I need help

Hello,

I am a 22 year old man from Ontario, Canada and I just registered on this site to seek help. I have been confused for a long time about what to do with myself in the future. I have vague goals but I do not know the best ways to go about achieving them. I have lived in or around the city my entire life, raised with no practical knowledge of the world around me, but my entire life I knew I did not fit into this lifestyle. The most appealing things to me are figures like nomads and hermits. I have been aspiring to have this type of lifestyle for a long time. Unlike many of the people here, though I am interested in survival, it doesn't really matter to me that I am roughing it, in fact, I would prefer to have a lifestyle as easy and safe as possible, even with modern conveniences, if it would conform to my criteria, which is basically to be in a natural setting away from people, and to do this while I am young. I could sacrifice some years at a job to achieve it, if its worth it, or settle for less and do it earlier, as long as I feel confident in my ability to do so safely. You can see I'm very confused about what to do =P.

So I suppose what I am asking is for people to provide me with ideas about how to achieve a somewhat hermetic lifestyle efficiently, in a nice natural setting and with cost always being a factor. I will need suggestions for places to go (anywhere in the world) because I have no idea. Ways to make surviving easier, for someone who's willing to invest a little into it. Or other methods, perhaps places where it's cheap to buy a home in the middle of nowhere. If I am being confusing it's because I know nothing about these things and it seems so open ended. That's why I need help.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Don't be afraid to also think outside the confines of wilderness survival. I need options. Thanks a lot.

-Mendelssohn

Save up a little money and buy a truck and travel trailer and look for a place to put it. Thats the cheapest and safest way I know to withdraw and still have some modern luxury. It's your choice to use them or not but they are there.

Welcome to the forum..............excuse me for asking, but were you raised with a father........? How does your mother feel about this.....? Yes, I realize you are a young man.......just asking....?

Phase 1

Welcome

Start by recording everything you use,fix,eat,drink for a month,including what others do for you, each day.That should give a small idea of what you have now.Then start reducing the list showing what you think you only need Do this at the end of a month.

Then in a month+ we can start on phase 2

Remember everything you do and what is done for you, each day for a month.

Welcome, do you mind if I call you Felix? Probably the best into from someone just starting who has a passion to get out in the wild. You have found an excellent forum with a good number of folks who do live in the wilds. I'm constantly learning from their experience.

Unless you know what your goals are no one here can help you achieve them. You can change the ground under you feet but never the sky over your head. No matter where you go you will be there and your thoughts and feelings will be the same. Figure out what you want then work toward it.

You actually sound like you are approaching this through a very logical process.

First, either work on an education that will support you and provide a surplus or find a good paying job immidiately. Lack of funds it the main obsticle in most outdoorsmens planning. This is espically true of urban raised folk that grow up believing any land not occupied by a dwelling is open territory. It is not. If you do not have land then the mobile housing provided by the before mentioned RV would be a reasonable idea. However, the RV will simply allow you to see what you want to purchase and can not afford as a traveling gipsey.

Live as spartinly as possible as you save money for the purchase of land. In the U.S. I would advise purchase of at least 5 acres due to national zoning restrictions that may or may not be enforced but can always be turned against us as U.S citizens. I do not know about Canada.

As you work and save you will establish your own priorities and find a true comfort level you can deal with daily.

Your land may provide you with a perminent dwelling or it may be in a remote ares that provides you with mental sanctuary on occasion or a retreat to escape the stress of the world.

The ownership of land will give you a base of use and operation. Often land that borders national parks or wildlife management area will expand your usable land infinately. Insure that this is not private land you are bordering. Private land, and much of our public land in the U.S. can be closed to public use without warning.

You can build you home with the luxury level you desire and hopefully have natural areas to roam, study and recreate.

If you strike it rich you can do what our media mogel Ted Truner has done and by the northwestern 1/4 of New Mexico. Then you can do anything you wish.

Education, education, education. I agree with what Krat said, but would add that you can get an education in something that will get you out in the wilderness if you want. (Killing two birds with one stone.)

Having a good education will give you more options. Options are good.
(Yep....learned this the hard way.) LOL

You need to really think about what it is you mean by Survival.
You don't want to just 'survive'.
If on the other hand you mean a subsistence lifestyle, that would be different and could mean anything from living up where SD lives and really roughing it through a tough winter to maybe owning a small farm with more readily available store-bought goods.

