AWOL Alternative Ways Of Life

Alternative ways of Life

Welcome

When someone disappear it goes Awol. The word is an abbreviation of absent without official leave.

Awol reconstructed itself from a similar concept: leaving without permission. Let go of how society wants us to fit in a regular living, establishing our borders and our communities in thick walled spaces, concrete over wilderness, and schooling over tribal education.

We are a team of creatives who deliberately wanted to explore alternatives that tackle the housing and environmental crisis. Driven by the curiosity of finding many different ways of living than in our birth place Italy, me and Beatrice decided to create this magazine as a different lens to extend the meaning and values of whom decide to live differently. Through networking and word of mouth we got in touch with these amazing people and had the fortune to tell their stories.

We also decided to upload these stories as video interviews on Awolmag Podcast, where you can access clicking the Spotify logo. Embrace this journey we call life and stay AWOL.

Riccardo Imperato

The Cacao Man who lives on a double deck bus. A dreamy Cabin for a real

freedom

Awol Magazine Issue 1 | Editor: Beatrice Laurora | Creative Director and Designer: Riccardo Imperato | Photography and Illustration: Riccardo Imperato. Some of the illustrated contents of this magazine were created with generative AI and edited later. The content of this magazine belongs to Awol Magazine©. If you would like to reproduce any of it, please ask us first. We have made our best efforts to contact and properly preserve the right of representation of the people and their stories.

A different love story on Saint Valentine’s Day

It was Saint Valentine’s Day, and we were here again, at the Chyan Cultural Center, the stunning project community farm in rural Cornwall.

But this time, we were in a different area of this place for a different (love) story.

In this part of the garden, there was a weird gnome dressed in blue with a long beard and a red hat to welcome us. He was sitting on a wooden chair with a weird monster behind him and he was waiting for us.

Immediately behind the strange gnome, there was a property

that seemed more a circus than a house for the round shape and the bright colors… but it was more than this: the name is yurt, a portable and circular dwelling.

Past the door, a little guy is very smiley: he’s Archie, Suzanna’s son. They live together (but alone!) in the yurt with community support.

Suzanna started telling her story: “I was faced with rent in Falmouth and the price was going up so much and then, the housing benefits system changed as well… so, I realized I couldn’t afford anywhere to live anymore, so I decided just staying at people’s houses and

the cost of living is a lot cheaper, and it’s also better for the environment

then I started to look at alternative ways of living because I couldn’t afford the way that I used to live which was rented accommodation.”

Would you like to share some key principles and values that guide your alternative lifestyle choice?

“I love living closer to nature. I love hearing the birds and the wind and the stream outside the window. So, living like this allows me to feel more” she said.

“The other thing is that I’m completely off-grid here, so I have my electricity, solar panels. We have also our spring water supply on the land, which is pure, beautiful water. So, the cost of living is a lot cheaper, and it’s also better for the environment: definitely, my footprint and this is awesome. There’s maintenance to do and there are things that could be improved but it’s ok! I don’t really agree with the excess of the normal way of living. It’s like a bubble here: this is my happy space on this beautiful

organic natural land.”

We wonder if you could tell us something about your background before your love story with Archie.

“Well, I moved to Cornwall in 2002 to study to be an artist and, in the meantime, I was teaching. I also started an MA in 20th-century art and design history and theories of development but unfortunately, then, I became very ill, maybe due to the stress. I enjoyed studying very much but unluckily I

developed fibromyalgia, I couldn’t move my body and I felt very dizzy all the time. I applied for the PIP (Personal Independent Payment) but they refused me because they said -If you can move your hands, you’re fine. It doesn’t matter if you can’t walk or if you can’t do anything else. So, I had to find other ways of working with the art, but it was very limited with the energy that I had. It was not at all easy.”

How did you deal with the situation?

“Obviously, was going to affect me what was going on and the heaviness of it. I was really, really depressed. But through a lot of training – ten years – I had the chance to kind of empty the cup as it were. I know some techniques that work on myself, so I can unload the heaviness in a very good way. I could stay aligned and grounded within everything; I think it’s like staying in the centre of the storm. You could have the storm around you, but you can also stay centred and aligned. Anyway, especially since building this and since having Archie, I feel stable. Having this home makes me feel stable, although it’s classed as a temporary structure. I feel like I’ve got my home.”

