Latest / Her Journey Her Way / Can a Canadian Live in a Van in the US for Half the Year? Nathalie Can Tell You.
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- Rita: Imagine everything from your three-story house is sitting out on the sidewalk. Your music, your books, clothes, everything. You're not selling a single thing. You're giving it all away. In two Saturdays, two hours each, it's gone. And your van isn't even built out yet. I'm Rita, and this is Her Journey Her Way, a She Travel Simple podcast. I've traveled in a camper, a shuttle bus, a van, a car, and now I'm building a 40-foot bluebird bus. The places were great, the people were better. These are their stories. Her journey, her way, the tips, and the lessons they learned along the way. Here's one of my favorites. Hey there! Today I'm with Natalie and she is from Canada and I'm very excited. To have her on today's podcast because she can give us great information about what it's like being in Canada and traveling in the US. So why don't you say hello Natalie and tell us how old you are and where in Canada you're from? Okay. So thank you, Rita, for this. hi everybody, I'm Natalie. I'm from Quebec. That's one of the ten province back there in Canada. I'm over sixty and I'm traveling since twenty twenty three in Pro Master twenty feet. you have a pro master van. Before that have you traveled in any kind of vehicle, an R V? Yes, They were little. I was with my kid and back there in my country and in Quebec City we have a a lot of mountain and we like to fish so we go to fish in the mountains so I needed something to sleep. in so I transform one of my little van in a place for that for my two kids and me. So before you got your Pro Master you used to travel with your children and go to places to go fishing? Yeah, I like to fish. That's one of my passion. And living in a van, I can go more often than ever because I'm free to go. I'm retired and I'm alone. I don't have somebody with me. I'm traveling alone so I can go where I want. I crossed a two-time Canada and now I'm having like 30 states in the USA that have been putting my feet on. Or my wheel on. Tell me about your ProMaster. what you have in it, whether you have solar or plumbing, toilet, a shower, a stove. Okay. So I've got all of this. so I have got induction stove. well it's just an over thing. I don't have micro microwave so and I'm good with that. I have a little thing that does coffee, so that's I'm good. I support it. That's the first thing I take in the morning. then I have my bed. It's a 20 feet a ProMaster 2500. And I've got solar panel. I've got a heater, it's a gas heater. And is that plumbed into your fuel tank? Yeah. Mm-hmm. And my solar panel, it's plugged when I drive my car, so it'll charge your your battery banks. Yes, with the sun and I I can put electricity. I can have plug it in as well. Yeah, yeah. And as water. I can plug water. But I have this tank of water. I think it's in gallon, I think it's fifty gallon. Wow, that's big. Yeah, that's big. and I've got another one that it's about half of that for my little grey water. I don't have black water because I have a party potta. That's my toilet, I in this kind of toilet you have to have a trash bag near because you don't put any paper in it. It's only liquid. And for the number two, you do this in a bag that you put in your toilet and it's like For dog, you put this in a trash. So with recycle plastic bag. Right. Do you have a shower in your Yeah, I've got a shower too, so I can eat my water. And when I do that, I know when I'm gonna take my shower. It's probably be at the end of the day. So if I drive, I open my eater for my water. So after an hour I've got all the the hot water I need to wash my dishes and to clean myself. And then you turn your heater off. Yeah. So that it doesn't use up your energy or your battery. Very good. Did you build the van out yourself or did you buy it already converted or did you hire people to build your van out the way you like it? the story of my van is first, I didn't build that. I'm not able to do that. but I was working at a high school and one of my friends she heard me talking about wanting to live in a van full time. I'm a full time. I sold my house so she told me to go see this couple, and this couple the company is the outsider back in Quebec. So and I had to buy my van first, so I went to the dealer and I bought my van. If you want to know the price, it was 70. thousand dollar just for the van. was it brand new or was it a used it was brand new yes brand new and they put two swivel chair in it nice and a step to go inside so that's the thing for the $70,000 and then after I took this van and I went to my friend the outsider and they built it as I wish. I choose everything in that I ask what I need and we build it together but if I wasn't happy for some things I tell them and they they put it as I like. How long did that build take? Well it took like five months. Yeah. Yes. I bought my van, it was in twenty twenty two, in December. And then I went to put the van in the parking lot of the outsider and they start beginning I think well it took like five months and I was able to go on the road on the sixth of September 2023. wow. Now you had a home and how did you manage to