2 Toddlers, their parents and caravan travels through U.S.A
Keeping dreams moving and alive, inside the madness of family life, or really life, is a great challenge for many of us. Yet, this family, through it all.. is bursting through and grabbing up the courage to dare to do it with their kids, on the road in a small space!
This week, on Imperfect Parenting Podcast, an inspiring family of travelers with muti-layered intentions for their journey across the U.S., in a camper van. Yes, another wonderful traveling family, yet this time with a triple mission!
Aligned values 4Human21 and Imperfect Parenting
True inspiration to connect with this project and family came from aligned values. We were moved how they also want to better humanity and open the doors and windows for people to hear and view various stories from different corners of society and world.
Let your passion and dreams always rise to the top
Every day, as parents, we have to find the way to make not only the right choices for our children, but for ourselves. If your house is anything like ours, days, weeks and months go by very quickly, just trying to keep up with daily activities and all the unexpected bumps along the way. Finding the line between what our kids need and keeping inspired, creative and alive within our own adult worlds is one of the hardest things to accomplish. Finding energy for things beyond the immediate, to continue our own paths, keeping dreams alive, somehow, within the family world that takes us away like a wild winter river current, can be an exhausting and sometimes frustrating swim. So many people let the frustrations build, in denial that family reality can be very different than they expected, “wait until the kids are older”, or let themselves and dreams go completely.
Sacrifice is not the only way
Many of us get caught up in sacrificing “for the family”. At 1st, it is natural, feels like the right thing to do. Sometimes, it feels like the only thing we can do, in the moment. Over time, we can become trapped in a circle of sacrificing self. We get lost along the way. We as women (and I am sure it happens to others too!), have passed a long a tradition of
Are lost dreams the legacy we want to pass along?
But, what are we teaching our kids? Is this the way to live? If we don’t break the cycle of getting lost, letting our dreams go on hold, then what are we teaching our kids? Are we not perpetuating the same thing generation through generation? What if we found a way, to truly live beautifully, keeping dreams and our own path alive. Some do it and do it well. What an incredible offering to our kids. The best offering.
And, so our ride along with 4Human21 family Koutsky and their adventure begins….
Brave parents making it happen
I am so inspired to see brave parents, willing to take on the less frequented path, willing to push through the uncomfortable, to give both to themselves as well as their children an experience, a knowledge, an explosion of possibility into their family worlds.. were that dreams grow, transform the family and move forward into fruition, as they are meant to. THIS is what is necessary to be happy humans.
Why would parents dare to take two small kids traveling to unfamiliar territory?
To fulfill a dream, spread democracy and open the doors to humanity’s stories and their family’s minds.
Family with 2 toddlers braves camper life across the U.S. in the name of adventure, bringing humanity and awareness and inspiration.
What is the “4Human21″ Project?
Ondrej has an NGO, , where they did a project …. And, Antonia even spoke with the parliment! A multi layer journey beginning long before this family’s departure:
4Human21 Logistics
- All the paperwork for car through commercial cargo service (no special service)
- Prepping/renting out flat and packing up things
- EPA shut down 36 days, so usual 2 weeks wait for paper= much longer
- Strike on the day that they were bringing car into the port in Belgium
- Shipped Belgium to Baltimore
- Ship delayed 3 or 4 days.
- Picking up, as well, they had to pay someone $200 to pick up the car, as they were not allowed to enter the port.
- They already had tickets to fly to the states, so delays cost them extra
- $2000 added cost at start of trip, on air bnb in states, as they waited for the. Not really affordable options in NY and Baltimore.
- They expected food to be a bit more, but not expecting the sleeping costs.
- Starting trip with budget with a lot less money and lost time, which meant longer travel
Hiccups and Mercury Retrograde kicking off their trip
Getting the bad luck out of the way
Whenever planning a trip, we always know, at some point there will be some uncomfortable moments. That is just the way of travel, growth, learning and expanding our horizons. You know it will come, you hope it won’t be too painful and to some degree just want to get it out of the way, so you can switch gears. In this case, Petr, Ondrej and little Antonia and Josefina, started their journey in Europe with unexpected delays when the U.S. government shut down which created stress and some ripple effects. They had planned carefully, yet that Mercury trickster played games, delaying paperwork needed for their campervan/rv to cross the ocean, which left them floating without a home both here in Europe and once hitting the U.S. As a result, the stress was fairly intense and they lost a couple thousand dollars to air bnb both in New York and Baltimore. Nevermind the unexpected fees along the way, like paying a man to go into the forbidden zone/port to pick up their rv/camper/caravan. Starting your trip off with 3 weeks less time, less money, a lost wallet and whole family sniffling from a small cold, tends to throw things off.
