In a world that’s rapidly changing and where traditional boundaries are being replaced by digital connectivity, a new way of life has emerged for adventurous families seeking to explore the globe while still pursuing their careers. Imagine going on a journey where wanderlust and work go seamlessly together. Where your child’s education is enhanced by different cultures, and where amazing landscapes become your backyard. Welcome to the world of Boundless Life – an innovative program designed to give the modern digital nomadic family the freedom to embrace life’s possibilities.
In this time of remote work and limitless opportunities, Boundless Life has emerged as a potential solution for digital nomads longing to break free from the mundane routine and redefine their lifestyles. Dedicated to supporting a well-rounded and immersive journey, this program offers a unique blend of work, travel, and personal growth, creating memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.
In this article, we dive into the heart of Boundless Life, exploring the numerous offerings they provide to digital nomadic families. From their current locations to a sneak peek of upcoming destinations, we’ll explain what Boundless Life is based on our first-hand knowledge of being a Boundless family! I am not, nor have I ever been an employee of Boundless. The information given here is based on what I know as a participating and founding family member of Boundless.
Moreover, we’ll look into the current costs and show you how to unlock a €600 discount (about $660 USD) from your own Boundless booking! So, fasten your seatbelts as we embark on a virtual journey through the realm of Boundless Life, where horizons know no bounds and the world becomes your oyster.
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What is Boundless Life?
Boundless Life goes beyond the traditional concepts of travel by promoting a connected community for digital nomadic families. It is a unique program that is setting up locations around the world to help digital nomadic families in their pursuit of something different. Boundless offers its families its own coworking space, Educational Center, family-friendly activities, communal spaces, housing, concierge service, and perhaps most importantly, an instant community. It’s a great opportunity to break free from your family’s comfort zones and step into the world of world schooling and slow travel.
Boundless Life creates an environment where like-minded families can connect, exchange ideas, and form lasting bonds. Whether it’s parents sharing their professional expertise, children engaging in cross-cultural learning, exploring the local culture, or everyone coming together to honor different customs, Boundless Life has plenty to offer families, providing a wide range of resources and support tailored to their unique lifestyle, providing easy transitions between work, travel, and family adventures.
Boundless generally operates in 3-month long cohorts. This means that the school curriculum, the family activities, and everything as a whole are scheduled within a 3-month timeframe and are referred to as cohorts.
The year is broken into these cohorts:
- January, February, March
- April, May, June
- July – 4 week program
- August – 4 week program
- September, October, November
- December – potential 4-week program
Everything is done in 3-month long cohorts with the exception of July, August, and December. Beginning in the summer of 2024, these months will operate as only 1-month (4-week) cohorts at all locations. Bali is expected to be the only current destination to offer a December cohort.
If you cannot commit to 3 months because of other obligations such as the school year, perhaps a 1-month cohort in summer would work better for you!
What does Boundless Have to Offer?
Community
The community aspect is a vital piece of the nomadic lifestyle and in our opinion, the thing that makes Boundless genuinely amazing. If we traveled on our own, we would be less likely to have the opportunity to make new friends, as would our daughter. But Boundless provides a community of like-minded, yet very diverse groups of people from numerous countries around the world. This is the epitome of the “village” that it is said it takes to raise a child.
During our time with Boundless, there have been numerous occasions where families stepped up and stepped in to help another Boundless family. From babysitting, helping to drop off or pick up kids from school, and getting some items from the grocery to more extreme measures of riding in the ambulance together to the local hospital. It is normal and even expected to reach out to the community when you need help.
Plus, how wonderful is it to be walking in a new city and bump into people you know? You’ll have the opportunity to connect with new friends for lunch, share fascinating stories, venture into new activities and cities, and even arrange playdates after school. Hands down, the community is our favorite part of Boundless Life!
Coworking Space/Coworking Hub
Each Boundless destination has a co-working space, also known as the Hub. The hub serves as a space for collaboration among Boundless parents. It’s an environment where you can work, enjoy a coffee or snack, and frequently functions as a meeting spot for various Boundless activities. High speed Wi-Fi is available, but you must bring your own computer.
Education Center
Education is at the core of the Boundless Life experience. Recognizing the importance of providing children with a well-rounded education while on the move, the program offers a thoughtfully designed curriculum that carries from one location to the next. With experienced educators and the use of technology, Boundless Life ensures that children receive a strong and engaging education at each of its beautiful destinations.