Talking about affection… How do the community affect your life?

“I don’t have any family down here. It’s just me and Archie but with the support of the community, I don’t feel lonely. We have a group chat and if anybody needs anything, we put in on there and there’s someone turns up within minutes. I’m here on my own with Archie, if I was living in a flat alone, without knowing the neighbours, I would feel terribly ill. It’s hard, it’s really hard. But here, there’s a supportive community. And if I need a hug, someone

will be there. So, it makes a big difference.”

Do you deal with conflict if ever happens among you? Because I mean you are co-livers in some ways…

“Yeah, I haven’t really… there hasn’t been a great conflict here. Not that I’ve experienced. There’s been some events and dramas and we’ve dealt with them very well in the past, and if there’s conflict, we do tend to kind of communicate maturely.”

Would you like to share any favourite resources or communities that have supported your alternative living journey?

“Resources? Uhm…my sister who helped me build this, she lives up the country, she’s a carpenter, she had such amazing input with help me to build this and maintenance. My brother, who helped me to lay the floor and to put the walls up.”

Did you have the support of your whole family about your chosen lifestyle?

“Yes. When I first found this space, it was dilapidated, it needed a lot of work to create a beautiful, clear space just to start working again, just to start

building it. I sent my mother a photograph of when I first found the space and I said to her -I have found my home-, she said -yes, I believe you.- I didn’t have a penny to my name. I didn’t know how I was going to afford it. I just started to come here every day and I was living in a tent with my sister for the whole process of building this. Luckily, it had just turned May and it was a really dry hot summer. That was fantastic.”

Do you think people need to learn to understand or decide to live in a different way leaving the traditional lifestyle?

“Well, that’s a good question. I think that we have different problems with our environmental crisis and the housing crisis. Finding the most sustainable ways of living is just a real positive step. When I built this, the price of wood was a

lot cheaper because it was before Brexit. Building our house… it’s a beautiful way of living and it’s not for everybody: there are challenges, but everywhere has challenges. But yeah, I wish it was more accepted because it is beautiful. There is a stigma that is attached to alternative ways of living that just seem to be so old-fashioned. I think we need to bring this up to date now and really look at moving forward in a more sustainable way and just being more open-minded. It really upsets me when I see the housing estates that are just being built in countryside without any regard to the land.”

Any suggestions?

“I think that people give for granted sometimes, so it’s not easy. Maybe, someone who always lived in a traditional lifestyle could approach this new way of living learning from somewhere. I

think people could become curious or passionate when they are very squeezed with the bills. The increase of electricity has gone up so much and for example, I had to buy a new battery recently and it made me more mindful of what I have to do.”

So, have you got any desire for your baby?

“Well, I’m teaching him How to live more sustainably and I can’t wait for him to start walking or we can start playing outside or going on more exploring nature because is amazing here and the land hasn’t been touched.”

Does he like nature?

“Of course, he loves birds. And we have also a forest school here which we’re going to start to help us learn about the plants.”

Would you let him be educated by

the traditional school system and from a parallel education like this one that you mentioned or what is your position about?

“Well, I’m a bit kind of conflicted with it because my education was traditional and comprehensive and so it was a great deal. However, I’m dyslexic and I had no support at school I was bullied and I didn’t enjoy school. So, I struggle with the thought of him going to school in case he experiences that kind of… I hope can find a nice school that is more supportive for me. So ideally, I’d love to go to a standard school or something but more creative and supportive. I’m just going to have to see how things go as he grows, he has two parents who are both dyslexic, so, he may have a chance at being dyslexic and creative, which is not a bad thing.”

VAN Up & Downs LIFE

AN LIFE

“We see repairing almost as an act of rebellion. It moves against the grain of capitalism and consumerism.”