get all of the things in your home into the van or what happened to all of the things in your home. Okay. So I was alone, I separate. So the this house was three stairs. It was too much. And my kids, they were working in Montreal and Quebec they are three hours away. I was missing my kids so I wanted to be free to go see everybody. My kids, my friend and travel so that's the reason why I sell my house. so that's a lot of things to get rid of so my kids they choose what they want to And I rent a space because my son wasn't installed yet, so I've got a storage, I put things that he chose and some for me because I didn't have my van at that time. I had to wait. So I was leaving to friend's house. Different one. and then I did like two garage giving. No I didn't sell anything. I was giving them away. So wow. So two Saturday it was wow, sun was there and so and I had this parking lot for four car. So I full. I full all my things there for two Saturdays in a row. And all my music, everything, everything was there. everything went. Everything went. And I was like just watching that nobody come to grab everything and go sell it elsewhere. Right. you wanted it to be a true gift to people who would truly need want it and need it. that's wonderful. And I'm sure it made it a lot easier to to get the stuff gone because free is definitely easier than trying to sell I think that it took like two hours for each Saturday and everything was gone. Everything was gone. Did you have anything that you particularly struggled with getting rid of? A lot of things. But that's souvenirs that things that I remember in my head. So that's okay for me. I'm not it doesn't mind. I don't need that much of thing. I like to fish so I have a lot of a fishing pole. I like to read and I've got this you know, electronic thing so I don't have to bring a lot of book and paper so that helps for the the space. I like to paint. so I've got my things to paint. That is the most of the thing. That takes up the biggest space in your bed. Well most than books and fishing thing but I need some clothes too. but I've got this ID you know of I have the cover for caution. But the bigger one and I use that I roll my clothes and put this in in a cushion. Yeah. that's cushion cover. Yep. Like so it's like a pillow but it has your stuff in it. Yeah, yeah. So that's help and I have a garage under my bed. So I have box. I like that things are easy to pick, so those are clear plastic box so I can see what's in them. And that go easier for me. What were some of your biggest fears going into that van? Did you have any? Well, that's strange. I don't have fear. Well no. Everybody's telling me, you're so courageous. Yeah, I don't know how you can do that. I couldn't and all you know, imagine all those things. Well, I'm not full. I don't sleep at place that I'm not secure. So that that's why I have those applications I buy. I have the harvest hose that I like a lot. It's good in my country too, so I like that. I'm using that when my my kids do marathon. So he come with me in my van and that's fun. And I have I overlands and I have friend that I met so so I'm going to some states where I go to friends house. So we say mooch docking. Mooch docking instead of boondocking. But you also come to festivals and events, correct? So for example the schoolie swarm is ten days. you know, when I I start my trip, the one I made was in Canada a province. I've I've made like Nova Scotia, New Brunswick. Prince Edward Island, Saint Madeline Island, all those things. I travel along a long part of my first trip in the USA. I went to you know Marco Island and then I go to the the end of Florida and I was alone. Yes, I went to the keys and I was alone. And then after that I was missing having people around me. I was missing that a lot because it it's not like talking to somebody when you go in a store. It's not like this kind of thing. So I went online and I found this Van Fest thing. So I went there and then I met a lot of people and they were asking me. Are you going to the Schoolie Swamp? Are you coming to the Schoolie Swamp? So that was my first Schoolie Swamp at that time in twenty twenty four in Melrose. And I like it so much, so much. And spending ten days seems like too short for me. Right. But with those ten days you were able to meet people and then get a closer relationship with them, right? Yes. So they were More than just people you were camping next to. yes for sure. And you know, the first I I did was a Van Fest as I I told you. But I went as a volunteer. I asked for that. And after that I discovered that being a volunteer, it's the good things to do to meet people and that's what I did. And what still I'm doing being a volunteer at Schoolie Swarm. I went to two schoolie swam in Melrose. this is my second in fall time. I went to Do Lake and I I'm looking forward to do the ship shipper one. So and the friend I'm I have now those are very good friends and they are close to me. Some come to Quebec too and visit me. And it's not the same relationship it's like having a big family. It's a new family I'm building because I don't have a lot of I've got two kids but almost all my family are dead. So that's building a new family and it's a family that are it i it's unique. Everybody's