What I think I love the most about living abroad is experiencing different cultures in ways that is unimaginable.Our family made a last-minute decision to fly to Malaysia for our visa run that we have to make every two months to remain a visitor in Bali. We decided to couple it with a mini holiday at Legoland in Malaysia.
Even though we lived in California when Legoland was open, we never visited. After a three hour flight and a 3 Hour Drive from Kuala Lumpur we arrived at Legoland.
Legoland in Malaysia is Like No Other Adventure
Check out Brian and Hanalei running into the park. She is SO excited to be here and I’m thankful that we are in a place we can take her.
You see, traveling around the world and visiting adventure parks from other countries allows us to experience different beliefs. We can turn these fun trips into a lesson on world culture.
This is what I love about traveling to other countries and experiencing amusement parks. Malaysia is a very high concentration of Muslims so there are prayer rooms and Legos that use that represent their beliefs.
Malaysia Theme Park
When you come to Legoland here in Malaysia, you are in for a real treat. The park has many different amenities that you can take advantage of such as:
- Hotel
- Restaurants and Bar
- Children’s play area in the hotel
- Waterpark
- Places to shop
- Ninjago Live Show
- Star Wars Miniland
- Lego 4D movie
- Rides
You can learn more about the park on their website.
We wanted to stay at the hotel here, but it was booked up for the next month. Apparently, if you are going to plan a trip and actually want to stay in the resort, you are going to need to plan in advance.
Fun With a Legoland Dinosaur
Do you see the size of this dinosaur that is made entirely out of legos? This theme park is like no other that you will ever visit. The life size statues represent creativity that is absolutely incredible.
The detail that is used for these displays is simply unreal. If you have ever tried to make a basic lego house, you know how time consuming it can be. Imagine a life-sized dino!
Travel is Something You Can’t Explain
Our message to you is take some time to go explore new countries and cultures. When you get outside of your little space, your view of the world will most certainly change.
It’s closing time here in Legoland. Take a look at our final Facebook LIVE video.
I’ll leave you with the lyrics from the Lego Movie. Oddly enough, I would say that these few lines describe exactly what the Unstoppable Family is all about.
Everything is awesome
Everything is cool when you’re part of a team
Everything is awesome when we’re living our dream
Everything is better when we stick together
Side by side, you and I gonna win forever, let’s party forever
We’re the same, I’m like you, you’re like me, we’re all working in harmony
Everything is awesome
Everything is cool when you’re part of a team
Everything is awesome when we’re living our dream
If you didn’t know, we’re moving to Canada early next year. In the meantime, we are soaking up the tropical island life as long as we possibly can. A few weekends ago, we had the chance to go to Bali Treetop Adventures Park and made some great memories together.
Bali Treetop Adventure Park
The park offers an incredible open air environment for people that visit. They have some challenging courses for those that feel they are up to taking it on.
The park has 72 challenges that include:
- Spider nets
- Tarzan jumps
- Flying-fox
- Flying swings
- Suspended bridges
- Ropes course
- And so much more.
You no me, I had to get my Tarzan on and finish it up with my Spiderman skills.
Get Harnessed In
If you have ever been to a ropes course or rocking climbing type of place before, you will know that you have to get harnessed in. The Patrol Guides show you how to use the equipment to make sure everyone knows what to do.
Once you get signed off by the guides, then you have the ability to go to any part of the park. They suggest that adults start at the Green Discovery Circuit before trying other courses. Kids start at the Squirrel Yellow Circuit before moving on.
Designated Areas For Children
I love that Hanalei is old enough to experience more and more. One of the great things about the Bali Treetop Adventures is that they have different difficulty levels. You know that Rhonda and I are very athletic and we love a challenge. We were not bored at all, and there were plenty of obstacles for Hanalei.
The youngest age a child can be to get on the course is 6. Each of the areas are color-coded to let parents know what is best suited to their children’s skill level. Hanalei rocked everything she tried. That girl is fearless I tell, ya.
Animal Adventures At Twin Lake
Right around the adventure park, at Twin Lake, we spent some time with these animals.
Did you see Rhonda’s face? Let’s just say the Unstoppable Family knows how to party. We all had a chance to touch the bat, snake, and other spectacular animals.
It was pretty scary to touch those creatures, but completely amazing at the same time. I’m so thankful that we can experience these things together.
Family Building Time
It is very challenging ropes course to say the least. I think it was a fun family building outing for the three of us. When you are in a situation like that, you have the opportunity to cheer one another on. It is great practice for other areas of our lives.