“Slow made home goods and repairs inspired by our connection to land and sea”- these words are used by Anya and Jimmy to summarize the concept behind Treehouse – “So, the idea to create home goods comes from the appreciation for well products that improve daily life, whether it is there to serve a purpose or just to bring joy whenever it could be seen.”

Clothes, furniture, leather: every product is well made, and made to last.

Each part of the process is carefully considered to reduce any dangerous impact on the envir-

ment, but Treehouse is even more: between the different activities, Treehouse includes the art of repair. - “We see repairing almost as an act of rebellion. It moves against the grain of capitalism and consumerism.

Repairs tell stories in ways that new garments do not, they hold life and significance and should be worn proudly.”-

“When I first moved to Cornwall, I was living in a house in Falmouth, and then in a house in Truro.” Anya started telling.“We had also a small workshop… it was really nice, but we realized how many money we spent on monthly cost of rent and bills. So, when the opportunity presented to itself to have a big workshop, we knew we needed to try and go. We already had a small van and we thought ok, we could find a bigger van. It’s been two years”

Anyway, when we chose to interview Anya and Jimmy we were focusing especially on their unconventional way of living.

To be honest, it’s still not done, but it’s getting there.

Anya and Jimmy are still waiting for the results of their hard work, but they are sure that it will be wonderful so soon. Currently, they are just waiting for their little home on wheels… and in the meantime, dreaming of Scotland.

“When I first moved to Cornwall, I was living in a house in Falmouth, and then in a house in Truro.” Anya started telling.

“We had also a small workshop… it was really nice, but we realized how many money we spent on monthly cost of rent and bills. So, when the opportunity presented to itself to have a big workshop, we knew we needed to try and go. We already had a small van and we thought ok, we could find a bigger van. It’s been two years”

What did you get out of it?

“I think we explore a lot more when we’re in the van because it makes you want to be outside: you haven’t got a space to live, so you want to be outside… surely, in the winter is a bit more difficult: you need lots of layers and a good coat! ”

When your basic tasks are difficult, everything is difficult. Quite often you know what could be easier

The rent was a problem, of course, but where would you place the beginning of this new path?

“I think this choice cames from the possibility to have a workshop and a house in the same space and this freedom is a part of the benefits of being self-employed.”

Downsides?

“Of course. On the other hand, moving into a very empty van from a very nice house was a big shifty. You know you are losing a lot of comfort: for example, we didn’t have a toilet in the van, so we were like in and out of the workshop using the toilet. When your basic tasks are difficult, everything is difficult. Quite often you know what could be easier, but our trip in Scotland couldn’t be possible if we had chosen a normal house. We’ve been through struggle… - I think it

was one of the hardest things we had ever done- but we wouldn’t be who we are today without it. When you have limited resources, you can appreciate them more.”

What people think about this choice?

“Sometimes people tend to jump to conclusions too early but when we have a proper conversation in which we explain why we like this way of life, generally they understand it’s just that they haven’t really thought about it. Sometimes people just make their assumptions and stick with that. Anyway, I think If you preparing yourself for these kind of things just for weekend trips, you could have an idea of how it’s gonna feel. Currently we aren’t alone: also Nellie (the nicest dog!) has definitely choose to enjoy trundling up and rolling down the Cornish hills despite how noisy it can be. ”

The 11th of February was the first time in Premier’s Falmouth Marina for me and Riccardo: we had never been there before. Small and quiet, the marina has a friendly, close-knit community with a welcoming bar and restaurant: UpperDeck. In front of the building, we found a light grey van; there was a woman who doesn’t look English. She has olive skin and very long black hair… she looked like Pocahontas!

I’ve had people broken into my van, so much hostility… but I believe people need just education.

So, there would be an interesting question… why we were in a harbor if the young woman was sitting in a van? We needed a cup of coffee before talking.

Wind, rain, the sloshing of the sea water… this is not a common story for many people. This is the story of Foxy Lady: a story of a white blue and brown floating house. The owner of Foxy Lady is Riley, the olive skin girl from London. Her accent is very particular: “I have Cockney accent” she said with humor. Cockney is a dialect of the English language traditionally spoken by working-class Londoners.