unique and a lot of them are bringing me something. Well, in my soul. most of that in my soul. it fills your cup up. yes, a lot. A lot. It's never going to get too over the cup. No. I have space to fill it. and I like that. And and you know Rita, you're one of a person I like. You're in my soul, in my heart. So thank you, as you are in mine. Thank you. there's a lot of people here and a it's amazing how many of them can be in your heart and you didn't realise you had that much room. Yes. t we have room for that. And a teenager I like them because I was for forty years in high school. So I like teenager. When I see a bunch of teenagers together I go and present myself and, you know, do jokes and I like that. And Stay with them so hanging out like And I have older friend too. I have like this friend I like, George. And then George is ninety. Yes. So yes, everyone from nine to ninety, like we we're all here and we're all together and everyone's wonderful. Yes. So tell me about what it's like coming from Canada to the US and the US to Canada. There are certain restrictions you have, correct? Can you Tell me about them. So I cannot come in your country more than one eighty three days. One hundred and eighty-three days. Because that's exactly half of the year. Is that what that means? Yes, so almost six months but I have a little three more. So that's important to check because it's a situation just because of our health care. It's not because the country say you cannot come. Your country is not saying that. It's our country who say, Hey you you are a Canadian, you cannot live outside Canada more than those days. if you're in the United States and you need to utilize healthcare Does the Canadian healthcare transfer over for you or it doesn't? It doesn't. I need assurance. You need insurance for the United States. Insurance. Yeah, Well it's not for United States, it's an insurance for when I'm getting out of the country. Because I cannot use my son card. So if you were in Italy it would be the same insurance. Yes, And even going out of Quebec, it's the same thing. interesting, very interesting. So tell me about some of your favorite places you've been to. That if somebody said, Where is the one place you would go back to, where should I go to? What what would you tell them? Okay. So as a child I went more in the east part of your country. So That I know. It's not a discovery. Well, each day it's a discovery, but I think you understand what I mean. I like the Panando, but that was not the first city. The first one that is all in my head it's Nashville. When I went to Nashville I was wow, that was being walking on Broadway and I walked. that day. I I spend like seventy dollars to park in the city because I want to be near the fun and all the thing and so I spent all day long. I wake up at six and I was in the street I think at seven and I went home and in my van like late by night and I was like secure because my van was near. And this City was fun because the music all over I like music. And that's the place I discovered that people had gun in their on on them So and I discovered that when I went in in the store in Ashville and there was a sign saying we don't want to see your gun. I say my gosh, it's gone. So then I was looking all over to see God. That was funny. And I like the city a lot. I like Panhandle. I like New Orleans. So you are not opposed to big cities. You don't know. So there's some people that say, I just want to be in the woods. I just want to be near the stream with nobody around. But you are okay with either one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes. Well mostly I'm in the wood when I return to Quebec because I return there around thirtieth of April and then I come here in November. So all those months I spend in Quebec or in another province. And in Quebec I fish a lot so I I go to in the wood. So I can spend like seven or ten days. lost in the wood and no internet. do you have any desire at all to exchange your van for a bigger van or a smaller van or a bus or a box truck. When I look at people living in a bus, I think this is fun. I would like to have a bus, but Being alone, I prefer to have my van. It's easier for me. I'm getting older each year, and you know that I had this accident, so I had a a surgery f in my shoulder and it's not going well that well. So I'm I'm gonna stick with my van. Yes, because I like my van. My van is called La Sublime. So So what's that mean? What's Sublime it's like a relationship you have with your soul. heaven. sometime we say subliminal. Well it's just the term before. Sublime. Sublime it's beautiful. Sublime it's wow. That's that's fantastic. Now you don't travel in only the van. I know you travel other places in other ways. Tell me about some of the other trips you've taken since having your van. And when you do travel, what do you do with your van? I like to travel so I can take a plane, I can take a boat That was my first time this year. I took I took a boat with my daughter and I found out that I'm seasick but I'm going to try it again. it's sure I'm going because I want to go to Alaska in a cruise. And I want to go in other country like in I like Europe. I've been there, so I want to go there. And so what I'm doing with my van, I I