Semi-retired Van Buddha

[hocho]

New to the forum, but not new to van dwelling.

I'm a 40yo Asian American in a van. I saved up enough money and decided to exit the rat race. Vanning was a way to retire and travel.

Half my time is focused on taking care of myself. And half the time, I hope, will be getting to know other Vanners and how the community works.

I am Buddhist (specifically Insight/Theravada tradition). My buddhism doesn't focus on religious dogma. I like to say that I focus on eliminating greed, anger, blame, and wishful thinking in myself. I study and practice eliminating greed, anger, blame, and delusion. I also teach it a small amount.

I also am doing some writing.

I am a trained crisis counselor and have an interest in therapies to address trauma.

I have enough money saved up for myself, so, I have a pledge to devote any new money I earn to others or social projects. Moving the needle isn't easy, so I'm a big student of life to see what actually makes a difference.

I am interested in the causes of social inequality and poverty, and how to combat them.

I think a lot about safety and safehavens, and how to create them. I think about the word "enough" and how that varies for different people.

I'd be interested in land projects, like what HOWA is doing.


my rig
I home base out of a friend's house in Nevada I have two rigs. A 1995 Chevy Astro van and a 2000 honda odyssey.

Both have a "box bed" and sleep under configuration. I sleep under a table for stealth. The top of the table is then a big table.

It's very minimalist. No fridge. Small USB and LiFePo batteries. 30w solar that I have just as backup. Lots of bins. I do the box bed instead of insulation.

See my post on Box Beds in insulation for pictures.


OTHER THOUGHTS

buddhism
I do a lot of Buddhism and it gives me a lot of community. The pandemic has created online zoom meetings round the clock.

I also attend Unitarian Universalist meetings in some cities.

I have a link to online buddhism resources here:
https://nothingisenoughbuddhism.blogspot.com/2020/12/zoombuddhism-best-buddhist-links.html

writing
I do some Buddhist writing. It's mostly here:
https://nothingisenoughbuddhism.blogspot.com/

trauma
I read the body keeps score in ~2015 and it changed a lot of my understanding about trauma. Trauma is the #1 public health emergency, more damaging than covid or cancer. It's also the cause of a lot of alcoholism and domestic violence.

Sadly, modern life is creating more trauma, rather than less of it. And also trauma and instability for kids.

Therapy does work, but it doesn't scale well. It's too expensive to get to everyone.

I think a lot about how people with trauma and self-organize. Basically, how could we take a structure like AA for alcohol abuse and make something for trauma.

One model I think has potential is Refuge Recovery. That's focused on addiction (using Buddhist principles of nonjudgmental awareness). It's thriving and growing.


helping others and moving the needle
What if we bought 100 acres of land and just let it be a free for all?

I think that'd collapse if there weren't rules. Issues with sanitation or noise. Or drunks and partying would start out in a corner, but then drive away people who would sustain the space.


I've been to Rainbow Gatherings and burning man regionals and food banks. They aren't free for all's. The culture and organization matters a lot.


Great ideas are cheap. Execution and getting them to work is the hard part. COVID is a great example. There have been many things that could have mostly solved COVID since last June. Rapid antigen tests. Better masks. Ventilation. Podding. But they didn't have government support or the interest of everyday people.

Usually, the bottleneck of executing a great idea is getting the adoption right. And adoption is change management. Not just a good idea.

For this, my main reference is the book Switch. It's by Chip and Dan Heath. Very readable.

Putting it another way, a lot of movements collapse, even when they are good ideas. Why? One can Google Hobo University for an interesting historical perspective.

So, the puzzle for me is how to organize movements that self sustain after a bit of seed money. Movements die when participants tend to drain the movement (take more than they give) or when the goals get confusing so that people don't want to be part of it (churn, attrition).

So there is a narrow path to sustaining movements.


social inequality and poverty
In this day and age, there is no financial reason everyone (at least in the US) isn't given food, shelter, and opportunity.

Poor people aren't lazy overall. They work harder than I have most of my life, navigating complex and unpredictable systems of support (government and family).

