Does Loving the City Make Us Bad Vanlifers?

by Rebecca Moroney, Eamon & Bec

We bought our empty Sprinter van in Toronto, Ontario over a year ago and proceeded to convert it into our home sweet home on wheels. Over the course of 30 days, we went from young city dwellers to nomads with no fixed address. The new living quarters were tight (not unlike our previous apartment) but would help us avoid the skyrocketing costs of renting in the city and use our hard-earned dollar bills to explore our beautiful country! A no brainer, right?

And so, with our sights set on the road, we left behind the fast-paced, bustling vibes of the city for a quieter, more adventurous life. With the city skyline in our rear-view mirror, Eamon and I wondered if we’d ever settle in Toronto again.

Surprise past self! Over the past year, we’ve spent as much time “vanlife-ing” in the city as we have parking out in the great outdoors. And we’re okay with it.

Yet, as we gear up to head out to Canada’s west coast for the summer, I’m feeling oddly guilty about my love for this city (and the small part of me that wants to settle here forever). Guilty because van people aren’t supposed to be tied down–not the ones I follow on social media, anyway. They’re all about nature; finding ultimate inner peace, running far from civilization and sharing their distaste for all things normal.

That’s where we differ.

It’s so easy for Eamon and me to sink back into urban life. Our business is here, our friends and family are here, and this is where the two of us first met. Maybe we’re getting old or call us nostalgic, but this city is full of memories and is ripe for making new ones. Friends are getting engaged or married, there are birthday celebrations weekly and cottage weekends are happening… all without us.

If this last year has taught us anything, it’s that people make a place and that home truly is where you park it. So, I’m not going to let myself feel guilty about loving Toronto. But, I’m also not going to let that love stop me from exploring the rest of this beautiful country. The city will be waiting for us when we return in the fall.

Until then, it’s time to hit the road.

Follow along with Eamon & Bec’s vanlife adventures on YouTube or on Instagram Instagram, @rebeccamoroney and @eh.mon.

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