In conversation with the Unschooler and full time traveller - Gangadhar Krishnan

had a very humbling experience talking to Mr. Gangadhar, who has been unschooling and traveling on the road for the past 10 -11 years. He was so eloquent in his answers, that I was left speechless many times during the conversation. Here are some excerpts from our talk:

Me: What made you choose this lifestyle of unschooling and road travel?

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Gangadhar: We have been traveling since my kids were 6 months old, we realized this quite early on, that traveling and learning go hand in hand, the best way to learn is by doing and there is no better teacher than life itself.

Me: Was it scary to pursue a crazy idea like this?

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Gangadhar: It was, but it was also exciting. We just took the plunge and went for it. It would not have been possible without the support of my wife, she has been my pillar of strength throughout this journey. Though initially, people thought we were crazy, we knew what we were doing.

Me: What about socialization? How do your kids interact with other children and adults?

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Gangadhar: Socialisation is not an issue, my kids have interacted with people of all age groups and walks of life while travelling. They have a lot of friends in the apartment they live of course they fear that long travel may affect their friendships.

Me: What would you say to parents who are considering unschooling or alternate learning?

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Gangadhar: If parents have time and they know what they are doing is correct, then they should continue with it. There will be people who will try to dissuade you, but as long as you are convinced, go ahead with it. But you should not try an alternate path just because someone else is doing it, it should be because you believe in it.

Me: How do kids study and learn? Do they have a curriculum?

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Gangadhar: The kids learn from the journey, they observe and take in everything around them. We don't have a set curriculum, but we make sure that they are exposed to different cultures and customs. We haven't introduced curriculum or books to them but they are free to choose and learn what they want.

Me: Since you decided to quit your job and pursue this full-time, how did you manage your finances?

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Gangadhar: It was tough in the beginning, but we managed it and I believe that when you are sure of what you want other things just fall into place. We just worried about enough to live and the rest took care of itself.

Me: Have your kids ever asked about school? or been to school?

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Gangadhar: My kids were in school till grade 3 and when we proposed the idea of unschooling and travelling, they were very excited about it. One of my daughters is on the creative side and she didn't have a great experience in school, so she was very keen on this.

Me: Do your kids get influenced by other school-going kids or do they feel different?

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Gangadhar: Yes sometimes it happens when people ask them questions but we tell them to answer these questions themselves. Their options to join the school are always open but as of now, they are very happy with their lifestyle. Sometimes other kids tease them about their future prospects while other kids tell them that are very lucky to escape the school.

Me: Do you plan or research about the travels?

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Gangadhar: We used to plan our travels before but it all became very boring after some time. So now we just go with the flow, take detours and explore new places. It's more fun that way and the kids love it too. Who knows, we might even bump into something interesting that we had never planned for! We have taken our Tata Nano to the places we have travelled and we never had any problems. We have slept in the car, in the petrol pumps, and never felt unsafe.

Me: What about food? Do you pack food?

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Gangadhar: We don't worry about food and after all the kids are used to eating outside because travelling is not new to them. The kids love it and they get to try different cuisines this way. In many places we have travelled, we have been served fresh food and we never had any problems.

Me: What would you like to say in the end?

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Gangadhar: In the end, I would just like to say that if you have an alternate plan or idea, it is important that we know our kids and take a decision accordingly. Do not let others discourage you, because, at the end of the day, it is your life and your children. Just pursue what you believe in and everything will fall into place.

There are a lot of things that will stay with me after this heartful conversation with Mr. Gangadhar Krishnan – his conviction, his passion for life, and most importantly his fearless approach to parenting. It is definitely not an easy task to convince people around you about your decisions especially when it comes to something as important as the education of your children. But if you are convinced about what you are doing is right, then go ahead and do it with all your heart. Just like Mr. Gangadhar Krishnan did.

His trust in his kids, his confidence in their abilities, and his decision to pursue what he believed in have resulted in him leading a very fulfilling life which is an inspiration for all of us. The other thing he mentioned is that the most important thing for parents is to have time for kids and if you do not have the time it is better to find traditional schools for kids.

As Mr. Gangadhar mentioned we need to be clear about what we want, do our research, and then take a decision. What might work for him, might not work for me and vice versa. So the best thing is to know our kids, and their needs and then decide what is best for them.

It was an absolute privilege to talk to Mr. Gangadhar Krishnan and I sincerely thank him for sharing his inspiring story with us.

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