Start by telling us a little bit about yourself and your family

My name is Megan Perez. Ive been married to my husband Jonas for almost 6 years. We met salsa dancing 💃🏼.We have four children ages 5, 3.5, 2, and 5 months. We are a hippie family that loves to be outside in nature and live our lives free of anything toxic(which includes chemicals, food, and people 🙂 ) Jonas Was a teacher for 6 years but just got a job as an Assistant Principal for a middle school. I recently graduated with my Masters Degree in Social Work and am currently seeking employment. (Remote) 

Can you tell us a little bit about the type of traveling you do, how long you’ve been doing it, etc.?

We moved into an RV full time in August 2019. We were stationary for a little bit while I finished up my Masters degree. My husband is in education and we planned to travel on all the holidays the educators get so when the pandemic happened that pushed our travels three months ahead of time. We have traveled to 6 different states since March of this year. We usually stay in one area for 3-4 days and head to another. 

What made you decide to live a life full of travel?

We wanted to show our kids the world. Gods creations. Experience different cultures. Meet new people. And spend more time together as a family. The desire to travel is been in my heart since I was a child. 

Are your friends and family supportive of you and the travel lifestyle you live?

At first, our friends and family thought we were crazy moving into an Rv. They couldn’t understand why we would want such a small amount of space. Now that they see what giving up space gives us, they fully support it and are even sometimes Jealous or so they tell me. 

How will your kids be educated while you travel?

This year will be my First year to have a school age child. Homeschool has been the plan since we started having kids. We chose a specific curriculum that includes our travels as well as our faith. I’m very excited to get started with it! 

How have your kids benefited most from traveling?

I think traveling has allowed them to not only see and experience new places and people, but to help them see themselves better. For example, when we went to Colorado and spent time in the mountains, our kids kept saying wow we are so small next to this mountain. They’ve also learned to offer patience and grace to their siblings and us the parents because traveling is not always easy. 

What has been the best “kid-friendly” city you’ve visited? What made it the best?

St. George, Utah was amazing. So many kid activities to do and even the nature hikes had kid friendly trails. There are lots of big families there and I can’t recommend it enough! 

Have you tried any foods on your travels that your kids absolutely love?

We visited a sea food restaurant called Fisherman’s Daughter in Aransas Pass, Texas which is right by the beach. My Kids LOVED the shrimp there. They make everything homemade. We will for sure be back! 

What’s the biggest criticism you’ve received about your travel lifestyle?

A big criticism we receive is the lack of stability that traveling could bring. What most people don’t realize though, is that yes wherever we travel to changes frequently but inside the RV is our home. Our routines and they way we run our home doesn’t change. It’s our safe space, we just get to take it with us wherever we go. 

Do you have any travel goals for yourself and your kids that you’ve set out to accomplish?

Yes! We for sure want to visit every state, travel Canada as well as Mexico. We could technically drive the RV to South America but we might have to wait until the kids are older for that goal. We want to visit all the national parks and experience as much as we can while we’re all together as a family. My kids want to swim with whales so that’s on the to do list 🙂 me personally, I’d like to eventually get to Europe and rent an RV over there and RV through Europe! 

What advice would you give to a mom who was preparing for full time travel?/What actions should she take to make things easier for her once she starts traveling full time?

The best advice I can give to a mom who is preparing for full time travel is to forget about the estimated time of arrival that the GPS gives you. Throw that out the window because you’re going to stop A LOT with kids. And that’s okay. Try to make the stops part of the journey. Find fun little places to take exercise breaks in between destinations and remember to have lots of activities For kids to do in the car. 

What is your favorite place you’ve visited and why?

Favorite place is probably Colorado. The weather was amazing, the mountains are incredible, the people are nice and nature there is next level.

What’s the hardest part and the best part about traveling with your kids?

The hardest part about traveling with kids is probably being away from family and friends. Alone time and date nights are harder to come by when traveling and living in tight spaces but you get creative 🙂

What advice would you give to someone who is nervous about traveling with their kids for the first time?

Be patient. There is a learning curve. You will find your rhythm eventually but in the mean time just enjoy this special time with your kids because life is unpredictable. Soak it up while it here’s!  Also that travel doesn’t have to mean going all over the country. You can travel and experience right where you are. We are staying in a new area for my husbands job for a year but we still plan to travel and explore all over! 

Thank you Megan!
You can follow along with Megan and her family on Instagram and YouTube.
YouTube @theunconventionals
Instagram @megs_on_the_move_