The year was 2020. I was working a contract in The Pas, Manitoba. We had some
downtime. My mind was wild with imagination and daydreams. I had recently
applied to get my American visa so that I could work across the border. Of course
it was COVID times. Contracts were there, they were hot, abundant, and very
financially enticing. The number one worst part of travel nursing for me is
the packing and unpacking at your assignments. Then you repack just to
unpack again once you get home. It's fine when you stay long term but extremely
irritating when you take frequent contracts throughout the year. I learned
that in the USA travel is different. You get paid separate for housing as it's
not usually provided. So naturally when planning my mind got creative. Maybe it's
also what I came across on my Instagram as well. Other travel nurses had found
rather interesting loopholes. RV living. Use your allowance to afford a campsite
with sweet hookups while paying your RV mortgage. And the best part? You don't
need to pack and unpack again. You just secure your stuff so it doesn't bounce
around and off you go. My eyes were wide with excitement. Could you imagine the
possibilities? I sure did. And so it began. Lots of research and daydreaming
followed. At the time I was pretty limited. I owned a home in the city and I
had a fiance. He was not really open to this idea. It came with a pretty hefty
price tag and tons of learning. Not surprising. I'm the most stubborn person
I know. So instead of giving up on my dream I kept molding the idea until it
became a realistic plan. A possibility. I just needed the time. And the gusto.
Initially it started out wanting a fifth wheel. Pure luxury. Washer, dryer,
certimatrice, comfort galore. I had a few models in mind and they were put on the
list. Then of course the vehicle. The truck. Building the exact vehicle I would
need. My dad told me I was crazy but he also raised me. So I guess that tells you
all you need to know. I wanted a tough truck that could tell what I had in mind
but maybe just a bit more. Just in case. You never know. Better to have more than
you need than not enough. And so a diesel it would be. Nothing really moved
forward until I ended my engagement and sold the house. I moved back home to
Ontario. I started working casual jobs nearby. This was 2022. Two years later. I
had slowly been putting money away for the opportunity though. It was still
lurking in the shadows forever tempting me. I continued to follow travel nurses
living in RVs and chose to live vicariously through them in the meantime.
I had two casual jobs. One in Canada, one in the USA. Initially I had been nervous
to hop over into the States to try what it was like. What if it was completely
different and I'd be lost? What if I hated it? It's also just jumping through
hoops to get to where you want to be. But when I got that casual job and I
started I got over that fear real quick. Then that was it. I decided to do it. It
was go time. Not long after I secured a contract in California as my first
travel nursing assignment in the States. To date this is the only contract I've
ever done in the USA aside from my casual position. Prior to departure it
became evident my mom desperately needed a new vehicle. This was COVID or just
after. There was none on the lots at the time due to the production shortages. I
wouldn't need a vehicle where I was going at least not yet. I needed to see
how the pay structure worked. Was the money really as good as they say it was
or does it just look good on paper? I needed to know before I made any big
moves. I sold her my vehicle. It was essentially brand new in high demand. She'd
have a safe reliable vehicle that was still under warranty. And I, well in the
span of a few short weeks I had spoken to a few dealerships and perfected my
selection. A Dodge, a 2500 with a diesel engine signed sealed but not yet
delivered. I had her built for exactly what I needed and wanted and it would be
a few months before she came to Canada straight out the manufacturer. So off I
went. I got on a plane, started my contract. In January my brother picked up
Black Charlotte for the first time. I didn't return till mid-February to meet
her but she was stunning, powerful, comfortable, safe, huge. What did you get
yourself into? My dad said shaking his head as he saw me trying to wrap my head
around all of the options. Fully loaded in essence. For what I need anyway. Prep
with a fifth wheel hitch mount in the bed, complete tow package and a ton of
upgraded features. If I could whistle I'd be doing it right now. I assured him I
would figure it out like I always do. It's what I do best after all. This was
February 2023. Due to the tax laws and regulations for working in both countries
I wanted to wait until fall before opting for another contract. I was
determined I would take another. I had enjoyed it enough it was going to be
the right call moving forward and I was confident. In the meantime I took a
contract in Canada in Saskatchewan. It ended up being the one I'm coming close
to ending here. Yes, one and a half years is how long it lasted. Much longer than
anticipated and much longer than it should have looking back now. However,
the contract here would allow me more flexibility to adapt dates to my
brother's wedding which I would be standing in. At the time it was an
O-brainer. In the meantime what I did learn is that trucks are fucking awesome.
Nothing like big dick energy when you're standing only 5 foot 3. It does impede
dating a little bit though. Who knew that men could get so easily offended when
you have a bigger vehicle than them? I'm only sort of kidding. However, the weight
on the road and the height at which you sit, especially in the prairies where
the roads are so poorly maintained and even worse in the winters where
everyone seems to drive so recklessly, the storms they have with complete white
oak conditions. Yeah. I had always been a nervous driver in any other vehicle I
owned. In this, with studded winter tires, I don't know if I can ever go back to a
smaller vehicle for that fact alone. Yes, the fuel costs are insane. The oil
changes cost an arm and a leg. She's a beast meant to work, but she goes the
distance. And honestly, I think it's hot. She's a hot beast. It makes me look and
feel badass. I can navigate her in tight spaces and I'm pretty damn good at
backing up now. All I'm hearing are bonuses. Not to mention, I had tempted
everybody into guessing what I had purchased before she arrived. Most people
for some reason pegged me as a fancy sports car person. Maybe like a Mustang.
For the price I could pay for a sports car, I got the better end of the deal.