As a family, we have accomplished so much together. I know that as time goes on, we’ll be able to go even further as a family.
As always, cheers from the Unstoppable Family!
-Brian Swan
As you know, surfing is a HUGE passion of mine. I spend a lot of my time trying to catch the biggest waves I can here in Bali. I have had the honor of hanging out with Sebastian Steudtner, two time WSL Big Wave Award winner. He has been with us for the last two weeks and I’m glad to have had a chance to interview him.
I met Sebastian through my friend, Axel Haber. Rhonda and I met him on our first week of travels back in 2008 in Hanalei Bay, Kauai. Last season, Axel became part of Sebastian’s tow-in Surfing team for Mercedes. Axel is the DR on the shore.
Here is a picture of Axel, Sebastian and myself.
Sebastian “Seabass” Steudtner- WSL Big Wave Award Winner
Sebastian is a big name, but not too many people know who he is. That is why I wanted to take the time to introduce you to him.
Right now, he is in a training period and waiting for the biggest wave to happen in October or November. If you don’t know much about surfing, there is no way to truly predict when the biggest wave is going to happen. Guys like Sebastian have to make big decisions when they get the call that the biggest wave may be hitting somewhere.
I think that he has done a great job of using his instincts and relying on his team to make these decisions. You can get word that the biggest wave is coming, but then it can get called off, because of the change of the water. It truly requires you to be flexible and take a lot of spontaneous action. He’s my kind of guy!
He is Sponsored By Mercedes Benz in Germany
He is sponsored by Mercedes Benz in Germany. Ever since he found a sponsor, he has been able to afford better equipment, which makes his goals of beating the world record within reach. Now that he has exactly what he needs, he can really go for it when it comes to his sport.
Also, he is a member of Mercede’s Laureus Charity that is committed to projects that help young people that have come from difficult places. With the use of sports, they aim to unite people and spur them on to brighter futures.
Check Out His Surf Foundation Called #Wirmachenwelle
As part of his commitment to the Mercede’s Laureus Charity, he decided to put together his own surf project, #wirmachenwelle (wemakewaves).
Sebastian says, “Nelson Mandela said “Sport can change the world” and sport changed my life for the better, so I decided to create a surfing project which helps kids that come from a rough background to change their life’s. It’s called #wirmachenwelle (wemakewaves) Check it out, edit coming soon.”
Hanalei Goes Body Surfing With Sebastian
Sharing my love of surfing with Hanalei is incredible. She is such a go getter when it comes to trying new things and living life.
While we have been hanging out with Sebastian, he and Hanalei had their first bodyboarding session.
Watching Hanalei experience life, spending time with guys like Sebastian, and pursuing my passions are all the reasons that being a Freedom-preneur has been the best decision we have ever made.
Cheers!
-Brian Swan
Rhonda and I are pretty lucky that we get to celebrate our birthdays so close together. Mine is May 31 and Rhonda’s is June 3. We love to have a reason to celebrate for days together. This year, we spent time at this really rad place on Rhonda’s birthday; Finn’s Beach Club in Badung, Bali.
Finn’s Beach Club Review
Rhonda and I absolutely loved Finn’s Beach Club. Here is a quick tour I give you of the layout of the place.
How did you like that music? The atmosphere here was totally rocking. They have the place set up so that you can watch the sunset as you sip your favorite drinks.
It’s hot here in Bali, I tell you. Finn’s Beach Club is perfect to cool down. You can stand in the water while sipping your drink at the bar.
Of course, you have to know that one of my favorite things about this place, is the surf bar. You can get the best view of the Berawa surf break. For those that are out surfing, they don’t have to stop when the sun goes down. Finn’s has some powerful flood lights that keep them from having to stop the fun.
Surfing in Uluwatu, Bali
On my birthday, I went surfing in Uluwatu. Uluwatu Beach is located deep under a cliff bank. It has some of the fastest waves, which makes it one of the greatest surf points on the island. Many pro-surfers love to come here, because the waves are perfect for them to do their best tricks.
The day I went out, there were supposed to be some of the biggest swells of the year. While I didn’t catch the biggest wave of my life, I did enjoy the best birthday waves of my life…and a few memorable beat downs as well.
Staying at the W Hotel in Seminyak, Bali
We had the chance to stay at the W Hotel in Seminyak as part of our birthday celebrations. Check out this awesome vid that Rhonda shot of some of the scenery.
