Eli-

I think it's awesome that you want to continue traveling and learning abroad. I can relate to your desire to not want to be a "stereotypical" american abroad... and I think a large part of that is going to be your personal attitude, which it seems like you already have sorted out. Are you considering a year abroad or longer?

For the type of traveling it sounds like you'd like to do, I recommend www.southampton.liu.edu/fw/ and feel free to PM me with questions if you'd like. They are Quaker-based with an emphasis on experiential learning- so it's pretty free form and you need to be pretty self-motivated, but it's also very flexible, so you could cobble something together that works well for you. It's not cheap, but I think most US college "study abroad" programs are somewhat pricey. I know that there are certain community colleges that offer a semester abroad (frequently to a place viewed as "safe" by US Americans, like England) if that sounds interesting to you.

I have absolutely no idea how it would be to travel and study with a young child, I know that some of the things that I did while abroad would have been completely inappropriate for children (hot 20 hour bus rides, etc.) let alone the various illnesses I contracted. But had I had a child in tow, I would most certainly have made different choices, and I don't think it's impossible- in fact in certain ways I think it would make one more accessible, as most of the world is made up of mothers and children.

Another thought, if you are seriously considering being abroad for an extended period of time, is to simply enroll in a university abroad. Complete cultural immersion will, for the most part, mitigate the kinds of "lame clump of US kids herded around on a tour bus and calling it studying" that you get from here, and you'd be able (read: be forced by circumstance) to fashion your own perception of yourself as a US American wherever you are.

I don't have children, so take this with a large dose of salt, but my perception is that since there are children everywhere in the world... you can bring a child anywhere that other children are. I don't know if you're just considering Europe, but my first thought was that in the "developing world" there would be a lot to consider as far as health care and schooling- since as a foreigner your child may be more susceptible and less immune to local common illnesses (malaria, etc.). It's not fair that we enjoy a better standard of living here, but it's true, and exclusively using private "western" hospitals and schools could possibly prove prohibitively expensive as well as potentially contributing to a feeling of separation from the general population of a place... decisions I didn't have to make as much as a single woman abroad.

Have you considered other ways of traveling? I don't know what your major is, but if you finish up the BA and then head off somewhere to teach EFL (difficult in the EU because of labor laws, easier other places) or find some other kind of employment... then you'd just be moving to a new place and you wouldn't need to worry about the Student Herd and you could create the sustainable lifestyle on your own terms.

Best of luck, and keep us posted on how it goes.

me too. Actually got accepted into a graduate program in Milan. but now, I have to find the moneys. also so much more to consider with my 8 year old in tow. got to find him a school and all that stuff. people think Im nutso. not that their wrong in some respects, but I want to give these experiences to him while he is young, let him see a bigger world.
Im looking for scholarships and grants etc. none of the fafsa stuff applies to my school. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.
Im looking forward to sharing travel with my kid. When I asked him where he wanted to live next, he said "everywhere once" and I was like... YES!!!

So, I noticed we're both single moms from Marin who are interested in studying abroad. I was actually looking up studying abroad with a child on google and came across your blog and joined tribe just so I could respond. Thanks for the hook up. I have a six year old son and am starting the Prescott College Adult Degree program in sustainable community development in January. I think it is crucial to have a global education especially in my field of study, and I want my son, Weston almost six, to see and experience life everywhere. I would love to "pick your brain", hear your experiences, and maybe take a trip with our kids if it seems right. I think it would be great to create a traveling mom tribe getting their educations with kids in tow, and getting it all funded with grants, etc. Look forward to hearing your response.
Aurora