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Off-Topic A hobo guide post

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Very interesting topic. I never knew people do this on purpose. If I may ask, how long you been doing this? Is there an end in sight? Have you ever been in any dangerous situation at all? And, where do you take shower?
 
I had a friend in South Africa who became a "hobo". He was quite successful but one day decided that he had enough of the rat race and wanted to explore and experience new things. He sold up everything, bought some gear, and went walking. Doing this in South Africa is not easy as hobo's are generally considered as outcasts and the lowest of the low. They are typically alcoholics or drug addicts, unwashed, and cause a lot of public nusance. Anyhow, he very much like Jak moved around a lot, worked where he could, met new people, surfed and in general lived a life of a nomad for a while.

The last I heard he bought an old offroad truck, spent time working on it so he could overland in it. I think now he's somewhere in Russia doing his thing.

I really respect people like Jak and he. I think they live full lives, and experience a lot more than the typical rat participating in the race.
 
I came to a point where my family didnt want me to live with them anymore. It was early january of this year. I stuffed my essentials into an amazon basics backpack and left that night.

I was less than a month into my new job as an emt basic in San Diego, gettingg paid $12 / hr. I worked full time but the cost of living in SoCal is so high and there is very little housing available (affordable housing being almost nonexistent there). I stayed on my best friends couch for a few weeks. I was a homeless emt for a little more than 3 months. I loved the job and people but eventually came to the conclusion that the job at that company in that area was too expensive to keep. So i bought a greyhound to vegas and eventually made it to utah.

I do look for afforable housing solutions almost every day, along with the constant search for temp jobs. I also just applied for a nursing program at the college here in provo, which makes housing cheaper as you get a discount for beimg a student here. I would like housing and stability now that ive found a town i like, but this lifestyle is no longer a burden on me, certainly not like it was in san diego..

It is a process to leave this lifestyle, but its also something i can always go back to and not feel like my life is in crisis. At first it was very upsetting and hard, it just got a lot easier. Being sober (clean urine), being psychologically stable, and having a decent work ethic are the prerequesites to transitioning to being "housed up".

its not like i have a bunch of money and couod just leave the lifestyke any time i want, but i do have the "prerequisites" i just talked about

I showr at the gym, daily, in the morning. I stash my sleepng bag in a locker so i can apply for housing / jobs in the area. I look like any other young college student if i stash my sleeping bag.
 
Very interesting topic. I never knew people do this on purpose. If I may ask, how long you been doing this? Is there an end in sight? Have you ever been in any dangerous situation at all? And, where do you take shower?

Very few dangerous situations, to be honest. As a 6 foot tall 24 year old male im not exactly as easy target for weirdos. Most lunatics with bad intentions pick people that are more vulnerable
 
@Jak Nieuwenhuis Let us know or PM me if you need anything we can help with. You've been with us a while, and we are some kind of "family" here! You and my son would probably get along great, and he's had a few people help him along the way, so I'd be glad to pass it forward.
 
@Jak Nieuwenhuis Let us know or PM me if you need anything we can help with. You've been with us a while, and we are some kind of "family" here! You and my son would probably get along great, and he's had a few people help him along the way, so I'd be glad to pass it forward.

Thanks Anna, this place is a great source of support for me, especially the people who frequent my training log. Just knowing i have people i can reach out and message on here is a great thing.
 
Jak, thanks for that and for sharing! I was confused by your post. For reasons I don't know, it kind of upset me. I was imagining middle class 'burbs pretending to a hobo.

Coincidentally, 20+ years ago, my family wanted me to leave as well. And I did. I was not right, I was immature, and leaving was healthy for me and my family. I was 18, an adult.

It was a hard year, being an "adventurer". Not pleasant for me, but also lots of personal growth. I wish you luck. If you are ever in the state of Delaware, message me.
 
Jak, thanks for that and for sharing! I was confused by your post. For reasons I don't know, it kind of upset me. I was imagining middle class 'burbs pretending to a hobo.

Coincidentally, 20+ years ago, my family wanted me to leave as well. And I did. I was not right, I was immature, and leaving was healthy for me and my family. I was 18, an adult.

