In this episode of the Worldschooling Q&A Podcast, Astrid and Clint answer how families can find worldschooling communities, groups, and meetups in different countries.

Worldschooling Q&A Podcast - Episode 45

Hosts: Astrid & Clint, creators of The Wandering Daughter

Title: Episode 45: How Do You Find Worldschooling Communities?

This post may contain affiliate links. That means I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase something. But don't worry, this will not result in any extra costs to you.

Worldschooling podcast episode summary

One of the most common questions we get is how to find worldschooling communities in different countries. There is no single index that covers every worldschooling community out there. That's mostly because these groups and hubs are constantly changing, growing, and sometimes disappearing.

We have participated in a handful of worldschooling communities ourselves over our years of full-time travel, from co-living hubs in Mexico to short pop-up gatherings. Those experiences shaped how we think about which worldschooling communities are worth researching and which questions to ask before joining one.

In this episode we walk through the practical starting points for finding worldschooling communities, from Facebook groups to structured hubs with weeks-long programs. We cover names, founders, locations, and what each community actually offers, so you know what to look for before you commit your time or money.

We also talk about who these worldschooling communities are really for. If you are new to worldschooling and want a soft landing, or if you are an experienced traveling family looking for connection along the way, this episode gives you a real starting point for finding worldschooling communities that fit your family.

Where to start looking for worldschooling communities

Finding worldschooling communities starts with a few reliable resources rather than one master list. We keep an updated worldschooling resources article on our own site that includes a section specifically on hubs and meetups, because the landscape of worldschooling communities shifts so often.

Beyond that, Facebook remains one of the most active places to find worldschooling communities by country. Searching a phrase like "worldschooling Turkey" or "worldschooling Spain" reliably turns up local groups. And the number of country-specific worldschooling communities has grown enormously over the last five years.

Facebook groups as a starting point

As we mentioned, Facebook groups are often the fastest way into worldschooling communities because they are free to join and easy to search. Typing in a country name alongside "worldschooling" almost always surfaces an active group, even for less common destinations.

The major worldschooling Facebook groups

A handful of worldschooling communities on Facebook have grown into large, active hubs of their own. Knowing the biggest ones gives you a head start before you search for smaller, country-specific groups.

The biggest worldschooling communities on Facebook

Several worldschooling communities on Facebook have become genuine gathering points, each with a different founder and focus. The following groups are the ones we hear about most often from other traveling families.

Project World School

Project World School is one of the largest worldschooling communities online, with a Facebook group that has grown into the tens of thousands of members. It was created by Lainie Liberti, one of the earlier voices in worldschooling, and the group stays active with parents asking practical questions about getting started and working while worldschooling.

World-Schooling Central

World-Schooling Central is run by Karen King and is another strong worldschooling community for families just getting started. It is a good place to find both general advice and specific meetup opportunities as they come up.

Trailblazing Families

Trailblazing Families is run by our friend Liz Quain and focuses on worldschooling and digital nomad families together as one worldschooling community. Liz is active on Facebook and is a genuinely helpful resource for families balancing work and travel.

Responsible Family Travel

Astrid also runs a worldschooling community of her own on Facebook called Responsible Family Travel, also known as World Schoolers Traveling Sustainably. It focuses on the sustainable and responsible travel side of worldschooling communities, helping families think about their impact as they travel.

Worldschooling hubs and pop-up communities worth researching

Beyond Facebook groups, many worldschooling communities now take the form of physical hubs, where families gather in person for weeks or months at a time. These worldschooling communities tend to have more structure, and it is worth understanding what each one actually offers before signing up.

Anahata in Mexico

Anahata is a worldschooling community based mostly in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, run by a woman named Patty. When we participated, it combined shared meals, on-site school for kids, and daily activities like yoga and meditation in a co-living setup.

Patty's program has evolved since then to more heavily involve the local Maya community, so it is worth checking her current offering directly rather than assuming it matches our experience.

