When Ashley Campbell first read about a family who spent a year traveling the world, she couldn’t shake the thought: What if we did that? Over the next 18 years, she and her husband Chris made choices in saving — both big and small — with that dream in mind. In 2022, they finally set out with their five children on a year-long global adventure, living on a tight budget that was rich in experiences. From wandering quiet streets and sharing meals at tiny tables, to joining pickup basketball games in city parks, Ashley found beauty in the everyday moments that made each place feel like home. Her journey wasn’t just about seeing the world — it was about slowing down, being fully present and letting connection and curiosity lead the way.
What was it really like to turn a long-held dream into a reality? How did a year away reshape her family’s perspective? Why do the smallest moments often leave the biggest impact?
Ashley also shares her best budget travel tips, the story behind her new book, “I’ve Never Been Here Before,” and what’s next for her adventurous crew.
TK: Avoiding clichés and dreaming big! What inspired your family to take on a one‑year global journey on a tight budget?
Ashley: When our oldest son was a toddler, I came across a magazine article about a family of four that traveled the world for a year. Chris and I daydreamed about how we’d love to do a trip like that one day. It became a thought we couldn’t shake. Over the next couple of years, we decided it was more than just an idea for us – we wanted to make it happen. The tight budget part wasn’t a goal, just a reality. For us to do it, it would have to be a tight budget. For the next 17-ish years, we made big and small decisions in light of making the dream a reality. It was the soundtrack that played in the background of my kids’ childhoods.
TK: You acknowledge spending most of your life living in a 10-mile radius. What was it like to travel and live thousands of miles away from the safety and security of home?
Ashley: It was beyond my dreams. We never considered home to be more safe than anywhere else. As a result, we never felt like we were leaving that behind. With my husband and kids by my side, I had all I needed to feel at home anywhere. We were on an adventure together, and I love adventure! The everyday responsibilities and obligations I carried back home were gone.
During our year away, I experienced the overwhelming wonder of the world and its people. I felt alive, and my days felt light. I had a year of rest. I watched my kids experience people and places that impacted them in beautiful ways. Innately curious, I love to learn. Having a year of being immersed in new cultures and experiences alongside my family was incredibly life-giving and rejuvenating. I felt wildly awake to life in all the very best ways.
TK: After saving for nearly 18 years for this journey, was it ever surreal to you that your family took the trip?
Ashley: Absolutely. There was rarely a day on our trip that I didn’t say to myself, “I can’t believe this is my life! I can’t believe we are doing this!” There were the obvious surreal moments like dune surfing on the edge of the Sahara, mountain climbing in Albania, canyoneering in Ecuador, scuba diving in Egypt, and moped exploring in Vietnam. However, I mostly said it to myself when I followed behind my family as we wandered through quaint towns or when we squeezed around tiny tables on food streets savoring the local dish. It was the simple, ordinary moments in new places that captivated me the most.
TK: How did your children’s perspectives change over the course of the year?
Ashley: My kids’ view of community and what makes for a truly rich life shifted as they experienced different worldviews and what other cultures prioritize. For a year, they were the guests – the ones who didn’t know the language, the culture, the insider information – and were warmly welcomed onto courts and inside homes. As a result, they developed an eye for those in our country who might feel a little lost like they once did.
Other countries became more than headlines as they spent time in communities across the globe. Those interactions gave them a fuller perspective of the world and their place in it. They learned to recognize false narratives, to listen actively, to ask insightful questions, and to be open to learning from those with different perspectives. Their view of the world is not one defined by it being dangerous, on fire or full of places to avoid. They experienced the opposite. They know the world to be a place full of endearing people, incredible food, vibrant communities and possibilities.
TK: The book includes beautiful photos captured by you. Can you walk us through your process of weaving photography and storytelling together?
Ashley: While traveling, I had no plan to write a book. The book part came about six months after we returned home. Photography has always been a way for me to slow down and notice the world around me. For some, taking a photo is a distraction from being present. For me, it is the opposite. Looking through a camera is like putting on blinders and bringing things into focus that I miss otherwise. Whether I am at home or traveling, I am capturing the ordinary with my camera. As we traveled, I journaled most evenings, keeping track of details and experiences I didn’t want to forget. Photography and storytelling are very natural ways I process my days and the world as I experience it.
TK: I found the budget travel sections of your book so insightful! Can you share one that really helped you on this adventure?
Ashley: I recommend considering staying at hostels. Hostels often have a bad reputation, and there are ones to avoid as a family. However, keep in mind that international hostels are more common and affordable than those found in the U.S. The hostel industry has come a long way over the last few decades. Some of our most stunning stays were hostels in Indonesia, Thailand and Morocco. Many offer private rooms, double rooms and bunk rooms. As a large family, we often booked bunk rooms and had a private bathroom.
