» Being Home-less vs BEing Homeless

Being Home-less vs BEing Homeless

Ok, it’s time for me to make a distinction about my trip. When I explain to people what I’m doing, they often have this view of me as a homeless man. You know, like I’m going to be sleeping outside, showering infrequently, and scouring the dumpster for my meals.

I can understand why people think that, because most people we see hitch hiking might fit that description. So, when I say that I’m going hitchhiking around the country, it’s normal for people to associate my experience with their existing views of hitchhiking.

However, I do not plan on living like a stereotypical homeless person. It’s true that I will be homeless, but I won’t be living the homeless lifestyle. I will be sleeping indoors at different people’s homes on my trip. I plan to never sleep outside, unless it’s great weather and I decide to sleep on the beach or something for fun. I’ll eat normal food, and I won’t be scrounging around looking for food in dumpsters. Also, I’ll take a shower every single day, and I’ll be dressed normal and be clean-shaven every day. So, if you think I’m going to grow out a beard, put my possessions in a shopping cart, and have plastic bags that I put all my stuff in, you’re wrong.

I think this perception that people have also translates over into their concern that I’m going to get mugged and what not. Just because I’m homeless, doesn’t mean I’m going to go walking around the slums of the city. No, I’d rather like to avoid the trashy places, because getting robbed doesn’t sound like it would be that fun. I’m still going to be very practical-minded, and I’m not going to put myself in awkward situations or places. So, no, I’m not going to go hang out in East LA or wherever.

Since the purpose of this trip is to find out what I’d like to do with my life, what kind of people do you think I would like to hang out with? Well, I would like to explore jobs that I have an interest in and that seem like I might enjoy them. That means, I’ll be jobshadowing educated people in well-respected occupations. No, I’m not going to go with somebody to McDonalds and see how flipping burgers really is.

Now, I know that some of you might be thinking that I can have all the hope in the world, but that I still need to prepare myself for whatever situation I can find myself in. I agree, to a small extent. I think if I accept certain situations as options, like, sleeping outside, then I will find myself sleeping outside once in a while. But, if I refuse to accept that as an option, then I will never do it. I will be in complete control of what I do on this trip, based upon what I’m willing to do. Maybe it’s more fun to picture me as a smelly, dirty homeless person. Sorry folks, it’s not gonna happen.

Tags: homeless, nomad, safety

The Nomadic Lifestyle | Aaron Anderson | December 9, 2009 11:25 pm

14 Comments

By Candace, December 10, 2009 @ 6:00 am

Well that’s a relief! j/k I actually never thought this is how you would be living.

I do have a question though: How will you be arranging all the job shadowing experiences? Maybe you have already answered this in an earlier post…but I’m to lazy to look. :/
By Aaron Anderson, December 11, 2009 @ 10:41 am

Candace,

Great question. And like many aspects of the trip, I’m not quite sure. However, I do have some ideas about how I’ll arrange them. First off, I’ll look to go to work with whoever I spend the night. If they have a job that I’d be interested in, I’ll see if they’ll let me come along. If not, I’ll ask them if they know of anybody who they think I might be interested in going to work with. If I can’t find any people to shadow by talking to those I know, then I’ll just call up or visit a company and tell them my story and see if they will let me come visit. Whenever I get to a new city, I plan on asking around to find out what cool companies there are in that city. Then, I can just call those companies up, or just go and visit them in person and see if they’ll be cool with me jobshadowing.
By Amber Martin, December 11, 2009 @ 1:56 pm

This is SERIOUSLY cool Aaron!
By Russ, December 12, 2009 @ 4:25 am

When you stay in West Jordan, the next few weeks, you should try job shadowing with friends and relatives to she if it is going to work like you expect. There are many types of jobs that might be difficult or not allowed for job shadowing. But hopefully that will not limit your experience.
By Candace, December 12, 2009 @ 8:54 am

Aaron, that is seriously exciting!! If you ever come to Indianapolis, the BIG company here is the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical company. I have no idea if that interests you at all but here’s a link to their “careers” website: http://tiny.cc/RiOVE I don’t personally KNOW anyone who works there, though.

And then, of course, there’s the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Again, no idea if you’d have interest in that and I don’t know anyone who works for them but there’s two TOTALLY different ends of the spectrum, of the BIG names here, if you get to visit Indy. Here’s a link to their “careers” page: http://tiny.cc/eDoS6
By Russ, December 12, 2009 @ 9:42 pm

You might enjoy “the classic taxonomy of American outcasts and wanderers”

A hobo works and travels (i.e. he will not accept help or a handout unless you allow him to work for it); a tramp travels but doesn’t work; a bum neither works nor travels. The hobo prefer the trains, but occasionally you see one out on the highway. They never hitch, though, either with thumb or sign; they just walk along the side of the road, never looking to see if a car is coming, willing to make their own way on foot if no one happens to pull over. There are some truck drivers who, passing a hitchhiker by as a rambling panhandler, will stop for these old men, respecting their pride and self reliance and recognizing them as kindred spirits. Vanishing breeds, ancient codes, a nomadic aristocracy that collects no rents and prosecutes no wars, still making its rarely noticed way in an ever more alienating and hectic world. (adapted from “Riding with Strangers”, p. 98-99)
By Aaron Anderson, December 16, 2009 @ 12:06 pm

Thanks Candace. I’ll have to look up those companies if I ever make it to Indianapolis. I’ve never been there, so, it’d be fun to pass through.
By Brook, December 19, 2009 @ 6:47 pm

Aaron, one website: http://www.couchsurfing.org
It’s like facebook for travelers.
That’s the ticket to finding a spare bed or couch to stay on in practically every city. You can screen by age, gender, religion, or whatever.
By Jerome, December 20, 2009 @ 11:56 pm

I too have used couchsurfing.com and have hosted couchsurfers.

You’re not the first nor the last to do this. So have fun and enjoy it! I love travelling and learning from the people I meet. It seems like a new trend here in the mainland, but every where else, what you’re about to embark on isn’t so foreign.

I’m excited for you and I look forward to reading the experiences you will go through.
By Heather, December 21, 2009 @ 7:49 pm

I am kind of jealous of you. I would be way too scared to not have everything planned and secure, but that is cool that you can do that. You’re trip reminds me of John Howard Griffith and his book, Black Like Me. He traveled with a set up like yours except he set out to learn about race relations so he died his skin dark and toured the south. Different purpose, but he too wanted to learn more about the world. Good luck!
By Delbert Burruel, December 31, 2009 @ 1:20 am

Nice article. This is especially relevant in todays society given the increase in crime levels particulary related to home thefts and break ins.
By Sexy Lisa, January 30, 2010 @ 9:26 am

Hello. This is kind of an “unconventional” question , but have other visitors asked you how get the menu bar to look like you’ve got it? I also have a blog and am really looking to alter around the theme, however am scared to death to mess with it for fear of the search engines punishing me. I am very new to all of this …so i am just not positive exactly how to try to to it all yet. I’ll just keep working on it one day at a time Thanks for any help you can offer here.
By Aaron Anderson, January 31, 2010 @ 1:19 pm

Lisa, no, nobody has asked me that before. Actually, my brother-in-law did it for me, and he is a graphic designer. I’ll let him know that you asked about it, and then he can answer the question himself.
By Jeraldine Sianez, February 8, 2010 @ 1:55 pm

Strange this post is totaly unrelated to what I was searching google for, but it was listed on the first page. I guess your doing something right if Google likes you enough to put you on the first page of a non related search.