1 year studying at ea

Studying and travel compatibility – how I sailed for 1 year while studying

In 2022, I enrolled in the Natural Physician Course with the School of Natural Medicine, driven by a dream of helping others. At the time, I was living in the Canary Islands, Spain. Soon after, my family announced an unexpected plan: we were relocating to Fiji, on the other side of the world.

And if this was not sufficiently unique and an adventure in itself, while I was at the start of my studies, my parents decided that we would not take the plane to go there… we would sail.

Yep, you heard it correctly. Sail. And being just as crazy as my family, I, having basically no sailing experience at that moment, decided to join them to sail across two big oceans on a 16-metre ketch sailboat, while at the same time continuing the Natural Physician course.

Our Journey from Spain to Fiji

Getting ready

So this is how my first two years of studying passed by, with the preparations of packing up the house and our belongings, while my parents got the boat refitted and ready. While our house got emptier and emptier, things got packed away and everything was moving gradually (physically as well as mentally and emotionally), I did all kinds of cleansing for Healing Diets and Iridology would otherwise have been much harder to do on a moving boat.

Looking back at it, it was perfect timing, since some of the practical parts such as cleansing for Healing Diets and Iridology would otherwise have been complicated and less comfortable to be done on our boat.

It’s time… finally

In November 2024, the last preparations took place, and in December 2024, our journey started, leaving the port of the capital city of Fuerteventura, Spain, with the goal of reaching Fiji within 1 year. The weeks before leaving, studying had already been quite a challenge, but nothing prepared me for the year I had ahead of me (during which I finished my Herbal Medicine studies, did the Quantum Botanicals Course and started Naturopathy).

On board we were initially 7 people – my parents, 3 siblings, a friend, and me – on what felt like the smallest space ever. After 2 months, the friend left us to go travelling on land. Everything was tight. You had to duck your head constantly; the galley had a swinging gimballed stove to handle the swell; and the passages between our shared cabins were narrow. In the beginning, stepping on each other’s toes felt like the new normal.

We had a whole pharmacy section with all kinds of medicines, both natural and modern, for any imaginable situation. We also had fishing rods and tools, machinery tools to fix most things that could break on the boat, and more useful things. And very importantly, we had food and water stocked up in every imaginable place (this is what boats are built for – under the benches, under the wooden floors, in small spaces in the passages, the bathroom and under the beds). Cooking itself became a completely new experience during this journey, just like basically everything about life. And my studies, they became even more of a life lesson than they already were.

Sandstorm on the Ocean & Crossing the Atlantic

Our start was greeted by a first beautiful sunset, but quickly shifted into stormy weather, with strong winds, big waves from the side, and issues with the rudder of the boat. Despite the conditions and the fact that everything was new, I took out the laptop on the first day and continued where I had left my study material before leaving land. There was 1 week of sandstorm on the ocean. We reached Cabo Verde, being grateful to be in a harbour, and stayed for 2 weeks due to necessary repairs, before continuing across the Atlantic. I used this time to start building a study routine, or, better said, to get used to the conditions on the boat.

The Atlantic crossing presented us with days of no wind but waves from all directions, throwing us around like a ball in the ocean, as well as giving us better weather, gorgeous sunsets, night skies filled with stars, and a learning process of how to cook on a moving stove, how to sail, how to work as a team and do manoeuvres, etc. Most of all, this passage taught us to trust and surrender to Nature and the Ocean.

I used this time to do a digital detox, like everyone, being without Wi-Fi, and to study with the downloaded material. Offline study materials and sheer self-discipline kept me going, but feeling tired and exhausted often, as well as the many tasks that need to be done on a boat, which one does not expect, took up a lot of time, so productivity was lower. This passage was also when I conducted client case studies. For clients back home, I managed phone consultations ahead of time and prepared their protocols before losing signal. For my onboard case study, I worked directly with our travelling companion using the herbal dispensary I’d brought along…and it worked well!

Island hopping in the Caribbean

Our next stop after 3 weeks of open ocean was Martinique, which we greeted with joy and happiness to finally see, feel and smell land, flowers, forest, and be in civilization again. We stayed here for a couple of weeks, and while anchoring in a beautiful bay, I had a routine of study, sports, as well as going to explore the island with my family. It was a beautiful time.

