Hi ladies and gentlemen!
New to the forum and from a quick look around it looks like a nice community!
I guess I'll start from the beginning to give you all some insight on me and my situation.
I lived in CT all my life up till recently (I'm 32yo). Over the past few years finding good work in CT, was almost impossible. I was taking odds and end jobs just to make ends meet. Now back early in November of 2015 I saved enough cash up to surprise my father in Florida. I made the 1300 mile road trip alone. It was about a year since we had seen each other. Anywho, while I was here visiting for the week. I visited him a few times at his job. He's a Jaguar tech of 30+ years. While visiting him one day at work (Jaguar dealership), his service manager caught wind I was in town and that I too was a Jaguar tech of 10+ years. His manager saw me in the shop, hanging out with pops, when he came up to me and said "if you ever want a job working on them again, come see me". I kinda laughed and didn't think he was serious. So the next day I go and visit pops again and bring him coffee. His manager sees me again and said "come see me when you get a chance". After about 30mins hanging with dad I decided to go see the manager. Next thing you know I'm filling out an application and get the job! We negotiated and I would be making the same money as I did up north as a Jag tech.
As the week came to end an end, it was time for me to make that 1300 mile trip back home. After many discussions with my wife and our two children, this was the move and what we needed to stabilize financially. Two weeks later, I was packing up the Jeep with my tools to make the 1300 mile trip yet again! My wife is currently attending college and will finish up in July of 2017, so that is when we are planning for everyone to move down, including our two German Shepherds.
I've been here in Florida since late November of 2015 and started work the first week of December. I'm currently living with my father and his girlfriend since. I would like to move out but rent is too expensive and would take away too much from paying off other things. My wife and I have been on our own for many years and living with pops just feels like "living at mom and dads" again. Over the past four years I've been following many van dwellers on YouTube and it has always sparked the adventurous side of me and was something I wanted to do but couldn't because we have two small kids (10 and 13). Now that I'm here, by myself and looking for a inexpensive way to live, not at pops, living the van life becomes a more viable option and since the family won't be here permanently until July of 2017.
Now it's a big, and frankly, an exciting move to potentially live a dream I've had for several years. Regardless, I'm still nervous about it. I love my Jeep, but it's just not big enough to "live" in and I would hate to get rid of it but I would have no other option if I were to get a van. I've been looking at conversion vans, and have personally been in a few of them and know that space would definitely work for me. One of my biggest concerns, being in south Florida is staying cool at night and on the weekends. I've found a few different ways of keeping it cool but I would really like to meet someone local who has been living this way here in Florida for some time. I love seeing people's setups and hearing about what they do to pass time.
If their is anyone here in south Florida, that wouldn't mind walking me through various aspects of there daily routine, keeping cool, and just shooting the breeze. Please PM me!
Sorry for the super long post! Lol
Jeff
New to the forum and from a quick look around it looks like a nice community!
I guess I'll start from the beginning to give you all some insight on me and my situation.
I lived in CT all my life up till recently (I'm 32yo). Over the past few years finding good work in CT, was almost impossible. I was taking odds and end jobs just to make ends meet. Now back early in November of 2015 I saved enough cash up to surprise my father in Florida. I made the 1300 mile road trip alone. It was about a year since we had seen each other. Anywho, while I was here visiting for the week. I visited him a few times at his job. He's a Jaguar tech of 30+ years. While visiting him one day at work (Jaguar dealership), his service manager caught wind I was in town and that I too was a Jaguar tech of 10+ years. His manager saw me in the shop, hanging out with pops, when he came up to me and said "if you ever want a job working on them again, come see me". I kinda laughed and didn't think he was serious. So the next day I go and visit pops again and bring him coffee. His manager sees me again and said "come see me when you get a chance". After about 30mins hanging with dad I decided to go see the manager. Next thing you know I'm filling out an application and get the job! We negotiated and I would be making the same money as I did up north as a Jag tech.
As the week came to end an end, it was time for me to make that 1300 mile trip back home. After many discussions with my wife and our two children, this was the move and what we needed to stabilize financially. Two weeks later, I was packing up the Jeep with my tools to make the 1300 mile trip yet again! My wife is currently attending college and will finish up in July of 2017, so that is when we are planning for everyone to move down, including our two German Shepherds.
I've been here in Florida since late November of 2015 and started work the first week of December. I'm currently living with my father and his girlfriend since. I would like to move out but rent is too expensive and would take away too much from paying off other things. My wife and I have been on our own for many years and living with pops just feels like "living at mom and dads" again. Over the past four years I've been following many van dwellers on YouTube and it has always sparked the adventurous side of me and was something I wanted to do but couldn't because we have two small kids (10 and 13). Now that I'm here, by myself and looking for a inexpensive way to live, not at pops, living the van life becomes a more viable option and since the family won't be here permanently until July of 2017.
Now it's a big, and frankly, an exciting move to potentially live a dream I've had for several years. Regardless, I'm still nervous about it. I love my Jeep, but it's just not big enough to "live" in and I would hate to get rid of it but I would have no other option if I were to get a van. I've been looking at conversion vans, and have personally been in a few of them and know that space would definitely work for me. One of my biggest concerns, being in south Florida is staying cool at night and on the weekends. I've found a few different ways of keeping it cool but I would really like to meet someone local who has been living this way here in Florida for some time. I love seeing people's setups and hearing about what they do to pass time.
If their is anyone here in south Florida, that wouldn't mind walking me through various aspects of there daily routine, keeping cool, and just shooting the breeze. Please PM me!
Sorry for the super long post! Lol
Jeff