I think Vanning (and communal living) has huge potential to address this.


safety, safehavens, enough
Vanning is an inexpensive way to get people stabilized in terms of shelter and security.

Living in shelters and on the street is very unsafe. It's amazing how much of a difference a door that locks can make. Not just in physical safety, but mindset.

I think the HOWA project is doing a lot of things right. It's be great to find spaces that could enable villages and outposts. A safehaven in every state where Vanners can recharge.

It also doesn't have to be centralized. Kind hearted people can offer up their driveways for 2-4 days at a time. Or churches.

What's stopping this? Well, some local zoning laws to keep poverty out. But also issues of trust. I think almost everyone would let a friend park a car in their driveway for a few days. But we don't trust strangers.

Some strangers are awesome and just need some space. Space is enough. Others are troublemakers. And, unfortunately, if there are 1% troublemakers, that can poison trust for everyone.

So, a big question I have is if van dwelling is enough for people? And how can one tell those who just need a driveway and water, vs those who are troublemakers who will look to cheat and take advantage of others.

Couchsurfing and airbnb have some models that might work.

I do computer programming, so I might work on this problem.


land
I'm looking at land and setting up an outpost/safehaven. I'm looking at land near Gallup. And I'd be interested if there might be alliances with native american communities.

Unlike HOWA, I think finding some small lots in low-population towns (like Gallup, NM) is a better plan. And then grow as needed.


Nice to meet you all! I look forward to seeing you on the road!

 

[user 423]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[bullfrog]

Gallup is definitely a good place if you want to deal with trauma and social inequities. I taught school at Fort Wingate just east of Gallup in the late 1970s. At one point I made metal name tags for my family members so I could identify the bodies when they found them.

 

[Cousin_Eddie]

When traveling I try to never even stop near Gallup. I don't feel safe which is rare for me. Beware of the weather too.  Very cold and lots of snow.

https://www.areavibes.com/gallup-nm/

 

[bullfrog]

It has gotten some better over the years but even now with Covid 19 I believe the reservation used a motel as a hospital/isolation building as they were very inadequately ready to deal with even everyday medicals.

 

[hocho]

Gallup is definitely a good place if you want to deal with trauma and social inequities. I taught school at Fort Wingate just east of Gallup in the late 1970s. At one point I made metal name tags for my family members so I could identify the bodies when they found them.

I'm sorry to hear about the losses and tragedies for your family.

Yeah, I've been through Gallup a little bit. Some reading up of stories during COVID. Liquor stores being the core of the economy in some sense. Lots of alcoholism. I was inspired by some stories of people trying to be positive forces there. Doctors and social workers.

I'll see. I could easily tie in to a nonprofit in a big city, but I think it's more interesting to try to understand a place like Gallup. With the long Native American history. And the low economic development over the past 20 years.

Thank you for sharing!

(One plus is land is really cheap there.)

 

[hocho]

When traveling I try to never even stop near Gallup. I don't feel safe which is rare for me. Beware of the weather too.  Very cold and lots of snow.

https://www.areavibes.com/gallup-nm/

Thanks for sharing. Yeah, the place is pretty depressed. Not much opportunity. But sometimes places with not much are hungry for change. Not everyone, but some people. And that can be a big plus.

I hear you about not feeling safe. I stayed there overnight and it was a bit sketchy. I didn't see and drug deals, but it had an opioid feel to it, like some towns in Western Massachusetts I've been to.

It's on Interstate 40, so if I set up a way station there, I think a lot of van dwellers may be helped and stop by.

Thanks again for the reply.

 

[Cousin_Eddie]

Land is cheep in gallup also in the desert too. For me I think gallup has a negative vibe, I'm very sensitive to the energy of others. Now for someone gifted or with a calling so to speak to help other raise awareness, you'll have plenty of rewarding work. I'm totally with you on the giving back and finding a more sustainable grass-roots path to do so. Another thought you will need to consider is if you purchase land and have guest on your land you open yourself up to liability 

>>> who just need a driveway and water, vs those who are troublemakers who will look to cheat and take advantage of others.

