Homeschool Trip Across Canada

[Norm]

NEWS RELEASE

June 8, 2009
Homeschool Trip Across Canada

If you think crossing the country with six children in a motor home is somewhat unusual, you're not alone. The Schafer family of Victoria, BC, is getting used to mouths gaping open as they emerge from their colourful motorhome on a ten-week 17,000-km tour that will take them across southern Canada and the northern United States.

"Some people think we are a bit crazy to venture out on such a big family adventure," says Normand Schafer who, back home on Vancouver Island, runs his own travel agency. "It's quite funny, the stares I get in the stores as they watch me march in with my kids. The inevitable question is always, 'Are they all yours?' "

The youngsters, ages one to 14, are home-schooled, and parents Normand and Kirsten Schafer set out May 30 to teach them first-hand about their country's diversity. So far, this education has taken on some unexpected turns, from an encounter with a nude nocturnal panhandler on a Wal-Mart parking lot to being serenaded by the horns of passing freight trains. The latter ironically happened while trying to get much-needed rest at an otherwise attractive rest stop near Craigellachie, the site of "the last spike" on the cross-Canada rail line in 1885.

The family adventure is an extension of the travels that have taken the Schafer clan to places around the world. "However, this time we are focusing on Canada," Normand says. "Not only are we trying to uncover the popular destinations and hidden jewels of this amazing country but we want other families to enjoy it too."

Posted on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, the trip is meant to show "some of the fun things families and individuals can do together to enjoy spending time with one another," says Normand. "People can take our itinerary by breaking it down into individual provinces or combine any number of provinces into a smaller snapshot of Canada."

Follow the Schafers online at www.cheapticketscanada.com as their route evolves, and tell them your suggestions on Canada's best places to visit or simply check out their GPS-mapped photos.

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I love your idea of the family travelling across Canada. A couple of years ago my husband and I , then in our 60's and 70's took a trip east from Winnipeg to Newfoundland in our 85 Dodge Conversion Van. We parked at Legions and at Walmart from time to time. What a wonderful trip. Don't forget Newfoundland and Lanse au Meadows where the Vikings made their home, then on to Twilingate, you may get lucky and see icebergs. We took the ferry from Port au Basque to go over and crossed back on the Argentia ferry. The latter takes much longer but the comraderie on the ship was just great!! Also , don't forget the settlement at Louisberg, another, historical teaching area. This year we are heading west with the same old van. Now we are both well into our 70"s and intend to go up the Dempster Highway to Inuvik. Then we can say that we have been to every part of Canada. And, we have only missed 2 states in the U.S.A. We also went through the states on the way east. This year we do the same thing but go west. Have a wonderful trip , I know you will. Marion Pederson, Beausejour , Mb.