The W Hotel is absolutely fabulous if you can’t tell from the tour Rhonda gave you. They serve incredible food and there is a spa here at the hotel you can take advantage of.
We Exchanged Birthday Messages
I think that birthdays are a great time to look back at what you’ve done in the past and how far you’ve come. Rhonda and I both took a moment to write notes to one another.
Here’s what she shared with me.
I met this guy back in 1998.
I’ll be honest when we first met I thought he was a bit overboard and a little obnoxious..
Many may know that Brian and I met surfing in San Diego over 18 years ago. I had just moved to San Diego, finished my masters degree and started my first corporate job.
Suffice it to say I was rather uptight.
But there was something about Brian that pulled me closer. One thing I realized is that he was true to himself . He lived each day as SWANO…and didn’t care what people thought about him.
What I learned about myself through Brian, is that I did care what people thought about me and I was living to impress others rather than to be who I truly was.
I thought he was obnoxious, because I was unwilling to confront myself and to be who I wanted to truly be, he was the mirror I knew I needed to look into but was afraid to do it.
Because of you I looked at myself and decided to be true to who I was, not for anyone else but myself.
Today is SWANOs birthday, and I am grateful for who you are and for always being true.
I love you Brian Swan, thank you for being my best friend, my business partner, my lover and the best Dad to HanaLei.
What I shared with Rhonda on her birthday.
Happiest of Birthdays to the most amazing Wife a Husband could ask for & the coolest Mom a child could ever ask for!
I’ve known this beautiful Lady and my best friend for 18 Looooong years….and it keeps getting better year after year.
The 1st time I laid eyes on Rhonda….I was about 30 meters out in the Surf in San Diego and saw her walk past my house on the boardwalk with a Surfboard under her arm wearing a cute, white rash guard (wink wink)
Was it love at first sight?
Well, let me check…..extremely Hot Chick paddling out to Surf.
Yep…that’s a great way to start 🙂
I was the first guy in the line-up to paddle over and introduce myself….in a bit of a clumsy manner by stumbling over my words. I didn’t care….she was so beautiful and her presence was the most powerful!
Yes, it was Love at 1st sight….
It took me a couple months before I asked her out on our first date on July 7th, 1998….and from that Date on the rooftop of Saska’s in Mission Beach eating Sushi…we have never been apart.
If you read Rhonda’s post the other day about me being the “obnoxious guy” when we first met….I would have to say that was correct.
I’m not sure how he really came together when we’re almost polar opposites..it must be the Yin Yang combined with both of us being Gemini’s.
Whatever it may be….I don’t care Why or How.
I know that I landed the most amazing woman, mother, wife, business partner and best friend that a guy could ever ask for.
I ❤️ you Rhonda soooo much…
Here’s to the next 18 years of our lives…
Happy Birthday from your Unstoppable Surfer Dude
Each year, life just keeps getting better for us. We have come so far in 18 years, and I know that we will go even further in the years to come.
Finishing The Weekend at Finn’s Beach Club
Not only are we celebrating our birthdays this weekend at Finn’s Beach Club, we are saying goodbye to our Swedish friends that have been here in Bali for the last 5 months. They are heading out and this is our last time to chill together. We loved Finn’s so much, we decided that this would be the best way to wish them off.
I’m so thankful that I get to live this incredible life with the woman of my dreams and my incredible daughter, Hanalei.
Villa Bloom Bali Review.
This past weekend, Brian, Hanalei, and I took a weekend to relax and unplug from our “holiday life” in Canggu and head north with a few friends. We went to the most magical place here in Bali called Villa Bloom that is owned by our new friends Inge and Tom. When I say that this place was fabulous, I truly mean it, and I am not saying this because I know them. Just watch my video, you can see for yourself.
Villa Bloom- North Bali Caters to Your Needs
One of the things that I really appreciate about Inge and Tom, the owners of Villa Bloom, is that they have worked to put together a unique experience for each guest. They catered to us and our personal needs in a way that other places wouldn’t do. Penny who takes care of the home, and arrangements is one of the sweetest women I have ever met, she ensure’s your stay is most pleasurable.
Hanalei is gluten-intolerant, so she requires a special menu. The staff here didn’t have a single problem with providing us with delicious meals that Hanalei could eat. Not only that- my wine glass was never empty either!
