Asian Family Reaction To Van Life

Okay, I'm live. Okay, hello everyone. Hopefully, you have a good Monday starting for the week. So, I have another insight for this live today. And I just want to share a little bit with you about my background story with my family when I decided to do van life. As you know, hello Alberta Hinsman. As you know, I'm Asian. And I'm an immigrant. My family is from Vietnam. I'm pretty much here in Canada by myself. And I just moved here about three years ago. So, when I first moved to Canada, I knew that I wanted to do van life. So, I jumped into van life pretty much right away when I moved to Canada. I gave myself about three months to search for a van. Hello, Alberta. Thank you so much. So, I gave myself three months to find a van. And after that, I literally jumped into van life without knowing anything much about Canada. And it was my first time ever being in Canada as well. So, it was quite interesting. And I didn't want to tell so much to my family in the beginning because they didn't support me when I first moved into van life. Because my Asian family, they are very, very conservative. And they are not really used to this lifestyle or ever even heard of van life. So, I didn't know how to explain to them what van life is really like. And after about six months or about a year later, my brother actually came to visit me from Vietnam. My oldest brother came to visit me from Vietnam. And so, I had to show him my van lifestyle and what it was like. Yes, they were really shocked. And my oldest brother actually said that I was living like a homeless. And so, when he explained when he went back to Vietnam and he explained it to my mom that I was living like a homeless, it got her really, really worried. And so, she was calling me every week to check on me and make sure that I'm all okay. Because they were like, you don't know anything about Canada and you're already living in a vehicle. You don't live like a normal person. I couldn't explain to them the purpose, the reason why I wanted to live this way because they wouldn't understand it. And so, when my brother went back to Vietnam and freaked out my mom about my van life, my mom called me constantly and she was like, I'm going to send you some money. Please go rent an apartment and live like a normal person. She was thinking because I didn't want to pay for rent and I want to save on money. And so, I tried to live like a homeless without a house and just sleep on the street randomly somewhere. But I was like, I didn't want to do this because I wanted... Well, saving money on rent is like one aspect of it, but it was not all that I wanted to... It was not all the reason that pushed me into van life. And so, they were really worried for me when they knew that I live in a van. But of course, because they live abroad, so there's nothing they could do. And I insisted doing it regardless what my family think of me. And at that time, I felt really hurt for the fact that they even compared me living like a homeless. And I never really think of myself that way or compare myself to living like a homeless lifestyle. I just enjoy the freedom of it. I just enjoy the traveling aspect of it. But my family couldn't get it. And when I was in Vietnam, whenever I do solo traveling, they keep asking me whether I feel lonely when I travel on the road. Because as an Asian family, we always travel together in a group. And it's like you never get to be alone with Asian family. And I just kind of break away from that typical standard of living. And I just wanted to do things on my own. And that's what makes them feel so uncomfortable and so worried for me. Because I just do everything so differently than my family. I feel like I'm a black sheep compared to everyone else in my family. The insight that I want to share with you in this life is that whether you would choose to stick with your beliefs and do what you feel like the right thing to do for you and not afraid of being judged by family or friends because of what they think of you because they do not approve of you. Because I see so many of my friends and many other people that are afraid of doing what they think is the right thing for them because they don't have the approval from their friends, their families, and even the society. So if we keep seeking for other people's approval to do what we should do, we would never be happy or truly be authentic self in order to live the life that we want to live. And that also takes courage and belief in yourself when other people don't even see your ideas, don't even believe in you because they can't understand you. So for me, I just knew that van life was something that I really wanted to do regardless of what other people think of me. So I jumped for it and I went for it. And because I'm so stubborn, I just knew it in my heart that it is the right direction. So whatever that feels right to you, listen to your intuition and make it happen regardless of what other people think of you or not. Hi Mark Nothing, it's good to see you again. Because that's what makes me happy. That's what makes me feel like I'm standing up for myself and I do what is right for my life. And I stop being people pleaser. I stop being someone else that I'm not. When I choose to live the lifestyle that I want to live, even though other people don't get me, even though other people don't approve of me, and that is okay. You cannot just please everyone. And even that also means my family not having my family to support me. But after I go on YouTube and they get to see my lifestyle for 3 years, they kind of give up on it and they were like, you just do whatever. And I actually talked to my family. Yes, you need to live for you, not for anyone else. Only live for you. And my family is somewhat camber and obvious. No, camber and obvious are not popular in Vietnam. They don't even know what that is yet. So my family has somewhat accepted the fact that I like to live in a van and that I don't want to live a typical normal house living. And even going on YouTube, being a YouTuber and having an online career, they still don't even get it. But that is okay because I know this is the right direction for me. And I know that I'm on the right path. So after I make that leap of faith, after I make that jump, I feel so much stronger, like having a stronger belief in myself to do something else. And that's how I grow through van life as well. So yes, I am truly a free spirit and a gypsy at heart. That's very obvious, thank you. So that's the little insight that I want to share with you. So hopefully that you would get to do what you love in your life, what you dream of as well. Hello, Michelle Stephens, it's good to see you. And that you get to live the life that you love no matter what other people think of you because you can never please other people, you can never please everyone. So do what you love and other people will start loving you when you start loving your life and when you start believing in your life and in yourself. Okay, so that's a little insight for this life. Hope you have a wonderful night and I will catch you in the next video. Bye everyone.