frends think i am loosing my mind

[Dean and Buster]

I know a lot of us go through the questions from friends and family why are you doing this .
you will be homeless and how do we talk to you I tell them to call me send me a e mail or a letter . I tell them that I need to be around people that are different like me and hopefully I can make friends because in the normal world I am a lone wolf and gotten worse sense my caregiver died .
I tell that I am not homeless I choose to live in my van so I am not homeless neither are the dogs because I choose to live in my van.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

I've had a few folks offer to let me live with them, or tell me to get a roommate so I won't be homeless... and I have a full time job! What part of "I WANT TO DO THIS" don't they understand?

 

[Dean and Buster]

they don't understand

 

[rvpopeye]

Dean and Abuela
The won't understand....until they start hearing and seeing about your great new life of freedom and lack of expenses.
Then maybe , just maybe they will start to think.......
"Hmmmmmmm I'd like to do that too !"

 

[sushidog]

One man's meat is another man's poison.

Popeye is right. The ones who love you will see your joy in your new lifestyle and will relent with their criticism, whether they agree with your choices or not.

The others, well, who gives a darn about them anyway?

You're among friends who won't judge you for being a little different. Heck, we're all different. Life would be very boring if we were all exactly the same.

Chip

 

[rvpopeye]

If your friends/family look at you funny and say "You Ain't Right"......
Find that thread here , we have a club!

 

[SoulRaven]

I truly believe more of it is envy then anyone would ever admit. Once they get past the "horror" of hearing about it, there will be those that become very curious and you'll see their wheels turning "Wonder if I could that." I would have to admit that many of the curious make me uncomfortable as we full-timed but for longer periods in one place, and sometimes the questions became intrusive. So many people are so fearful of what others will think that they just can't move outside the box even though they desperately need or desire to do so, I pity them. I am lucky to be older and having joined the military when I was 20, which my mother was very, very nasty over, I left much of the family behind. Friends? Moving around, there is always a new friend to make at the next stop. It all comes down to choices.

 

[Richard]

...questions from friends and family...

After several attempts to have a helpful conversation with family and friends, I resorted to the media's positive coverage of the topic. It doesn't necessarily change anyone's feelings, but what positive news stories did is help friends and family to see that dwelling in one's vehicle isn't as fringe as they might imagine.

With all the negative press surrounding living in a vehicle, finding positive stories can be time-consuming. Here are a few links to positive stories you may choose to share with them:

Living Out of a Van Is the New American Dream

Living in a Van Was the Best Financial Decision I Ever Made

Has Maui Physicist Garrett Lisi Discovered the Shape of the Universe?

 

[Dean and Buster]

we understand as everyone goes through life sometimes we meet up on line or meet up in a group and that is what we need .
we are the square peg society tries to put in a round hole

 

[jimindenver]

The few that did not understand were told it will be a blast. Luckily most of my family were RV'rs and actually envied what I was about to do.

 

[CautionToTheWind]

Life is about the experience and not seeing the same 4 walls. Frame it around wanting to travel and see the world; make it choice versus a need.

 

[TrainChaser]

Many, many people are extremely rigid in their thinking. They think that you should be just like them, and if you aren't, something is wrong with you. But you're not responsible for how they think. It isn't YOUR problem, it's theirs.

Let their comments just roll over you; don't argue with them, because it's pointless. They're not going to change your mind, and you aren't going to change theirs. That's why Baskin Robbins has so many flavors of ice cream.

When you're on the road, send them photos of all the great things you're seeing. Yes, it IS kind of thumbing your nose at them, but we shall just call it Keeping In Touch.

 

[GotSmart]

Just laugh at them.  

Either they understand or they don't.  

Time to go see the Elephant.

 

[Txjaybird]

 What part of "I WANT TO DO THIS" don't they understand?

 It's the part where we have an original thought of our own.  It doesn't match what some folks think we should do.  We not only try to march to a different drummer.....It may be a whole new type of music.....we get the beat and make up our steps as we go along......how dare you/we do such a thing?   Crazy thing you  

Jewellann

 

[Glenda From Oz]

I know a lot of us go through the questions from friends and family why are you doing this .
you will be homeless and how do we talk to you I tell them to call me send me a e mail or a letter . I tell them that I need to be around people that are different like me and hopefully I can make friends because in the normal world I am a lone wolf and gotten worse sense my caregiver died .
I tell that I am not homeless I choose to live in my van so I am not homeless neither are the dogs because I choose to live in my van.

Yes many wont understand, but just tell them you are not homeless just a "Vandweller".  My parents were full time rv'er's for 15 years and loved it.  I have done it for 1.5 years and have varied my style right now, but my daughter and her family are traveling in RV and working off the road.  She's only done it 6 months, but the stress level is less for her and her boys.  I think they will be doing it a while.  Don't let others stop you.  Carpe Diem!  

You are welcome to PM me if you get on I80 in WY or in Northwest CO as I have property that you are welcome to park on for a few days.  I have a thread too if you want more info.  Either way Enjoy the journey!

Glenda "From Oz"

 

[WalkaboutTed]

Not one person we know thinks selling the house and moving into a cargo van is a bad idea, not our siblings, our kids, or our friends. But then, everyone who knows us knows our history of traveling/living/camping (and for Hubby, bike touring). Although, I was just talking to #2 son about him living in his camper shell, and he said "Mom, I'd never be able to do that, I have flashbacks to when I was a kid and you would fill the truck bed with fish-and then you would make us ride in it! (we had a restaurant, fish market and commercial smokehouse in another of my incarnations). And this is the Marine who would be on the streets in Iraq for weeks at a time.
Ted

 

[GEAUX- PRIUS Cowboy]

 

It will be some 20 years before my wife can come with me. I don't think I can wait that long. I want to go traveling but I have had enough of that solo travel that is too much like work to me. 

If you drive trucks and are all about the job you pretty much are at home all day even though you travel 500 miles a day. I never shared this with folks but you pretty much do a lot of the same stuff every day the way the new hours of service are. I pretty much got to the truck stop early so I had a spot I ordered a shower went to the truck got my walking poles and I walked 15 min away from the truck stop. Then I dropped my poles off grabbed my gig bag and went to my shower some 35 min later. I got my shower and returned to the truck  went to sleep and pumped it up again the next day and did it all again just arrived at a different truck stop in a different state. So for me to stay home each day for week at a time is nothing I am traveling via computer but sometimes you just want to get out and do something different. IDK if people understand what I am trying to say kind of like when you travel enough the whole country seems like your home. GOING TO BED  ZZZZZZ

 

[Dean and Buster]

well most of my people are starting to accept me being a nomad now I did get them to think a different way and now they are trying camping with there families to try this out mabe I am starting something

 

[bullfrog]

Tell them you missed "the summer of love 1967 in California" and you can not afford an old VW bus as their over $100,000 restored now, then look off in to space and say "I should have bought ten of those."

 

[tx2sturgis]

Dean,

If you want to mess with them, tell them you are gonna live in a van down by the river, join a cult, chase butterflies, and poop in a bucket.



If they dont laugh, you know you will not be able to explain it anyway.

Or just tell them you need to be with the best care-giver ever: Mother Nature.