Catch The Passion of Villa Bloom From Tom and Inge
Tom and Inge are also part of our Unstoppable Freedom-Preneur Tribe. It was such an honor to visit with them and see the amazing location they have put together. We started to work together on their social media presence, and promotion for Villa Bloom which included having a video created that expresses everything Villa Bloom has to offer.
Listen to what the Tom and Inge say was their reason behind building this gorgeous place.
Now that is what I call personal branding. These two incredible people came from the Netherlands and then tapped into the serenity of Bali. They developed a huge passion for what this place offers to the world.
Their business and rental rate quadrupled within a few months of defining their customer, getting clear on their message, and applying the simple Facebook targeting techniques they learned in the Freedom-Preneur Academy.
Want to be like Tom and Inga? Join the Freedom-Preneur Academy today!
What To Do in Lovina
Since we were only in the area for the weekend, we had just a few days to explore. Even with our couple of days to be there, we were able to find a few really awesome things to do.
Shanti Natural Panorama View Hotel Bar & Restaurant
This is a great restaurant and bar that has an incredible view. While you eat there, you can see some of the most beautiful countryside of Indonesia. It overlooks the Smabangan village. Also, you can hear the Banyumala river from here.
They prepare traditional Balinese cuisine as well as other cuisines. You can indulge in some of their incredible drink choices such as the Traditional caipirinha cocktail.
North Bali Adventures
We absolutely loved the North Bali Adventures. They have an incredible water park. You can see me walking around a little bit in this video before we went into the park.
Hanalei had such a great time in the park. We were able to play on some fun slides and float in the beautiful water. It is actually one of the biggest inflatable water parks in the world.
They even offer Dolphin tours in the morning hours, which I thought was really cool. There are definitely some fun things to do here.
What a Great Weekend in Lovina
We absolutely loved going to stay at Villa Bloom and see what Tom and Inga have done with the place. It has been their goal to make sure that those that visit are able to walk away feeling refreshed and forever changed. Believe me, Brian and I are not the same as when we first walked in here.
We had a blast. Here’s a quick recap of our highlights and favorite things we did while we were in Lovina.
Two years before Hanalei was born, Rhonda & I were given a lil’ piece of advice to take the 3 words, “No, NOT and “Don’t” out of our vocabulary when speaking to our future child / children.
I’m not quite sure if we were listening to audiobooks from Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Michael Losier…or possibly our natural birthing coach, but none the less the message has stayed with us until this day.
At first I thought the idea of changing these 3 words was a bit crazy, and impossible.
Think about when you were growing up as a child, how many times did you hear the phrases-
Don’t climb up there
Don’t do that
Don’t Fight
Don’t Talk
Don’t cry
Don’t run by the Pool
Don’t chew with your mouth full
No you can’t, It’s NOT yours and the list can go on for days.
Now let’s think about how many times you heard these phrases before you were 5 years old….100, 1,000’s, possibly a Million????
Next, think about how many times you have said these words to your children today. Believe me….it’s tough to not use these words when speaking to your child….or at least it was for us.
It was difficult as heck to remove these negative words from our vocabulary.
Why is it difficult to stop using words such as no, not and don’t? I believe it because we’re so programmed and conditioned to think and communicate using negative words on a subconscious level.
We don’t even have to think about what we are saying. It just automatically comes out of our mouths, because that is how we were spoken to as a child growing up.
Now imagine re-framing the statements above to represent what to DO, rather than what NOT to do. You will find that you have to actually think very carefully on how you choose your words. Believe me, it’s tough.
Here’s what we learned:
Don’t climb up there it’s dangerous can be changed to- Be aware of your footing as you climb.
Don’t do this can be changed to- Let’s do this instead
Don’t fight can be changed to– Let’s talk out a good solution
Don’t Talk can be changed to- Let’s work on being quiet for 10 more minutes
Don’t talk to her like that can be changed to- How could we say that differently?
Don’t run by the pool can be changed to- Let’s walk near the pool because its slippery
It’s about giving your children choices in Life.
Always keep the end goal in mind with teaching your child. When you switch around the way you phrase things, you are allowing them to make their own decisions. We want to raise a generation that are thinkers and decision makers.
For every action there is a reaction or consequence of some form. From my experience, after a child falls 1 or 2 times, they stop repeating the action that caused them to get there. The powerful side of this is that they start making choices when you’re not around.
You won’t be there to help them make the right choice forever, that is why it is so important to teach them while the consequence are relatively mild. Wouldn’t you rather they learn this process when they are still under your protection, than to wait until they are old enough to get into a lot more trouble?
