If you don't live in a standard "normal" way, how do you live?

[curiositykilledthecatsplat]

Curious to know how people live if you don't live in "standard" way, how do you live? ie you live in a commune, you travel the world with your family etc etc

Wrong post!

Article for the Fail?

I have a serious hoarding problem. I feel like I’ve not had a proper home since I was a child.

I’ve met quite a few people that live unconventionally in the wilderness in Canada and America. None of them are on mumsnet to share their stories though 😂

@HrhMargie

I now have a conventional-is life, but I lived in a squat for 6 years in what is now a very desirable post-code in London. I also worked in a bit of a posh environment and no-one ever knew of my living arrangements. Loved every minute of it!

I forgot, I lived in a squat too, but on the Kilburn High Road. It only had bits of roof, no internal doors, and we used to take baths wearing jumpers rolled up to just above water level in winter. Half the inhabitants were trying to crack acting while working in bars, and the bakery second next door used to give us stale cakes.I had just moved to the UK and I loved every second.

Not sure how "differently" I live, but I visit North Korea once or twice a year, and have done for many years. I've never felt scared there at all, very welcoming people

I should probably clarify, pre-covid. I haven't been able to go since late 2019.

@Knockoneofftheshelftowin

I am from a family travelling show people (fairgrounds) sixth generation. I have always lived in a caravan. I don't have any friends from outside of the business/way of life. I don't consistently travel anymore. I have a 'flattie' (non showman) job nowadays but still go to carnivals etc with a stall. We are a cultural minority as opposed to an ethnic minority. Although we often get compared/likened to gypsies or circus people we are completely different.

Now that is fascinating; I think I like this one best!

I live in east Asia and have mostly done so since I was twenty. I've lived in the same country over here for nearly eleven years now, but lived in various other countries in the region before that. At 36, I'm childless by choice and currently live on the other side of the country from my DH, after I took a new work contract six months before he could terminate his. I've seen him only twice since I moved.

I think my DH, who is older than me, could integrate back into UK life more easily than I could, but we tried a year back home when I was 25 and I felt like I was living in black and white. Almost all my adult life has been spent living the life less ordinary and I still find it as thrilling as I did that first year.

although my life isn't strictly conventional right now, it's dull as is my job..
but.. I had a dream job for 7 yrs that felt more like a hobby. Aspects of this included having to smudge the building every day to cleanse any ill thought which tended to come in from jealous people. We had our own labyrinth in the grounds, which was said to be a portal to another dimension. I got to walk that most days.. sometimes with chickens.. live ones I should say, pets who would join in, not a sacrifice! (I am a witch but don't sacrifice anything!)

@itsgettingwierd

Are you fluent in all languages of the countries you've lived in?

Is your narrowboat stationary?

Up snowdonia sounds fascinating. How do you feel about them looking to change the name?

7 kids is unusual in this day and age but my mums one of 7!

My life's pretty boring and unconventional but I did spend 6 years living and working abroad as a children's then holiday rep which was a great experience when young.

They’re not changing the name of Snowdonia, it’s always been Eryri.

I sleep in the same room I was conceived in. I bought the house my parents built in 1958 from the intervening owner. I’ve never lived more than ten miles from the hospital where I was born. Yes, I have a strong if eccentric accent.

I want to be Sometimes Fraught!

I emigrated 10 years ago with my DH and our DD, leaving behind my life as a housewife/mum and a 3 bedroomed semi.

We now live on 10 acres, and although we are only 15 minutes from town we are almost off grid. We have bottled gas, solar power and a septic tank set up for our waste water/toilet.

We have 3 dogs, 2 cats and lots of chickens.

Life is good.

I grow some of our food, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, cucumber, melons, grapes, radish, oranges, strawberries, onions and of course we have plenty of eggs

I can drive the tractor and can be seen wizzing around on the ride on mower.

We have our own swimming pool which is warm enough to swim in 9 months of the year and we have a river running through our property which supports a family of ducks.

Hubby works full time in town and I work 3 days a week in our local cafe.

Weekends are spent working on our land, we share our space with the local wildlife, possums, snakes, kangaroos, parrots, and big spiders lol

There is enough room here for everyone (snakes included) who do a wonderful job of keeping down the rodent population.

It felt a bit strange at first but now this is normal life for me.

Unfortunately my life is very conventional, except from perhaps having two homes? Since covid the other one has been rented out as travel has been off the cards and the extra income has been nice. Now the restrictions are eased we will probably go back to spending our weeks up north, but back in the SE on weekends and school holidays (can work flexible so WFH when between places)

@SummerScoop

Poorly after the first. Chills, high temperature headache cold type symptoms. Just a sore arm after the second!

Ah you had AZ 😂

Sounds great @tankcrossing

80% of the food we eat as a family is free. I grow, forage, shoot and dumpster dive. We eat really well.

Not me but an old school friend:

Lived on a palm tree island for a number of years (forgotten exactly where but think SE Asia), met a Swede there, moved to his country, had 2 kids, divorced soon after and is now raising two bilingual kids single-handedly whilst continuing to travel the world with them.

Funny thing is, they are so normal when you meet them.

My friend is quiet and unassuming but obviously has balls of steel, and I expect she is really good in her industry as she always seems to glide into amazing jobs all over. They are probably not materially wealthy but oh my god imagine the experiences

Ive been with my partner since i was 20 but never lived together until last year (we are now 29) nothing too extravagant lol but weve been judged for it all of our 20s... he lived with his parents and I lived with mine then I moved out alone when I was 26.. he visited on weekends... since lockdown we live together in my house, have a child and have bought a house together lol!

I'll just add to my last post that i know this sounds very uninteresting on the scale of things lol but my point is, all friends and family have told us how "weird" it is that me and my partner basically lived separate lives for 8 years of our relationship..but it all worked out

@IJustLikeBiscuitsOK, tell us more about your N. Korea travels?

@DesertRoze
I think I have met you or someone very similar in real life.

[quote Hawse]@PigGondola - yes Miriam Toews is a fantastic writer and has really shown a light on mennonite life and culture and the intersection with today's life. I have only seen clips of Silent Light (the film she starred in), but it was brilliant to see a film in low-german (given it's such a dying language). She grew up in Steinbach, another key mennonite village and somewhere I spent loads of time growing up, my aunt/uncle live there and its also where my greatx grandfather's memorial statue is. Pretty sure we are related too Literally we're all related - it's a very insular community .[/quote]
Your Great Grandfather has a statue in his memory! That’s pretty impressive too.

@PigGondola we also used to get bread from a local bakery 😁 Some of my squat friends used to go 'shopping' in the supermarket bins, but i was too timid to go along with that. Plus I worked in a normal job and didn't have to.
My neighbours and friends we mainly punks, musicians, other immigrants like me and drug dealers. We lived in our building though with the councils knowledge and I suppose with some kind of permission and used to hold meetings with them to discuss matters. Fun times..