Carlos

[Avering]

Hello, my name's Carlos, I'm 18 years old, from Miami, Florida. I'm new to squatting/hopping/hobo/travel, and I have never traveled independently, and I'm really excited about starting.

Currently, my plans are:
Collect as much information as I can on various topics such as gear/skills etc.. and place them into little word files and print them out.
Grab all the gear I need for winter and summertime.
Get a road dog(s). And I have a few people in mind from around where I stay/far away/online. I gotta really get to know people well for this.. You're welcome to get to know me by the way...

My farther goals/ideas are:
Establish a good squat house somewhere nice and take care of it really well.
With my roommates, I'd like to practice several different arts and learn about different stuff independently, for example: I want to do something like practicing martial arts and collect all of my knowledge from really good books based upon these subjects. I would print out or buy these books together with my roommates and we would all read them together and practice together.
Make Music/Art/Paintings etc...,read,party,travel more, meet new people,relationships etc..

About me: I want to be an artist/musician/adventurer/nomad. I'm into all kinds of music (some favorites are Hardcore Punk/Crust/Black Metal/Dark Ambient/Gabber/Witch-house) and I'm acquainted with a lot of stuff that may surprise some people. I'm not religious, but I take great interest in all sorts of beliefs/stories. I'd like to thank all of the nice people on here, by the way, who have posted all of this excellent information/guides on all sorts of stuff.

 

[EphemeralStick]

Wow sounds like you got it pretty planned out! Just remember experience is the best teacher. Welcome to the site! where do you plan on heading?

 

[Avering]

thank you! I'm not really sure where I'm heading yet, you see, I have a place to stay here, everybody's telling me to go to college or get a job but I really don't want to do either, and I haven't really gotten close to anybody whom I know around Miami who squats/hops trains, though i've seen a lot of pictures of them on facebook/tumblrs.. So now that's what I'm working on, just chilling out and letting myself meet a few people into the same things that I am and take my time getting gear I need and all of that jazz..

 

[Cardboard]

You are 18, for fucks sake, dont go to school! If you at least finished your high school, its the perfect time to go fuck off and find yourself. I think this social demand to carry on your education immediately, especially in the states where its going to cost you an arm and a leg, is so fucking ignorant. I guess you have not lived on your own, had time to really realize who you are, and where your interests lie... Shit, I was out of my parents house before 18, and have been traveling for 7+ years, and I am still figuring things out. So many people I know who have degrees now are working some shit supermarket of fastfood job, trying to live and pay back their student loans, and holding degrees that they no longer could give half a shit about.
For sure, get out there and find yourself. You can always go back to school, and by the time you do, you might actually want to!
A job on the other hand is not a bad idea, if you have the opportunity. Remember its just a job, not a "career" and you can fuck off whenever you like. Now its winter time, and if you have the opportunity to take a job for a few months, I would say go for it. Having a little cash in hand is never a bad thing.

 

[Avering]

I know man, I think I will take a job somewhere soon 'til I find my road dogs or til I just make up my mind, because I would definitely travel by myself. Actually on second thought I gotta consider that because it's kinda hard getting a job, i've applied to about 30 places last month and not a call back haha. I guess it was my attitude towards it, though, they could tell I was an awkward kid.

 

[Cardboard]

There is always work. Check craigslist, go around and hang up flyers... fuck filling out applications. Any idiot can do a little work and get paid for it (I speak from experience, I myself being an idiot..)
Easy things anyone can do:
House cleaning
Yard work (this time of year this includes raking leaves, and cleaning gutters. Both shit jobs no one want to do)
Dog walking
you get the idea. There are a ton more things, and when you are already running around filling out a ton of apps, might as well put your time into doing day jobs here and there, and making a quick buck. It pays more than trying to find a "real" job.

 

[Avering]

Sounds really good man, I'll definitely try out the hanging up flyers idea and check craigslist a bit more often. Thanks again.