Check into Mother Earth News for a quick start on some skills you would need to live closer to the land and off the grid.

Pick up a homesteading book or three to see how impractical it is to grow your own fodder for more than a few critters on less than a couple of acres. Such a book will get you thinking about what you might need to live the way you want to.

You might want to pick up a salable skill such as small/large engine repair, tractor repair, hydraulic repair or all of the above. Living without money means you will have to fix your own stuff, but maybe could make a little money fixing other people's stuff.

Living on a farm or in the wild as a hermit, ie ALONE, is a lot of work. If you get sick or injured, you better have supplies laid in for when you're laid up. And who is going to care for your animals. Please don't insist you are going to hunt for all your food. There are very few places left that will support full subsistence off the land.

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Originally Posted by Rick

Unless you know what your goals are no one here can help you achieve them. You can change the ground under you feet but never the sky over your head. No matter where you go you will be there and your thoughts and feelings will be the same. Figure out what you want then work toward it.

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Rick speaks the truth. You know what they say, the grass is always greener elsewhere, when in reality it's the same. Many on here are going through the same things that you are going through, so here's a thought that you may not like, but that doesn't make it any less true: You need to "survive" your current situation. In other words, you need to adapt to your life and become a positive influence to yourself first, before anything else. I strongly suggest you check out the Zig Ziglar material on learning how to improve your self-image, setting goals, etc.. Oh yeah, the idea of living like a hermit seems to be a nice, romantic, vision; however, like many on here can attest to, it's a lot of work. First, you HAVE to become self-sufficient right where you're at before you can go anywhere else, otherwise you'll find yourself in the same situation that you're in now. It's called mental preparedness and that's your 1st step, go for it! :cool2:

As far as the nomad option goes trucking is probably the best one out there. You can get on with a company that will train you and you'll have like a 1-2 year committment to cover training . You on your own in a few months making a little money. If you like it great its a fun life with modern conveinance. You can see different regions in all seasons to gauge if you'll want to settle there. You can go hiking, camping, sightseeing. I have my own rig and pick where I wanna go. Right now headin to Billings, MT. Can't go through yellowstone this time of year in the truck but still a fun journey.

Join the Canadian Army. Ask for Infantry.

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Originally Posted by LowKey

You need to really think about what it is you mean by Survival.
You don't want to just 'survive'.
If on the other hand you mean a subsistence lifestyle, that would be different and could mean anything from living up where SD lives and really roughing it through a tough winter to maybe owning a small farm with more readily available store-bought goods.

Check into Mother Earth News for a quick start on some skills you would need to live closer to the land and off the grid.

Pick up a homesteading book or three to see how impractical it is to grow your own fodder for more than a few critters on less than a couple of acres. Such a book will get you thinking about what you might need to live the way you want to.

You might want to pick up a salable skill such as small/large engine repair, tractor repair, hydraulic repair or all of the above. Living without money means you will have to fix your own stuff, but maybe could make a little money fixing other people's stuff.

Living on a farm or in the wild as a hermit, ie ALONE, is a lot of work. If you get sick or injured, you better have supplies laid in for when you're laid up. And who is going to care for your animals. Please don't insist you are going to hunt for all your food. There are very few places left that will support full subsistence off the land.

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Thanks Low-Key. Like you said, I'm not just looking at survival, I'm looking at all possibilities. I will check out those resources. Are there any books you could recommend on sustainable living?

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Originally Posted by Sarge47

Rick speaks the truth. You know what they say, the grass is always greener elsewhere, when in reality it's the same. Many on here are going through the same things that you are going through, so here's a thought that you may not like, but that doesn't make it any less true: You need to "survive" your current situation. In other words, you need to adapt to your life and become a positive influence to yourself first, before anything else. I strongly suggest you check out the Zig Ziglar material on learning how to improve your self-image, setting goals, etc.. Oh yeah, the idea of living like a hermit seems to be a nice, romantic, vision; however, like many on here can attest to, it's a lot of work. First, you HAVE to become self-sufficient right where you're at before you can go anywhere else, otherwise you'll find yourself in the same situation that you're in now. It's called mental preparedness and that's your 1st step, go for it!

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Sarge, I do agree, however I think you may have misunderstood me. I feel very emotionally strong, prepared, and I am happy where I am. This being said, I do still have goals that I want to achieve, and this post was only about how to best achieve them and not about my mental state. It's good to mention that it's a first step though, and I would agree with you there. I also realize that it's difficult to have a hermetic lifestyle, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't try. Many have achieved it in many different ways and there's no reason why I can't as well.

