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Family issues
TheNightmare
Posts: 2,590 Boards Guru
The other day, a few years ago in 2021 my family split up which I know for most people its maybe tough but for us it was long overdue as things weren't good at home then for years. I thought my family might be discussing getting back together, and for a moment, it felt uncertain, but I realized it wasn’t going to happen, and the thought still made me nervous. When we were all together in the past, things were toxic, and they agreed to split up, so it should stay like that. If the family did get back together and it turned toxic, I know I wouldn’t want to stay in that environment. That’s when I thought about buying a van, like a Ford Transit Custom, to live in as my own space. I would put my bed and mattress in or buy a foldable bed, using the back as a bedroom, and the front cabin would be my sit-down area to relax or spend time during the day. I’d keep it simple, using battery-powered lights for lighting instead of making modifications. The Transit Custom has more space, making it comfortable for living and storing essentials, and I think it would work well for what I need. It seems pretty interesting to me too, and it seems like it’s legal as long as you don’t park on double yellow lines or anything. I’d avoid a lot of the cost of living too with this, like bills, and I’d just have to run the vehicle and cover food and other essentials.
The van would allow me to have independence and avoid the stress of family conflicts, giving me control over my living situation and preventing me from being pulled back into an unhealthy environment. This setup might not be ideal, but it would give me a temporary solution to focus on myself. I’d use the time in the van to figure out my next steps and save money if possible, eventually working towards finding a more permanent place of my own. Living in the van would give me peace of mind and space to think, even if it’s just a short-term arrangement. I was thinking this through last night a lot. I was overwhelmed with my job searching, and I was thinking about this as a possible solution. I’d need a job to make this work, which I obviously know.
The van would allow me to have independence and avoid the stress of family conflicts, giving me control over my living situation and preventing me from being pulled back into an unhealthy environment. This setup might not be ideal, but it would give me a temporary solution to focus on myself. I’d use the time in the van to figure out my next steps and save money if possible, eventually working towards finding a more permanent place of my own. Living in the van would give me peace of mind and space to think, even if it’s just a short-term arrangement. I was thinking this through last night a lot. I was overwhelmed with my job searching, and I was thinking about this as a possible solution. I’d need a job to make this work, which I obviously know.
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Comments
I wanted to say that I'm sorry you had to go through all of that with your family, even if it was for the best, it couldn't have been a nice thing to experience - how are you coping?
I love how you're thinking all of this through
The van idea sounds kind of brilliant. A ford transit custom could be a cosy little setup too! Have you thought about where you’d park up most nights, or places you might go to feel safe and settled?
I actually did this too, I went off grid in Mexico with a couple pals to find good surfing spots, we were there for a couple of months in a GMC Sierra. It was tiny, but we kitted out the back ourselves, and honestly, it was such a great experience. It gave me this sense of freedom and simplicity that’s hard to find anywhere else. I shared with one other person and the rest of the gang had bigger cars! I reckon if you’ve got the Transit Custom in mind, with all that extra space, you’d be able to create something really comfortable and practical for yourself
I totally get wanting that independence and you deserve it! You are so capable and it's just such a shame that this job hunt is taking up all of your energy right now - how is that going by the way?
Big hugs, keep reaching out
Hey @Maia so good to see you reply to my threads, it gave me a hint of excitement when I saw in my notifications that you replied. Thanks so much for asking, I really appreciate your kindness and support, it means a lot to me. I’m coping OK, though it’s not easy, but I’m trying to stay positive, focus on how things could go if they work out, and keep working toward my goal. I’ve thought about parking, and I have a place in mind where there’s space and it’s quiet, but not too quiet, something that feels just right. The job hunt isn’t going too bad, and while it’s still stressful and can get me down sometimes, I feel more hopeful now than I did a few months ago. I might need to do a placement to gain some experience, but I’m feeling more optimistic.
I have to ask, why did you decide to sleep in the back of the GMC Sierra? Was it just for fun, or did you have something else in mind? It sounds like such a cool adventure! If I did something similar, I’d maybe get a microwave and figure out how to power it, as I wouldn’t want to modify the van. Honestly, the Ford Transit Custom is such a great van, just like all the other Fords, it’s hard to go wrong with them. Thanks so much again for checking in, it really means a lot. Hopefully I'll see you on Friday
I can hear that things have been tough for you recently and even though you're trying to stay positive I just want to gently remind you that it's okay if you don't feel like being positive. Life sucks sometimes and it's okay to let yourself feel that
Good question! The Sierra was honestly a mix of adventure and necessity
Ford transits are super reliable and i'm sure with a bit of messing you'd be able to set a microwave up no problem, maybe a generator?
Catch you on Friday
Oh, and on another note, I wanted to invite you to a Christmas support thread we’re running later today, from 6:30 to 8 PM. It's a chance to chat with others and get some extra support around the holiday season if you feel like it. Feel free to pop in and say hey
@Maia I do, I doubt my family would get back together, I think ive just been worrying a bit much but now you're speaking about your experiences I want a little bit of am excus to do it lol. Maybe at some point when I get sorted with a job and do it anyway just buy a custom and do it or maybe just rent one out and do it for a bit. Not heard much about gmc vehcles as they dont do them here in the UK. Yh they are good vans, probably the go to van like if a builder, trade person or delivery driver etc was looking for a van they'll likely look at a transit.
I'll definitely make sure I pop into that, hopefully see you there, thanks so much for replying again and telling me about this.