Humor through the madness of travel
Though I was lucky to catch our 4 human(s) in a moment in the middle of a national park, soon on their way to the beachside, no doubt, the days before were hard. From the sound of it, they’d had some rough days and though they were laughing about it. I could also feel the struggle between reality and their determination for a good experience, connecting with humanity and telling their stories along the way. Having traveled with our kids, we aren’t unfamiliar with the challenges, moods, exhaustion,
Parenting and learning through travel
It’s a large task, travel, creating a positive experience both for kids, adults and a project all satisfied. At the same time, we all have attachments to how we imagine things and sometimes this, along with the brutal realities of life on the road, can be stressful. Add deadlines in the mix and the “imagined trip can be a little different then 1st dreamed and visioned. Yet, the laughter told me that in these moments we can choose to cry or have humor and how we manage with our kids, teaches them skills and perspective for all of life. Not to mention, meeting all different kids of people along the way, with stories we could never have fully imagined, before. What an incredible gift. What bravery to embark on the road with little ones.
Keeping our dreams through the madness of parenting
As Petra mentioned at the start of the podcast, they had dreamed of great travel as a couple, yet only now with 2 small children, did they find their way to the path of this great journey, only starting now. One of the hardest things I hear from parents is that their dreams are often lost in the madness and necessities of daily life as parents. Keeping a roof overhead, making sure all mouths are fed, dealing with great obstacles within and outside the family, just muddling through can be enough for most. Yet, behind the smiles, screaming, messy houses, lost days and years, laughter and play, we do not forget our dreams and hope they will find their way back to us. Many of us get frustrated, realizing time is no longer the same as before we had kids. That money, organizing, the mass of things that “seem necessary” certainly make even the smallest of trips seem like a massive energetic effort that sometimes just doesn’t feel worth it. Yet, if we can get all, or even parts, of our dreams back.. without a doubt we will be better people as parents, partners and people on the planet. It just take a bit of focus, creativity and willingness to fall.
What words best describe Petra, Ondrej, Antonia and Josefina’s 1st weeks of travel?
Petra: “Intense, moving and..”
Ondrej: “Anxiety”
*And, he hopes to repeat this talk in 1 or 2 months and see where they are, right now.
Right now:
All energy and time is about the basics and hard to get beyond the daily tasks, moving beyond the routine and into the beauty of the project and
Travel timing and challenges
Like in Myrtle Beach people kindly said, move only 50-60 miles at a time. Unfortunately, they are not doing that, as they want to get to warm beach, so they went 600 miles, after 3 days in Myrtle Beach. So, they are trying to get to Corpus Cristy, before heading to Arizona for a scheduled project at the end of April. Beach is necessary, for the moment. As well, they have a 6 month visa and then will go to Canada. Then, back home to Czech Republic for Christmas. Then, after Christmas, either they either stay or continue somewhere else.
Their high dreams about the project and journey
For Petra, it would be to see their girls to be happy and communicated and play in forest and beach. For them as a couple to communicate well and loving. And, for work, a nice content that they are proud of. Happy family and agreement to continue travel together.
Ondrej added, connecting and creating a community of people, like minded people. Connect into the community who are thinking like us, and be in touch with them.
Ariel got a chill when they said this. It was their friend Daniel who inspired the connected to them, by approaching me in a cafe about them. The two communities make sense together.
How can we support 4Human21 Project and family 4?
Please, positive messages for them on their Facebook group, would be amazing. They really appreciate this for energy.
Latest update since recording:
Our lovely family for 4 found “the most beautiful free campsite in Northwest Florida, on way out to New Orleans, sun shining, girls are playing in the calm waters of Bayou Bay and its not too hot, yet. Perfect time for ca
How can we find 4Human21?
Connect with 4Human21:
Their Website: 4human21.world. Facebook: 4human21, Instagram 4human21 and soon a youtube channel!
UPDATE April: See what their up to!
Mindfulness exercise of the week:
Breathe in confidence, clarity and all the time in the world that you need.
Exhale, all exhaustion, worries and all that blocks you from doing that which you dream of.
Close your eyes, repeat 3 times. Allow yourself to really feel what it would be like to be on the other side of this dream or in the middle of it.. Use all your senses. This is real.
*Repeat as often as you remember, setting your intentions clearly, allowing you to realize what until now has been put on hold.
*Find a “dream” support system: A coach, a friend that is willing to be true and honest and check in with you. Perhaps you can do it for another parent! True support!
Question of the Day?
“What is your great dream that you have wanted to do, yet has momentarily been lost in the mix and madness of family life? Do you want to grab onto it?”
A few of 4Human21’s favorite travel essential things:
This week, we will share the favorite travel things from Petra, Ondrej and Antonina and Josefina:
Parents: Moments that feel like home, sunglasses and ..
For the kids: Favorite toys, and their soft blankets from home..
Thank you 4Human21 and all our listeners and IP Community.
Have a beautifully Imperfect Week.