How it works 

The Basics

One small silver lining of the pandemic is that many parents have gained newfound freedom to work from abroad, at least for part of each year. The experience of living in and working remotely from other countries can engender more empathy, stewardship, equality, and belonging. All the more so for kids and teens, by nature more open to the personal transformation that can come from international travel. 

Yet the thought of figuring out how to go live in another country while working remotely can be daunting for most parents. That’s why Working Without Borders exists: to make it easy for families to live temporarily in other countries. To that end, we line up everything parents need, including a community of like-valued fellow moms and dads.  

WWB is for working parents and their families. We value inclusiveness across the board, welcoming parents and kids of every gender preference, race, religion, body type, background and belief. We’re open to everyone who digs our core values of inclusivity, community, contribution, personal growth, kindness, and adventure. 

Our Kids programs are designed for children ages 5 to 12, while our Teen programs are for ages 13 to 18. If you have younger kids, no problem. We can help arrange nannies, daycare, or day camps. 

Plenty! WWB retreats are largely self-guided, so you decide how to spend your time. We create enough structure so you can plug into diverse activities and connect with people as you wish.

Not at all! We make sure accommodations have excellent workspaces and reliable WiFi but that doesn’t mean you’re under any pressure to work. Don’t let our name fool ya: “Working Without Borders” is about much more than work.

It’s totally fine to arrive late or leave early but shorter than planned trips are not discounted.

Sure! We encourage you to take advantage of being in-country. You may need to get new accommodations, in which case we can give you recommendations. Enjoy as long of a trip as you can. 

We used to allow more families but learned that the optimal number is between 8 to 10. That's how we make it work while ensuring an intimate experience. 

Yep, we welcome multi-generational families. 

We welcome friends of participants to join as guests for a few days. There may be fees if they participate in activities or events. Inquire with your host or ask us any additional questions about specifics.

The kind of community we envision doesn’t come about by accident. It requires conscious effort and careful cultivation. Through curation, attention to group dynamics, and commitment to our social values and inclusiveness principles, we are creating a welcoming and fulfilling space where peak experiences are realized and genuine, long lasting friendships are made.

We'd love to meet you and your family members in person to help you ascertain whether our community is a good fit, but that's usually not feasible. Instead, our application process is designed to get to know you and your family through written answers and a video interview. Though it takes time and effort to apply, the process ensures that each trip comprises families with shared values who get along beautifully.

Youth Services

Our local hosts are family-oriented and knowledgeable about reputable providers of childcare services and programs. We’re happy to describe some options and put you in touch. 

Our youth programming is designed so visitors and locals are often together, sharing adventures and getting to know each other. That’s how we create a truly immersive, impactful, cross-cultural experience. 

Nope! Our youth programming is executed with leaders and locals who can speak English. But your kids will be exposed to local languages and learn at least a few words. 

Pricing & Payments

What’s included differs depending on your destination and the length of your trip. Review the page for the specific retreat you’re interested in to see the full list.

International airfare is not included in the total amount listed for each retreat. Flights to and from the country are purchased directly by each family coming to stay with us. 

While travel insurance is not included in the trip price, we strongly recommend that you protect yourself. Most insurance companies require you to secure travel insurance for trip expenses within 14 days of the purchase (i.e., paying the deposit). 

We recommend World Nomads and SafetyWing, but you can purchase from another provider as well. The links below are affiliate referrals, meaning if you purchase through our links, we receive a small commission (at no added cost to you). We truly believe in quality insurance and these companies are leaders in the travel insurance space for remote workers!

With World Nomads, you can buy and claim online, even after you've left home. Travel insurance from WorldNomads.com is available to people from 140 countries. It’s designed for adventurous travelers with coverage for overseas medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities.

With SafetyWing, you can also buy and claim online, visit multiple countries and upgrade for Remote Health coverage, which is designed for remote workers aged 0-69. Check out their site for full details, to get a quote or view their Covid coverage policies.

Your deposit holds a spot for your family and is fully refundable up to 90 days before your trip start date, when full payment comes due.  For more details, review our Flexible Bookings policy.

Our refund policy is specific to each program because it hinges on what we've been able to agree upon with local partners and providers.  So, make sure to check the Invoice tab for the program that you're interested in. 

VISAs & Flights

Yes, we can make it easy for you to know what your family will need to provide to get into the country. It’s your responsibility to fulfill the requirements, but we can help you avoid hassles and red tape.

Nope, you arrive on your own…our job is ensure that you and your family have a great experience after arrival!

There’s a limited number of families on each trip so we recommend reserving your spot as early as possible.

Accommodation

Accommodation options vary by retreat, ranging from high-end resorts to nice AirBNB-style houses or condos. In each case, we vet the property to make sure there is a comfy dwelling, equipped with a good workspace and fast WiFi. 

We only choose destinations with fast internet. And we vet accommodations to verify that upload and download speeds are sufficient for Zoom calls. Beyond that, we can line up portable WiFi routers to provide back-up and additional flexibility for where you work (like the beach!). 

Health & safety

Working Without Borders is all about creating a safe space where small groups of families can experience inspiring workations together in a secure and responsible way. Check out our COVID-19 policy to see the steps we are taking to ensure participants stay healthy.

After you make your deposit, we’ll ask you to list any dietary restrictions that you or your family members have. Then we’ll do our best to ensure that group events, like the Welcome and Farewell Dinners, have delicious options that meet your needs and preferences.