The Basics of Family Vacation, Plus Tips On How to Start a Conversation

As promised last week, I'm going to do my best to introduce you to Family Vacation in this post. In thinking of questions you might have, so many things come to mind, and I’m trying to figure out where to start.

Many years ago, when being shy was my comfort zone, somebody taught me to break the silence among strangers by asking key questions. I was told when you have nothing to say, and that awkward silence prevails in the room just start using the most basic W/H questions: What? Who? When? Where? Why? How? This was a very simple but useful tip on communication when gregariousness doesn't come naturally to you. Since I learned that tactic, I'm unstoppable in a group of people! So, I'll start my introduction of Family Vacation by answering these basic questions.

What is Family Vacation?

FamilyVacation.com is an online marketplace where families can find, customize and book personalized vacations provided by locals from around the world. We are showcasing local-personalized vacations and not all-inclusive packages. Our mission is to revolutionize the way families vacation by exposing them to cultural diversity, amazing geography, living history, and delightful cuisine through unique getaways provided by locals from everywhere. If this seems like just so many words and you still didn’t get what we're about, don't stop here. Keep reading!

Who started Family Vacation?

My brother Vali and I started Family Vacation together. We have had other businesses prior to this one. But, Family Vacation is more than a business to me, it’s what gets me out of bed every morning and it’s what I strongly believe in. I believe Family Vacation can bring about change, open minds, enrich lives, broaden children’s horizons, create memories, transform us all. In the future I will share more about all the team members.

When did Family Vacation get started?

The seed of our business was planted when my brother and I were very young, during our family vacations taken as children among locals. See my previous post for more about our childhood travel experiences. Now, we have an amazing team behind the scenes that works hard to make it successful.

Where can you vacation with Family Vacation?

The goal of Family Vacation is to make it possible for anyone to be able to offer vacation experiences in destinations all over the world, and to empower traveling families to experience authentic vacations, where the local is the expert. So, just like with any business, we’ve started on a small scale focusing on building a community of hosts that offer quality. You can already safely book and explore hundreds of experiences in Romania and Turkey (mainly at the seaside in Antalya). We'll be expanding our scope to include many more places soon.

How does Family Vacation function?

The business is a two-fold opportunity. On one side we have the Host, the local expert who has unique accommodations to rent (the STAY) and in addition offers EAT, FUN, RIDE options. What does that mean? Let’s take for example Marcela from the Transylvanian city of Brasov.

• STAY- You can actually see all you need to know about the STAY, which is the house, on the vacation package created by the local. Here is where Marcela offers a two bedroom suite with an open kitchen and a romantic living room. The home she offers hosts beautiful antique furniture, pottery, and oil paintings. Also, you can inquire for more information about it from Marcela, by contacting her directly through the website.
• EAT- Next, the Host will share what they offer or/and recommend concerning eating options. For example, in her vacation package, Marcela offers free breakfast including freshly baked bread and homemade jam. She also offers lunch and dinner upon request. On top of this, she provides recommendations of great restaurants in the area.
• FUN- Marcela offers a free gardening experience, which is amazing for all who think tomatoes come from the supermarket rather than a plant and for those who favor bio fresh fruit and veggies. Also, as a local, Marcela knows all the most interesting things to do around Brasov. She recommends visiting Dracula’s castle, the famous Black church, paragliding, skiing, and much more.
• RIDE- Marcela explains how to get around in Brasov and she tells the guest that she has parking available and so on.

On the other side we have the Guest, who is the family wanting to travel, whether it’s to relax or sight-see, who wants to experience an authentic glimpse into a new culture: music, architecture, culture, food, maybe a song and a dance too. The family follows simple steps:

• Discovers the perfect vacation destination for the family
• Customizes it to the wants and needs of the family. Here you choose your EAT, FUN, RIDE options.
• Safely books the vacation of their choice.
• Travels to enjoy a memorable family experience.

There it is in a nutshell — a short version of the answers to some of the questions I assume some of you might have. But, I have not answered one of the W questions: Why Does Family Vacation Exist. I'll answer that next time. If you have questions other than these ones I had in mind, leave a note in the comments, and I'll try to answer them!

If you read up to here, congratulations! Your homework till next time — try my tip on striking up a conversation with a stranger by using the six W/H questions, and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out for you.

Interesting side note: Did you know Moldova used to celebrate Christmas on January 7th? Today, the country celebrates it twice: December 25th and January 7th. So, this past week it was Christmas again. More fun for us! The former Soviet countries still celebrate it in January. Cultures are beautifully different, aren't they?