The curriculum and subject matters carry across the different locations, helping kids move seamlessly from one Boundless school to another. Even the same furniture and classroom materials are used to help provide familiarity. This approach allows children’s schooling to continue and grow while also providing worldly adventures.
Throughout all of the destinations, the Boundless education program includes experiential learning and project-based learning, based on the Finnish education system. To this point, the education has been closely related to that of the Montessori education our daughter has been receiving at home in the US.
Currently, the Boundless Education Center, or EC for short, is for those ages 1-12 years old, but this could change in the near future. The children are called Explorers and are divided by age into two main departments: Exploration and Foundation. Here is the breakdown by department and age.
Exploration
- Lower Exploration: 1-3 years old
- Upper Exploration: 4-6 years old
Foundation
- Lower Foundation: 7-9 years old
- Upper Foundation: 10-12 years old
For more information on the EC learning pillars and values, as well as to learn about co-founder and head of education Rekha Magon, and Head of Academics, Suzanne Perkowsky, I encourage you to visit the Boundless Life Education page.
Extracurricular Activities
Each cohort is provided with different options for extracurricular activities, also known as ECA’s. Offerings will depend on the Boundless location, the time of year, availability, and other factors. Some ECA’s are open to all ages, however, most of them are age-specific.
Some options that have been available in the past were guitar lessons, art, surfing, movement, soccer, sailing, painting, swimming, language classes, and more.
The ECA’s are held immediately after school and generally on school grounds. Parents pick up their children at the end of the activity.
Housing
There are two different options for housing when attending a Boundless destination. Boundless can provide you with housing or you can look for your own accommodation. While you can likely save some money finding your own lodging, I want to point out the benefits of choosing Boundless Housing.
1. Weekly cleaning is included.
Once a week during your cohort, cleaners will come into your apartment and change the linens and towels, wash dishes, and sweep and mop the floors. You can upgrade and pay for an extra cleaning if you wish.
2. Groceries waiting for you.
When filling out your onboarding information for your upcoming cohort, you have the option to have groceries pre-purchased and waiting for you at your apartment when you arrive. This has been tremendously helpful as we are typically very tired when we first arrive and the last thing we want to do is track down a grocery store. If you book your own accommodation, this isn’t an option.
3. Avoid problems
If anything isn’t working or goes wrong, contact the Boundless housing coordinator for your destination and they will take care of it.
4. Removes stress
It takes the stress and worries out of finding “the perfect spot” on your own. However, I do suggest that you are very specific in what you are looking for. For example, if being close to the Education Center, versus the Hub, or other Boundless families is more important to you, then be sure to let them know your preference!
5. Pets are welcome
Pets are welcome in some Boundless houses and apartments.
6. Request needed items
If you need something that isn’t currently provided within the house, Boundless may be able to provide it at no additional charge. We have asked for step stools, blankets, and basic kitchenware.
What are Boundless Homes Like?
Boundless offers homes/apartments with 1, 2, and 3-bedroom options. All homes are fully furnished and provide high-speed internet, linens and towels, a coffee pot, and basic kitchen amenities. Generally, you are also provided with laundry detergent, hand-washing, and dishwashing soap, and shampoo and conditioner. Once these provided items run out, you are expected to purchase your own.
Houses are usually within a 20-minute or less walking distance from the EC, the hub, other Boundless families, grocery stores, restaurants, and other amenities.
If you are looking for more space, a place with a garden, terrace, or balcony, and additional cleaning, they are now offering Home+ options. These homes provide more space and other amenities but definitely cost more than the other Boundless housing.
Activities
Boundless offers a variety of programs for its participating families. The cost of some of the activities is included while other activities are offered at an additional cost. Some of the included activities that have been offered were hiking/walking tours, weekly yoga classes, and family soccer games.
Some of the activities that cost extra have been bus trips and tours to a nearby city, beach day gatherings, farm days, parent’s brunch, windsurfing, pottery workshops, language lessons, tile painting, group surfing lessons, spa days, luncheons, wine tastings, and more.
Concierge Service
Each Boundless destination provides its own concierge employee who assists families with various needs and requests. This person is knowledgeable about the local area and can provide recommendations for dining, entertainment, shopping, attractions, and more. They also help with general information, make the arrangements for all the Boundless activities for each cohort, and provide solutions for different problems.
What Does Boundless Life Cost?