*****Just to be Clear….if your Child is about to Drink Poison or run out in Front of a Car…this is not the time to have a Conversation with them and give them an option, say STOP or NO because those words will mean something to them the next time you do.*****
>> Feel free to add negative phrases you remember from your childhood in the comments<<
Photo by Mirza Nurman smile emoticon
8 + years ago today Brian Swan, Hanalei and I departed San Diego to travel the world. What started out as a 2 year trip to re-focus our energy after a tough loss in real-estate and overcoming bankruptcy turned into the Freedom-Preneur life we are living today.
I remember this day like it was yesterday. .
Brian’s phone rang, I can still hear the ring tone clear as a bell. (The iphone ringer that plays the piano riff) it was our lawyer calling.
“Hey Brian, you with Rhonda”? he said. “Yea, she’s sitting right here, what’s up” he replied. “After going over everything, your best bet is to file bankruptcy on this project before you go any deeper. Otherwise, you will be living this nightmare for a very…. long time”, he said with a silent pause.
“It’s your best option, this guy has your name on every document, and you are being held liable for everything”. You need to get out now, or you will spend the rest of your lives re-living this nightmare.
I was sitting on the couch next to Brian holding Hanalei, she was 6 months old. I could see the look in Brian’s eye’s that this wasn’t what we expected to hear. We thought for sure we would be able to fight the lawsuit and beat this guy, but there was no use. The damage was done and we had to take responsibility for our choices.
This would mean losing our home, our cars and the investment we put into this project.
We would have to start over financially. I walked into Hanalei’s newly painted room. Pink walls with small cherub angels on the ceiling holding beautiful ribbons that said “abundance”, “believe”, “prosperity” and “love”.
What does a parent do?
They were on the ceiling so that when I rocked her in the pink velvet rocking chair next to her bed she could see them, I would sing to her and read each ribbon aloud each night. I sat down in the rocker with tears in my eyes, and instead of feeling joy and happiness that I should have when holding your 6 month old baby, I felt a deep fear that made me weep so deeply inside that I couldn’t sing or read to her the words from the ceiling.
After 30 minutes of feeling helpless and worthless, a deep sense of confidence ran through me like a lightening bolt. I stopped crying, and looked at my new baby in the eye’s and said;“My vow to you was to raise you, to be with you everyday and to never put you in daycare, and I will live up to that vow no matter what it takes”.
At that moment I had no idea how I was going to do that, but I was committed. 8 months later our house was sold, and everything in it.
We went from having a net worth of over a million, to $23K to our name, and a vow to never put my baby in daycare and to continue to live our dreams. On November 25th, 2008 we stepped onto a plane and started this very journey we are living today.
Today we celebrate life, freedom and our vow to never put our baby girl ( who is nearly 9 years old) in daycare. Today we are grateful for that phone call we got from our lawyer that pushed us into making a drastic decision that has changed our life for the better. You see, life can change overnight, but its up to us to decide whether it’s going to be “Lemons or Lemonade”.
We chose lemonade.
We took the knowledge we learned from our corporate backgrounds and internet marketing to start out life over. Most people we knew thought we were crazy…hell who wouldn’t. But our visions of freedom and independence was to strong. So we went to work. Sharing our vision, inspiring other people to take the leap of faith and believe in themselves, because I truly believe we all have what it takes to live our perfect life, we just have to find what makes us tick inside and go for it.
How did we choose a business model?
I had quit my corporate job 2 years prior to work on the internet despite my family, friends and my husband thinking I was crazy. I has researched franchises, brick and mortar, network marketing, blogging, affiliate marketing and MLM’s. Because we wanted to travel and live a mobile lifestyle we had to stick with what we could build while on the road and as long as we had internet we could work.
Internet Marketing, and being affiliates of other companies is what we chose to start with. Why? Because, we didn’t have products at the time, and we needed to bring in enough to live on, since we didn’t have a safety net any longer. We decided to work with a high ticket or “top tier” personal development company because it paid out higher commissions per sale.
As I learned how to brand myself, and market by telling our story and sharing our values by offering products we believe in, our eye’s opened up to a whole new world of earning an income online. You see, your brand is everything when building an online business. People buy from people and once we realized this and started to build our brand around our life and show people exactly what we did and how we did it, the lemonade got a bit sweeter.
We decided to put everything we have ever learned together to teach more people the steps to living free, making lemonade and earning an income online. You can see it here and start learning today and join our tribe of dedicated freedom-preneurs.
