SO MANY WAYS – Anissa
26 years, from Brittany, France
»I always loved changing my habits all the time. I get bored very quickly doing the same thing at the same place for the same people all the time. With the van life, I keep meeting new people, making new friends, discovering new places, so I never get bored. That’s important to me.«
Anissa – Praia Do Amado, Portugal
26 years, from Brittany, France
Travelling and being on the Road has been part of Anissa’s life plan for a long time. During her studies, she looked after children in England and the US as an au pair. Her goal was to live abroad after graduation. She tried to set up her own business as a freelance translator, but failed at first. She studied marketing for another year and started her own business, advising other companies as a social media community manager. Anissa quickly realized that small businesses in particular could not afford to pay for managing their social media accounts. She developed an online self-help course that she now sells. She also offers one-on-one online coaching to help smaller businesses learn how to take care of their social media themselves. Her clients know about her lifestyle; for many, it’s even the reason they choose her consultancy. Her lifestyle inspires.
When she started her business, Anissa was already living in a caravan with her ex-boyfriend, but still had a permanent site. They had both been looking for a new van to travel in for some time. Her ex-boyfriend, however, was not sure which direction in life he wanted to take at all. Her sister’s boyfriend bought Anissa’s current van to renovate and resell. When Anissa saw the 40-year-old gem, she immediately fell in love with the car. Anissa told her ex that she would now buy a van on her own. He could think about whether he wanted to join her or stay behind. Her business was so stable at this point that she felt confident to travel abroad with the van and work as a digital nomad wherever it suited her.
At the beginning of her journey, it was a strange feeling to be alone. She travelled along the coast of France and stayed at campsites. She didn’t really know where she could park her car in the countryside without risking a fine. It was high season and crowded, and the people at the campsites were not very open to visitors. When she crossed the border into Spain, things got easier. Anissa started camping in nature, met many more people who lived in vans and made new contacts. She no longer felt as confined as she did in France, found many spots where she could fall asleep with a view of the sea.
She was never really alone, as she travelled with her ten-month-old dog Sasha and her cat. Recently, the cat that accompanied her for 8 years ran away after another dog spooked her. Anissa has been waiting at this spot for a month for the cat to find its way back to the van, but has now given up hope and will continue her journey. A local told her that two years ago, when the pandemic broke out, many people came to Portugal to live in vans. Some had no regard for nature, behaved with little respect. This behaviour infuriated the locals, who had to abide by the Corona regulations. Stricter rules for vans were introduced, and the police controlled their compliance. All van dwellers were thrown into a pot because of the behaviour of a few. Anissa has had no problems in the past six months she has travelled in Portugal. In the low season, the police are not so strict.
But she will still be leaving Portugal over the summer, for the Pyrenees, where it is not so touristy and hot. She is planning a relaxed trip, taking a month to drive up the south coast of Spain. It’s 1500 km, the van is 40 years old, she has to work. Originally, Anissa wanted to live in the van for a few years, to travel all over Europe. Slowly she realizes that she misses a social life, her friends whom she can meet regularly. Working in the van is also a challenge. She finds it hard to concentrate on work for 4 hours a day when there are so many distractions, like surfing or meeting new people. Now she is considering buying a piece of land to put a Tiny House on, maybe a flat in France or Portugal. To live and work there for six months a year, then travel by van again for six months to take advantage of the best of both worlds.