Next came the islands south of Martinique, such as Saint Vincent, the Grenadines, Grenada, and Curaçao. We started becoming a team and got to know the boat better. The manoeuvres and sailing became easier. Studying, on the other hand, became more difficult again, being someone who loves a routine for focus, but every day was different, so routine was non-existent. Still, I was able to make progress due to daily studying, be it 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or 1 or 2 hours, in the morning, midday, afternoon, or in my night shifts. The peace and quiet of some nights served as a productive time, while in others I faced the battle of trying to stay awake. I experienced both.

Finally speaking Spanish again!

Colombia was the next stop we all looked forward to, missing the sound and use of the Spanish language as well as the culture, so Cartagena felt a bit like home. The heat was terrible, though, and it all felt like a sauna, so you can imagine how it was to be studying on the boat. Detoxing was included in the visit to this city for free. Four showers a day were normal, but only possible due to the marina showers on land that one could use by paying a small fee.

Crocodiles, Jungle and the Panama Canal

In Panama, our next step in the journey, we discovered that we had to change the whole rig, which brought big costs with it, as well as taking time to order and receive it. First, though, we crossed the Panama Canal, and, leaving the last chamber, we entered the Pacific Ocean and were greeted by the crocodiles swimming and lying on the small beaches on one side of the exit of the canal (they are incredibly fast when swimming). We had made it, the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, we had to wait for many weeks for the new rig to arrive and get changed, before we could continue. For my studies, this was a productive time and I got to find more focus and productivity when working on assignments. I was working on the Quantum Botanicals course at that time.

Following this came the longest passage on the open ocean, and we stocked up on A LOT of food. A lot. Remember, on the open ocean there is no supermarket you can just go to and buy what you need.

Our longest time on the open ocean: The Pacific crossing

It took us almost 2 months to reach the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. The first 3 weeks we were faced with thunderstorms, squalls, bad weather, many days of no wind, and days with a lot of wind, currents going against us, weather forecasts that didn’t predict correctly, and many sleepless nights. Thankfully, it slowly got better, and the last 2 weeks were the best, with steady wind, and the boat sailed on its own after we left everything working. Sleep, peace and rest were what we needed and finally enjoyed thanks to the better weather. In all of this initial mess after leaving Panama, we also enjoyed good moments, grew together as a family and team, enjoyed the most gorgeous night skies, swam in the middle of the Pacific Ocean seeing only blue beneath us, got to experience a mix of all kinds of animals hunting (whales, dolphins, seagulls, fish of all sizes…), and we started to enjoy cooking in the tiny kitchen that had faced us with many conflicts and challenges.

For anyone who doesn’t know it, food is the main thing that keeps the mood up while sailing, so my sisters and I used all our creativity to create new meals and dishes out of the ingredients on board, and the Healing Diets studies brought their contributions. During this time I also had to do some case studies for the Quantum Botanicals course, so my family became my volunteers. The use of the Bach Flower remedies by all of us simultaneously brought profound change and helped in smoothing out and encouraging many transformations we were going through individually and as a family. It was an interesting experiment, since there were no outside influences other than the weather, and when there was conflict, there was no running away. You had to face it. There is not much space one can disappear into on a 16m boat. It was also the longest time with no Wi-Fi (except every couple of days to send a message to our family on land saying we were alive).

The most beautiful and magical islands

French Polynesia was a dream come true. The beauty we were greeted by in the Marquesas, the people and culture, the clear waters and green islands, little population, the energy of peace and Mother Nature in harmony and balance… We fell in love with it.

Here, studying became a real challenge, being faced again with the question of ‘should I stay inside and study or go outside and explore this gorgeous beauty around us’. My fair skin quickly taught me to stay inside during the strongest sunlight hours, and so the decision was partly made for me on some occasions.

Still, despite having lived on the boat for over 6 months at this point, I still struggled with studying properly. My concentration was low, and the heat didn’t make it easier to not feel a lack of clarity in my mind and the wish for a swim in the fresh water, or to take a nap. Discipline, though, is rewarded, and since I loved what I was learning, I kept at it. Step by step. Day by day. With a goal and vision in mind.

