Episode 38

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Published on:

11th Jun 2024

038: Wonder Year and Long-Term Family Travel with Annika Paradise

Have you ever considered embarking on a life-changing adventure with your family, one that goes beyond the typical vacation and dives deep into cultural immersion and personal growth? If so, you'll find incredible inspiration in the latest episode of the Transform with Travel podcast, where I interview Annika Paradise about her co-authored book The Wonder Year and her experiences with family travel.

Annika discusses how traveling as a family can completely reshape dynamics, drawing from her own experience of shifting from a family of four to a family of three. She emphasizes the importance of showing children that parents don’t always have all the answers, fostering teamwork and mutual respect.


Travel reshaped Annika’s family dynamics, strengthening their relationships and fostering personal growth. She recounts how her children learned invaluable life lessons about kindness, cultural diversity, and resilience, enriching their understanding of the world.


Annika encourages families to overcome obstacles and start planning their adventures, emphasizing that the perfect time to travel may never come. She shares a powerful message of seizing the moment and making memories that will last a lifetime.


These insights from Annika Paradise will inspire you to embark on your own adventures, seeing the world not just as a backdrop for vacations but as a vast classroom for priceless family experiences.


We talk about:

  • 00:00 Intro
  • 03:47 Annika's Early Travel Influences
  • 07:29 The Impact of Family Travel
  • 09:47 Peace Corps and Cultural Immersion
  • 13:55 Reentry Challenges and Continued Adventures
  • 26:19 Overcoming Social Hurdles
  • 27:27 Financial Planning for Extended Travel
  • 28:19 Intentional Travel Destinations
  • 30:21 Family Dynamics and Personal Growth
  • 33:47 Health Benefits of Traveling
  • 40:02 Advice for Aspiring Traveling Families


Mentioned in This Episode:


Connect with Annika


Connect with me

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About the Podcast

Transform With Travel
Go On An Adventure
Welcome to the Transform with Travel Podcast, where we share stories of personal transformation and life lessons through our experiences of traveling and exploring the world. We believe travel has the power to transform your life, one trip at a time. So we bring on every day adventurers to tell their stories of inspiration, as well as Industry Experts to enhance and optimize your travels. I’m your host - Kelly Tolliday, Founder of Transform With Travel - and it’s my mission to inspire you to live life to its fullest, travel with an open-mind & Heart, and let the world show you a new perspective.

About your host

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Kelly Tolliday

Kelly is the Founder of Transform With Travel, with over 11 years in the travel industry. She's a Wellness Travel Expert, Retreat Facilitator, Travel Advisor & Podcast Host.

She's also a 500-Hr Registered Yoga Teacher & an Accredited Continued Education Provider for the Yoga Industry.

She's traveled to over 45 countries and lived across 4 continents. Now, it's her mission to inspire and support you in stepping outside of your comfort zone and into the life of your dreams.

She's passionate about immersive and transformational travel. She believe when you travel with intention, by combining wellness, adventure & cultural enrichment, you can truly transform your life, one trip at a time.

She's now based in South Florida, and she's married to her husband Sam with 2 beautiful daughters & 2 crazy dogs.