The hard part

 

[bullfrog]

Make sure you study the culture, customs and know the rules. Make friends with a locals before venturing to remote locations and visit with someone from there that will watch out for you.

 

[user 423]

---

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome Hocho to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

Highdesertranger

 

[crofter]

Gallup is definitely a good place if you want to deal with trauma and social inequities. I taught school at Fort Wingate just east of Gallup in the late 1970s. At one point I made metal name tags for my family members so I could identify the bodies when they found them.

Well let's not have a meetup in Gallup then. I had not heard horror stories about NM before your story.

Another opportunity to heal people will be Yuma but land is high $$$. Lost of trauma filled lives to found, and now will include immigrants who are dumped there by border patrol. Now an immigrant welcome center is needed as a stopover resource. 

Glad to hear you ideas, and welcome to the forum.
-crofter

 

[bullfrog]

The reservation was in the past days difficult place for an outsiders especially in remote areas where people unknowingly insulted local traditions. For instance you never walk up to a hogan and knock on the entryway even in an emergency. Your shout a greeting or honk your horn after stopping when in site of where you want to go and wait for someone to come out and invite you to come further.

 

[Sofisintown]

For some unknown reason, I don't want to be in NM. If traveling that way I will circle around it.
The land idea is generally good, but I am one of the people who prefer solitude, instead of communal tribes.

 

[user 423]

It's not that much worse than many other places in the U.S.

 

[txmnjim]

For some unknown reason, I don't want to be in NM. If traveling that way I will circle around it.
The land idea is generally good, but I  am one of the people who prefer  solitude, instead of communal tribes.

try Gila Wilderness near Silver City for solitude. we backpacked for 5 days and never came upon a
living soul. i think Covid is just highlighting inequities in our society as i have heard Gallup is no place
to be now during pandemic. i've travelled all throughout NM and would be cautious in big cities as i
would any other state. i will state that i have never parked in a real isolated areas leaving my vehicle 
in plain sight after reading about some cases of vandalism, but i would be cautious about that in any
other state as well...oh, and welcome to the forum Hocho!
jim

 

[DebraMJF]

Hocho:

Your vision and ethic inspires. ENOUGH is also a core word of mine - a feeling I intentionally aspire too often. It helps heal from the oppressive idea that we don't have enough of anything: self, food, money, things. 

Would love to know the meaning behind your user name.

DebraMJF

 

[Cargo Margo]

New to the forum, but not new to van dwelling.

I'm a 40yo Asian American in a van. I saved up enough money and decided to exit the rat race. Vanning was a way to retire and travel.

Half my time is focused on taking care of myself. And half the time, I hope, will be getting to know other Vanners and how the community works.

I am Buddhist (specifically Insight/Theravada tradition). My buddhism doesn't focus on religious dogma. I like to say that I focus on eliminating greed, anger, blame, and wishful thinking in myself. I study and practice eliminating greed, anger, blame, and delusion. I also teach it a small amount.

I also am doing some writing.

I am a trained crisis counselor and have an interest in therapies to address trauma.

I have enough money saved up for myself, so, I have a pledge to devote any new money I earn to others or social projects. Moving the needle isn't easy, so I'm a big student of life to see what actually makes a difference.

I am interested in the causes of social inequality and poverty, and how to combat them.

I think a lot about safety and safehavens, and how to create them. I think about the word "enough" and how that varies for different people.

I'd be interested in land projects, like what HOWA is doing.


my rig
I home base out of a friend's house in Nevada I have two rigs. A 1995 Chevy Astro van and a 2000 honda odyssey.

Both have a "box bed" and sleep under configuration. I sleep under a table for stealth. The top of the table is then a big table.

It's very minimalist. No fridge. Small USB and LiFePo batteries. 30w solar that I have just as backup. Lots of bins. I do the box bed instead of insulation.

See my post on Box Beds in insulation for pictures.


