TRAVEL

Did You Know...

December 6th is known as St. Nicholas day. Though St. Nicholas himself is a mysterious figure with unknown beginnings, the original St. Nicholas day celebrations continue in some places around the world, while other celebrations have morphed from it.

In some parts of France gifts of dried fruits, chocolate, sweets, and gingerbread cookies shaped like Santa are given out in honor of St. Nicholas.

In the Netherlands children usually get their presents on the evening of 5 December, which is known as Sinterklaas Eve.

Only one town in Portugal (Guimarães) celebrates in the form of a festival known as Nicolinas.

In Germany the boots of children are filled with sweets, nuts, and small gifts if the children have been good.

Poland might receive presents on the December 6th for St Nicholas day which is also known as Sw Mikolaj.

Europe’s Schengen Zone

As we began planning for our year of travel, we quickly learned about the Schengen Zone. Initially signed in 1985 in the town of Schengen, Liechtenstein, the zone was fully implemented in 1995. This multi-country agreement was developed to reduce border controls and evolved into a shared policy of economic growth, cultural exchange, emergency response protocols, and ease of travel for work or holiday purposes. As of 2025 there are 29 counties all together in the Schengen Zone who participate in the Visa plan.

While the Schengen Visa generally makes it easier for travelers to move between the countries of Europe without border control, there are some specific requirements visitors must obey. The requirements vary according to your country of origin. Residents of the United States must travel with their passports and are limited to 90 days visitation inside any part of the Schengen zone in each 180-day cycle. It is a rotating cycle, which can be very confusing to non-mathematicians. As a visitor to any Schengen country, it’s very important to calculate your days exactly and thankfully Schengen Calculators have been built to help guests with the math-ing. Visitors who do not abide by the Schengen Visa time limits, risk deportation and banishment from these countries for several years.

Because our journey is focused on living in several countries for longer-slower travel, we had to carefully balance the time spent inside the Schengen Zone and the time outside the Schengen Zone. This is sometimes called the “Schengen Shuffle” by full time travelers. Here is a visual of our trip as it relates to the Schengen Visa shuffle.

Some rules that govern Europe's immigration

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