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Originally Posted by southard

As far as the nomad option goes trucking is probably the best one out there. You can get on with a company that will train you and you'll have like a 1-2 year committment to cover training . You on your own in a few months making a little money. If you like it great its a fun life with modern conveinance. You can see different regions in all seasons to gauge if you'll want to settle there. You can go hiking, camping, sightseeing. I have my own rig and pick where I wanna go. Right now headin to Billings, MT. Can't go through yellowstone this time of year in the truck but still a fun journey.

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That's a good thought. My father actually is employed in that. Unfortunately I think that would be very stressful to me. Although you are traveling and get to see different things, you're still working constantly, except in this job you are confined to a seat for that time and driving, which I find stressful and not active enough. It was a good suggestion though, thank you.

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Originally Posted by Winter

Join the Canadian Army. Ask for Infantry.

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I don't know much about that either. I understand I will be traveling, but any other benefits? I want something more free where I'm not confined to a group of people for a long period of time, even a moving group of people. It's a thought though.

I'm sorry I misunderstood. I was leveraging off your comment that you had vague goals. Try working a season with an outfitter, a guide, a ranch or a forest replanting company. You'll get to experience some practical learning while making a few bucks.

I don't know why it will only except my second post, it says the first one needs to be cleared by the moderator. So I didn't ignore the first people. Thanks =)

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Originally Posted by Rick

I'm sorry I misunderstood. I was leveraging off your comment that you had vague goals.

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That's okay Rick. A lot of people that talk about these things are reckless and haven't thought it through but I'm not one of those people =P

And by vague goals I was just trying to say that I don't really care about a lot of the details. I want to be safe, healthy, and comfortable to some degree while living that lifestyle. These are vague things that I'm sure have multiple solutions.

Because you are new the forum requires your posts to be moderated if there is any sort of link in it. That helps to control spam. There are some other parameters that will drive it to the moderation que as well. I think this is set to 10 posts. After 10 posts you won't be moderated.

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Originally Posted by Rick

Because you are new the forum requires your posts to be moderated if there is any sort of link in it. That helps to control spam. There are some other parameters that will drive it to the moderation que as well. I think this is set to 10 posts. After 10 posts you won't be moderated.

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Thanks Rick =)

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Originally Posted by southard

As far as the nomad option goes trucking is probably the best one out there. You can get on with a company that will train you and you'll have like a 1-2 year committment to cover training . You on your own in a few months making a little money. If you like it great its a fun life with modern conveinance. You can see different regions in all seasons to gauge if you'll want to settle there. You can go hiking, camping, sightseeing. I have my own rig and pick where I wanna go. Right now headin to Billings, MT. Can't go through yellowstone this time of year in the truck but still a fun journey.

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Reading your desires, I have to agree that a trucker would satisfy some of the basics and still allow you to move around.

Quote>And by vague goals I was just trying to say that I don't really care about a lot of the details. I want to be safe, healthy, and comfortable to some degree while living that lifestyle. These are vague things that I'm sure have multiple solutions< Quote

That's what every one wants........

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Originally Posted by hunter63

Reading your desires, I have to agree that a trucker would satisfy some of the basics and still allow you to move around.

Quote>And by vague goals I was just trying to say that I don't really care about a lot of the details. I want to be safe, healthy, and comfortable to some degree while living that lifestyle. These are vague things that I'm sure have multiple solutions< Quote

That's what every one wants........

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If you take it out of context, then certainly. But I know for a fact that not everyone wants a hermetic lifestyle. Most people want people in their life, where I want to avoid all contact with people to a large degree, and I have admitted that it may be tough. Though I said I want comfort, I know it won't be perfect. But I also know, that by default, there has to be a route to this that is THE MOST comfortable, convenient, etc. I'm not looking for perfection here. That would be impossible.

I'm looking for the best realistic solutions here. There were some good suggestions and half of my replies are being looked over by the moderator, but the main thing I have found is that I would like suggestions on where to go to find somewhat isolated property, where I could make this work realistically. And I would like the entire world to be considered, and not just North America. For example, I have read that you can live in some places in India for 250 a month, full living expenses. One place was in the mountains and I could find isolation every day because of the landscapes there and because I could probably retire a lot earlier. I'm sure there are cons I don't know about though =P. Thanks