Continuing the journey through the different groups of islands of French Polynesia, we reached the end of them quite quickly, since the 1 year of time we had set for ourselves was getting closer to its end. And here started the last part of our journey, sailing to Tonga and from there to Fiji.

Destination Fiji: Journey’s End and New Beginnings

Tonga was a beautiful last stop, with many breathtaking islands that are only reached if you have a boat. It was also the moment where our final destination was so close, and time felt as if it had flown by. A part of us wanted to arrive, but at the same time we wanted to continue this journey and visit more places too. You always want what you don’t have, don’t you?

We made it!

In November 2025, we finally reached Fiji, our destination, and it felt like a dream come true but also unreal. It took us some time to fully arrive, but with the end of this adventure, the next project started – building a new life in the jungle. Yet this is another longer story that is still in its starting phase.

Can sailing/travel and studies be combined?

Now, all the above gives you quite a good summary and picture of our journey, but there is another point of view, related to combining the Natural Physician course online studies with sailing/travel.

My family was basically on ‘vacation’ during this year, meaning, no one had a schedule or time limit or pressure for studies or tasks to be done apart from me – leaving out some paperwork and managing tasks from a distance my parents had to do, who also carried the main responsibilities for the family, boat and sailing –. So I was basically alone with needing to take out my laptop to continue advancing almost on a daily basis, while the rest flowed with the days.

My personal experience of balancing studies and sailing plus travel is… not easy, a challenge. It was hard, but so worth it. Looking back, I don’t regret a single day.

I certainly faced many challenges to make progress, but I also learned a lot about life and the importance of having priorities, that you will always find excuses if you want to, and that it is your choice whether you listen to them or to your dream and the place you want to get to.

Studying on our sailboat

To prevent screen glare, I worked below deck at one of our two small tables. Down below, however, nausea hits harder and fresh air is scarce, especially in rough seas when all hatches are sealed tight. In the tropics, it turned into an oven. Because that table was in the central corridor between the galley, the companionway, and the head, interruptions were constant.

Sometimes I studied in my small shared cabin, sitting on the bed, or took notes on paper in the space to sit outside, enjoying the fresh breeze, but the majority of the time I was inside at the table when studying.

Sleep deficiency and the ocean’s game of flying

Additionally, sailing is also not like driving a car that you can park, sleep and keep on driving. We all did night shifts, even my youngest sister, who was 15 at the time, and this lack of rest was noticeable during the day in everyone. If the weather was bad, then it was easy to miss out on half a night’s sleep, and not just the 2 to 3 hours of shift. That is how taking a nap or sleeping whenever possible became normal too. Not very convenient when you try to read and understand a line of a new lesson for the 3rd, 4th, or 5th time, surrendering to the body’s needs at some point.

We had a lot of good weather during our journey, but we also faced a lot of bad weather too. Waves of 4 metres, either from one specific direction, or several at the same time, and often from the side, would throw you around the boat a bit like a ping-pong ball (we made it a game to predict waves when walking around inside or while cooking, and joked about walking like drunk people – it really looked like it sometimes). If sitting on the sofa/bench, you’d better be careful, or you and your laptop plus other things may go flying into the kitchen opposite it. I almost saw myself in that situation a couple of times, being able to hold on to something just in time. It was fun, though, and I had many good laughs with my sisters despite the bad sea of those moments. Nausea was less of an issue for me, thankfully, but concentration was an ongoing issue.

Where did my focus go? – I need a new strategy

In the first few weeks of our journey and starting to sail, I quickly realized that focusing and studying for several hours in a row, or even 45 productive minutes, would be rare, at least while sailing. Changes of the sails, help needed here or there, cooking, cleaning (dirt accumulates fast in such a small space), helping reach things for the freshly caught fish, taking a turn to be on watch… all of this made me and everyone else be slightly on alert most of the time, ready to jump if needed.

Instead, I learned that to keep on making progress with my studies, I needed to take what I got during passages, and do something daily, be it 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or 1–2 hours with 3 interruptions, or 15 minutes before getting to the stage of reading a line 5 times to then decide it was time to sleep a bit before getting back on it. I used every chance I got, even when I did not feel like it.

