Houseless not Homeless

 I don't really do book reviews, but I just finished one that touched my soul.

Nomadland is written by a woman who not only interviewed and wrote about the book's characters, but also embraced the lifestyle of the houseless (not homeless) workers who travel the country in search of  work.  At times she camped alongside her subjects and even purchased a van to fully immerse herself in the experience.

Many of these people are senior citizens who don't have the resources to enjoy what should be their retirement years.  Many lost their homes in the 2008 recession.  Many don't want to be a burden to their families so instead they've joined communities who support them and watch out for each other.  In the winter months thousands congregate in Quartzite, Arizona where they can camp for free and congregate with their friends who arrive from all over the country.

From Amazon warehouse jobs in places like Tennessee and Kentucky to camp host jobs in the Forest Service campgrounds of western America to beet harvest jobs in North Dakota.  They struggle to survive on meager social security checks and the earnings from their seasonal positions.  Their working conditions are less than ideal and many of their work experiences sound like slave labor.  While in a city or town they have to find places where they can stealthily park their vehicle for the night while not being run off by the local police or citizens who fear their lifestyle.

It's a book about compassion and understanding and how we should be doing better to help the less fortunate.  I, too, am a work camper who leaves home for a few months every summer to work in a national park.  The difference is that I am fortunate to have a 35' fifth wheel trailer to live in with electricity, heat, water, and sewage.  That's not the situation most nomads find themselves in.  According to the book I fall into the category of someone who embraces the lifestyle by spending tens of thousands of dollars to look homeless.  

Many of the people I work with in the summers rely on the income from these seasonal jobs to survive the year.  My goal is not to be one of those entitled white people who makes careless comments about others who work to survive or are struggling to find their way in a new country.

I am envious of those who have the freedom to roam where they wish.  I could easily sell all my belongs and hit the road full time to explore all that this country offers.  Although that is not in the cards for me, I plan to travel to all corners of the earth fearlessly for as long as I'm able.  How about you?

A lyric from Crazy by Seal:  "In a world full of people, only some want to fly.  Isn't that crazy?"

(And by the way, I said I'd never go back to my national park again and just today I agreed to go back for the last half of the season this summer.  Lord help me!  If I didn't love and respect my co-workers and supervisors so much it would be much easier to say no.  LOL)