have a friend back there. So I asked my friend to take care of my van. it was fun because when I had my surgery, I was living in Montreal. I need to go to Quebec. So I had to take a bus to go there and so who's gonna take care of my van? My kids, they can't because they don't have the place for that. So I I asked a perfect stranger that I was looking at and I say, this one this man He looks like a good man. So I ask him. You had the perfect stranger to take care of your home while you were three hours away. Yes. How'd that work out for you? Good. because in Montreal you have to change place. Did you have days that you can park your van or your car or anything, but some days you have to change the side of that. So I wasn't going to be there. So i if I'm not there they're gonna put controversion. I have to pay. Yeah, you'll you would get a ticket, so you need somebody to keep moving your van for you. But it didn't have to because you have to check on phone if you have to change and they were saying no, you don't so it didn't have to drive my my van. Wow, I that's that's new. That's new. So where are places that you would like to go to that you haven't been to yet? What's on your dream list? I want to r return in Paris because I've been there fourteen days and that was not enough. That's a place I like to return. After that, I would like to go to Switzerland, Greece. I would like to go I might would like to go to Philippines. New Zealand is a place I would like, but it's too far away for me because I am seasick but I'm also sick in other way. Like in a plane you would get sick? I am, yeah. but I travel. I'm gonna get sick and turn like green in my face and but I'm gonna travel. And there's a lot of places like my daughter she's going to and Amsterdam, Vienne, and other place like in this square, I would like the place where the movie Sisi you know the Siss movie like the Princess Sisi I'm sure you know that. So well I would like to go those Prague. Prague, I would like yeah. Yeah, you know. And I would like to go to England too and I like yeah you know Sounds like you gotta Are you willing to go if you have to go alone, are you willing to go to those places alone? And what would you say to women who think, I could never go alone? why is it that you can go alone and they are afraid? What what would you tell them? Well, that's a good question, but that's a hard question too. I mean, I I don't know why they are afraid because people maybe some women have our time in their life. I was a counselor and and teenager, you know that, but with parents too and people. And some people had a bad life and they are afraid that something might happen to them. It's not that I'm not afraid, but I'm not living on that. So I go over that. You know? I go over that because I don't know if I'm going to have another life. This is my life. This is the path I'm using and and I'm not going to stay. I told my kids your mom is selling the house because if I'm gonna keep that house, I'm gonna tie on the porch soon. So so I said that and they say, Mom, go realize your dream. But that was part of my life having this dream. To go travel alone. You have to go over things like you have your fear. You have to go over that. You have to get past all of those things that stop you from going is it worth it to travel solo? Yes, I like that. And what I want to do, it's like having a child. and you never add a child at a woman. Don't listen to the story of the other. Because i you might be afraid to have one. So that's the same thing. Don't listen to stories that are bad. Listen to the good story because if you l always listen to things that are bad, you're gonna always be afraid of that. That is wonderful advice. And being a solo one is that I can go. It's like a little being selfish, you know. I have a dog, but now my kid my my son adopt my little dog. I didn't want to have an animal because that's going I'm not going to be able to do things with an animal. I can go everywhere. So now I want to do what I want, when I want and how I want. That's really good. how is your relationship with your kids now after travelling in the van? Is it the same? Is it better? Are they happy for you? Are they missing you? That's a good question, Rita, because my son never traveled before. seeing me in a van. Never travel. So now he's going everywhere with his friend. He's he's been to Portugal, Greece, and now he's been to Sardin. in Italy and he went to Costa Rica alone on a backpack. Wow nice so that's so cool. So that's a good thing. No my kids and my daughter well she was traveling alone for a long time. My my daughter at 18 she went to Maui in Hawaii alone for I think two week in a backpack So my daughter at the age of eighteen she was travelling alone it's not because she's brave, because she just wants to go alone. Because she she told me, Mom, you know, being alone I can do what I want. I don't have to wait for someone to have money to go. I have the money, I can go. So well, she didn't have a lot of money at that time because she went up in a backpack and she went in a hostel and she was there and meeting all young people as her. And then she decided after like seven days she decided to rent a car and put a sign and say who wants to come with me tomorrow, I'm