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1/3 Gwen, Susanne, Stefan and Tess travel to North America for a year
For many people it is a dream, but Susanne (39) and Stefan (37) from Rosmalen make it come true. They quit their jobs to travel with their daughters from Canada to Panama in a self-built motorhome for a year. “We wanted to get away from it all and enjoy our kids growing up.”
In early 2021, the Rosmalen couple started building their motorhome for their special trip. They bought a big van and turned it into a motorhome in a year and a half. The particularity is that it is laid out in such a way that the family can spend a few days surrounded by nature without needing anything.
“We can see our girls growing up like this and showing the world.”
“We only saw our daughters Tess and Gwen in the mornings, evenings and weekends and we thought that was a bit,” they say. “Now we can really watch them grow and show them the world, a real passion for us.” The bus was shipped to Halifax via Zeebrugge, after which the family began their journey on July 9.
When you leave home and hearth and go on a trip with two young children, you often feel homesick. According to Stefan, it’s fine. “Of course, it was hard to say goodbye to their girlfriends and grandfathers and grandmothers at first, but things are going surprisingly well now.”
“They have a different garden to explore every day.”
According to mother Susanne, this is partly because Tess and Gwen realize how special it is for them to take such a trip. “They really appreciate it and are also very flexible. They have a different garden every day at the motorhome to explore.”
Besides mum and dad, Stefan and Susanne are now masters and teachers. Their daughters receive “training on the bus”. “The school was very helpful in developing a program and we were all allowed to borrow materials,” says Susanne.
If they are driving long distances, the girls take lessons on the bus. This leaves time to enjoy beautiful places. “It’s going really well, there’s a nice balance,” Stefan said. “In any case, I think this trip is an enrichment for their development. They become more citizens of the world because they are immersed in other cultures and particular experiences.”
“We already had to dig up the motorhome once.”
The route from Canada to Panama was not chosen lightly. “We are now easily getting used to traveling and testing the motorhome.” The roads in Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua are less well maintained. “We have already tested the off-road motorhome here and had to dig it up once,” laughs Stefan.
Although the family has been close for a year, Stefan is not afraid that they will grow tired of each other. “We don’t sit on the bus much, you’re mostly outside in nature. Sometimes we also do something for ourselves and one of us hangs out with the kids.”
“The view and the enthusiasm of the girls are worth gold.”
What Susanne loves most about traveling is that the family is constantly pushing their limits. “You have to think about way too tough a hike to a beautiful glacier. If you get there completely broken and enjoy the view and see those girls completely excited, it’s worth gold.”
The adventures of the Rosmalense family can be followed via instagram.
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