Communicating my needs

At some point, when everyone knew how to sail, understood the boat and the weather, and we had basically become a team and were able to sail the boat well, I also learned to communicate my need for studying and to take the time I required for myself. And so I started to say “For the next hour I won’t be available, unless it’s an emergency,” or “I will be studying, so please don’t count on me right now”. This helped so much, because interruptions became fewer. I can only recommend this to anyone living in a community, a family or with friends, and those who get interrupted often. You have to say what you need, make it clear for others to grasp easily, and take the time for yourself and your goals and dreams.

My saviour

And before I forget the most important part… I had one instrument, a tool, that was key to improving my concentration and helped me create my own little world during those moments of study. Noise-cancelling headphones. I am not a fan of having to use headphones, but when you don’t have your own room with space and quiet, and even when you have it, for me, this was the only way to focus and detach from my surrounding little world. I loved my noise-cancelling headphones with all of my heart, and I still do. They were my saviour during this 1 year, and helped me with the one thing I struggled most with – to ignore the conversations, sounds, and things happening around me.

Anchoring: a new challenge of decisions

Now, while anchoring, on the other hand, the story was different. The boat would move very little, sitting was comfortable, sleep was better, and in general, life was more normal in some ways. Still, it was a bit difficult since the space didn’t magically grow, but over time we got used to it, and moving around the boat became like a dance we had all studied. And studying for a few consecutive hours was possible, which allowed me to make more progress. Here it was also when I would have Wi-Fi, being close to shore, so I could also do research and upload or download documents.

My main and only difficulty while anchoring and studying was the continuous decision between: do I go on shore and explore the new area with my family, or do I stay and study, or do I go meet other sailors, or do I stay and study… And this is when I had to learn several things:

1. We have to have priorities and choose what is more important for us.

2. We have to make sacrifices sometimes, saying no to one thing to say yes to another one.

3. And if we want to make the most out of the opportunities we get in life, we have to manage our time well.

This last one is something that was key and allowed me to take the gift of traveling and exploring places, while at the same time studying.

At some point, making this kind of decision, exploring or studying, became easier, and I listened to my intuition as to whether it was worth it to go or to stay. I got to appreciate the moments of peace and quiet on the boat, being with only one or two other people or maybe even alone. And I got to appreciate the time with my family and being able to visit new places and explore nature, without thinking about what waited for me when I returned.

Practice and experience are what taught me to use the small little bits of time to study, read or write, or the few hours of quiet time on the boat, as well as to know how to balance exploring on land with some time of study the same day.

My method on exploration days was to either study a bit in the mornings before leaving, or in the afternoons or evenings when I was back. I also used waiting times, or when driving somewhere, to think in my head of the next steps, assignments, or a topic of interest that I was trying to understand better. Structure and keeping track of time were key throughout my whole studies. And this is where the School of Natural Medicine UK gets to be the best choice I could have made.

What made all of this possible?

The main reason why I was able to do these studies is because of the special structure and method the School of Natural Medicine UK practices and offers. It is what allowed me to study while helping my family pack our house, while sailing across half the world, and through constantly changing life circumstances throughout the 4 years.

Having all the material since the start, all the assignments to be done, no exams but both theoretical and practical assignments (which I love), no grades but feedback, and the only main thing that may put a bit of pressure being the time limit (in my case 4 years for the course I chose), are all reasons why these studies are compatible with travelling.

At the start of my studies I had divided the 4 years in a way that I would finish a couple of months before the deadline, to have some extra months in case I would take longer (which I did). I went on to experience periods when I would make faster progress, or take longer to finish assignments, while other lessons just flew by and flowed easily, and so I kept track of time and my pace, without stressing too much about it.

Consequently, this managing of time and progress, together with the 4-year time limitation, are what have helped me finish the studies successfully, while living a life of change and 1 year of travel. I must add, though, that I did not work a full-time job, or have little kids or a baby to take care of, so I cannot speak for those individuals and their experiences, yet can relate to it much better now after what I have experienced.

