Can a family from California leave behind nearly all their possessions and embrace a sort of nomadic lifestyle?
We’re gonna find out.
Hi there! I’m Joel D Canfield. My wife Sue and I are going to experiment with being nomads. Our businesses allow us to work anywhere there’s internet access. We have a worldwide network of friends and associates. We have a simple lifestyle. We’re incredibly self-reliant.
We’re going to document the experiment in this blog. We also plan to write a book and create a DVD, partly to share the journey’s fun, and partly to share its lessons.
If you’d like to ask what’s wrong with us, or cheer us on, there’s a contact form around here somewhere, and for the truly committed, there’s a ‘Donate’ button to the left which will help make this all happen a little more smoothly.
Hi David,
Just found you from a comment you left at Debbie LaChusa’s site. My partner and I have been traveling the USA since mid-2006 and loving every minute of it. I work my business from the road, too.
People ask us all the time, “where are you from?” And like you, we get to answer, “well, we’re from right here right now.” I love that!
I’m looking forward to “hanging out” here with you guys and getting to know you better.
Take care.
Marty
Howdy, Marty! Not sure how you figured out my middle name, but I usually go by Joel ;)
Where are you right now? Feel free to drop by the Campfire Page and share what’s going on if you’d like.
Sue and Joel:
Just catching up with my Twitter account and found your post so had to check out your website. I’ve been “roving” since mid-2007 and it’s wonderful. I get time to really learn about a place and its people before moving on. A far cry from years of 2 week (or 3 day) vacations.
I live full-time in my vintage RV and work from there as a virtual assistant specializing in legal work (after 30+ years in law offices and getting becoming a paralegal). Two Giant Schnauzers and Indian Ringneck (bird) are my constant companions. Years ago I spent time overseas as a photojournalist/journalist, so am using this time to get back to my writing.
Where am I from? The wind! I am where I am at the moment. I learned from my critters to live in the moment. And it’s a great way to learn about REAL people again. Having spent nearly 20 years in Southern California, my time in the Ozarks was a re-awakening and an eye opener — to say nothing of experiencing heat and humidity and snow again, after all this time. In the summer you feel like you need to just STAY in the shower so you don’t have to struggle into clothes. In the winter you can’t wear enough clothes!
I’ll continue to check in on you and hope you are all doing well.
Howdy, Karalyn!
Our first year has taught us a bit about time. We don’t like being somewhere less than 3 weeks, but any longer than that and we get itchy. We try to scratch the itch by taking a drive. We’d prefer to have a single place to live for a couple months; three would even be nice. But then we need to move on.
We’re in the early stages of our nomad life, so we’re still getting the driving and moving out of our systems. We want to see the rest of the US and Canada before we choose a temporary home, then see Europe, Australia, and more before we decide that we really do want to settle in the west of Ireland.
We both grew up in San Diego. Nice place to visit, but we no longer want to live in California, or in any big city.
Hope you’ll drop by and share a comment now and then. If you find yourself near us, please O please give us a shout so we can meet for tea and a chat.
Hi Karalyn! Thanks for your comment. Funny how many VAs I’m finding are living in RVs or otherwise location independent. It’s great to have work that allows that.
Where in So Cal were you? My dad was born in Arkansas so I have to make it there sometime. Maybe we’ll meet up on the road sometime.