Watch: 5 years, 23 nations, and counting - American family on a ‘world citizenship’ drive now in UAE

Dubai: An American couple, who have travelled through 23 countries by land and sea over the past five years, are currently in Dubai, as part of their mission to “world school” themselves and their daughter.

Speaking exclusively to Gulf News, Catherine and Jesse Hart said they arrived in the UAE three weeks ago in their blue Toyota Sandtana “Yoda Home” with baby on board, Prana.

“We are just over half way through our journey driving around the whole world, and still have to cover the rest of the Middle East, Europe and Asia,” said the couple, who set out from Grants Pass, Oregon, US, in January 2020.

Jesse, a yoga instructor and fire show conductor of over 10 years, had nurtured the idea of going around the world before he met Catherine in 2018. He said it all stemmed from a vision: To become a legitimate world citizen and build a free school called The Academy of the Heart, “a three story pyramid made of black glass”.

“Now that requires a lot of energy, and there is a cost involved. The only way that I could help make that happen is travel around the world and meet people,” he said, adding that he got hooked to travelling after his first trip out of the US, attending university in China in 2007.

Catherine recalled how she was at a difficult juncture in her life when she met Jesse.

“And then love found a way.”

Chasing the American dream

She said she was working three jobs, including becoming an insurance agent. “The stress led to a medical condition called Bells Palsey. The right side of my face was completely paralysed and I ended up never working a traditional job ever again,” she said. “I have since practised ‘face yoga’ to be able to move my face again.”

It was on her road to recovery that she met Jesse, who helped her understand the power of yoga and inner focus.

“I was trying to live the American dream by working myself out, trying to earn more money while chasing a free, abundant and fun life. It took a toll on my health, but fortunately, I found myself on a refreshing new journey which I continue till date,” said Catherine, who also does fire shows and teaches yoga with her husband as part of their ‘Full Circle Phenomenal’ enterprise.

The couple, who find their expedition highly enriching, said their daughter Prana was born when they arrived in Ecuador during their journey. “She arrived less than a week after we got to Tumbaco, Ecuador where we stayed for five months. She came a month early, but she was healthy and we were out of hospital within 24 hours,” said Catherine.

“Prana will turn three in Dubai on January 26. She will be a genuine world citizen,” said Jesse, explaining how the world schooling system embraced by expat, local and travelling kids helps develop strong world citizens.

“As a world citizen, you adapt to as many cultures, languages, climates and customs as possible,” said Catherine.

The couple said though they have a plan and a route, the actual travels and who they work with, determine their journey.

“Our stay in each country has varied depending on the circumstances. On an average we spend around two-and-a-half months in each country, but it could be way longer as was the case in Oman where we stayed for seven months before coming to the UAE. Sometimes, with not much to do, we just pass through a country. To earn our living, we perform our fire shows, which we have done in 18 of the 23 countries we have been to so far,” said Jesse.

True yoga

He said he also teaches “True Yoga” classes.

“True Yoga is very beneficial. Having a modern day understanding of the traditional practices is also essential. We advocate what we call ‘Conscious Fitness’ with a particular focus on the breath.”

Asked if they use their truck as a caravan, the couple said, “Not usually. We make it a point to stay locally wherever we go to assimilate the nuances of the prevalent culture. We must have camped in our van on occasion, between living spaces. All we have in there are two burners, a sink, a five gallon water tank and a bed. We do not have a toilet or shower in the vehicle,” explained Catherine.

“We are saving for a solar panel now,” she added.

Open to doing fire shows and yoga classes in the UAE, the ‘world citizen’ family is currently scouting for a place to stay.

They said they are looking forward to a great start for 2025 in Dubai.

“A very happy new year to everyone,” the world citizens said.