I have enjoyed hearing stories about Kai’s brave life with her husband and baby onboard a sailing boat and hope that her story inspires other families to live a more free and simple life. There are no excuses when it comes to living your dreams. The story will be scheduled for June, when I am going to be in Alaska myself.

Please read, share and comment in your circles. This way we can inspire each individual to change their world one story at the time!

* Tell us who you all are – a family of three and where you come from and how is it you have lived your life during the last years?

I grew up around fishing boats in the Pacific Northwest and my husband grew up around sailboats on the East Coast of the USA. We met in Port Townsend, Washington and after working for non-profits for many years we decided to quit our jobs and go sail to the tropics. We have spent the last five years working half the year in the States and living and traveling aboard our sailboat the other half of the year. Recently we added a baby to our crew!

* If you look back into your roots, what or who you think was most influential to get you to where you are in life right now and who you are today?

My mom and dad are the most influential people in my life and I attribute where I am today to their impact and inspiration. My mom studied anthropology and is a dedicated traveler and she instilled in me curiosity and respect for other cultures and a desire to see the world.

My dad is an academic and a salmon fisherman and he taught me skills in listening, observation, and boat handling. Both parents are feminists and environmentalists so they taught me to love the natural world and aspire for equality for all human beings around the world. Lofty goals but very worthwhile!

Other influential people have been my collection of women friends, who include sailors, writers, farmers, caregivers, boat captains, community organizers and just general, big-hearted, creative dynamos. Also my extended family, who make an effort to love me unconditionally, and my husband, whose crazy idea it was to go sailing off into the sunset in the first place.

* Your biggest dream in your life right now?
* What are your keys to live your dream?
* What is your message to the world through your life and lifestyle?

My biggest dream in life is to be a part of an inclusive, respectful, resilient community and to give back with whatever skills and talents I can. To live my dream, I try to make decisions that prioritize leading a fulfilling, low-stress, health-first lifestyle that allows lots of time for family, self-reflection, education and meaningful social interactions.

Every day I strive to encourage in my son values of love, empathy, curiosity and joy.

* What was the hardest moment of your life? How did you get through it?
* What has been the most inspiring moment of your life? Why and what happened?

I’m not a big fan of absolutes. I can’t think of one single best or worst moment of my life. I can say I had one year where I lost many loved ones and had to rely on the healing process of communal grieving (sharing memories and emotions with others) to get through it.

Later that same year my husband and I got married in a joyous celebration and conceived our first child, making one of the hardest years also one of the best.

In general, when I’m suffering I turn to writing and compassionate friends and family to process, re-group and find solutions. When I’m thriving, I throw a party!

* What relation do you have with money?
* Could you define what is financial independence for you?
* If it is not too personal to ask, how do you maintain yourself and live your dream life and lifestyle right now?

When it comes to money, my husband and I try to embody a moderate spending lifestyle of appreciative frugality. How a person earns and spends money is a personal decision but has large societal impacts. We work seasonal jobs on boats, in either sustainably managed commercial fishing industries or on eco-tourism wildlife watching boats. We love being on the water and feel grateful to have employment that allows us to take winters off to live aboard our sailboat. When we are not on the sailboat, we live in small communal living situations that help us reduce expenses and share childcare.

* What do you consider as your biggest accomplishment in life?

I think the complex, powerful, supportive and loving relationships I have with my family, friends and husband and son are my biggest accomplishments. They take the most work, reap the largest rewards and are also what I am most grateful for!

* You Kai also have been writing your blog for some years. What is the purpose with your blog?

We keep a blog to update our followers as to our activities and whereabouts on our sailboat. We like to share photos, stories and occasional lessons we’ve learned.

* Recently you Kai started to write fiction as well. What have you discovered in this process?

I am enjoying dabbling in fiction writing because of the incredible flexibility and ultimate creativity it allows. You can write any character, in any situation, in any era! Sometimes I find the options overwhelming.

Right now I am writing a novel about women commercial fishing in Alaska.

* Anything you would love to say about your blog you are writing monthly for your fans worldwide and new people interested?

Someday I hope to have a website of all my creative fiction and non-fiction writing. For now, you can follow along our sailboat blog as we explore the challenges and joys of raising a baby on a boat in a foreign country!

* How do you know Crystal and for how long? What fascinates you about her?

I know Crystal from the Writer’s Group we are both a part of in La Cruz, Mexico. I am fascinated by all the lives she seems to have lived at her young age!

* How can people contact you and hear more about you?

I can be found at vivavelella.wordpress.com and velellavelella[at]gmail.com

Thank you for your time!

Crystal Ra

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Kai’s life truly inspired me and I hope she inspires you too. Maybe it is time for you as well to evaluate your life and see what works, what does not and what is your innermost dream and what can you do already today in order to fully live your dream and take some action?

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This month I will celebrate 6 months of doing the interviews for my blog and I just want to share with all the readers, that I have truly enjoyed it to the fullest. It has penetrated my inner desire to write and share other people’s stories. It has given my blog followers more variety and adventures I could share only sharing my own, even though my life is pretty adventurous too. I am intending to do 5 more interviews for this year and then evaluate how that has worked both for you and me.

Meanwhile if you would love to join me for the biggest adventure of your lifetime, join me in Hawaii in November this year! It will be a 10 day adventure, full of self exploration, inner insights, nature time and meeting and diving into yourself like never before. Please read more here: 

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Thank you!