It was a hard year, being an "adventurer". Not pleasant for me, but also lots of personal growth. I wish you luck. If you are ever in the state of Delaware, message me.

Thank you!

I get you being upset. Sometimes the train hopping. / "dirty kid" / travelling culture upsets me as well

I agree that the "why" is very important, and im glad you posed that question to me.

If im ever in Delaware i will let you know, until then, please keep in touch on here,
 
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Just a little update : i got accepted into transitional housing last friday and get to move into my own room this next monday. Basically living free of rent as long as i can prove im working (temp jobs ) and moving towards getting back on an ambulance here.

I have a manual labor temp job assignment every day from this sunday to next friday, making $12 an hour, so im lucky enough to have some work/income for the next week. On the 5th of may i get to ride along with the local fire department from 1000 to 2100, they said emts are always welcome to ride along and help out.

Nice to have this post come full circle and show the folks who may be in a similar situation that you can leave the lifestyle if thats what you choose to do, although it is a process
 
Jak,

Glad to hear that things are on the UP for you. I find life follows a non-linear strength wave cycle. Be it relationships, employment success, whatever... Zooming in on a topic, one would see peaks and valleys, but hopefully, long term, the overall trend is moving in the right direction, UP, towards your Goal. Just like ones deadlift.

It seems like being on an ambulance is very important to you. Your Goal. It would be fulfilling for you? I know I would feel a lot better having someone like you, with your "Strongfirst character", serving those in need on an ambulance.
 
Jak, thanks for that and for sharing! I was confused by your post. For reasons I don't know, it kind of upset me. I was imagining middle class 'burbs pretending to a hobo.

Coincidentally, 20+ years ago, my family wanted me to leave as well. And I did. I was not right, I was immature, and leaving was healthy for me and my family. I was 18, an adult.

It was a hard year, being an "adventurer". Not pleasant for me, but also lots of personal growth. I wish you luck. If you are ever in the state of Delaware, message me.

I got my walking papers at 17, about two months before my 18th Bday. At the time I'd say I was mature but without resources, supportive friends (plenty of friends but they all had their own issues), a plan, a clue.

I'd been paying rent for a few years already and buying most of my clothes and about half my food, so from that standpoint I was light years ahead of my contemporaries. In my case it made me overly pragmatic and maybe a bit old before my time. I went more than a year before owning my first real bed. I did some wandering during that time but all that accomplished was blowing what $ I managed to save, I didn't feel like I was "seeing the world" as I already felt like I had a good understanding of it. Cold, hungry, and possessionless feel the same pretty much everywhere. I learned a lot about minimalist nutrition though.

Whatever it takes, my own children will never know what that feels like unless they do so by choice. Even then I'd probably stalk em :cool:
 
I got my walking papers at 17, about two months before my 18th Bday. At the time I'd say I was mature but without resources, supportive friends (plenty of friends but they all had their own issues), a plan, a clue.

I'd been paying rent for a few years already and buying most of my clothes and about half my food, so from that standpoint I was light years ahead of my contemporaries. In my case it made me overly pragmatic and maybe a bit old before my time. I went more than a year before owning my first real bed. I did some wandering during that time but all that accomplished was blowing what $ I managed to save, I didn't feel like I was "seeing the world" as I already felt like I had a good understanding of it. Cold, hungry, and possessionless feel the same pretty much everywhere. I learned a lot about minimalist nutrition though.

Whatever it takes, my own children will never know what that feels like unless they do so by choice. Even then I'd probably stalk em :cool:

Hey NCM. I share that sentiment. I am going to make sure that whatever family I form have never HAS TO deal with homelessness either.
 
Jak,

Glad to hear that things are on the UP for you. I find life follows a non-linear strength wave cycle. Be it relationships, employment success, whatever... Zooming in on a topic, one would see peaks and valleys, but hopefully, long term, the overall trend is moving in the right direction, UP, towards your Goal. Just like ones deadlift.

It seems like being on an ambulance is very important to you. Your Goal. It would be fulfilling for you? I know I would feel a lot better having someone like you, with your "Strongfirst character", serving those in need on an ambulance.

My goal is to get back on an ambulance yes sir. I have 600 ambulance hours currently but the goal is years worth of experience, getting my AEMT, and eventually my paramedic card.
 
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