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Weve all dreamed about leaving our monotonous routines behind for a more adventurous lifestyle far away from home.
Everything is ten times harder, 23-year-oldSiena JuhlintoldThe Wall Street Journal.
Siena left her waitressing job in Missouri to explore the US West Coast.
But everything is also amazingly beautiful and rewarding.
Still, she has no plans of stopping.
I had dreamt of van-life.
I had seen it on social media.
I remember telling my parents that I wanted to do it.
My dad was kind of skeptical.
You know, I had my masters, I got my CPA, I had a really good job.
And he was like, Youre really going to give all that up to live in a van?'
Kahlilah embarked on her journey after returning home from Germany.
Before that, she had immersed herself in a semester of study in Austria.
So I decided to explore my own country, and a van made the most sense to me.
Its like living in a giant purse it’s possible for you to drive around.
Half of that was spent on the road.
I put off doing a van (journey) for some time because I couldnt find a travel companion.
It took courage to go it alone, though it was scarier in thought than in reality.
You dont have a bathroom or running water.
So, where do you get your water from?
Where do you use the bathroom five plus times a day?
Where do you shower?
How do you clean up after cooking?
Additionally, she had to find a way to fit everything into her self-converted Honda Odyssey minivan.
There is no extra space anywhere, not for your stuff or for your body to stretch out.
You are also more at the mercy of the weather.
It can be really hot or freezing cold.
I always think the best weapon you have is a good head on your shoulders.
Having them quelled a lot of fears, though I never used them.
A further safety incident she experienced was when a man started following her.
He began by parking his vehicle next to hers and trying to talk to Kahlilah.
I immediately shut him down, and he drove off.
Thirty minutes later, I took off and went to a store.
Then I saw the man inside…
So I left, and so did he.
I pulled into the next public place down the road.
He followed me inside.
I was super stirred up and scared inside, though I was proud of myself.
That was the last hoorah, and Ive been home ever since.
I have a bit of road fear after my big accident on the highway…
It feels weird to be a little afraid after all the time Ive spent driving around.
The road can take you places, but you oughta have respect for it.
Still, she doesnt rule out the possibility of embarking on a newjourney.
There are roads I havent taken in other places.
Perhaps Ill try another country or continent, she said.
