Dealing with “The Questions”
03-25-2016
Author: in RV Tips & Education
Dealing with “The Questions”
This is a bit of a personal ramble today, but it is something I encounter quite often. I would guess that other full timers do too. I don’t think I’m the only person living in an RV whose sanity and stability have been called into question.
My husband and I have been full timing for a few years now. We were living in our van for a couple of years, moved up to a dilapidated Winnebago, went back to the van, and are not in a very nice Vantage travel trailer. Read about that experience here: Buying a used RV: A Cautionary Tale.
We love our full time life; to us it is as natural as breathing (and for me, I can finally breathe!).
I was happy to finally be able to adopt this lifestyle, it’s something I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember. My family moved 16 times before I was in kindergarten – no, they weren’t gypsies or anything like that, my father traveled for work and they moved him around from place to place so we went with him. I guess travel is just in my blood.
I also don’t much care for houses. They might be perfectly fine for some people, but for me, not so much. I prefer the closer quarters of an RV and LOVE the fact that I can change my backyard any time I want! How cool is that?
So when we took the plunge and left D.C. to pursue a less frenetic lifestyle, I was stoked. I was also totally not prepared for how family members and friends would react. My husband loved the idea (such a smart man!) and my kids thought it was awesome (they grew up with me, probably the most unconventional mom on the planet – they didn’t have a prayer), my mother (nothing I do surprises her anymore), and a couple of friends who know me well enough to have seen it coming, but the rest reacted like we were traveling from town to town selling snake oil.
This brings me to the topic of this post; responding to “the questions” and head scratching that will occur amongst at least some of your friends and family members when you tell them that you will be living full time in an RV.
I will say, I don’t care what people think, but I do enjoy taking the opportunity to educate them. That may just be my personality, but it is sort of fun to watch the reality of what an awesome idea this actually is finally dawn on them. When I tell people that I am a full time freelance writer and photographer and that we live in an RV, some get this almost dreamy look and say, “I wish I could do that.”
I was on that side of the fence a few years ago, living in Washington, D.C., working as a federal analyst, commuting upwards of 3 hours a day, and believing that there had to be more to life. In fact, that’s often my jumping off point.
My favorite questions:
Usually when I answer the questions I just can’t keep my enthusiasm and joy to myself. This is the happiest I’ve ever been and it shows. The people who matter see that, see my happiness, and that’s enough for them. The rest? Well, whatever. I hope someday they find peace.
When you live in an RV, work as a freelancer, or pursue any type of unconventional lifestyle some people are going to look down on you. That’s just the way it is; you’ve violated a social norm. You have upset their neat little world where everyone is the same. It’s OK to shake things up a bit, it’s good for people. Best of all, you are inspiring some people dream and maybe even take some steps toward living those dreams.
This is a bit of a personal ramble today, but it is something I encounter quite often. I would guess that other full timers do too. I don’t think I’m the only person living in an RV whose sanity and stability have been called into question.
My husband and I have been full timing for a few years now. We were living in our van for a couple of years, moved up to a dilapidated Winnebago, went back to the van, and are not in a very nice Vantage travel trailer. Read about that experience here: Buying a used RV: A Cautionary Tale.
We love our full time life; to us it is as natural as breathing (and for me, I can finally breathe!).
I was happy to finally be able to adopt this lifestyle, it’s something I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember. My family moved 16 times before I was in kindergarten – no, they weren’t gypsies or anything like that, my father traveled for work and they moved him around from place to place so we went with him. I guess travel is just in my blood.
I also don’t much care for houses. They might be perfectly fine for some people, but for me, not so much. I prefer the closer quarters of an RV and LOVE the fact that I can change my backyard any time I want! How cool is that?
So when we took the plunge and left D.C. to pursue a less frenetic lifestyle, I was stoked. I was also totally not prepared for how family members and friends would react. My husband loved the idea (such a smart man!) and my kids thought it was awesome (they grew up with me, probably the most unconventional mom on the planet – they didn’t have a prayer), my mother (nothing I do surprises her anymore), and a couple of friends who know me well enough to have seen it coming, but the rest reacted like we were traveling from town to town selling snake oil.
This brings me to the topic of this post; responding to “the questions” and head scratching that will occur amongst at least some of your friends and family members when you tell them that you will be living full time in an RV.
I will say, I don’t care what people think, but I do enjoy taking the opportunity to educate them. That may just be my personality, but it is sort of fun to watch the reality of what an awesome idea this actually is finally dawn on them. When I tell people that I am a full time freelance writer and photographer and that we live in an RV, some get this almost dreamy look and say, “I wish I could do that.”
I was on that side of the fence a few years ago, living in Washington, D.C., working as a federal analyst, commuting upwards of 3 hours a day, and believing that there had to be more to life. In fact, that’s often my jumping off point.
My favorite questions:
- Aren’t you afraid your RV will fall apart with you living in it full time? (uh, no)
- Didn’t it bother you to give up all your stuff? (I never was one for a bunch of “stuff.”)
- Aren’t you afraid of the types of people who hang out at those campgrounds? (the campgrounds where I stay are safer than most neighborhoods)
- What will people think? (I don’t care)
- Don’t women need the stability of a home? (Seriously? This is my home!)
- How can you and your husband live in such a small space all the time? (we have an awesome marriage and are both pretty easy going, plus we like each other)
Usually when I answer the questions I just can’t keep my enthusiasm and joy to myself. This is the happiest I’ve ever been and it shows. The people who matter see that, see my happiness, and that’s enough for them. The rest? Well, whatever. I hope someday they find peace.
When you live in an RV, work as a freelancer, or pursue any type of unconventional lifestyle some people are going to look down on you. That’s just the way it is; you’ve violated a social norm. You have upset their neat little world where everyone is the same. It’s OK to shake things up a bit, it’s good for people. Best of all, you are inspiring some people dream and maybe even take some steps toward living those dreams.
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Author: Stephanie A. Mayberry