“I have a history of not being able to live in houses” – Riley began to tell her story. “Long train of tragic circumstances: I lived in different houses. Every year landlords were asking for more money: I had no rights, lose all my things. This story lasted for fifteen years. After this period, I had moved to Ireland from England and

lived there eleven years and it was similar thing: a month’s rent up front as deposit never got it back. If I win the national lottery, where would I buy a house? I have too many places to see, too many things to do… So, I’m not interested in buying a house. I want to go to Norway, want to know what it’s like to live there, see the fjords…”

The biggest difficulty of life on a boat?

“The difficulty with boats is the weather. If we don’t look at the weather, we can get caught in a storm. I have my coastal skilled and international certification of competency.”

Is that all?

“And no, is not just that. For example, many laws changing constantly… In addition, I have two children staying with me: my daughter is not at home anymore; my son lives with me. There’s no privacy. Anyway, there are also two ferrets and one dog

I would never change my life: silence, whatever it is, is not a sound. But if you live a lifeboat, your silence is the sound of sea.”

with us! Most people when think about lifeboat, think that it is just an entrainment, but the entire speech is much more complex than this idea: without wanting to disillusion someone, the reality is that lifeboat and holidays have far less in common than many people believe. For example, the use of water: boats don’t have lots and lots of water in them. Anyway, I can say for sure that, I would never change my life: silence, whatever it is, is not a sound. But if you live a lifeboat, your silence is the sound of sea.”

Riley spent most of her life in a van…

“I managed to caravan when I

Riley and her family. A 600 metres long pier separate them from the land.

was young, and I moved around a lot.

Currently, I have an everyday van, a bigger van which has two beds one for me and my son.

In the past, I managed to differentiate myself from the undesirable type of people… I was solo quite often.”

Undesirable people…?

“Sorry, but van life people are disgusting. They believe those people do drugs, don’t work... so, for example there’s a young girl in a van parked on the side of the road. No one can help her, but she doesn’t smoke, she’s so young and has no money. They’ve closed the car parks so she’s sleeping on the side of the road. She’s not safe.” She tells.

“So, I think van dwellers need education, at first. I worked out a way to have my own caravan by doing work for it: I worked in a field, learnt about sheep, fixing things, digging a hole for fire. I had windows smashed, I’ve had people urinating on my belongings, I’ve had people broken into my van, so much hostility… but I believe people need just education.

At Stonehenge the van life exploded but people don’t understand how to live in a van and not cause pollution… it’s very hard but we can do it”.

A Dreamy Cabin fo

It was the 27th of January when me and Riccardo met Alex at Halfway House in Rame, Cornwall.

The first thing that strikes of this place was the big frame of trees that separates the pale blue sky from the dark grey asphalt. There were some pretty vans and a lot of weird cars … once is yellow, another one is green, there was even a purple car with big blue eyes and very long pointed teeth. The sun was going down when Alex came so, we didn’t know his real name until that moment; we had known him as Tyler.

“I prefer introducing myself in a different way...” – he said. “Because I live in a different way.”

Alex is from London, and he spent a lot of time there. “I lived in a flat where lived a lot of people. The wall that separated me from other weren’t too thick and I could also hear people’s breathing. But, suddenly, people were very friendly, yes..”

or a real Freedom

Currently, Alex is living in Cornwall. “When I met my exwife in London, we chose Cornwall together for the

Unfortunately, after raising three children, they divorced, and his wife has forbidden him to see their kids.

“It was really awful…” so, to get a chance to reborn again, Alex chose Costa Rica and chose a new lifestyle.

In Costa Rica, for the first time, I discovered Cabin Life: rural, self-sufficient, in nowhere.

“I lose my mind; in Costa Rica I had found it again.”

So, after this adventure, when Alex decided to come back to Cornwall, finally he saw his kids and finally he fell in love again.with a new neighbor next door 

“When I moved here, I bought a piece of land with her and we built a perfect place... so, maybe it was perfect for me but not for her, because we had had so many problems and lots of arguments about

it…the place would be a perfect glamping.”

And it was, for a period of time.