 

[christianarchy]

Welcome, glad to have you on board.

 

[Earth]

There's a couple of differnet ways you can go about with your life.

As Matt Pist correctly stated elsewhere, there's more than one way to squat the planet...

I actually chose to continue with Collage after High school and for me it paid off as I bought this roost 20 years ago (at age 26)and built a killer analog tape based studio in it and today pretty much do as I please while working a basic straight job m - f which believe it or not is no big deal, as it allows me to do what I really want to do in life (music/art/eco work)

So, you can be a kid now and drift / waste time - but sooner or later you'll be faced with the real world.

I did it backwards: paid my dues early in life, now I get to really have fun and enjoy me life knowing where I'm at and more importantly where I'm going...

The choice is yours, the important thing is you do what it is you want to do, not what somebody else wants you to do.
There is a difference, trust me on that...............
God Be With You+

 

[Avering]

thanks guys, Earth, i understand completely. I'll definitely not confuse myself with what someone else wants me to do, wouldn't be able to live like that

 

[Cardboard]

There's a couple of differnet ways you can go about with your life.

As Matt Pist correctly stated elsewhere, there's more than one way to squat the planet...

I actually chose to continue with Collage after High school and for me it paid off as I bought this roost 20 years ago (at age 26)and built a killer analog tape based studio in it and today pretty much do as I please while working a basic straight job m - f which believe it or not is no big deal, as it allows me to do what I really want to do in life (music/art/eco work)

So, you can be a kid now and drift / waste time - but sooner or later you'll be faced with the real world.

I did it backwards: paid my dues early in life, now I get to really have fun and enjoy me life knowing where I'm at and more importantly where I'm going...

The choice is yours, the important thing is you do what it is you want to do, not what somebody else wants you to do.
There is a difference, trust me on that...............
God Be With You+

Earth, I don't disagree with you, but I think you gotta admit you are a lucky one. I dont know what you studied, or if/how it relates to your m-f job now, but if you made a good job out of a degree, that you can continue to do and be content, you are one lucky mother fucker.
I just think that for most, its too hard to say what you want to do for the rest of your life, when your life of independence has just begun. And I totally think that paying your dues early in life is a great idea. I think its actually quite essential. Just keeping in mind, that being 25 and starting school rather than 18, is still early in life.
It's also important to realize a bit how the education and social systems in the states work, that most schools wont teach kids;
FAFSA, officially recognizes you as independent, at 24 years of age. This means that your income is based on YOUR income, and not your families combined income. Therefore, unless you are already working some great high paying job, you will more or less have the easy opportunity to get your schooling paid for by uncle sam.
As well, many universities have a lot of incentives for older applicants, generally starting at age 25, because they know (as I am trying to say), that people that are motivated to go to school at this age, are often more secure and sure of themselves, and will indeed try harder for their education.
My ideal recommendation (I fucked up already, so I cant tell you it works for sure...):
When you graduate Highschool, go fuck off for 5 years. This should bring you to about 23 years old, and hopefully, after 5 years of independent life, you know a bit more about who you are, and what you want.
Now, settle down somewhere you like, get a job you can stand, and get yourself a steady place to live, because trying to study something and living a bums life is a super difficult thing. Spend a year getting yourself settled.
Now you are 24, get some student aid from the government, and enroll in some Lower level college courses that interest you, but are not too difficult. If it interests you, and it is a level of learning that you can motivate yourself to follow, chances are you can get decent grades (you actually have to try, sure, but hopefully by now, you want to!)
After a year of this, take your transcripts (which should look pretty good if you got those decent grades), and your being 25, and apply for a higher level of learning, at a university of your choice. You are 25, and have a recent history of good grades, you are in for sure. You are as well not rich (maybe), and all the govt assistance you could want is practically begging you to take it.
I fucked up and got stuck in Europe, where I cant really settle unless I get married. I would really recommend young folks consider this route though, and see the perks of putting off higher education for a few years (besides all the fun you will have).

