im a traveller AMA

[TakeABreak2]

irish traveller ama

chickedychicked
never seen it

also just just every family parents are in charge right? and if they ask you to do something - youre expected to do it?

Take thanks. No, everyone does not bleach their cups but they should!

Can I ask you a bit more about religion? It sounds like you converted to born-again, is that right? Did someone help to convert you?

You mentioned that some travellers are Catholic-do they go to mass wherever they are?

one of my concerns as a parent is the impact porn is having on sexual attitudes as young men are getting much of their sex education off the internet and young women are normalizing experiences and attitudes that are derived from extreme porn. I would worry that without sex education girls are vulnerable to abuse because they won’t know what is acceptable or normal (not necessarily sex Ed as it is taught in schools; I think as a parent I have to contribute to that education too)
I can see that you shelter the girls in your culture but how much are the boys sheltered from the influences of the porn industry?

Hi, I'd like to ask if your life is. Wet different from either your grandparents or your great grandparents? I know it's not so long ago Travellers would have kept a wooden vardo and horse to live in? And if so would you like to live properly on the road like that?

elinor your right in all of that i actually went theough a very bad experience (thats another thread) and became a christian god helped me through it and that was that. tbh most travellers say there catholic but dont bother with mass praying ectect but some do go to places like lordes alot go to mass anywhere and everywhere ect

alana i cant really answer that because im not a boy and theyd NEVER talk about stuff like that infront of girls/women?

slippermaiden
yes thats right grandparents would be raising 8/9 children in a wagon on the side of the road no i wouldnt like to like that tbh we have a bit of comfort now lol

Hi @TakeABreak2 have you been to the NE England? (personally don’t want to out myself and say where), was there anywhere you particularly enjoyed?

We’ve had travellers come to stay locally on and off for a few years and I haven’t noticed that there’s been any trouble or that anyone I know were bothered either. Iirc the site when it was last used was left abit messy but personally I’ve seen a lot worse left by locals who live here all the time who have access to fortnightly bin collections too!

Also can I ask, what do you do with all your stuff? I’m assuming you have to live quite minimalist? I’m very much so a hoarder by nature and I’m overrun with balls of wool, so I do wonder how other people manage to have hobbies that involve a lot of ‘stuff’ and how they store it all!

was in the ne i likes gateshead durham seaham south sheilds darlington berwick also theres alot more storage than you think we all have permanent homes to go back to weather that be a chalet a house or the trailer we shift out in! but if were not in a house we normally have a shed with washer/dryer sometimes a bathroom like a mini bungalow kind of thing

Ah that’s not so bad then!

I’m planning on taking the DC to Durham and South Shields during the holidays - I personally feel very lucky to be so close to both countryside and coast with lots to see just a short car drive away

yeah i liked that to youv got a bit of everything youve got 2 cities close by (sunderland&newcastle) metrocentre is best for clothes i thought then youv got the coast all around you then a short drive its country side

It is! DH had relatives who used to live here years ago come to visit recently and they were amazed it wasn’t a total shithole

Thanks for starting this thread, I've really enjoyed reading this one and the Jewish one, great to ask stuff you've always wanted to know

for your hard time, I'm happy for you finding God

I've been really interested in this thread, thank you.

Unfortunately we have had numerous bad experiences with travellers recently and from previously defending them, I am now struggling not to feel the same way as notacooldad.

Do you understand why people feel this way about travellers? I know you and your family don't behave like this but do you feel angry when you hear about others behaving badly and giving you all a bad reputation?

Just to say @TakeABreak2 that this is one of the most interesting AMAs I have read - thank you for your insightful and detailed answers.

ok do you've not seen the movie but basically it's abiut a traveller family and the grandad is the head of the group and np one can do anything without his permission e.g send kids to school or move on somwhwre else. This extends to other people on the same site too.
basically can you make your own decisions or do you have to ask anyone?

Andlwouldwalk500yards
Can I join in I'm east Leeds also

takeabreak you are so strong, not for just starting this thread, but for seeing it through.
I married in and lived on council sites, we had a business. Set up proper accounts and with hmrc.
We hid that we were a gypsy family to avoid automatic and unthinking judgement.
I've gone back to the settled world now, and still never tell people.
Prejudice against travelling ethnicity, this last allowed, casual discrimination is rife.
I work now, for a deeply ethical company.
I still don't feel safe to tell my colleagues.
Keep on take

blueranbitwasnaughty
of course i understand why people feel like it i just dont understand how they can judge all of us like that 🤔

chickedychicked no its not like that it would be up to the man and wife where/when they wanted to go

rosamacrose i dont think many travellers tell people there travellers 😐 only if im asked id tell because i cant lie

@TakeABreak2 I think this must be the closest a thread has ever got to me. I'm not far from Sherburn-In-Elmet

yorkiedorkie i quite like where i stay now i think itll be a permanent stay now