I'm Trading In My Tiny Apartment Living In China For Van Life
The question I get asked most when I say I lived in China for over two years is, "Do you speak Chinese?"
The answer is always "no". Though I love the culture, history, some of the food as well as the spiritual side of the country, Chinese is a difficult language to learn. From the different tones and what Chinese characters mean and how to use them, I was never disciplined enough for that be a goal.
However, not knowing the language never swayed me from traveling around China. I'm an adventurous person by nature, and most places I visited -- Shanghai, Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and Guilin -- English was spoken. Sometimes in small amounts but spoken, nonetheless.
So, why was I in China? I was an English teacher at a private international language center from 2016 to 2018. For nearly two and a half years, I taught kids and teens basic conversational English skills, and I loved it.
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I also loved my tiny apartments.
I lived in three separate places during my time in Beijing. My first apartment in Yizhuang was probably the U.S. square-foot equivalent of maybe 75-square feet. It included a shower, toilet, kitchenette; full-size bed with two large closets; a small seating area and built-in desk. Wi-Fi included. It was cute and comfortable. And I was only a 10-minute bus ride from work.
After my first year though, I wanted to live in the city center. In a trendy area called Gulou. There were popular cafes, restaurants, music venues and the like. I moved into a hutong house with a lovely Chinese roommate who spoke great English and was super helpful. Hutongs are winding alleyways and streets that surround courtyards; they have tons of history and culture in Beijing. It's a very traditional way of living.
Our place was quite charming, modern and renovated. It was maybe 150-square feet with one bedroom, one bath, living room and a kitchen. We had a small bedroom area upstairs aka my loft and writing space. In actuality, the living room and loft were my combined spaces, and my roommate occupied the bedroom. I had a huge mural rendered on the wall (see the photo below) leading up to the loft that tied everything together. I really loved that apartment.
James Sserwadda - Ugandan ArtistCourtesy of ND McCray
What worked well for us was that we had opposite schedules and she traveled to Shanghai two or three weeks out of the month so, I usually had the place to myself. My third apartment was easily a combination of the first two, except it was in a three-story walk up.
I've been back in the U.S. for six months now, but when I moved back, I quickly realized again how much I loved tiny spaces and the minimalism it requires. I also wanted to travel around the U.S. without the confines of an apartment lease.
Therefore, when I came back stateside -- I mostly sought out tiny homes via Airbnb in Austin, Texas. There's a huge tiny house movement in the city. To date, I have stayed in tiny houses, tiny rooms, cottages, an Airstream trailer as well as a converted school bus; any space that allowed me to continue living a simple lifestyle.
Living in a Van. The sleeping area and bed are on the left. Underneath are cupboards and storage space. On the right are cabinets and a kitchen counter. The walls and ceilings are wood panels.Getty Images
That's when I decided to be about that van life.
When it comes to living in a van, converted or otherwise, being a minimalist definitely helps. I want my van to be comfortable with modern amenities like a bathroom and a shower. Some van lifers do without these things and that's cool for them. I'm taking a full year to plan everything, from the van build to the route. (Check out Forbes.com's "What You Need To Know If You Want To Join The Van Life Movement.")
What appeals to me about RV or van life is the freedom to travel where I want, anytime I want for however long I want. I want to hit up national parks and museums, maybe a festival or two. I'm also starting a blog to document my journey. With that, I'm taking the time to build a financial cushion and freelance schedule that will allow me to work remotely for a specified amount of time. I simply want to fuse my love of traveling with my passion for writing and performing poetry. Every van lifer has their reason for choosing the lifestyle.
I've been to 45 states including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as Haiti, Japan and China, and I know that living small in a big way is the life that works best for me.
ND McCray is a poet, writer, educator and soon-to-be van life dweller hailing from Houston, Texas. Keep up with her story at www.acdjzfnd.com and follow her @1van1love.
Featured image by Getty Images
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Rihanna Talks Shedding Expectations And Finding Balance As A Mother
Since becoming a mother in 2022, Rihanna has defined parenthood by her terms and hopes to pass that sense of autonomy on to her children.
For Vogue China’s April cover story, Rihanna shared her perspective on raising her two sons with A$AP Rocky, and how she hopes to preserve her children’s uniqueness, devoid of societal expectations.
"The most beautiful thing...is that [children] come into the world with their own individuality and sincerity, without any logic or conformity,” she told the publication. “Which usually makes you feel that you must fit into a certain group."
The “Work” artist, known for her trendsetting style and captivating persona, expressed her desire to support children in fully embracing their individuality and encouraging them to be whoever they want to be. "It's really beautiful to see and I want to continue to help them navigate that and make sure that they know they can be whoever they want to be,” she says.
She continues, “They should embrace it completely, because it's beautiful, and it's unique. I love them just that way."
From shattering music charts to shaking up the beauty industry, Rihanna has forged a path that has since created the “dream” life we see today. One that she says has made her parents proud of.
“I’m living my dream,” she continued. “My parents were very proud of that because they just wanted me to be happy and successful. So, I think the key thing is to find some kind of balance. Yes, balance is important. Do this and you get the best of both worlds. You can write your own life the way you want, and it will be beautiful. Sometimes, you just need to let go of everyone’s expectations and start living your own story.”
Rihanna, who shares sons, RZA, 23 months, and Riot, 8 months, with rapper A$AP Rocky, recently shared her vision for expanding her family in the future in Interview Magazine.
When stylist Mel Ottenberg asked about the number of additional children she hoped to have, Rihanna replied, "As many as God wants me to have.”
"I don't know what God wants, but I would go for more than two. I would try for my girl,” she adds. “But of course, if it's another boy, it's another boy."
Featured image by Neil MockfordWireImage