This is how it is now.
In the last 8+ years Hanalei has traveled to 6 of the 7 continents of the world. She’s danced salsa in Peru, 
ballet danced in Mexico, taken riding lessons in Spain and ran from monkey’s in Bali. Her heart and spirit are full of love and gratitude, because she has experienced other children’s lives and appreciate’s the life she lives.
Today we are grateful for the situation, and can now see it was just a stepping stone to our best life, that we didn’t know existed.
There is a movement happening right now, it’s called the FREEDOM-PRENEUR MOVEMENT, let us show you how we did it. Click Here To Learn More
We are eternally gratefule and forever we will be UNSTOPPABLE.
Love to you all, The Unstoppable Family.
How can I spend more time with my family, work smarter, not harder and still live the “4 Hour Work Week“?
This is the question that so many people want the answer too, and have traveled the world to get the answer so that we can share it with all of our followers. Being an entrepreneur for over 10 years, we are always looking for new systems and methodologies that can make our “Muse” work more smoothly.
We have been followers of Tim Ferris’s book the 4 Hour Work Week for several years now, in fact the 4HWW was the motivation for our family to believe that living virtually while running our “Muse”, (as Tim Ferris calls it) was a possibility for us.
Definition of a “Muse” In A Business Context:
“Any business that provides an automated source of cash flow that can be working while you are not, ultimately the end goal is to spec out what you wanna do, what you wanna be, and what you want to have and work backwards from a target monthly income number, design a business to support that provide that then minimize number moving pieces, automated and then you have what most people would consider complete freedom”.
Tim’s best advice is to find a business that can be scaled up to meet the demands of you marketing and your market, using systems to help with this process.
S.Y.S.T.E.M’s work for you.
I have always loved the acronym for system (see below) because it makes you think about the day to day work that you are putting in and the energy you are using to complete a task. When you have a system you can scale your business to any level using the same amount of effort but earn more than 10x’s the amount of profit. We call it “10 X-ing” your business.
Save
Your
Self
Time
Energy
Money
Many of our fan’s and followers wonder what it is we do to earn an income while we travel the world and how the heck we can do it and not be working all day long. Well, I want to share with you exactly what we have done and to help educate people on how to create wealth using a simple Wealth Formula that so many entrepreneurs use on a daily basis and never share. With 10 years of experience, we have seen massive shifts in the marketplace and space. You Tube, Facebook or Instagram were not even thought of when I began my entrepreneurial journey.
A system that will walk your customers from front to finish without having to manually show them each step along the way is called leverage. Having a process like this will revolutionize the way we do business each day, and give our “tribe” members more support than they will need to be efficient in all areas of business.
If you are not a member of our tribe yet, then watch this LIVE call we host each week then feel free to join right on the bottom of the page. You will be welcomed to our tribe’s private mastermind group and be introduced to our academy.
P.S. Still wondering if joining our tribe is worth it? Take a peak at the video below.
Take a look at this image below of our Team, we like to call them a tribe in Miami at this beautiful Mansion Yacht Party we hosted. We have a vision to create more Freedom-Preneurs and this movement is going to change the way people live their lives. Join us.
BE UNSTOPPABLE!
Rhonda Swan~ Unstoppable Mamma
*this post contains an affiliate link…but the good part is, I teach you how to get credit once you register 😉
Much of what I do in a day happens online and with the aid of my computer. Now, I have never thought much about rebate sites, in fact I kind of looked down on them before a friend of mine shared Ebates with me.
Since we are Freedom-Preneur’s that book hotels, buy online, and are booking a flight nearly every month it JUST MAKES SENSE to have a program that pays you back for doing what you would be doing already.
I’m big on understanding where my money goes, and putting it in the best place, that is why I shared with you about Digit, which is an automatic savings app that will help you save without knowing you are saving, by taking small incremental % out of your account and placing them into a protected FCIC account that is all yours.
Today, I want to talk to you about Ebates and how it works, but first watch this short little video we put together for you to fully understand the power of Ebates to use for your personal use, or to share as an affiliate of their referral program. I mean…come on, we are Freedom-Preneurs and our blog is used to teach, inform and to earn.
What is Ebates?
Ebates is a website that allows you to earn cash back. It works the same way cashback on a credit card would work. When you make a purchase, your account will be credited with the percentage that is listed.
Depending on where you purchase from, you can get anywhere from 1%-35% cashback. You can expect between 1%-5% on most purchases though.
How Do I Qualify For the Cashback?