Hostels frequently offer additional amenities at significantly lower prices. We took cooking classes in Thailand, salsa lessons in Colombia, snorkeling in Indonesia, and a hummus-making class in Jerusalem. They are also a fantastic place to meet other travelers and get ideas for local places to explore. As a bonus: Breakfast is often included.
When it comes to hostels (or any booking), always read the reviews. It is very easy to tell by the reviews if the hostel is a party spot for young backpackers, a quiet retreat or something in between.
TK: What would be your top tip for immersing into a culture?
Ashley: For quick and fun immersion, take an extrovert and a basketball with you. We traveled with carry-on-sized backpacks for the year. My kids are old enough to pack their bags without my suggestions. One of my sons included a basketball and a pump, which at first I questioned the practicality of. Turns out, it became the MVP of our trip. Most nights, our family would head to a local park, and the guys would join pick-up games. The interactions that took place in parks often led to learning more about the area, invitations into homes and recommendations for things to try in the area. Having an extrovert who is more than willing to take the first step is very helpful, too!
TK: Share more about feeding a family of seven on a budget?
Ashley: My goal was to keep us around $28/day for food, for seven, not individually. At home, this means we never eat out. While traveling, it meant the opposite! Our itinerary focused on more budget-friendly countries rather than expensive ones. If we found street vendors and hole-in-the-wall shops, that is where we ate. When we saw kids getting out of school, we paid attention to where they stopped for snacks because it often meant places in our budget. We avoided places that catered to tourists or expensive areas of town, opting instead for side streets where locals gathered.
We also did a lot of grocery shopping and cooking meals. I count grocery shopping in other places as some of the most fun and interesting parts of travel. I’m always asked if we got sick – a common fear. We did, twice. Once, after eating at a fancy hotel with friends, and another was at a guest house.
TK: You acknowledged your role in setting the tone for your family, but even as seasoned travelers, it can be frustrating to miss a bus, flight or ride. Tell us about how you dealt with travel delays, rescheduling, etc.
Ashley: Those frustrating moments happened. I think the biggest thing that helped us was recognizing early on that we would have challenges, and we’d all need to rise to the occasion until they passed. We took this trip with teenagers who had the self-awareness and self-control to navigate stressful situations. As a group, we could all recognize if one member was especially stressed about something, and we’d give that person space. We also knew the challenging moments were just that – moments. They’d come, but they’d also pass.
My kids are great at handling being uncomfortable and inconvenienced. They rarely complain, which makes difficult situations a million times easier as parents. While those situations are not ideal, we all learn from them, too. I think having grace, respect, and patience with each other made dealing with the challenges easier. And food. Typically, any stressful moment was made drastically better if we stopped by a street vendor for a snack or a coffee shop for iced lattes.
TK: How did you navigate other cultures, languages, reading food labels, etc.?
Ashley: Google Translate has a camera option, and we used it a ton! If we needed a quick translation of a menu, food label, bus timetable, etc., we opened the app, hovered the phone over the text, and it translated in real time. Super easy. Rarely did we have an issue with internet access. We never really had a problem figuring things out due to language. The biggest downside to language barriers was that we couldn’t go as deep into conversations as we would have liked.
TK: In the book you mention re-evaluating your “loyal and stable” life upon your return. I’m wondering how you made the decision on what to return to?
Ashley: I asked myself, “Does this make me happy?” That sounds selfish, but I had just returned from visiting countless cultures where happiness and joy were chased after more than achievements and material success. It was beautiful to witness. I was gone for a year, and everything carried on perfectly fine without me. It was sobering, but also freeing to realize I wasn’t as needed in certain places as I once thought. Others filled those roles and found joy in them.
As much as I stepped away from some things, I stepped into other things. For instance, I enrolled in Spanish 1 at Tulsa Community College. It feels impossible to learn a new language, but I have friendships in the Spanish-speaking community that bring tremendous joy to my life. Going back to school, doing homework, being scared I’d get to class and have forgotten my reading glasses at home – it is hard, but it makes me so happy and excited for what could come my way in the future when I can communicate more fluently in Spanish.
TK: What’s next for you?
Ashley: We have two kids in high school, two in college, and one with a thriving career. All that to say, their schedules are much harder to match up. There are no current trips planned, but we all have an itch to travel. Since our big trip, different ones of us have visited Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Chile and Spain. If we get them all on the same schedule for a break, our next hope is to rent tuk-tuks and travel around Sri Lanka. Until then, you’ll often find us in the Global District of Tulsa soaking up all the food, shops and festivals.
Gather and Grow Retreat
Join Nancy Moore and Ashley Campbell for a Live Podcast Experience
Friday, Sept. 12, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The event offers women time to refresh, reset and refocus on making meaningful progress on mindset, goals,and passions. Step into the last quarter of 2025 with intention, energy and clarity.
Visit nancymoore.co for more information and to purchase tickets.
Nancy A. Moore is a Public Relations Coordinator at Montreau, Adjunct Professor at Tulsa Community College, and has been writing for TulsaKids for almost 20 years.