Of course, one of the first questions that everyone asks is “How much does this all cost?” The answer is…it depends. It depends mostly on whether you choose to find your own accommodations or stay in Boundless housing, if you enroll your children in any of the extracurricular activities, and/or if you decide to attend the activities that cost more money.
But to give you an idea of pricing, the information below contains prices mostly based on our stay in Pistoia, Italy in April – June 2023 and our anticipated costs for attending Boundless Bali in 2024. The Bali costs are based on the invoice we received for the first month of that cohort.
Please note that these numbers are simply meant as a guideline. Things are constantly changing and are based on different factors including location and time of year. Notice that the price is per month, not for the entire length of a 3-month cohort.
Cost of Housing Example
In Sintra, Portugal for the April/May cohort 2022 (when Boundless first started and cohorts were 2-months long) our housing was €3500/month.
In Pistoia, Italy in the April-June cohort of 2023, for a 2-bedroom apartment, we paid €3600/month. 1-bedrooms should be less than that and 3-bedrooms more expensive.
For our planned trip to Bali in April-June of 2024, we anticipate paying €2900/month for a 2-bedroom.
Cost of Activities Example
Participating in activities with additional costs vary from as low as €10 per person to over €100 per person. However, some of these expenses vary significantly due to the choices you make. For example, if you attend a parent’s lunch, you determine how much to spend.
On the flip side, there are activities with a fixed fee, such as €80 per person for surfing lessons (this is a made-up example, as I don’t have the exact charges). Additionally, certain activities might require a taxi ride, adding to the overall cost.
Cost of the Education Center
There is a sibling discount, and I believe it provides a 10% discount for the first child, 15% for the 2nd, and 20% for the third. I am not certain of these numbers because we have an only child and therefore have never personally dealt with it.
In Pistoia, Italy in the April-June cohort of 2023, one child’s tuition was €1200/per month.
For our planned trip to Bali in April-June of 2024, we anticipate paying €1500/month.
Cost of the Concierge Service and Hub
Boundless has recently started charging a “Boundless Services Fee”. This fee includes things such as transport to and from the airport, the concierge, and the use of the coworking space. It’s currently €425 (about $460 USD) per adult, per month.
How You Can Keep Costs Down
The costs of a Boundless cohort add up quickly, especially if you have multiple children. Here are some ways you can keep costs down.
- Finding your own accommodation.
- Not signing your children up for the ECA’s.
- Opting out of attending the extra activities that cost more money.
- Booking more than one cohort at a time. Boundless has started offering discounts for signing up for multiple 3-month cohorts. If you book two 3-month cohorts, you can save 10%. If you book three 3-month cohorts, you can save 15%. It’s important to note that the percent savings is only on Boundless accommodations and the Boundless Services fee. In addition, the two 3-month cohorts must be completed with 12 months and the three 3-month cohorts must be completed within 18 months.
Current Boundless Life Locations
As of this writing in August 2023, Boundless has 4 open locations. In order of their opening, they are:
- Sintra, Portugal
- Syros, Greece
- Pistoia, Italy
- Sanur, Bali
Future Boundless Life Locations
The next destinations Boundless plans to open have not officially been announced. I’m not one to spoil a surprise, so all I will say at this moment, is that they anticipate opening 3 new locations in 2024. Two of those three destinations are non-Schengen locations, which is helpful for those who want to stay/travel within the Schengen region for longer than 180 days.
Where We’ve Been with Boundless Life
We discovered Boundless through a Facebook world schooling group in January of 2022 and signed up to attend the April-May cohort of that year. At first, cohorts were 2-months long but soon changed to 3-months. Our first Boundless experience was the second-ever cohort in their very first location of Sintra, Portugal.
Check out our post on Best Things to Do in Sintra, Portugal
We spent August of 2022 on the Greek Island of Syros, Boundless’s second destination. I believe we were the first “official” cohort, as they had a soft opening in July of that year.
In April, May, and June of 2023, we participated in the second cohort of Pistoia, Italy and we are currently planning to attend their Bali destination in April-June of 2024.
Where To Go For More Information
To find out more info and to schedule a Discovery call with a Boundless employee, check out their website, Boundless.life. If you have questions specifically for us and our experience with Boundless, please reach out to julie@travelingcrawfords.com.
Discount Code
Want to save €600 off your Boundless booking? When filling out your information sheet, you will be asked how you heard about Boundless Life. Simply type in JulieCrawford (all one word) and you’ll receive €600 off! (That’s around $650 USD!)
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