OTHER THOUGHTS

buddhism
I do a lot of Buddhism and it gives me a lot of community. The pandemic has created online zoom meetings round the clock.

I also attend Unitarian Universalist meetings in some cities.

I have a link to online buddhism resources here:
https://nothingisenoughbuddhism.blogspot.com/2020/12/zoombuddhism-best-buddhist-links.html

writing
I do some Buddhist writing. It's mostly here:
https://nothingisenoughbuddhism.blogspot.com/

trauma
I read the body keeps score in ~2015 and it changed a lot of my understanding about trauma. Trauma is the #1 public health emergency, more damaging than covid or cancer. It's also the cause of a lot of alcoholism and domestic violence.

Sadly, modern life is creating more trauma, rather than less of it. And also trauma and instability for kids.

Therapy does work, but it doesn't scale well. It's too expensive to get to everyone.

I think a lot about how people with trauma and self-organize. Basically, how could we take a structure like AA for alcohol abuse and make something for trauma.

One model I think has potential is Refuge Recovery. That's focused on addiction (using Buddhist principles of nonjudgmental awareness). It's thriving and growing.


helping others and moving the needle
What if we bought 100 acres of land and just let it be a free for all?

I think that'd collapse if there weren't rules. Issues with sanitation or noise. Or drunks and partying would start out in a corner, but then drive away people who would sustain the space.


I've been to Rainbow Gatherings and burning man regionals and food banks. They aren't free for all's. The culture and organization matters a lot.


Great ideas are cheap. Execution and getting them to work is the hard part. COVID is a great example. There have been many things that could have mostly solved COVID since last June. Rapid antigen tests. Better masks. Ventilation. Podding. But they didn't have government support or the interest of everyday people.

Usually, the bottleneck of executing a great idea is getting the adoption right. And adoption is change management. Not just a good idea.

For this, my main reference is the book Switch. It's by Chip and Dan Heath. Very readable.

Putting it another way, a lot of movements collapse, even when they are good ideas. Why? One can Google Hobo University for an interesting historical perspective.

So, the puzzle for me is how to organize movements that self sustain after a bit of seed money. Movements die when participants tend to drain the movement (take more than they give) or when the goals get confusing so that people don't want to be part of it (churn, attrition).

So there is a narrow path to sustaining movements.


social inequality and poverty
In this day and age, there is no financial reason everyone (at least in the US) isn't given food, shelter, and opportunity.

Poor people aren't lazy overall. They work harder than I have most of my life, navigating complex and unpredictable systems of support (government and family).

I think Vanning (and communal living) has huge potential to address this.


safety, safehavens, enough
Vanning is an inexpensive way to get people stabilized in terms of shelter and security.

Living in shelters and on the street is very unsafe. It's amazing how much of a difference a door that locks can make. Not just in physical safety, but mindset.

I think the HOWA project is doing a lot of things right. It's be great to find spaces that could enable villages and outposts. A safehaven in every state where Vanners can recharge.

It also doesn't have to be centralized. Kind hearted people can offer up their driveways for 2-4 days at a time. Or churches.

What's stopping this? Well, some local zoning laws to keep poverty out. But also issues of trust. I think almost everyone would let a friend park a car in their driveway for a few days. But we don't trust strangers.

Some strangers are awesome and just need some space. Space is enough. Others are troublemakers. And, unfortunately, if there are 1% troublemakers, that can poison trust for everyone.

So, a big question I have is if van dwelling is enough for people? And how can one tell those who just need a driveway and water, vs those who are troublemakers who will look to cheat and take advantage of others.

Couchsurfing and airbnb have some models that might work.

I do computer programming, so I might work on this problem.


land
I'm looking at land and setting up an outpost/safehaven. I'm looking at land near Gallup. And I'd be interested if there might be alliances with native american communities.

Unlike HOWA, I think finding some small lots in low-population towns (like Gallup, NM) is a better plan. And then grow as needed.


Nice to meet you all! I look forward to seeing you on the road!

Welcome,
I like your philosophy. Hoping to run into you some time.