The ultimate of homeschool field trips is traveling the world, like 12-year-old Ariela White has been doing pretty much since birth. But even if your homeschooling adventures don’t take your family to faraway lands, you can still learn from Ariela’s experience to inspire your children to share their experiences with others through a website and social media accounts as Ariela’s family has done for her.
Ariela has answered a few questions we sent her about her traveling ambitions and how she shares her trips and other interesting topics about her life. She recently started out on a cross-Canada tour (on October 13, 2020) to experience some of our great land AND raise funds for Food Banks. You’ll definitely want to check out her very engaging post where she shares stories and pictures of that endeavor on her blog. At the end of the article, you’ll find many ways to see what she’s up to through her online locations and maybe encourage your own children to do a similar project.
TCS: You have an ambitious travel goal. Share what that is and when you think you can achieve it.
Ariela: My goal is to be the youngest person to travel to every country. I think I can achieve it in a few years once COVID-19 is gone.
TCS: When did you start your travel blog Ariela On The Go?
Ariela: I started it sometime in March [2020] when the pandemic began.
TCS: Was it mainly your idea to share your travel stories on a blog, or did your mom or dad make the suggestion?
Ariela: My parents were the ones who made the suggestion. Until then, I wasn’t really sure what a blog was! They said that I should start a blog because there might be nothing else to do this summer due to Covid19.
TCS: Do you have help with the writing, editing and publishing to your blog, or do you do it all on your own?
Ariela: I write the stories, but my mom and dad are the editors. We also consult my Uncle Rob.
TCS: Is blogging something that is used as part of your education, or do you mainly do it for fun?
Ariela: It’s kind of both. My parents suggested it as a summer project. I can inspire children that traveling is a fun way of learning.
TCS: Can you share a bit about how you let others know about your blog?
Ariela: My mom has friends and family in different parts of the world, in five continents to be exact. So she told them to follow or subscribe to my blog. She also manages my Instagram and Facebook. She also tells me to go on the Reader in Wordpress so I can read other people’s posts, and she tells me to follow other travel blogs. I have also been on CBC News and CBC Kids News [links to those articles below], so that got a few people familiar with my blog.
TCS: Your blog posts have lots of details about the places you've visited. Do you research to learn more about the places you visit or just collect information while you're there?
Ariela: I do a little bit of both. Now that I have my blog I try to remember as much as I can when we visit a place, and I also go online and do some research too. I also grab some tour brochures from wherever we visit.
TCS: Which of the places you've visited so far is your favourite? Why?
Ariela: Does Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida count? Because if it does, I really love that place. I like the Hogwarts Castle, the new roller coaster, and it's right next door to our house in Florida. Plus, I really like the movies that Universal makes. They are my favourites! I chose Universal because all the countries that I’ve been to are really great! It’s hard to pick favourites when you’ve been to 37 countries and territories and 5 continents!
Read more about Ariela and connect with her on her blog and social media:
- Article about Ariela on CBC.
- Ariela’s submitted article on CBCkids.
- Ariela’s website, Ariela on the Go, where you’ll be able to follow all her travels, which is currently taking her across Canada on a Food Bank fundraiser.
Ariela’s Social Media:
This interview article has been written by homeschooling staff writers of The Canadian Schoolhouse (TCS). Enjoy more of our content from TCS contributors and staff writers by visiting our Front Door page that has content on our monthly theme and links to all our content sections.
"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).