In order to qualify for the cashback, you will need to create a free account with Ebates. Once you setup your account, anytime you want to make an online purchase, login and look around at the retailers they work with.
Chose the retailer you want to purchase from, and click the link. Ebates will re-direct you to the retailer’s website through a unique link that will track your purchases. Anything you buy on the site will be eligible for the rebates unless it is specified the cashback is only for a certain item.
When Will I Receive The Cashback?
After a few days, or upon completion of your travel. The amount of money you are entitled to will show up in your Ebates account. Once you reach the earning threshold, you can have the money transferred to your Paypal account or a bank account.
Take a look at the example below:
Our family was in Miami for the weekend and needed a room, so I looked up the room on their site, then went to Ebates. Clicked on Book Hotel through Expedia, I was directed to my Expedia Account and booked the exact same room for the same price…but here is the kicker. I not only got 10% back from Ebates in my account ( see the $7.37) but I also got Expedia points toward flight miles.
What Are The Benefits of Ebates?
This is one of those no brainers when it comes to saving money. If you are like me, you end up buying 
things online all of the time. Why not get money back for your transactions?
Besides, if you use a credit card to make the purchase and you get rewards on that card, or with expedia it is like double the rewards.
I encourage you to sign up account with them. You can login and see what types of deals they are offering. They will list special sales and coupons you can take advantage of.
I’ve found Ebates to be a no brainer when it comes to getting more for your buck.
Don’t forget to sign up for Ebates today. You can go HERE to do that!
Rhonda & Brian, Hanalei Swan
BE UNSTOPPABLE!!
I hope this opened your eyes to what your blog can do for you, and how to start earning now as a Freedom-Preneur!
Get Your Free – EBATES account now!
What can travel do for a child?
She was born in California and stayed until she was 1.5 yrs old. Her last 8+ years have mostly been abroad.
Her birthday parties can be described as a “multi-cultural smoothie” if you will, blending a multitude of cultures, ethnicities, and genders all together to make a delectable treat. You watch in amazement as she moves between multiple languages and cultures while collecting her gifts. She has celebrated birthday’s in Bali, Fiji, Florida, Panama, & California so far.
When we took that first 3-month world tour around South Africa, Australia & New Zealand, we were thinking this was the last trip before children. We would come back, settle down and start a family. 1.5 years later we found ourselves back in a foreign country, yet this time a baby in tow, diapers in our suit case a stroller.
While our friends back home were recreating their own childhood with their families, life as an expat, traveling parent is very different, But traveling and living abroad with your family can be the most rewarding thing you’ll do together. You just need to make a few preparations and adjustments.
Who are the Expat/Traveling Kids?
Some children think a nomadic life is normal; they’d put any Khao San road backpacker to shame. It’s all they know.
Children from military, missionary and now online business families like “The Unstoppable Family” clock up the miles, sometimes before they’re even old enough to understand what’s happening.
Researchers working with these children call them ‘Third Culture Kids’. They discovered that children take what they know or remember from their home culture, and mix it with their host culture to make a third mixed-up bag that works just fine for them.
So, for example, 90% of those recently surveyed here said they felt they understand foreigners better than the average American and 80% said they can make friends with anyone and handle transitions better than most adults.
What is important to an expat/traveling child?
Well, you need to listen to them. Your own relocation or travel issues might seem bigger but knowing that Santa will find her is a big deal for a 7-year-old, and sometimes it means going back to a place that is more known for them during a holiday like Christmas.
Take the time to find out as much as you can about the new culture so you can recognize things like tasty fruit or dangerous spiders and order your favorite foods at a restaurant.
If your children look radically different to the people in your new home, be ready for some healthy curiosity and prepare your kids for life as a minor celebrity if you’re moving to a rural area. I will never forget when we moved to Fiji, and Hanalei was the stand out child 
everywhere we went, with her blond hair and blue eye’s, but at 3 kids are just kids, they have no judgements or fears.
Playing games is a big part of life for many kids too, but ice-hockey isn’t big in the tropics and the football isn’t quite what you’re expecting. Talk to other expat parents online and find out what they do and how to join in. We met a little girl and her Mom at the Beach in Puerto Escondito, Mexico and while the girls were playing she asked if Hanalei wanted to join in a local ballet class. We joined them for ballet for 6 weeks at a small local church and it was one of the best experiences for both of us.
One of my favorite ex-pat resources is Expat Exchange. For relocating, schooling and adjustments to new environments, I have used this site plenty of times in our last 7 years of travel.
