Home, Sweet Home
Realistically, it's not that unusual. All around the world, I'd say a majority of people live like we do. Technically speaking there is a second room, aka the bathroom. We do actually have a bathtub which is almost unheard of in these parts, and after about a year here, we set up hot water to the shower. We don't, however, have a kitchen sink.
Notice the missing sink.
View corner to corner
When you come from life in the US, it's a pretty solid transition. I have sworn in the past that I'd never again have a house without a dishwasher, two bathrooms, or four bedrooms. Sigh. There are challenges for sure. No one has any personal space. Dishes are washed in Rubbermaid bins. It's hard to have a space without toys. Storage is not really a luxury we have. I have a teenager, @sophieharling, who just can't get away from me or her 5 and 4 yo siblings. There's no kitchen table, and 5 people share one bathroom. Any idea of privacy is shot to shit.
In her Little Corner
There are actually advantages, though. We're planning to buy our own little piece of land and bring together an earthbag workshop to help build our little earthbag house. It's gonna have real bedrooms and shit. I was telling little wildman about it and asked him if he was excited to have his own room someday. "No! I love having us all here so close together as a family."
The Little Kid Corner
It's true. We're really close. I always thought that was part of why I was so close with my college friends. A dorm room is a pretty intimate environment too. We all work from home, so we're together all the time. I know how my kids play and who they are. Sometimes it's too much. The other day my husband went to the store, and we just needed a break from each other. I get tired of hearing every single little scuffle between the little ones. When I am alone in this house, it's like winning a fucking bar of gold. Still I love having close relationships with my kids. Sometimes I think it must be really hard for people who see their kids maybe 30 minutes a day. Our life used to be like that. If the only two choices are this and that, I'm going with this every time. Luckily there are other options.
How many mamas are close with their teenage daughters? @sophieharling is amazing.
So, I think we will go for a balance. Work and play at home so we can spend time together but have rooms to retreat to when needed. In any case, I'd never trade this because look what I see out my window and out my front door. I'm surrounded each day totally and completely by love and beauty. It's a good life. Even without a dishwasher. And, yes, I'll be buying a dishwasher for the next house.
Views of Jungle and River and Sea.
You know what I love most about this? This is the one community I can post this in. I'd never post this on Facebook. A combination of embarrassment and not wanting to seem like I'm asking to be saved and also not really wanting my mom to see cause shed worry even more. I can write this in here and just authentically talk about the gifts and the challenges. There are plenty of people on Steemit in similar or more challenging circumstances. I still see myself as privileged. Mostly it's a privilege to have those crazy people call me mama and also to be a part of this community.
View from my Window isn't Bad
Although our circumstances are very different I can relate to most of what you write. We live in a 29 foot travel trailer so space is very limited. Privacy almost non-existent, although we technically have 4 rooms (kids bunk-room in the back, our "master" bedroom in the front and kitchen/dining/living room + bathroom in the middle). We work from home and homeschool so we're also together almost all the time.
I can think of no better way for a family to be close.
But I too miss a dishwasher.
Yeah. I've had friends that traveled for extended periods. Intensity is, I think, the right word.
And isn't the dishwasher thing funny? I'd seriously feel like a super fancy gagillionaire with a dishwasher.
I laughed way too hard at this, sorry mama! Goals don't happen overnight as you clearly know, and there's no doubt in my mind that you will be moving into something a little more spacious coming up. This reminds me a little bit of the first apartment I moved into, and how I slept on the floor for three months, because I wanted to buy a bed and be able to remind myself this- instead of settling with a futon.
I'm glad that you shared this here, I feel like Facebook is still too immature, and people can and do make others feel bad just for the sake of it over there. The only reason I've kept mine, is because like here, my friends are international and this is the only way to keep contact.
I share a room with two other people, I have no idea how YOU do it x3
<3 @shello
I'm glad it made you laugh! It always makes everything so much better when we can laugh. I too believe better circumstances are quite close. For this week, however, we have added my mother in law who snores loudly to the mix. I'm beyond tired right now.
I agree about Facebook. I still have mine too, to keep in touch with family and of course for business.
Thanks mama, I feel that always being serious sucks out the joy in life for me. Laughter is a lot more therapeutic than I give it credit for. Loud snoring mother in laws do not sound fun at all, I'm certain that you don't need a reminder from me to take those breaks when you can!
Being able to keep in touch with friends and family is one of the most important things, I don't want to imagine a world where I'm completely by myself!
<3 @shello
Yes! Playing, happiness, joy, laughter. I think that's why we are here.
Apparently I did need that reminder because I read that and immediately thought, oh shit. I keep forgetting to do that.
Mhmm, to enjoy more out of our days is essential. Reminders do help, I need more breaks as well xD
So grateful for you!
Good on you and your family for grabbing life by the balls and living it, how many people can say we have lived our life to the fullest with no regret and would change it!
Watching in oar we would love to do something like this, we're taking baby steps in our head more than in reality lol...
We have four kids eldest is a teen, was their a slow transition you did before moving or did you all jump in head first and how was the transition for the family as a whole, was there times you thought stuff it lets pack up and go back to the US?
For your teen how do they handle the isolation from friends as there's internet but is that enough to substane them?
Sorry for asking so many questions, see it on tv how people do this, haven't met anyone before that has actually done it to ask questions?
Brave and crazy are often cozy bedfellows. I have certainly felt both. There are things I could have done differently to make it easier, but we live and learn, right?! Our transition was really pretty quick. We made a decision in summer 2014 and were down here by March 2015. We wrote a business plan and then moved. Our funding for that didn't work out, so we just had to make it up as we went along. My oldest decided to go back after a few months because of his girlfriend. He was 17, so I just let him go. He lived with family friends. My next one has really been fine because she's pretty happy to just draw and paint and bake and read. I'm pretty sure, though, that she's going to move back to the us in the fall and live with her dad. There's a democratic school up there, and her dad has a lot more money, so she'll be more comfortable there. The younger ones are 4 and 5. They were 3 and 18mos when we moved here, so it's pretty much all they know. When we went to visit, it was very foreign to them. I've thought about going back many times but never more than a few minutes. I just can't do the culture or the cold or the violence, none of it. It's such a shit show up there. It's so relaxed and slow and mellow here. It's not worth it to have fast internet and a few conveniences. It's not even a competition really. That said, a lot of people do go back. It's not for everyone. I'm always good with questions. Ask away!
Thank you so much for answering, It's awesome that even when your business plan didn't work out, you made something else work, even the best layed plans don't always work out, but there are always options if we look more closely.
Must of been hard to let your oldest go, but at least he knows were you all are and has some options.
The little ones mostly adjust more easily than the eldest that's the only worry for us as ours are all getting a bit older so adjustment could go either way.
At least it's a better environment for your family, and your all bonding when you wouldn't of back home.
I definitely have an ability to make things work. I'm super persistent. Letting my oldest move out a year early was the hardest thing I've ever done. It's excruciating. He's also persistent and able to make things work. Giving the older ones plenty of time to connect online with friends and do their favorite activities helps. Letting them help plan also helps.
I'm so, so grateful for our powerful bonds.