Furthermore, doing the cleanses, and getting certain tools or ingredients for practical assignments is not ideal or impossible in some countries (in my case, most of the ones we visited), and that is why preparation and reading the future lessons’ assignments to get all that’s needed in advance is key.

In my case, I primarily had bought 3 books I still had to read, downloaded other ones as PDFs, got the Bach Flower Essences Kit, bought a whole collection of single herbs, took the essential oils we had, my enema kit, as well as some other things. With all of this, I was able to do the courses I had left at that moment.

Cleansing, though, may be more comfortable when being stable in one place that one feels comfortable and at home in. For some things one may also need a juicing machine, or more space, or fresh organic food, things that were not really available on board, especially during longer open sea passages, and may not be available when backpacking, for example (depending on the country). Luckily, I had done a big part of these practical assignments already before starting the journey, and for anyone wanting to do the studies while travelling, yet who does not know how to prepare for it, in addition to reading the assignments that lie ahead, Bonny Casel will certainly help you gain clarity and organization.

During my 4-year journey, Bonny Casel was always of great support for me and helped with any questions or doubts I had, always kind, understanding and helpful, with prompt replies, and encouraging and motivating feedback that lightened up my days as well as brought back my inner willpower to keep on going, especially during the more difficult parts of the studies.

Reaching the end of this chapter

Now its Autumn of 2026, and my 4 years have come to an end. This last year of my studies, despite not being full-time sailing and slightly more stable again, has still been full of change, and as I am gaining life experience, I have come to truly understand, feel and know in my own body on all levels that life IS change.

I have finally successfully finished the online studies of the Natural Physician course, and I cannot really believe it yet. Four years have flown by, and I am just starting to grasp the number of things I have been able to learn with the School and the materials/knowledge provided. There are so many paths I can go onto that I am almost a bit overwhelmed, since I love every one of them and find all there is still to learn and deepen into fascinating.

Courage, spontaneity, support, love and care

I am grateful for my mother, who found this school and suggested it could be something I would like. I am grateful that I was spontaneous enough, said “yes, I’ll do it”, and trusted what was to come blindly without knowing if it was truly the right thing.

I am grateful for Bonny, who was always there to help when I had questions or doubts, who was always very supportive, understanding and kind. And I am also grateful for the existence of the Student Group, being a great place to exchange information and where the sharing of topics and all kinds of possible solutions makes it a place filled with interesting conversations – even though I must say I wasn’t too active in it, and want to change that from now on, but learned a lot from the conversations of other students sharing questions, answers, their experiences… –. So also thank you to all the other students and everyone’s unique journey of learning about natural medicine and healing, and of life.

You can do it too!

By sharing these bits and pieces of my path, I want to encourage and show you that it is possible, no matter the circumstances, to dive into the world of Natural Medicine and learn about all the fascinating things that are included in the courses and beyond.

Sharing some of my personal challenges, I wanted to show you that it is not always easy, that everyone has their own challenges, and that making up excuses is always easier, that life can feel unfair, or that simply one’s energy and willpower feel like they are at zero with 100% exhaustion – to sum it up, that circumstances are often everything but perfect. But that despite all of this, it is possible, you can do it, by finding your methods, routines, habits or encouraging mindset and thoughts, contributing to your progress.

Remember to take it step by step, little by little, simply continuing down the road. When things feel overwhelming, break them down into smaller chunks that you can work with. When you have questions, go to the Student Group – I probably should have done it more often – and/or ask Bonny.

If you are waiting for the ‘perfect time’ or perfect circumstances to begin studying, you will wait forever. Life is always changing. Take it step-by-step, day-by-day. Break big assignments into manageable pieces. Trust yourself, lean on your mentors, and allow yourself to fall in love with the healing power of Nature and Natural Medicine.

And in any case…

Keep on going, set yourself small goals, and continuously move forward at your own pace while falling in love more and more with the magic of the Human Body, Nature, and all the wonders of Natural Medicine.

Author Bio

Kathalin Silva Zwerenz is a graduate of the Natural Physician Diploma Course at the School of Natural Medicine. She completed her studies while circumnavigating half the globe on a family sailboat!