Hello Dear NextTriber:

For three years, when I homeschooled and traveled with my two middle-school-aged sons, I struggled to come up with lesson plans based on each destination. I wanted to engage them and pave the way for better understanding and retention when we visited the varied locations across the world from China to Peru.

For instance, studying Ancient History before heading to Egypt, Greece, Turkey and Rome, I had them read—among other things—the Percy Jackson books (for Greek mythology); we watched documentaries and then a series of films (from Spartacus to Gladiator) so we could discuss the difference between what Hollywood fed us and the actual on-the-ground information.

I don’t know how successful I was. I think they might have lost a lot of what we learned. I know I can remember little about Egyptian gods and pharaohs, even though we studied them closely and then actually walked through temples devoted to certain gods and goddesses. (I do remember that Sobek was the crocodile god because my youngest was obsessed with him—and because we prayed to him before the three of us went swimming in the Nile.)

When I first heard about the work Kristina Schmidt was doing I was thrilled. Kristina has built a wonderful career developing learning experiences for schools. She figures out “how people take in new information, connect it to what they already know, and walk away changed by it. At a certain point, I realized that the same process doesn’t just apply to classrooms—it applies to life, especially to travel.”

From this revelation she began to design guides that “bring that missing piece of intentional design to the independent travel experience—so you don’t just have a great trip, you come away with a clearer view of the world and your place in it.”

Lucky for us, Kristina was sharing co-work space with our travel manager Marcy Mitchell, who immediately saw how Kristina’s work could be a boon for NextTribe and our travelers.

So starting with the Turkey trip in September, Kristina is designing a curated handbook to each of our destinations—specifically tailored to women our age. We’re calling them Enrichment Guides.

They are wonderfully comprehensive, including books, podcasts, documentaries, feature films and even a playlist, all meant to expand your understanding of a place before you go. She even has suggestions for what to do during the trip and afterward to help integrate all that you saw and felt.

Each of you will receive an Enrichment Guide as a gift from us for every one of our trips you’re on. Travelers have asked us in the past for this kind of information and sadly, we couldn’t get it together to do so—until Kristina came into our lives. Turkey travelers prepare to be wowed!!

After my years of traveling and homeschooling, I wrote an ebook called The Mother of All Field Trips, relating all the adventures we had as a learning family. But now that I’ve gotten to know Kristina and see her work, I am sure she is the true mother of all field trips.

Jeannie Ralston
Founder and CEO

Every year, we are thrilled to bring open-hearted travelers to gorgeous San Miguel de Allende in Mexico (Conde Nast Traveler’s #1 Destination in the World) over the lively and poignant holiday of Dia de los Muertos. With founder Jeannie Ralston’s connections, we do the town right and with the Mexican perspective on death and dying, we all come away with a new way to think about mortality. 

Because so many of us at this age are seeking solace around loved ones who have passed, this trip fills up fast. Our first 2 offerings over Day of the Dead are sold out, so we’ve added another Deluxe Version to make sure everyone who wants to go gets a chance. 

And before you get the idea that this is a solemn trip, please understand that our week reflects this piece of Mexican wisdom: Don’t be afraid of dying. Be afraid of not living.

All the details here.

Click on a square to see our trip listing.

REMEMBER: We offer interest-free monthly payments