Has it only been 14 days since we launched the Give Every Day project? It feels like it's been MONTHS (in a good way).
Obviously, we're not experienced RVer's just yet, but I thought I'd share our 5 favorite things about living on-the-road so far.
Close Quarters. Everyone warned us that we'd drive each other crazy in such a small space. But...shhh...don't tell...we actually kind of like it. It's nice to know where everyone is at all times. It's nice to say "Can someone hand me a towel?" after a shower and have a fresh towel there in a minute or less. It's nice to only have 4 shirts to choose between in the morning. It's nice to say "let's clean up" and clean the whole house in 30 minutes or less. It's cozy and safe and serene, albeit a little loud sometimes. ;)
Freedom. In only 14 days, we've taken in so much. We've been through Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. We've been in big cities and small towns, walked over rivers and sat beside a lake, heard new accents and shopped at new grocery stores. And we still have SO MUCH more to see.
Learning. "I feel like my brain is literally expanding," I said that to Tim a few days ago. Every day is a new day to learn. Not only are we learning the logistics of the RV world, we are learning from people and from places. We are confronted with new obstacles and new challenges...that require resourcefulness and innovation. After [too many] years away from formal academia, I am happy to be a student once again.
People. The BEST part is all of the people that we come across, young and old. Smart, creative, loving, bold, peaceful, kind, eccentric people. As we meet them, we find that each of them leave a little print on our hearts.
Time slows down (and speeds up at the same time). We have time to stop and chat to neighbors, to linger and watch the sunset, to take a walk with all four of us holding hands, to be present in this grand life. I find myself forgetting what day of the week it is sometimes...not because we are being wasteful with our time, but because we are immersed in it.
Stay tuned tomorrow when I'll share my 5 WORST things about living on-the-road. ;)
What questions do you have about living on-the-road? Would you ever consider it?
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Our honeymoon was 4 months on the road traveling the west in a teeny tiny t@b trailer with our pug. We LOVED it! We just bought a travel trailer and it is very tempting to hit the road with our 2yr old and 2 pugs. It is such an amazing experience and I agree about the learning along the way and the people you meet. We are still in touch 6yrs later with people we met on our road trip. If it wasn't for our fears we would do it.
Here's a resource you might be interested in: http://www.familiesontheroad.com/. It's a "directory" of families that are on-the-road full-time, plus information.
Let me know if I can answer any questions. :)
I've been lurking for a while, but have really enjoyed reading your posts about on living on-the-road. A lot has happened for you guys in just a few short weeks!
Whenever I was a child, there were a few summers that our family lived in a RV traveling with the construction company that my father worked for at the time. My sister and I loved it, we were about eight and four years old, and it truly made for some great memories that we still talk about as adults.
I love list posts. They're so easy to read, and always interesting. Well, almost always. This one for sure. And oh my goodness. The ability to clean the whole place in under 30 minutes? Major perk. ;)
I love that you guys are doing this. I love the adventure of it. Markus and I have been itching for something...to do something...just not sure what yet...more importantly, what God wants us to do yet. For now we continue to serve where we are. I do think of you guys everyday and love that you are exploring, adventuring, relying, and living in the now, by the Spirit.
I'd be curious to know how much time you actually spend in the RV during the day. It doesn't sound like too much! I would definitely RV it for a week vacation with the family but I think that would be my limit. I'm afraid I would find the quarters just a little bit cramped for an extended time. I lived out of a backpack for a year, travelling around Australia when I finished college. 4 of us camped in a tent for 2 months of that year. It was a blast - there wasn't anything I didn't know about my 3 travel friends!
Good question! We're still figuring all of this out, but we actually spend quite a bit of time in our RV. It is our house, after all...so we do laundry, cook meals, take showers, reply to e-mails, read books, bake cookies, etc.
I am very intrigued with RV living. I saw your tour on Give Every Day's website and I am so impressed with how "homey" the RV is. It has all the essentials for a family - the washer & dryer, bathtub, etc. There was also so much storage! We live in a small home and it doesn't bother us at all. We're often in the same room anyway. I think for us, the biggest advantage of RV living would be the freedom it offers. I do have questions but they are identical to Cyndi's (1st comment).
We were so fortunate to end up w/ a 5th wheel with a washer & dryer. We originally thought, "That would be nice, but we could probably do without." We've since discovered that it would have been terribly inconvenient (and EXPENSIVE) to not have one. God was watching out for us!
sounds so exciting, I want to go RV'ing too!
Yes, of course! We've been on the road 9 months & still laugh at the "you'll be cramped" warnings. We love it!
I am in awe of your bravery to live on the road with your family. Good for you!
What great perspective! I'm intrigued about the 5 worst things too!
Seems like you guys are having way too much fun :)
Awesome. Perfect. And, I completely agree!!
I am so excited for you guys! I'm having a BLAST watching your adventure unfold and I can't wait to see what you're going to do with the space, freedom, learning, people and time that you have.
May I add my five favourite things:
1. Perspective: on how little we really need to be happy and how much stuff encumbers our ability to enjoy life and live generously.
2. Joy: It really isn't about destinations and there really is abundant JOY in the journey, if we'll slow down enough to find it.
3. Priorities: Without the 9-5, the house, car, playgroups, lessons, activities, go-go-go... we find our priorities fall naturally in place and we love people, not things... we focus our hearts on loving, building relationships, creating memories and other-centered living.
4. Service: As we move from place to place there are opportunities to serve, every single day, that we would never know about if we were tucked quietly into our own little house and lives somewhere. Backpackers to be helped, nomads to be fed, homeless to be sheltered, the "stranger and alien" to be handed a heaping plateful of love and grace on any given day.
5. Family. My kids are growing up too fast. I absolutely love spending 24-7 with them, climbing pyramids, learning languages, exploring the big world and seeing it through their eyes. Our children, our marriage, our family is why we hit the road in the first place and now that I have teenagers and big kids we're reaping the rewards in some pretty amazing world citizens, young people who will change the world one day and we get to watch it happen!!
Feliz Nuevo Viaje Mi Amiga!! Don't miss a minute!
"Perspective" is the perfect word to describe what we are gaining from this nomadic lifestyle. When I read your comment, I almost wanted to edit my post to include that as one of my five.
Thank you for your thoughtful, encouraging, and intelligent comments.
Also I found your list very interesting. I'm looking forward to reading your "5 Worst Things" list too. . . .
Yes, I would consider living on the road with my family. We have a tiny house now (bigger than an rv but still tiny)--and we love it--for all the reasons you mentioned. We are pretty much always together. Our house is warm and cozy and we have put our hearts into making it our home and very much "us." My biggest question as of now would be expense. What would you estimate the average monthly cost of owning and operating and living in an rv to be (including but not limited to fuel, campsite costs, utility costs, possible rv and/or truck "payments" and any other regular expense I don't know about, having never lived in an rv)? I'd love to compare an estimate with our current expenses, which include mortgage, home tax, utilities. I've often wondered if we'd need to make more on the road than we would staying home or if we would somehow break even if we had the same income, or if it would even be possible to need less money. I'm sure tons of factors come into play when finding the answer here--every situation is different I'm sure, but I'm just looking for a ballpark monthy figure I guess. We live pretty frugally, if that helps.
Thanks for asking that question, Cyndi. We're planning to do a post on GiveEveryDay.com about the costs of living on the road soon. Stay tuned.