Greetings friends and family!
I'm sure you're wondering why you should care about me and The Road through My Eyes when there are hundreds of other travel and lifestyle blogs, podcasts, and youtube channels out there. I would be too!
I only follow people who I relate to, admire, or aspire to be like, so let me tell you about myself and you can take it from there. 😉
The early years
I am a rare Portland native (and proud of it!). I grew up in the rolling hills of Banks, Oregon with dirt bikes, tire swings, tree forts, trampolines, and endless creative recipes of mud pie (ingredients never included chocolate). We had horses, bunnies, dogs, and an ever-multiplying number of cats. It was the dream childhood!
I am a stereotypical youngest child of one brother and one sister who are my constant support and inspiration.
My parents divorced when I was nine. It's not ideal having to alternate holidays and vacations, and copy+paste updates into two family Hangout groups, but I'm very grateful for their decision to be two complete individuals apart, rather than half versions of themselves together.
Those 'development' years
At 14, I moved into a boarding high school (by choice, not court-mandated 😜) in southern Oregon, which was admittedly the best years of my life (so far). A four-year-long sleepover with your best friends – couldn't be better!
I then went to college in Nebraska – mainly to avoid being like everyone else in my class who went to college in eastern Washington (there were only so many options in the Adventist world I belonged to). The college was good, but flat Nebraska was difficult for me. It was such a big transition coming from Oregon, which offered everything an outdoor girl could want – rivers, forests, deserts, lakes, mountains, ocean, even dunes! So after my last final exam, before even marching in my graduation, I was on a flight back to Portland - my forever home.
"The" relationship story ('cause there always is one)
I was with the wrong guy for eight years – from 18-26. It ended in a short marriage and long divorce. Four months after the wedding, I learned he was cheating and had a drug problem. It was incredibly painful, as expected, but I wouldn't change a thing! I'm so grateful we got married because I feel our relationship deserved that status, and I'm so grateful we got divorced because . . . look at me now!
I've been mainly single since – a couple short relationships here and there – just enjoying the freedom and authenticity a solo life has to offer.
Traveling and living abroad
International experiences have been super transformative to me. I started traveling abroad when I was 15 and have only accelerated the obsession to date.
I've done mission trips to Guatemala and Nicaragua, and a year volunteering as a middle school teacher in Palau. Witnessing the utter joy these people have with their small houses and two outfits – it's life-changing and contagious. Why do we think we need so many things to be happy? So much space and status?
I've also lived in Canada and Australia, which were both beautiful experiences, but just made me more grateful for the 'home' I'll always have in Oregon.
I'll spare you the list of countries I've travelled (or at least save it for a later post), but I'm both proud of it, and eager to expand it!
Why vanlife?
Great question - thanks for (not) asking!
I remember the exact weekend I decided to quit my job, sell all my possessions, and hit the road to freedom. It was December 2017. I was approaching my 30th birthday, and the life goal of owning a house by 30 was looming over me.
It happened in two parts:
1. Live small
In Canada, my then-husband and I stumbled across an incredible housing hookup, that landed us in a five-bedroom mansion overlooking a stunning Canadian lake. It was complete with an indoor pool, gym, and pool table/game room. It was 'the dream,' right? Wrong - all that space felt like such a waste of heating/cooling, cleaning, emptiness.
During the divorce, I moved into a one-bedroom apartment. Every night, it felt ridiculous to walk from the living room into a whole other room that was only used to crawl into bed and go unconscious.
Next, I fulfilled a life dream and moved into a studio apartment in downtown Portland. It was adorable! An early-1900s build complete with a milk-delivery door and a built-in cabinet fridge. But even that felt like wasted space! Walking from the bathroom to the kitchen to the living room and back and forth – why??
So my next thought, in the 'own a house by 30' plan was looking into the tiny home revolution . . .
2. Live free
My family was all together that Christmas of 2017, but I didn't join as I couldn't get time off work. So Ranger and I hit the road in my little Mazda 3 for a long-weekend trip down the Oregon coast. No bookings, no schedule, no real destination. The freedom felt incredible and empowering!
It didn't take long to put the 'small' and 'free' together. I thought, "Well, if I'm going to live in a tiny space, why would I want it stuck in one location when it could be on wheels???"
So . . . vanlife it is!
A brief pause in the plans
In January of 2018, I gave my job notice that I'd be leaving in July – when my lease was over and I'd have a van ready to roll. I'd started test-driving vans and buying ceiling vents, water pumps, etc. But . . .
Long story short: I was offered my dream job on the marketing team located in our HQ office in Melbourne, Australia. It was too good (and rare) of an opportunity to pass up! So I hopped on a one-way flight.
It was an awesome experience, but I couldn't shake the vanlife dream, or my eternal love for Oregon. So on July 11, 2020 (mid-pandemic), I hopped on another one-way flight and by the 15th, I had the keys to Copper in my hand.
Moving forward
Well that about brings us up to date on the Brenda 411 . . . if you're still reading, I'm both impressed, flattered, and apologetic!
My plans for vanlife are to:
Dwell in nature and explore as many secluded places as I can
Save heaps on rent/bills to reach my financial independence goals much quicker in life
Live simply with less
My goals for this blog are to share:
What it's like to live in a van as a single female – learning 'car stuff', staying safe, balancing being alone vs being lonely, etc.
How I make a '9-5' job work on the road to confirm that others can too!
What the road looks like 'through my eyes' - the little beauties in everyday occurrences, the stunning sunsets and (very few) sunrises I witness either from a unique hiking location or the comfort of my own bed, and the ironic and hilarious tough times that are bound to happen on the road . . .
If any of this storyline interests you, feel free to subscribe!
BRENDA - THANK YOU...I just found you and Copper on Tiny Homes Tours, your blog/Instagram and your story has just resonated so much with me - you've encouraged, inspired and humbled me, Brenda. I'm Carol, I have a dream and a dachshund mix too - and I'm going to be following and talking with you, if that's ok
what kind of work do you do?
You need to write a book, seriously!
I love your story and can't wait until I get my van. Hugs and safe travels to you and Ranger.