It looks like we are very close to a finalized departure date. Suzanne developed an Iceland itinerary that involves some time to recover from the jet lag and a trip to the glaciers, waterfalls and volcanoes. She is developing a knack for shopping for housing on the internet.
We also came across a group called Briefcases to Backpacks that is a community of folks who are all about sabbaticals – especially with family. Suzanne & I are going to a meeting of the group next Tuesday to check it out and see what we can learn.
We bought a new laptop (Lenovo G575). It was inexpensive, but it is also heavy (6 lbs!) I’m not sure if this is what I should bring – or if I should opt for a netbook (smaller, lighter, more expensive – but with less capability). We bought Suzanne an unlocked smart phone at the same time and she is learning how to use it – Alex & Patrick are showing her things like how to get past the screen saver.
We discovered that we may be able to develop our own curriculum for the kids during our year away. We will need to keep them both up to speed on math – but we will probably develop our own literature and social science program tied to the trip.
The book I’m drafting has been moving very slowly, but I’m still determined to make some good progress on it over the coming months.
Sherrys Abroad 