going to this beach. So it's gonna be ten dollars each person. I have four plays. And she does that with the her that is fantastic. Yes. And she rent a paddle bar for the week and she had a paddle board and so wow. She had a little side hustle to pay for her dreams. How smart is that? Yes, she has she's an an entrepreneur. and she went a lot of she went she likes cruise, so she's thirty years old, so it's been twelve years she traveled and she traveled like three times by year. So and most of that is she's alone. On cruise. She went on a cruise in Europe, so in the Mediterranean. And she stopped everywhere. I like to see my daughter acting like this. She's not married, she doesn't have a boyfriend, she wants one, but that's not easy. So she said, things are going to happen to me when it it's the time. So when you're traveling alone or your daughter's traveling alone, Are there things you do or don't do to keep yourself safe? Okay. Well my kids they put something to track me on my phone. so that's my kid my son. He did that. So they know where I am. So they they know if you haven't moved where you know where you are. And so we phone, we write to each other, so if I don't do that for a long time, they're gonna say, that something happened. So and I don't have a gun, for sure. But I got a lot of knife. Now I'm not going to use any arm. I'm I can't. So do you ever pull into a spot and then decide it's not the right spot? You're listening to something in your stomach or the hairs on the back of your neck. Has that ever happened to you? yes. A lot of time. Because I I don't like to travel by night, that's a thing. I prefer to wake up at four o'clock and go by day. that I prefer. So when I I arrive at a spot i it has to be in clear day, so I can see around. But if I look around and I see that there's n nobody there, I mean no one. Well I'm not going to stay in a place unless if it's Harvest Holes like I have application, but I'm not going to stay there. you know since I'm travelling in a van, I had like I think seven times someone knocking on my window. Wow, you've gotten a knock seven times. Yes, and each time somebody, even by day, knock at my window, my art goes over I don't like the sound. I don't either. I don't like the sound. It is so horrible that knock. It's so it's so funny that people feel that way, but well but you do because you're just like Someone's telling you you're doing something wrong and you don't mean to do anything wrong. Right? So most of the people who would knock on my door were policemen or the one that's checking the parking lot so things like that. But I've once I've been in this little little space. it was a little road between trees. I went there and someone knocked. But when I look, there was nobody. So it was just maybe to make me have like a kind of fear too. They were playing with you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So on that note, what would you tell women sitting at home on their couch wondering, should I do this? Can I do this? Where should I start? What should I do? What advice do you have for them? Well it's funny you ask that because I have this friend in Quebec. I didn't know her before and the company who built my van they asked me can you speak to Martin her name because she's afraid to go on the road alone. So I told her that goes for everyone. man and woman. So you have a dream, go for it. But be secure. Don't do things that you won't tell another people to do. I mean you have to be safe. So that's the thing. So the trick is to look around, go by day, park in a way that you can always be able to get out. So don't drive back. You have to drive in front of you. So park and you know, the way you can always get out of there. And be aware if you see that people look strange or if you choose a place you arrive alone and then there's like one rigs happen or two and you you look and you say I don't like that. Well go away. drive elsewhere. I go to crack a barrel I go to the place we can go like some world camping lots Home Depot Bass Pro I think the ballots. Yes, yes, you know. So those kind of things you can go there. And you find those on your overland. That's and now they will say, Yes, parking is allowed here, parking is not allowed here. Yes. And it it's good for finding a place to put the trash away and fill up with water and those kind of things, gas place and so use the overland is a good Is a good app for you. You have given me so many great tips and great advice. And I cannot thank you enough. If you're looking for more information like this, you know, tips and tricks and just lessons for the road, head on over to she travels simple dot com. Over there there's plenty of blogs and other Her Journey, Her Way blogs and podcasts over there. And you can find more information and that's also how you can reach out to me if you have any questions about getting started or questions you may have while you're already on the road. Natalie, thank you, thank you, thank you so much. I wish you the best in your travels and that your shoulder gets better and you can go back to doing whatever you were doing before the injury and thank you for all this great advice. I appreciate it. Thank you to you, Rita. I appreciate And live your dream, everybody. Bye.