Full-Time RV Living: Was it a Mistake?

Do you want to live and travel full-time in an RV?  Are you ready for the ups and downs that come with living a life so totally different from the one you are living now? Because if you aren't ready for the good and the bad, you might find yourself sitting next to your RV with a dead battery asking yourself, "Was this all a mistake?"

When I decided to quit my job, sell my condo and begin traveling full-time in my motorhome, I didn't really give much thought to the long-term emotional side of the experience. I was just so excited to start my grand, new adventure. I couldn't imagine that it wouldn't just be amazing, and the first three months were TOTALLY AWESOME!

Then the sense of adventure and the newness wore off. Surprise! I wasn't so excited anymore. I felt crowded by all the stuff in my RV. I began to question my decision to live in such as small space. It was more expensive than I thought it would be and I was worried about money. Luckily for me, I've met a few other full-time campers. They assured me that I was feeling a "culture shock" of sorts. They suggested that I think more about how I was living in the RV. They reminded me that I was not just vacationing. They pointed out that this new way of living needed a new mindset. They suggested that I make some changes to my routines and slow down. They asked me to tell them why I wanted to begin this new way of living. Was my way of living helping me to have the adventures and experiences I wanted to have? They strongly suggested that I live and travel in my RV for at least a year and at the end of that year, I could reevaluate if this was the lifestyle for me.

Their questions and suggestions led me to do some research on "culture shock" especially for those who move away from home. The US foreign service, universities, and international businesses all train people on how to adapt to new cultures. Based on what I learned, I know that negative feelings are part of the process of adapting to change. Knowing this has helped me to feel less guilty. (After all, shouldn't I be happy all the time?) Now I know it is normal to lose the initial excitement. I also learned what I can do to bring some excitement back into my daily life.

Are you thinking about making a big change in your life? To help you manage the feelings that come with big changes, I thought I would share what I learned about the phases of cultural adjustment and a few of my experiences in each phase.

The Five Phases of Cultural Adjustment
1. Anticipation Phase

This phase usually happens before you make a change in your life. For me, this first phase lasted about 6 months. I researched RV living. I went to RV trade shows and sales lots. I watched YouTube videos about living full-time on the road. I read blogs about tiny houses. I DREAMED about camping on the beach and staring at the stars in the clear night sky. I made a wish list of all the places I wanted to visit. Then, I created a website to store all that I was learning.  I was feeling a little NERVOUS but mostly I felt EXCITED!

Here is the link to my travel website if you want to look at my earliest notes on RV living: https://sites.google.com/site/caminoturtletravels/

2. Disengagement Phase

One of the hardest parts of transitioning from a "sticks and bricks" life to a full-time RV life was disengaging from all the familiar things around me. That meant quitting a job I liked, selling a condo in a city I loved, and saying good-bye to amazing family and friends.  This is a very emotional time, but the excitement and anticipation of my new life seemed to overshadow the negative feelings. As much as I loved my life, I really wanted more adventure and travel than my full-time job allowed. So, I packed up some boxes, temporarily stored them in my niece's basement, bought my RV, drove it from Atlanta to Arlington, and then filled it up with all my stuff. During this time of disengagement, I was feeling STRESSED but also EAGER.

3. Honeymoon Phase

During the first three months of my new life as a full-time RVer, I was in heaven. Every day was amazing. The views out my front windshield were spectacular. My campsites on the shores of lakes were awesome and relaxing. I felt alive and invigorated. I went to festivals and fairgrounds. I took long walks on beaches and hiked to the top of various mountains. If I'm honest, during those first three months, I acted like I was on an extended vacation.  I was living like a tourist. Everything seemed possible. I was feeling BLESSED, ALIVE and AMAZED.

4. Culture Shock Phase

Then the honeymoon was over. The newness of my new full-time RV life was wearing off. I was tired of having to learn the locations for the post office and the grocery store in each state that I visited.  Mechanical problems started to crop up and I wasn't sure how to deal with them. I was not a big fan of some aspects of RV life, like dumping my black tank.  I was overwhelmed by all the new things I needed to learn! I didn't have a job and my savings account was shrinking. There was a much bigger learning curve for RV living than I expected. Life was getting too hard! Suddenly, I realized I was out in the world on my own and I began to feel isolated. Phone conversations with family were not filling the emotional void. It was during this culture shock phase that I began to question whether or not this new way of living was going to work for me. Maybe I made a mistake? Was it time to sell the RV and move back into "normal" life?  I was feeling OVERWHELMED, LONELY, and UNCERTAIN.

5. Adaptation Phase

After about a year, I think I know more about how to maintain my RV. I learned this by watching YouTube videos, asking techs at RV repair shops and talking to fellow campers. To relieve some of my financial stress, I got a flexible, part-time job teaching English to kids in China using my laptop. This allows me to keep traveling and still pay my bills. Part of my culture shock was caused by constant travel. When I realized this, I made the decision to balance months of weekly traveling with long-term, seasonal stays so I can visit family, meet new people and make friends.

I've also invited family members to come and camp with me and I stayed at campgrounds near where they live. (I even camped in my sister's driveway.) I've established daily and weekly routines so I don't feel like I am just floating through my life. I stopped being a tourist and became a person who works, cooks, eats, reads, plays computer games, prays, sleeps and travels full-time in a motorhome. Full-time RV living is becoming my life, not just a vacation. I feel GRATEFUL and BALANCED.

Living in my RV Feels NORMAL
Realizing that my life isn't one big vacation but a different way of living has actually allowed me to enjoy the time I have to relax and explore. At the same time, it has helped me to feel a lot less guilty for those days when I never leave the camper because I just had too much work to do.

As a full-time RVer, I am constantly adapting to new places and people. Now, when I feel overwhelmed by all the changes, I've given myself permission to slow down and just enjoy the place where I am for a while. When I stay for a month or longer, I get comfortable knowing where things are, like the local Catholic Church or the post office. This gives me extra time to get off the beaten path and explore the places where the tourists don't go.  One of the best parts of living in an RV is that when I am ready for the next adventure, I just pack up the camper and head out into the great unknown!

Are you ready for the next grand adventure in your life?  Knowing the roller coasters of emotions that come with this change can help you to ride them out. That way, you will be less likely to quit when things seem too hard because you will know that the best part of your new life will be just around the corner.

Referral Link to Teach English as a Second Language
Do you need to make some extra money to support your next big adventure?  Why not consider teaching English to kids in China using your laptop and high-speed internet?  Don't worry if you aren't a certified teacher, VIPKID will help you to get certified. With a little practice, you can become a great ESL teacher.

I've been working with VIPKID, a company in China since March 2019. They let you set your own days and hours, so you can work as much or as little as you want. You just need to market yourself on VIPKID's website so students can find you.  I can help you...

If you are interested in making some extra money, click the VIPKID link below.

VIPKID

When you use my referral link, I get a cash bonus of $100 after you teach your first class. Email me at caminoturtle2016@gmail.com  to let me know you are applying so I can help you with the interview process.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MANAGING CHANGE
Do you have any questions or maybe some suggestions for us on how to adapt to change?  Add your thoughts by typing in the comment box below. I love sharing what I am learning, but I also love learning from all of you.