Our Boundless Life Family Representatives first connected with Jared & Maria on March 1st ‘24. Just one month later, we had the pleasure of welcoming them to Boundless Syros. They had just one month to plan to spend three months in another country - including obtaining passports for their sons!
Find out how - with support from Boundless - they made this life change happen, and about the benefits of their 3-month experience in Greece.
Maria & Jared, you were in Florida when you first spoke to one of our Family Reps. What made you consider moving to Greece for three months?
We had just decided to take our children out of public school after some bad experiences over the first half of the year. I had homeschooled them before and they were asking to be homeschooled again. Since the school year only had 3 months left, Jared and I discussed worldschooling options. We had never been out of the country before and had always talked about travelling. So, instead of using the money we had saved for a house renovation, we took the leap and became world travellers instead! This has been a life-changing experience and we are already signed up for another Boundless Life cohort next year!
You signed up in early March for your Boundless Life Experience and arrived in Greece on April 6th. How did you make it all happen in just 4 weeks? Any tips for families who would like to join our next 3-month cohort in September, but are afraid they’ve left it too late?
My first tip would be to say that YOU CAN DO IT! :) Our 3 boys didn’t even have passports yet. I researched the closest in-person facility to go to. I already had filled out the forms online and printed them at home. I brought everything with me (IDs, birth certificates, forms, etc.) and went in for my appointment. The facility I went to also took pictures as well, so it took us about 30 minutes and we were out! I made sure to pay for the rush fee and the overnight shipping, so it was more expensive. However, it was worth it because they came in two and a half weeks.
For flights, we were surprised that there were still many options. They were more expensive because it was so close to the departure date, but they were reasonable enough and we definitely feel like it was all worth it!
The Boundless Life Community Crew leapt into action to expedite the family’s onboarding process (which normally lasts a few months) to ensure they had all the information they needed to arrive in Syros ready to relax to enjoy their time.
Your kids are aged 8, 10 and 12. How did they adjust to their new life?
Honestly, I feel like they adjusted just fine. Boundless is like having an instant community in a new place and that alone is comforting. Because Syros is so walkable, it is so easy to meet up with families or just run into them for an impromptu playdate. Our oldest (Jace) asked Jared about a month ago, “Dad, has living here changed you?” Jared agreed that it did and Jace said, “Me too.” It was such a heartfelt moment and that comment right there makes it all worth it. We are all so sad to leave here this week!
What have been your highlights as a family of your Syros experience and what will you miss the most?
Oh this is a hard one. I think the highlights have really been the friendships we have built. The community here has been phenomenal. In just three months, we were able to build what we know will be lifelong friendships. We travelled to Tinos and Paros with some of the families, went on boat trips and snorkelled, had countless playdates at the square, dinners, breakfasts, etc. It has honestly been life changing for us.
Getting to see everyone everyday, even for just a chat has been amazing, so we will definitely miss the community the most.
What’s next for you and your family?
Before we go home to Florida, we are going to spend a few days in London and then venture to Scotland - seeing just a little more of the world before heading home. We have already signed up for Boundless Andalusia (Spain) for next spring and we are so excited to discover the adventures we will have there!
Huge thanks to Maria and Jared for taking the time to introduce themselves to our community and for sharing their Boundless Life with us.