“The project went on for two years, but unluckily, the pressure of the Council was really hard.” Alex says. Neighbors don’t like Alex’s business.

“The council has a lot of power. You can’t stop them.” The council can check everywhere; they can stay in your land every time they want – inside your house! Alex doesn’t wear clothes to keep away the council. 

We know that it’s so hard to talk about it, but… what’s happened?

“What happened was that the cabin is on the decking... six meters by six meters. So, each of the domes had a decking on it and the domes sat on the decking. They made me take everything down! I was starting to take it down… Neighbors complained and were laughing at me. I got so angry...”

Alex built the cabin in twelve weeks and he spent eighty thousand pounds but people didn’t want that he lives there.

“I lost eighty thousand pounds, I lost my girlfriend. I got upset in court. Sometimes I think should I just sell it?

If someone’s leg is against you, it’s territorial.

Alex built the cabin in twelve weeks and he spent eighty thousand pounds but people didn’t want that he lives there.

That’s why there’s people taking over countries: we’re territorial animals and it creates a difference be tween us.

I studied about evolutionary biology and psy chology: if you get a load of monkeys and put blue balls in front of them they’ll fight over it… all the monkeys will want the blue ball and they’ll fight over it. If you come into our space they’ll go crazy.” Alex tells.

We asked Alex to describe how does he feels this desired sense of freedom…

The independence of being self-reliant and self-sufficient are irreplaceable.

So, now Alex is also changing his political view… autonomy and political free dom makes him more libertarian than ever. – Independence is freedom, and freedom is addictive. 

“The physical act to choose another way - not in a normal house - changes your perspective of the society. The UK school system is robotic: a school system that teaches

people critical thinking. For some reason people like to be told what to do so that they don’t have to think for themselves…give power to the State so that they can educate their children. It’s so sad.”

Dreams about the future?

“Happy kids, healthy kids, successful kids. I’m going to resurrect the glamping site. It could be very different because I learnt a lot of things -of course, to make the glamping in a better way  - I’m dreaming to spending my summers in Cornwall and my winters in the jungle in Costa Rica, yes.”

The Cacao Man who lives on a Double Deck Bus

Just a spiritual gangster serving a life sentence in a human body –with these words, Simon, a curious aspect middle-aged man, describes himself. But it’s not just his appearance that is so curious, because the most curious thing is his way of living.

Simon is “a lot of things”: he’s an Eco Builder, a very different musician, a producer-owner and to conclude, a Samaritan. Maybe we could call him Connector (of course between people and his soul) but he prefers the nickname Babu.

What it means Babu?

“Babu is the name used by people to call me as a baby and still does. Babu means friend, brother, elder in Amerindian. A lot of things, yes. :)’”

The day we met Simon wasn’t an ordinary day; our first meeting happened in occasion of a typically celebration: The Apple Wassailing. In the Apple Orchards of Southern England and Cornwall, The Apple Wassailing represents a very old tradition practiced: Wassailing is an opportunity to foster community and to celebrate the awakening of the trees from their winter slumber ready to embrace new life

in the spring and to bless them. Brightest days are coming, and hope, health, and peace are the key words.

Wassailing starts with the removal of dead, diseased and crossing branches: for me and Riccardo it was the first experiences with this kind of tools, very funny but not too easy... how could we recognize the wrong branches if we didn’t know the specific characteristics of trees?

“The external branches need to be cut! But... be careful.” That’s what we were told. “Trees need more air and sunshine now.”

“Babu is the name used by people to call me as a baby and still does. Babu means friend, brother, elder in Amerindian. A lot of things, yes. :)’”

No wassail would be complete without tasting the wassail drink, which is usually a hot mulled warm cider blended with cinnamon and spices prepared at the moment.

For us that was the first experience and it was incredible how magical it is this pagan ancient ritual... but let’s start from the beginning! It was a cold Sunday morning when Simon picked us from Penryn station with his car to bring us to a special place: the Chyan Cultural center, a stunning project community farm in rural Cornwall.

Composed of rewilded areas, apple orchards, woodlands, event and performance spaces, the Chyan inspires and informs all people who interact with the space - “A place to celebrate Connection, Community and Creativity”: it’s described with these words.

