I love talking to people who have achieved time, location, and financial freedom, and Martijn Reintjes has done just that.
Originally from the Netherlands, I met Martijn about a year and a half ago in Mexico. At the time, he was about to go to Belize with his wife and three children. He was in Hanoi, Vietnam the last time we chatted, about halfway through a seven-month trip with his family. He and his family have traveled the world together several times, three to be exact.
I’m so inspired by Martijn and his family. I always assumed that when I had kids my travel days would over — they need to go to school and be part of the normal system. But, when I see people like Martijn doing extended trips with their kids and family it makes me realize that it is possible. Though, I had to ask…is it tiring? What’s the experience like?
Martijn had plenty to share on the subject, and I think you’re going to feel inspired too.
Their “Why”
When asked what motivates him and his wife to travel, Martijn says it’s a simple case of the travel bug. Like many, they went on their first big trip and knew it wasn’t going to be their last. They also believe it’s a good opportunity for their kids and their connection as a family.
As the children have gotten older, it’s admittedly become more complicated. Schooling has been the biggest issue. There’s no such thing as homeschooling in the Netherlands so the couple had to come up with a curriculum themselves. Martijn says that like with so many things in life, there’s always a way if you want something, you can always find a way to do it. It’s not always easy, but that’s what makes it all the more rewarding.
He admits that he knows school has value too — friends, education, living a normal life — but he has always thought that it’s good to think outside of the box and do things a bit differently.
The kids love being on the road because there’s so much to do, see, and experience. Because the family is together 24/7, they have become a lot closer. Martijn also insists that they learn so much more while out traveling. All of his children can speak English, and they pick up on other foreign languages quite quickly. They’re also able to learn about different cultures’ food, traditions, and history…he says the whole experience is an ongoing learning opportunity.
How They Make it Work
This sort of lifestyle is really only possible with remote work. As such, Martijn and his wife have their own online business. His wife is a child psychologist and they have a website for parents who are struggling. There’s a blog and courses, and she also offers private consultations. The wife is the psychology expert and Martijn focuses on the marketing and technical side of the business.
Now, when asked how they make it all work with three kids, Martijn laughs and says they don’t. He looks at their life as made up of three points — work, children, and travel — and he can only do two at a time. If they’re focusing on the kids and work, they can’t travel. Or, if they’re traveling with the kids, they can’t focus on work. And that’s okay.
Over time they’ve learned how to balance it all. Since being in Hanoi, they met a Dutch girl with a degree in education who has been working as a nanny for them for three weeks or so. They provide her room and board and some pocket money, and she takes care of the kids. And for those who think getting a nanny would be way too expensive, Martijn says it’s about $300 per week.
Life on Their Own Terms
When I asked why he and his wife decided to focus on traveling instead of building their business, Martijn told me that he and his wife aren’t motivated by money. They built the business so that they could have the freedom to do what they wanted.
Most people do the opposite — they work very hard to be able to have the lifestyle they want later. Martijn and his family are doing it in tandem. They may not have as much money as they would if they were stationed in the Netherlands full-time, but they do have the freedom to live the lifestyle they want right now without waiting.
Their lifestyle is of course very different from their peers in the Netherlands. Martijn says that when he took the time to think about what kind of life he wanted, he realized that he didn’t want a fancy job just to be able to make a lot of money. He wanted to work less and have the freedom and time to pursue projects and hobbies and spend time with his family. He and his wife are designing the life on their terms, not anyone else’s.
Martijn left me with this nugget of wisdom: decide how you want to live your life, then work to make conscious decisions that bring you closer to the lifestyle you truly want. In other words, if you want to spend more time with your family, start making decisions that will get you there.
He and his family are living proof that you can yourself up on your own terms. There are no rules when it comes to designing your dream life.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
This article was written by Neel from MaidThis Franchise, a remote-local franchise opportunity for people looking to escape the rate race and reach financial freedom. Learn more here.