 

[scatwomb]

From personal experience, I applaud your plans. I went straight to college, then straight to grad school. I then dropped out of a PhD program because I came to the conclusion that I wasn't interested in my field of study - it was just what I had done up to that point. After I dropped out, I traveled mostly solo, and, after a few years of experience and reflection, I have a better idea of where I want my life to go.

And, if you decide to go to college, you're going to be such a better student entering at 22 or 26 or 30 or whenever. You're maturity will help you will all sorts of things, and, your experience traveling will (I guarantee it) help with problem solving and critical thinking.

 

[Avering]

Definitely seems like a good idea for me. Everybody around where I live is pretty much the same, they're all going to community college right out of high school, I'm like..fuck that. I'm just chillin now since I'm at my moms place. No job yet and quite a bit of things that i can think of buying as soon as i get some money like cameras/instruments n various supplies including maybe some traveling supplies, but money will come soon, it's whatever. Cardboard, thanks again for the advice, you get your point across really well for me, and Scatwomb, that sounds like it took a lot of nerve to do, drop out of a PhD program, I dropped out of high school I can't imagine Grad School, I hope things have gone well for you after that, and they must have, traveling always frees the spirit, meeting new people, wandering around, discovering so much and learning so much. Sucks that the media and the internet see things such as hitchiking and train hopping as a thing of "bums" and people who just "have no other choice".

 

[scatwomb]

The media demonizes our lifestyle because it's in their interest as a capitalist enterprise to do so. If we are not mindlessly consuming their advertisements at home, they make less money. This lifestyle challenges the type of society they seek to maintain and control - a society in which they can make more money. Fuck em'.

It's not very uncommon for students to end their PhD studies early. It's a 5-7 year commitment and a ton of work. Plus, you are basically pigeon-holed into your topic of study after completion, so, you need to be damn sure it's what you want to do. Personally, I am planning on returning to school within a year or two, as I have determined exactly what I want to study

 

[foxx]

avering, we're pretty much in the same boat personally i'm planning on going to college and squatting during the summers

 

[Avering]

I wish you good luck with college, I hope that you're doing it because you want to. And, as for squatting, I'd love to hear about your plans if you have any, seems we're both relatively new to it..

 

[foxx]

thank you :] it's just something i'd like to experience, i'll most probably end up not graduating, but who cares, i won't take out loans X] as far as plans go, i'm trying to read up on everything and be as prepared as i can be :] i'd like to go see my friend in indianapolis, and i'd like to go to san francisco as it's my favorite city. canada would be lovely as well C: what are your plans?

 

[soapybum]

I have somewhat similar plans but one of my major goals after traveling around for a bit is to find a very rural squat, acquire tenant status and make a permaculture garden/field and be able to live off that, probably will get some chickens also. If i save up enough get solar panels for electricity. You get the idea. Atm i'm about to be setting up an infoshop/squat in indy so that should be interesting. Glad to hear that i'm not the only one who prefers clean squats and doesnt just gut every squat for scrap metal.

 

[wokofshame]

Yup I i was engaged to a girl who went to an ivy league-type college. Those places are so fucking retarded, the kids are spoiled fucking little brats, I got to live under some.
/They'd play techno and drink little bitch Smirnoff bullshit, a bunch of bros and sluts think they know some shit because some dumbass overpaid professor told 'em it. I'd flip the breakers and they flipped on me for butchering a deer underneath the porch. One wanted me to pay 600$ for getting a flat tire on some broken glass or scrap metal that had fallen out of my truckbed. 600 to get it towed. "You can't change a fucking tire? Fuck you, rich bitch."
Non-community colleges are the biggest centers of retardation on earth. Everyone is so fucking immature. Fuck that shit

 

[foxx]

yeah i'm pretty sure i'll end up not finishing college because of things like that ^ i can't stand elitist bullshit like that, but it's everywhere :/