Anyway, first of all, we visited the Simon’s bus: indeed, busses, tents, caravans, motorhomes, small Campervans are accepted at Chyan Cultural Centre.

Simon’s caravan is green outside and wooden inside...a really cozy place; and you can find there a lot of curious things... “My bus is a safe place. Cacao, tea or coffee can be on in minutes, I can make a mean hot chocolate too. My bus is a place of peace and non- judgement. Anyone who needs to chat is welcome anytime. We can talk, share a hug, laugh or just listen. It’s not good suffering in silence. I have food or we can order out, eat in, laugh and cry.” he said.

Simon’s best friend is brown and sweet... anyway, not always so sweet: cacao. He has a

It takes a tribe to raise a child

personal business interesting; he makes very special creations with Organic Raw Criollo Cacao beans, considered a delicacy, and prized for its superior flavor: nothing added, nothing taken away. The first thing I noticed was a really uncommon biscuit wrapped in a clear polka dot paper; it was a big and round cocoa cookie with a very particular woman printed on: Mother Nature. :)

Two minutes and coffee was ready. “I just moved to Cornwall and I was living in a house with my family and then worked for Plants for Future. While I was there, I

saw an advert to live on a double Decker bus and manage the community field...” - Simon began to tell.

“The main reason I moved was because we weren’t fitting into how society is. We like a low-impact life, respect for the land and our community. There’s so much more to life than what the education system gives them, it takes a tribe to raise a child, you need your community around you. It was quite difficult mentally for a while because we weren’t used to doing this. Children come into my bus and we talk and have a laugh...

Nothing is brought to you. But a week in a house is equivalent to a month on bus, energy wise.

we help each other out when we can. Most people don’t know their neighbors, but here it’s different. We fall into a trap when we have a house and we must pay rent, we don’t see our family and we bring stress home with us: we project our rubbish onto other people. When I saw the double deck bus advert on the magazine I thought that it fitted me like a glove. :)”

Simon told us everything all in one breath. He’s so exciting... So, we are also curios to know negative things about this way of life.

“Doing your washing to getting water is hard. Nothing is brought to you. But a week in a house is equivalent to a month on bus, energy wise. I reuse and recycle as much as I can, we got massive turbines at the top of the hill, we don’t have storage of energy. Rather than negative things, I prefer to call them different things.

It’s more a tribal lifestyle: you got no one to answer to, you take responsibility for your actions, so not everybody likes to be in a community: the rules of the land, be respectful, don’t harm anyone’s land. I do the best I can and I mind my own business. So, when you start living here you realizing the differences. I won’t judge other people for what they do but I can say that I can’t remember the last time I voted. I don’t see the point in that.There’s a divide between the rich and the poor. Anyway, when I look at their bank accounts, I’m more rich than they are. I don’t have any debts, I don’t owe anyone anything.”

A back to life going throu

g ug h big

he first time we met Lizzie, it was a Saturday morning during the winter, and me and Riccardo decided to spend a little time in Loveland. Established on a little hill in Penryn, Loveland is a special eight-acre community field project for everyone to enjoy. In this space, you can make happy mistakes and learn how to do something new with your own time and peace: work the land, hoe the ground, and sow the seeds. When I discovered Loveland, I didn’t know exactly what the mission of this place was. I was just trying to meet new people with a different way of living. Anyway, the beauty of this kind of research is that there are no limits, and the common thread of this experience is not just pursuing a goal. The process is the real success, and the secret to fully enjoying it is to just live a curious life. As English people say, “Down the rabbit hole!”—don’t allow yourself to fall down a rabbit hole of fear. Honestly, at the beginning, my biggest intention was to find a way to do some chit chat with likeminded people, and Loveland seemed like the

