Although the family sailed to islands throughout the Caribbean and up the coast to Florida, their favorite destination is without a doubt Saint Martin, where they lived for three months.
"Even as we were leaving, there were parts of the island or views I hadn't seen yet and I was like, 'Ah, this is so amazing that we hadn't seen this sooner,'" Erik said. "You really fall in love with a place when you get to meet the people."
He also added that assimilating into another country's culture is a unique experience. "Maybe you weren't expecting those holidays or those type of hours [in that country]. And then you start to adapt to it, and you're like, 'Well, that's just how it is,' and it becomes endearing to you. So that's one of the reasons we love Saint Martin, just because we got to experience so much there."
As for their thoughts on other parents following their lead? They suggest taking the risk.
"Yeah, we wish we had known more mechanical stuff, but you learn as you go," Erik said. "That was really the joy of the journey, that we learned together as a family as we did it. Now we did know how to sail."
Emily added that her squad received more help from other travelers than she ever thought possible.
"You feel like you have to have it all prepared and figured out before you go," she said. "But there's lots of people willing to help you, and there will be solutions that you'll find along the way. You don't have to have all the answers before you go. It's good to do your homework, but at a certain point, you just need to go and trust that you'll be able to find the people and the things that you need."
![Although the family sailed to islands throughout the Caribbean and up the coast to Florida, their favorite destination is without a doubt Saint Martin, where they lived for three months.
"Even as we were leaving, there were parts of the island or views I hadn't seen yet and I was like, 'Ah, this is so amazing that we hadn't seen this sooner,'" Erik said. "You really fall in love with a place when you get to meet the people."
He also added that assimilating into another country's culture is a unique experience. "Maybe you weren't expecting those holidays or those type of hours [in that country]. And then you start to adapt to it, and you're like, 'Well, that's just how it is,' and it becomes endearing to you. So that's one of the reasons we love Saint Martin, just because we got to experience so much there."
As for their thoughts on other parents following their lead? They suggest taking the risk.
"Yeah, we wish we had known more mechanical stuff, but you learn as you go," Erik said. "That was really the joy of the journey, that we learned together as a family as we did it. Now we did know how to sail."
Emily added that her squad received more help from other travelers than she ever thought possible.
"You feel like you have to have it all prepared and figured out before you go," she said. "But there's lots of people willing to help you, and there will be solutions that you'll find along the way. You don't have to have all the answers before you go. It's good to do your homework, but at a certain point, you just need to go and trust that you'll be able to find the people and the things that you need."](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/lxVraBu_9Tpg7yh8nyPfmesW_3s/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2019/02/11/858/n/24155406/8e5a0cf307b70bdd_IMG_4237_2/i/Although-family-sailed-islands-throughout-Caribbean-up.jpg "Although the family sailed to islands throughout the Caribbean and up the coast to Florida, their favorite destination is without a doubt Saint Martin, where they lived for three months.
\"Even as we were leaving, there were parts of the island or views I hadn't seen yet and I was like, 'Ah, this is so amazing that we hadn't seen this sooner,'\" Erik said. \"You really fall in love with a place when you get to meet the people.\"
He also added that assimilating into another country's culture is a unique experience. \"Maybe you weren't expecting those holidays or those type of hours [in that country]. And then you start to adapt to it, and you're like, 'Well, that's just how it is,' and it becomes endearing to you. So that's one of the reasons we love Saint Martin, just because we got to experience so much there.\"
As for their thoughts on other parents following their lead? They suggest taking the risk.
\"Yeah, we wish we had known more mechanical stuff, but you learn as you go,\" Erik said. \"That was really the joy of the journey, that we learned together as a family as we did it. Now we did know how to sail.\"
Emily added that her squad received more help from other travelers than she ever thought possible.
\"You feel like you have to have it all prepared and figured out before you go,\" she said. \"But there's lots of people willing to help you, and there will be solutions that you'll find along the way. You don't have to have all the answers before you go. It's good to do your homework, but at a certain point, you just need to go and trust that you'll be able to find the people and the things that you need.\"")
