WEEK 6 ON THE ROAD: MOVEMENT
Last week, Affordable Housing Tips published an article featuring breakout author Jordan O’Donnell on the topic of the digital nomad life – that is, what it’s like to work remotely while living on the road. This week, we turned that question to the rest of the Zoon Garden Team.
“Being on the move can apply to not only the physical, but also the mental and spiritual. For this trip, we've been on the move in all three,” says Leanne Weaver, the team’s Website and SEO Manager.
Physically, the team has transported their vehicles and belongings across the country. Mentally, they are on the move daily as they formulate and re-formulate promotion plans amidst a shifting cultural landscape and dissolving norms in the face of COVID-19. Spiritually, their sense of wonder, belonging, and trust is in a constant state of growth as they affirm and challenge one another, and are affirmed and challenged by their external circumstances.
“While on the move, things are crazy fast paced and always spontaneous. The plan would be to drive into our next city and get some work done, but then the car would break down and we'd get stuck on the side of the road for six hours,” says Shannon Nonora, Zoon Garden’s Media and Marketing Specialist. “Things usually happened like that on the road. While that was definitely challenging in terms of getting work done and having very small amounts of rest, those are the moments where we bonded as a family. The best thing about being on the road is how much you can connect to the other people on the trip.”
Other challenges the team has faced on the road include limited space, lack of privacy, and absence of amenities such as running water and electricity. These issues clearly can be frustrating – yet it seems that it’s all worth it for the sense of connection and freedom that the group experiences.
“The experience definitely puts you in a position that humbles you and makes you appreciate some of the simple amenities,” says Weaver. “But I enjoy the free-spirited nature of the trip, being able to redefine what ‘home’ is. Each place we've been has helped us reflect on different aspects of ourselves.”