We lived on two different boats for six years, and I love it because it was like camping

perfect place for doing it. and, unexpectedly, I dug the ground for the first time! When we first met Lizzie in Loveland, her suggestion was very different from the work of preparing soil for planting: she welcomed us with a huge smile and two big, bright, and blue eyes. “Come with me today as we paint the compost toilet brown!” she said. She didn’t know me, but she was already hugging me. Lizzie was so friendly and so nice; we were sure she would have a lot to say—in the right way! So, a few days later, we went to visit her at home. Lizzie lives in a delightful house with wide panoramic windows surrounded by a veranda where the pink of camelias meets the blue of the sky. Three things impressed me the most: the beautiful flower curtain, an unusual plant pot that seems to be a dispenser for beer, and a very cute cat with a weird black mask, whose name is Bandit. Anyway, the story of this kind woman is not just a tale that happened in cosy houses. “I was two years old, and my sister was just three months old. We were really young,

and we loved living on a boat.” Lizzie started to tell. “The council didn’t want to give us a home, and it was very difficult. We lived on two different boats for six years, and I love it because it was like camping. But the first boat was in very bad shape, and the second boat was 35 feet long. That wasn’t really much when there were four people and a cat or a rabbit. In Falmouth Marina, where we lived, there were mud, baby crabs, swans, and a sewerage outlet that ran from the side over the beach down into the water. That’s where I grew up. So, my parents

were desperately trying to get us somewhere to live. And about the council, there was one man there who didn’t like us, and he didn’t want to help us. My mom and dad wrote to an MP; he was called David Mudd, and they dripped sewage onto the letter. ”Oh my gosh...” “We were in a desperate situation, and they didn’t want to help us. But eventually we got the house, and my mom and dad are in it now. Literally, that house you see over there...” Lizzie showed us a group of houses over there. “So, the man who didn’t like us had to bring us the key to the house.

It was a little bit of fun: what we would say in English poetic justice.”

After this experience, have you kept living on a boat or never again? “I got married at eighteen. I was very young, yes. My husband was thirty-one. Basically, we lived in a house, but I’ve always enjoyed camping when he were alive. He died two years ago. We also had a camper; the bottom was a caravan, and the top was a tent. I don’t know what they call it, but if you’ve seen them, you might not know that; it’s like a car or a van! Anyway, we got one of these, and we went out often, and I love that kind of living. You don’t have everything you need, so you have to improvise.”

Would you share the same values that guided your choice? I think this way of life is simple; it’s very simple: low-key. In the world, we are encouraged to get the best car, get a bigger house, have this, have that, have something else... It’s like a push, push, push; you need new this, new that, more and

more. Does it make you happy? It can’t make you happy because it’s a dummy.” This story makes us think of the potential real reason why the governments try to forbid this lifestyle: because you must survive, connect, and move with essential things first, or else you’ll stop wanting more and more. And maybe for this reason, the choices of the government, like removing parking areas for van dwellers... “I’m not a political person, I don’t have political views... But for observations, it doesn’t matter if you are in Siberia, whether you are in your community, or whether you are here; how could the government control people if they live in a different way? ” Would you like to describe the transition from the lifestyle you had with your family, then with your marriage, and then with your current life? How many changes? “I had many, many, many changes. I was born in 1969 in London, and when I was two, we moved down here. So, Debbie was born in 1971. She was three months old when we moved on the boat. I will always be thankful; it was a very special event that happened in my life. The first challenge was moving from the boat to a house. We had nothing: just a few cushions, no bed, no fridge, just some clothes. You can’t take off furniture when you live on a boat. You can’t have anything. But we needed that change because of the sewerage. A very dear old friend of my family said she was selling her guest house, and she asked if we needed anything. She was shocked at how we were living. We just took what we needed, and other friends gave us different things. It was special. Anyway, I said many, many changes, yes. Two years ago, my husband fell, and four days later, he died. So, that was

a big change in 2021. In 2022, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and that was really hard. Currently, I’m still fighting cancer. My wellbeing lady encouraged me to go over to Loveland, and now, twice a week, I go back to the life that I love. If gradually I just have to survive until Wednesday, then I just have to survive until Saturday, and then I’ll be okay if I get there Wednesday again, of course, like short deadlines that keep motivating your ambition to live. I have a daughter with Asperger’s syndrome, and she can’t cope with life. She can’t lose two parents in a few years. and she needs me, yes.”