @Andrew, it was a lot of fun! Thanks for the kind words @Alex, @ladyexpat and @digitalnomad!
I actually think the global economy today is actually very conducive for global nomads and I see a real increase lately in singles, couples and even families doing it.
That said, I think one needs to be aware of financial and currency trends. You really can travel the world for much cheaper than you can live at home!
March 5th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
It definitely can be done. A friend of mine, Brooke Ferguson (http://www.businessbackpacker.com) has been out in Thailand for a bunch of months and she's enjoying it. She's even able to offer business consulting work to her clients, here in Northern Cali from there using Skype & screensharing.
I am planning on taking a couple years and living 3-months in varies places I've always wanted to checkout (NYC, Tokyo, Bangkok, Beijing, Mumbai, Bora Bora and a few others) starting next summer. I just love going to fresh new places, building new connections & seeing if you can survive/thrive in that new environment. I did that when I lived in Fiji, going out to Australia, New Zealand and a few places. Can't wait to do it again… but first I want to build up my company to have a substantial passive, reoccurring income stream.
March 5th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I always wanted to do that too, but I wonder how much work I can
realistically get done when I don't have the structured environment of
my office.
Thanks for the comment Melvin.
March 5th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Yep, that is a concern for me as well. That is why I want to have at least a mostly passive, 5-figure monthly profit stream before I start rolling on my world-tour. However, I think as long as I have good wifi, basecamp & a couple people who hold me accountable, it'll be productive enough to justify the experience.
March 6th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Jeanne, you're a social media powerhouse.
I'm learning as much about you after the interview as I did from the interview. You're not just keeping up with the comments on this site, but you're on top of the conversation this interview started on Twitter/YouTube/etc.
AND since I did this interview, I got to meet your community too, because they stay connected to you through social media.
Wow!
March 9th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
I applaud your desire to have a passive income stream before traveling. Passive income is king! But just don't let the desire for a “magic number” of income stop you from ever reaching the starting gate…it can indeed be done on the road. Worried about motivation? If you enjoy what you are doing, and are enjoying it in a new location every few months, the energy will be there. This is coming from somebody who has been traveling with a modest (okay, pitiful) passive income stream and working along the way since 2007. Cheers.
March 12th, 2009 at 5:46 am
Great information! Very useful for me. Thanks a lot.
The idea is awesome. Congrats.
March 15th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
[...] miss our latest interview with Andrew Warner on the cool site Mixergy about our lives as digital nomads. You will find lots of great interviews there and we are honored [...]
March 31st, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I'm in urban nomadic mode @ the moment – testing the waters/saving cash by remote working in cafe bars/train stations in the local area. Working towards to the day I become a a fully fledged “digital nomad”. Congrats to Jeanne & family – v.inspirational!
April 14th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Wow that is truly unbelievable that they do all of this on only $25k (for three of them). I'm downloading the full program. This is something that would be awesome to do in the foreseeable future.
April 14th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Veronica, ever since I heard their story, I've fantasized about doing it
too.
Andrew Warner
Founder, Mixergy.com
April 17th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
What a useful post here. Very informative for me..TQ friends…
http://golfman.the-mnm.info
April 21st, 2009 at 12:18 am
I think everyone who heard this family's story started fantasizing about
being digital nomads.
April 21st, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Discover Mongolia Nomadic Lifestyle – visit nomad families and experience their way of life, their culture and traditions.
callaway balls
April 21st, 2009 at 10:25 pm
How To Travel The World as a Digital Nomad Family April 1, 2009 Recently we were featured on Dell's Digital Nomad site discussing how we do …
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Hey great blog/ article/ input on……
June 11th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
[...] Ferriss, Jeanne D’Arc and Lea Wood told us how they traveled the world as digital nomads. And now all 3 are making money [...]
June 15th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
I think it is fabulous what this family is doing. Their little girl is extremely fortunate. We just recently returned from 5 months traveling abroad with our kids. What an adventure. Would do it again in a heartbeat. (Both my husband and I worked while on the road.)
Homeschooling: You have to drop all your ideas of what “formal education” is all about. Keep up with math, encourage writing as much as possible, history and science happen as you visit places. Travel provides educational experiences that will stay with your children a lifetime (what they memorized from a book while sitting in class? That will disappear after the test.)
We all had a wonderful time adding writing and photography to this blog: http://cincomesesdesurdelafrontera.blogspot.com/
November 6th, 2009 at 7:26 am
Andrew,
This is something i have been considering for a while. Is it at all possible you could put me in touch with Jeanne please?
I want to evaluate the actual cost of living.
I would really appreciate that. Thank you.
January 18th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Andrew, you've interviewed a few digital nomads now. It would be interesting to see an itemised budget from any one of them (as someone else suggested).
Great mashup by the way; it makes me feel less guilty when explaining Digital Nomadism to friends with children. I've sent the link to a handful of families already.
January 26th, 2010 at 9:46 am
I'm writing today about your Seth Godin interview because I think his latest applies so well to our lives, but I am still tickled that this interview with you inspired you to do your own extended world travel in BA! I love all the excitement about the free digital nomad life as it is definitely the way of the future!
April 8th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
So quick follow up: What do you see as the best opportunities for generating a reliable, passive income?
May 19th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
This a good blog where some valuable post available. How the idea about language exchange? Many of the people are on blog for commercial need. Different language have different need. Some are link exchange. This are not welcoming. Welcome to you!
May 28th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Nice post “If This Family Of 3 Can Travel The World And Work, Can you? — The Jeanne D’Arc Interview”
I am sacrificed minded. So there was not an opportunity
May 30th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
That's very interesting and amazing, I think you're the only family whose been doing that every year. It's great, I really like to try that. Family outing will really cost expensive, some family prefers purchasing or booking online because some travel agencies online gives discount.
June 3rd, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Very interesting and amazing article. Nice to hear that you are travelling and working at the same time around the world. Travelling out with family is bit expensive.
June 6th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
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June 6th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
thanks for sharing great post and its a great blog where people found real information i personally appreciate you and personally saying that thank you so much