I highly recommend the Good Schools Guide to compare and learn more deeply about all the possibilities when choosing a world class school for your kids.
What language should you speak abroad?
Sure, you will find someone that will speak English, and have other expat friends that speak English, but do you want your kids to continually impose English on their friends or learn some local words?
Even a six-month stay can leave them with an appreciation for the way the non-English speaking world runs, and give a child the confidence of a powerful lion in the jungle. (even at 7) We make a point to have Hanalei order her own food, walk up to ask for the check and buy things on her own using the local currency and language. In the beginning, it was difficult and she was shy, but once she realized we were learning too, and that people loved to hear her speak Spanish she wanted to more and more.
Schooling for Expat Kids
Your choices for longer stays usually include:
- an international school
- the local school
- home schooling
The familiarity of English and the curriculum are the benefits of the international school system. Most countries have American schools and if not, then the UK system comes a close second. While we were in Spain we opted for a British International School with Spanish as the second language taught.
In Panama, she attends Tangerine Education Center for expat children with a split English/Spanish curriculum.
The first time we lived in Bali, Hanalei attended Bali International School in Jimbaran area, closer to the Bukit Peninsula. Although she was quit young [2 years] she still had the opportunity to attend a 4 hrs a day kids interaction class with children from all over the world.
We moved back to Bali in July 2015, this time we chose Sunrise School, in Seminyak for Hanalei. We love their philosophy on teaching and their motto “Think globally, Act Locally and Be Totally”. They have kinder all the way to high school.
Another great school that holds similar values is Green School. Green School is located in the center of the island in Ubud. They offer a natural, holistic and student-centered education and is one of the most amazing environments on the planet.
When we lived in Tenerife, Spain Hanalei Attended Callao Learning Center for 6 months. Another small, International School that focuses on the British Curriculum but offers an open source style learning that is personalized more to the child with small classrooms of under 20 kids.
Your kids can mix with other expat children and their local classmates are the perfect way for your kids to find out what the country is really like.
But because of the exclusive nature of most of these schools, some parents take the local option. If your kids are younger and not facing exams, then this could be a great experience for them with guaranteed local friends.
Up until this year we have has the luxury of finding private international schools for Hanalei to attend before she started “real” school. She was able to drop right in and interact and learn from the children even if the language was not English.
But do remember that their first weeks here can be tough. Being the new kid on the block is never easy, and if they don’t speak a word of the language, it can be frustrating.
Hanalei has attended school in Bali with very little English spoken, Peru with no English, Brazil with only Portuguese, Spain with both English and Spanish and Panama with both English and Spanish.
I can tell you, she has never once complained about not understanding or feeling frustrated. Play has no language barrier. I do believe this year, being 1st grade it was necessary for her to be taught in English as the primary language. This way she was learning to read and write in her native language and have Spanish as the secondary.
The third option is home-schooling, which is easier than ever before, with so much support online. Home-schooling is a good choice in countries where enrollment can be a challenge or if you are moving around for more frequently.
For the last 8 years, we have been staying in one location for 4-6 months and she would change schools as we moved. Now that she is in 4th grade we made the decision to stay in one place for the school year and take “mini vacations” during the year because Hanalei told us she did not want to home school. She likes attending schools and meeting 
children her age.
So it is very important to listen to the needs of your child when traveling abroad and choosing their education.
Expat Kids Love Life
Don’t stress too much. Most expat kids are incredibly well-adjusted and have friends all over the globe. They get to visit worlds that most teenagers just see on television and are comfortable with traveling in a way many older people only dream about.
Hanalei has the biggest heart and the most open mind I have ever seen in a child or an adult for that matter. She is in love with learning new things and meeting new people. Traveling has made the world so small in her eyes, and she believes she can and will see every country on the globe because they are just a plane trip away.
But it’s not just about travel; these kids tend to be more tolerant than children raised in only one culture. They do not judge color or race. They grow up understanding compassion and empathy with no judgment. They look at the world as a beautiful place, not a place of war or destruction.
I am excited to see more children like Hanalei and learn about your children and their experiences traveling the world. I am even more excited to help families and parents discover how they can work online while traveling too. We welcome you to join our Private Facebook Group of Freedom-Preneurs that are all living FREE.
Take this short survey and download our Starter Guide, once you do you’ll be added to our private group.
Brian, Rhonda & Hanalei Swan
BE UNSTOPPABLE
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