A middle class, Midwestern family in search of meaning uproot themselves and move to their ancestral village in Croatia. "We can look at this in two ways," Jim wrote, always the pragmatist. "We can panic and scrap the whole idea. Or we can take this as a sign. They're saying the economy is going to get worse before it gets better. Maybe this is the kick in the pants we needed to do something completely different. There will always be an excuse not to go..." And that, friends, is how a typically sane middle-aged mother decided to drag her family back to a forlorn mountain village in the backwoods of Croatia. So begins author Jennifer Wilson's journey in Running Away to Home. Jen, her architect husband, Jim, and their two children had been living the typical soccer- and ballet-practice life in the most Middle American of places: Des Moines, Iowa. They overindulged themselves and their kids, and as a family they were losing one another in the rush of work, school, and activities. One day, Jen and her husband looked at each other–both holding their Starbucks coffee as they headed out to their SUV in the mall parking lot, while the kids complained about the inferiority of the toys they just got–and asked themselves: "Is this the American dream? Because if it is, it sort of sucks." Jim and Jen had always dreamed of taking a family sabbatical in another country, so when they lost half their savings in the stock-market crash, it seemed like just a crazy enough time to do it. High on wanderlust, they left the troubled landscape of contemporary America for the Croatian mountain village of Mrkopalj, the land of Jennifer's ancestors. It was a village that seemed hermetically sealed for the last one hundred years, with a population of eight hundred (mostly drunken) residents and a herd of sheep milling around the post office. For several months they lived like locals, from milking the neighbor's cows to eating roasted pig on a spit to desperately seeking the village recipe for bootleg liquor. As the Wilson-Hoff family struggled to stay sane (and warm), what they found was much deeper and bigger than themselves.

What kid hasn't wanted to make their parents feel sorry for treating him badly? And how better to accomplish this than to run away? Here's a guide showing how, from what to pack (gum--then you won't have to brush your teeth) to how to survive (don't think about your cozy bed). Ultimately, though, readers will see that there really is no place like home. Like Judith Viorst's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, here's a spot-on portrait of a kid who's had it. And like Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, it's also a journey inside a creative kid's imagination: that special place where parents aren't allowed without permission.

In 1886 in Alabama, an eleven-year-old African American girl and her family befriend and give refuge to a runaway Apache boy.

For empty-nesters, early retirees, and even established executives, midlife is the ideal time to turn travel fantasies into real and rewarding experiences. This second edition of THE GROWN-UP'S GUIDE covers estimating cost-of-living expenses, the dos and don'ts of international health care, the boom in online travel resources, and much more. Whether planning a monthlong escape or a whole new life in another country, this empowering guide will encourage mature would-be expats to pursue the overseas adventure they've been craving. An accessible primer for midlife adults who long to live or retire in another country, featuring information on choosing a destination, readying finances, working, and keeping the stateside home fires burning. Detailed advice is interspersed with lively and inspiring anecdotes from the author's own adventures, plus interviews with other experienced expats.

"Readers will be captivated by this beautifully written novel about young people who must use their instincts and grit to survive. Padma infuses her story with hope and bravery that will inspire readers."--Aisha Saeed, author of the New York Times Bestseller Amal Unbound Four determined homeless children make a life for themselves in Padma Venkatraman's stirring middle-grade debut. Life is harsh on the teeming streets of Chennai, India, so when runaway sisters Viji and Rukku arrive, their prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the girls find shelter--and friendship--on an abandoned bridge that's also the hideout of Muthi and Arul, two homeless boys, and the four of them soon form a family of sorts. And while making their living scavenging the city's trash heaps is the pits, the kids find plenty to take pride in, too. After all, they are now the bosses of themselves and no longer dependent on untrustworthy adults. But when illness strikes, Viji must decide whether to risk seeking help from strangers or to keep holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom.

How the author left her work, family and friends and went to live on her own in the south of France for six months.

In this groundbreaking new book, Diane Huth shows you how to reinvent your life by running away from home and escaping to paradise.Through her personal story of transformation from a burnt-out caregiver scraping by on Social Security to a joy-filled adventurer living her dream life on a white sandy beach in Mexico, she will show you how you too can do the same - easier and more affordably than you ever imagined possible. You can reinvent your life by not just running away FROM home and burdensome responsibilities, but also running TO personal joy, happiness, and fulfillment. This book is your roadmap to your dream life, and Diane is the perfect guide to take you on this journey of adventure and rediscovery. By the end of the book, you will know if this kind of freedom and joy-filled lifestyle is right for you, and if so, you will have a clear-cut vision of how to achieve it.Let Diane Huth, the Runaway Sherpa, guide you on your journey to move to paradise.In this step-by-step guide, you will discover valuable insights including:?What to look for when searching for paradise?12 key criteria to define your future lifestyle?Valuable resources to guide you on your journey?How to craft a Vacation with a Purpose to explore options?What to look for in your month-long Beta Test to gain certainty?Your best immigration options for any budget?How you can live like royalty on a shoestring budget?Innovative housing and lifestyle options?Where to find jobs that pay in dollars and don't rile the local authorities?How to plan your escape to paradise as fast and easily as possible

Perhaps you've dreamed of escaping the stress of your everyday routine by taking a year off to explore the world with your loved ones. Maybe you've thought about changing your life - getting out of the rat race - but dismissed it as impossible. Well it's not. The Dailey family did it. Now your family can also. When Adam Dailey put his professional life on hold and took a twelve month "family sabbatical," the future of his business was uncertain. But instead of waiting for a "right time" that would never come, Adam, his wife, and their four children set off on an epic trek across Latin America, Australia, Asia, and Europe that brought the family closer together than ever before. At once a fascinating memoir of a life-altering adventure and an essential how-to guide, this volume supplies all the information you'll need for your own successful family sabbatical-from how to plan and finance it to schooling on the road to dealing with the unexpected and managing obligations back home. There are risks, but the rewards are enormous. All it takes is spontaneity, flexibility, and the courage to take the leap!

A perfect family is shattered when their daughter goes missing in this "brilliantly executed" New York Times bestselling thriller from a "master storyteller" (Providence Sunday Journal). You've lost your daughter. She's addicted to drugs and to an abusive boyfriend. And she's made it clear that she doesn't want to be found. Then, by chance, you see her playing guitar in Central Park. But she's not the girl you remember. This woman is living on the edge, frightened, and clearly in trouble. You don't stop to think. You approach her, beg her to come home. She runs. And you do the only thing a parent can do: you follow her into a dark and dangerous world you never knew existed. Before you know it, both your family and your life are on the line. And in order to protect your daughter from the evils of that world, you must face them head on.

When Maisie reconnects with her estranged 22-year-old brother abroad while trying to save her family's portrait studio, she uncovers a truth about her parents that changes everything.