22-year-old intern 40 days living in a car and managed to go to work in a suit

• 22-year-old intern was living in a car and managed to go to work in a suit 40 days

When 22-year-old Levi Johnson managed to get on internships in Seattle last summer before graduation, he was too long could not determine the residence. "I acted stupid, I just do not understand how things work in Seattle" - he said.

By the time he began to look for housing in the spring, market supply was short, and the places he looked, cost 1200-1400 dollars a month. In the end, the University of Texas at Austin student found a local friend, whose roommate was going to move out. "He was free from July to August, but I had from June to August. Stayed span of 40 days, in which I had no place to live, "- says the guy.

Levi Joseph and his Subaru Outback, where he lived for 40 days.

Inspired by the history of his friend, whom he met in the US bike tour a year earlier, Joseph thought he could live this time in his car brand Subaru Outback. Attended to a safe place to park, he booked through Airbnb in a motor home in the suburbs for $ 600. And the guy was able to spend 40 days in the car, appearing at the same time in the office every once in a suit.

Camping, who booked Joseph, was inhabited by people who have stayed here and the short and long term. Camping hostess Stephanie arranged a bonfire in good weather, and residents gathered to talk about everything from politics to conspiracy theories. Man has not always had the opportunity to sit around the fire, because sometimes he had to get up at 4.30 am to go to work at six.

Joseph dressed in a motor home before you go to work in the office.

But when he remained at the fire, they were memorable moments. "I'm writing a thesis on the environment, and one night I sat by the fire, we are talking about world politics, then - on the traces of chemical pollution in the sky, and everything turned into a loud argument about conspiracy theories" - Joseph recalls. "It was like a small commune. They were strange, that among them a man working in the office "- he says.

He kept the trappings of their corporate lives in a separate part of the machine, and could take the clothes to the cleaners in the office. "I lived in a car for three weeks during the climbing and fishing trip two years ago, but it was in the nature. I had no business suits and other things. It is "a student who lives in the car" against the "professional, who is trying to keep their things clean," ", - says Joseph.

Before the office he always checks to see if the dirt on his shoes has adhered to.

Every morning, he checked to see if dirt on his shoes has adhered to, before you go to the office. "I was amused all the time", - says the guy. In search of amenities and to keep in shape, Joseph joined the local rock-climbing wall for the 56 dollars a month. In addition to the locker room with a shower and Wi-Fi and iron, which he used on the sly, he was waiting for a surprise: the whole get-together adventurers who live in machines.

"It turns out there is full of people who climb on rocks and live in their cars," - says Joseph. "There was a community that lived in their cars in the parking lot. There are vans that I have noticed, when he was there, and I began to spend a weekend, parked in the city, close to everything, what I wanted to do. I woke up and enjoyed the local showers, and sometimes we wake up together and made coffee and waited in the parking lot until the climbing wall open. "

The motorhome was the basic amenities, but Joseph signed up for rock climbing, to use the shower there.

According to him, most of the other residents were the guys who live in vans. "There is a small difference between to live in a car and live in a van. Lorries equipped much simpler for yourself. People are attached to the shelf and set the bed on a platform, hung curtains. Some have generators or refrigerators, which give the feeling that you live in a house that moves, not in the car. "

"I would like me to have the curtains" - Joseph thinks. "That would be a significant improvement. It is very difficult to obscure the car. In a motor home, I was in the woods, so it was quite dark, but next to the gym there were bright lights. "

Inside the car.

As long as he lived, Joseph brought to three the commandments of life in the car. In whatever was necessary to avoid theft, car evacuation and closing the keys in the car itself. With regard to the first two points, it was not a big problem, but one night he made a fatal mistake with the keys. "It was half-past ten, and I had to get up at 4:30 to work. I dressed for bed, so I was shirtless, and I did not have a phone or a wallet. Only lantern. I went to the other person in a motor home and called the emergency services, and they rode for two hours. " The next morning called good not dare.

The motor home was easy to sleep in the dark, because the surrounding forest. And here in the parking lot of the fitness center with darkness harder.

One of the complexities of life away from home - the lack of space to relieve stress after work. In the end, you did not notice how you spend your free time in the car. "At first, I found that spending time in the car for reading or writing letters. Then I began to go to the coffee shop, but I did not want to spend so much money. I was in the suburbs, so I started going to the lovely local library after work. I made friends with the local librarians. " As for food, Joseph took a Jetboil, miniature device, which quickly boils water. In the morning, he used it to cook instant oatmeal and coffee, but in the evenings he often went to the cafe. This, as well as costs for Dry cleaning clothes, meant that in the end he spent more money than planned. Although he received a salary beginning analyst, he focused on how to save where you can.

The whole property of Joseph, including a laptop, clothing and watches, was in the car.

His life, Joseph kept to himself. "At first I said to their neighbors in the dorm, and they were sold on the idea. I have a lot of friends in college who lived in cars for a long time. Among the students almost fashionable - to live in a van after school. " Knowing that his parents will be worried, he did not tell them until they passed a couple of weeks. But the boy said to his sister, as he decided that it is necessary for someone to know where he is.

Life in the car means no place to relieve stress after work.

In early July, Joseph moved out of his car in the vacant room at his friend. The guy said that his move from the car in a normal dwelling was not entirely smooth. Large cost savings did not work, he said - because of the food, and, although he is not sure that it is connected with the life of the car, a week after the move, he caught the virus.

Joseph prepares breakfast using Jetboil accessories.

"I did not feel homeless, but I was not as comfortable as if I had a flat. That, and the beginning of my first serious training in large companies turned out great additional stress. But I think it made me a month to be quite resourceful and appreciate the basic amenities. Now I'm sitting on the couch in my apartment and think: "I love this couch." "

According to him, to live in the car has become almost fashionable in student circles.

In addition, as a man who lived for several years on the campus of the University surrounded by classmates, he was surprised by the huge amount of time spent alone. "To have the time to be alone, for 40 days it has been very instructive and ultimately positive."

After living for more than a month in the car, Joseph is now more appreciative of the comfort and amenities.