I returned home to my loving family welcoming me back with open arms, as well as my restaurant family at Fate Brewing Company with seemingly unlimited hours for me to work. I jumped straight into the madness rather than dipping my toes in gradually. I went from healthy, peaceful, yogi living to often stressful, fast-paced, long shifts waitressing and overwhelming experiences of reverse culture shock. Everything seemed materialistic, expensive, aggressive, & lacking true emotion. English speaking, organized supermarkets, spotless living conditions, and solo car driving felt incredibly foreign to me. When I got to spend time at home with my family, I savored each moment, drinking tea, talking with my Mom, preparing healthy meals, and relaxing in their beautiful abode. I had missed them so much, and felt so happy to be back in the company of the people I hold dearest to my heart. When I was out in the world however, I became easily overstimulated. Consumer environments like grocery stores, shopping malls, and busy parking lots would make me freak out. I felt as if the options were too many, so I tended to opt to buy nothing rather than make a decision. I worked my butt off, saved every penny, and was lucky to live rent-free with Mom and Dad to save up for the next adventure. I practiced yoga, sat & meditated beside Boulder Creek before my shifts, wrote poetry, and attempted to stay grounded. Many people have asked me how I afford to keep traveling the way I do, so I will give you a few simple tips. How To Live A Gypsy Life For Close To Free... 1. Cut ties with any contracts that will essentially hold you back from getting away, like car payments, year-long rental agreements, leases, phone bills, gym memberships, etc. & opt for month-to-month or pay-as-you-go options (or nothing at all!) 2. Stop buying stuff you don't need (seriously, stop it), and simplify (give away or donate) the stuff you do! 3. Minimize eating & drinking at restaurants and bars to a bare minimum, as they usually cost more than double what grocery store produce will cost (& is less healthy). Happy hour deals are the best way to go! Your social life may suffer in the short-term, but your freedom will thrive later. 4. Buy local & fresh from farmer's markets or small stores like Sprouts. Fruit with granola for brekky, veggies & bread with hummus for lunch, & cooked veggies for dinner are all super affordable! 5. Soak up the simple things in life, like good conversations, creating art, making music, drinking tea, going on a picnic, hiking, walking, swimming, surfing, yoga, sunrises, & sunsets. 6. Stay in touch with people you love & new friends you meet, you never know when or where your paths may cross or fun adventures could be had! Welcome others to visit you in your neck of the woods, and they will do the same. 7. Take advantage of free stuff, free bins, public showers, water taps, visitors centers, farmers markets, local festivals, oceans, rivers, lakes, & parks. Spending money to buy bottled water is such a waste! Having a shower every single day is unnecessary and overrated. Thrift shops & Goodwill often have things for close to free as well, recycling at its' finest. 8. Buy a van! Park up & camp for free in National Forests, side roads, friends' driveways, etc, to avoid expensive campsites along your journey. (The America The Beautiful Pass by the National Forest and Wilderness costs $80 for a year, and allows you free entrance to every federal park and recreation area which usually cost $20 to $30 per park, great value!) 9. Keep good relationships with your employers, by coming & going on good terms and working hard when you are in town, they may be willing to let you come back to work in between travels. 10. Live in the moment, and appreciate what you have. By embracing the abundance in your life, sharing the love and a smile with others, and finding the bright side of any situation, goodness will flow more and more into your life! Practice an attitude of gratitude.