Pop-up worldschooling communities

Pop-up worldschooling communities, like the ones run by Rachel Carlson through the Worldschool Pop-Up Hub, let families host a week anywhere in the world rather than committing to a long, fully organized program. This model tends to be less stressful than a full-on production, since families choose their own level of participation in each activity.

Stone Soup Family Pop-Up, which grew out of conversations at Family Adventure Summit, was an earlier example of this same worldschooling community model, once run at a scale of around 35 families at a time.

Forever Wild in Southeast Asia and Africa

Forever Wild is a worldschooling community with a base in the Dominican Republic that has also run programming in Southeast Asia, offering enrichment activities, community dinners, and field trips. It leans looser in structure than some other worldschooling communities, with options ranging from one-week to longer stays.

The Hive and Deliberate Detour

The Hive runs a structured worldschooling community program in the Dominican Republic built around the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with families spending the first week on self-reflection before designing a project with global impact. Deliberate Detour is a more culturally focused worldschooling community based only in Oaxaca, Mexico and Cusco, Peru, hiring local teachers to lead cultural immersion over two to three week programs.

Submit your worldschooling questions here!

Key topics covered in this episode

Why there is no single worldschooling communities index

• Worldschooling communities change constantly as hubs launch, evolve, or shut down
• A resources article with an updated hubs section is more reliable than a static list
• Facebook remains the fastest way to search for country-specific worldschooling communities

Major worldschooling Facebook groups

• Project World School, created by Lainie Liberti, is one of the largest worldschooling communities
• World-Schooling Central, run by Karen King, is a strong starting point for new worldschoolers
• Trailblazing Families, run by Liz Quain, blends worldschooling and digital nomad families
• Responsible Family Travel focuses on sustainable and responsible travel within worldschooling communities

Anahata as a worldschooling community example

• Located mostly in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and run by Patty
• Originally combined shared meals, on-site school, and daily wellness activities
• Has evolved to more deeply involve the local Maya community
• Research the current offering directly since programs change over time

Pop-up worldschooling communities

• Rachel's Worldschool Pop-Up Hub lets any family host a week anywhere in the world
• This format offers more flexibility than a fully organized, multi-week program
• Stone Soup Family Pop-Up was an earlier version of the same worldschooling community model
• Family Adventure Summit was where the original pop-up community idea was first discussed

Structured worldschooling hubs

• Forever Wild operates in the Dominican Republic and Southeast Asia with shorter and longer stay options
• The Hive builds its worldschooling community program around the UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Deliberate Detour focuses on deep cultural immersion in Oaxaca and Cusco with local teachers
• Structured programs suit families who want built-in activities rather than unschooling freedom

Worldschooling communities are not the only way to worldschool

• Worldschooling communities and hubs are a relatively recent development, mostly from the last several years
• Most long-time worldschooling families simply travel full-time without joining a hub
• Hubs can be expensive to run and to join, which should not be a barrier to worldschooling itself
• Choosing a worldschooling community should align with your family's own values and travel style

Episode chapters

00:00:00 – Introduction
00:00:18 – Astrid's Welcome: This Is World Schooling Q&A
00:01:02 – Today's Question: How Can We Find World Schooling Groups or Meetups?
00:01:28 – Where to Start: Finding World Schooling Resources
00:02:19 – Facebook Groups: Project World School, World-Schooling Central & More
00:05:50 – Anahata: A World Schooling Community in Mexico
00:08:58 – World School Pop-Up Hubs
00:14:49 – Forever Wild: Hubs in Southeast Asia & Africa
00:15:50 – ↩ Source of Intro Clip: Structure vs. Unschooling in Hubs
00:17:33 – The Hive & Deliberate Detour: Structured, Immersive Programs
00:21:05 – World Schooling Isn't Just About Hubs
00:27:32 – Outro & Sign-Off

Further worldschooling resources

• 5 Tips For Becoming A Nomadic Family
• 45 Valuable Worldschooling Resources for Families
• 11 Helpful Tips For Becoming a Worldschooling Family

Sharing is caring!