Much safer. More versatile. No complaints. So fast forward along here. I planned to
complete the Saskatchewan contract to the end of December 2024 and then find a
way to take some time off for an extended period of time. Some things did
change along the way. I met someone. I fell in love. And then the burnout, the
stress, the strain. Healthcare continues to erode in both serving the public and
the employees. I don't need to elaborate on this. It's really not a secret. I fell
into a deep space of unhappiness and I needed a change. Desperately. In May
2024, Tanner and I did our USA road trip where we visited seven states in 21
days. We went to multiple national parks. We hiked and biked. It was a liberating
experience and I don't think I felt this alive in a long time. I kept saying
out loud, why am I not living life like this? Why am I working a job that makes
me feel like I do? This is life. This is living. I asked, do we need to go back to
our real life? Obviously the answer was yes. But it had ignited some sort of
spark within me. I wanted to live. The times I felt most alive in the past were
when I was traveling short-term contracts really taking advantage of my
days off. California was an absolute dream. My schedule allowed me to explore
my days off and even though there is a lot of interesting dynamics in the
workplace as a travel nurse there, the experience the travel offered me alone
was a hundred percent worth it. I thought of how I hadn't allowed myself that in a
long time. I got trapped in longer contract trying to make things fit,
putting circles into squares as I often like to say. There had to be a way. I'm
pretty sure I joked it would have been great to save money on Airbnbs if we'd
had a trailer at the time. We had looked into renting one but it ended up costing
way more and was way too much prep work for the limited time we had. So fast
forward to my worsening burnout and the discovery of this writing retreat. When
I came across it I remember telling myself, oh that would be so fun. Maybe
next time she hosts one? Maybe next time. Then I thought, what the fuck? What do I
need to wait for? What am I even doing except standing in my own way? What am I
waiting for? What am I holding back for? I keep complaining I'm not living my life
or getting the opportunity to but I'm also standing in my own way by thinking
this way. So I said fuck it and I booked it and suddenly I was filled with so much
excitement and pride to do something for myself that isn't just buying some
materialistic item, to invest in something that nurtures my soul, my
creativity. I love to read, I love to write, but I also love to travel. When I
looked up the location of this writing retreat I thought it was so sad I'd get
to go for that weekend and then drive back home. Missing out on the opportunity
to explore the area. I've never been in North Carolina. I casually started
looking up the area and the hiking looks incredible. The cycling paths are
tempting every fiber of my being. What if? What if I did a little three-week road
trip and explored the area? I won't fly, I'll drive. It just sucks to spend so much
money on airbnb's. I started to think what's the best way to do this? Do I just
be a hippie and camp out in my truck? Should I get a tent? Nah, that's too risky
for me. A young female, alone. Plus it'll be cold. I'd have to struggle to find
places to shower. Man, I wish I had my trailer that I've always wanted. Then
this would be a no-brainer. Wait, could I? Maybe at this point I can't afford a
fifth wheel, but hmm. So just for fun I started looking at trailer options and
it went from there. I made a list of my non-negotiables. I needed a bathroom and
I needed a shower. A bed, preferably separate from the table. The idea just
kept growing. I thought to myself, why don't I just go? Why don't I just do it?
This could be an incredible journey. I could rest, I could read, I could write, I
could boondock and be alone, truly alone. What a decadent thought. And then it grew
into what it is now, this adventure. I thought about how I really love mornings.
They're my time to rest, to relax. I take my time to reorient myself to the world,
to my day. I sip coffee while I journal. I listen to podcasts, I meditate. My
mornings are my sacred time and I knew I needed a sacred space for this. I needed
to be comfortable at a table where I could sip my coffee and journal, where I
could look up and see a gorgeous scenery in the morning out the window. A fiery
inspiring sunrise perhaps. Hear the sound of a stream nearby, birds singing their
song. Ugh, my absolute dream. It worked out though. I found the perfect trailer.
Not only was it road ready, ready to go, it fit my vibe. It had everything I
needed and more. The quality of the build, the up-to-date technology, it was just
way too out of budget. The cutest eye-drawing tear drop trailer. The model I
picked on steroids. I had to be reasonable though. In my research, it was evident
they hold their value over time. I decided I should be open to something
used. I did end up finding one in Saskatoon, the only one available for
sale in Saskatchewan at the time. We went to look at it and it was once I sat at
the dinette that I knew. It was the one. If it wasn't this exact trailer, it was
this model. It was perfect. It's quirky, has character, so comfortable. And standing
beside it doesn't make it seem so daunting to tow. Despite being the same
size as other trailers I looked at at dealerships, the shape makes it seem less
intimidating, more manageable for me. It ends up that used is still quite out of
budget, but I found a way to make it work. There were poops to jump through to get
it plated, which I can indulge you with in the future. I had to learn the new
features on my truck to accommodate. We ended up hauling it back through camsack
together, and then I did it alone. I could have bored you with all the specs and
details of the truck and trailer, and initially that's what I had recorded, but
I found that it was very difficult to listen to. I figured this might be a bit
more enjoyable. If you had any questions or you wanted to know more details, feel
free to reach out and I can revisit that later on if anyone's interested.
Specifics about the truck or the trailer or any of the considerations going
forward to make my decision. Nothing ever works out as planned though, but that's
okay because I'm here now telling you that I still get to go where I wanted to
in a more reasonable way that will get me what I've always wanted in the first
place. A sense of freedom, the opportunity to chase adventure. My little
nomadic borderline hippie heart is filled with joy at the possibilities that
now seem endless. Though I am not embarking on this with the intent of
travel nursing, I think this suits me so much more. Hopefully this road leads me
somewhere even better than I could have hoped for or imagined. Life shows you
where you need to go. You just need to let it.