TRAVEL - THEN WRITE TO EDUCATE THOSE WHO NEVER TRAVEL

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page."

-St. Augustine, quoted in the St. Louis Post - Dispatch

The above quote caught my eye because I often meet people who can’t wait to express their opinions on everything under the sun, but it's obvious that they have absolutely no knowledge about people beyond their family and neighborhood, or any understanding of anything outside their own limited social network and background. In other words, they don’t know diddly, and it shows. They don’t travel and are not at all curious about people or places outside their own realm. We all know someone like that!

But there are also those who are unable to expand their horizons with travel. How are these people to learn about the world if they can’t possibly see the country or the world? That’s where writers come in. We become their eyes, ears and noses. We have the capacity to bring the sights, sounds and smells of the world to their doorsteps. It’s our duty, and luckily, it’s fun.

Unfortunately, there are people who are not only uninterested in traveling; they also don’t care to read. There’s nothing we can do for those unless we can think of some gimmick that will attract their attention—otherwise, they will remain hopelessly ignorant of the world around them except for what they hear from their opinionated peers who are often as uninformed as they.

I often bemoan the fact that many Americans hold strong opinions about any number of subjects, but often lack the objectivity or knowledge to even form an educated opinion. My own lack of objectivity became apparent after I started traveling. I was totally ignorant about people, places, or lifestyles that differed from my own.

Certainly, I had my own strong opinions (on questions like why some can’t seem to rise above their circumstances), but I lacked factual knowledge about what existed beyond my own neighborhood. I knew my family and acquaintances’ ways of thinking and doing things, but knew nothing about abject poverty, discrimination, hatred, why people held extremist political beliefs, and what type of upbringing had led them there. I was ignorant, and only face-to-face contact with the real world could cure me. Even extensive reading couldn’t prepare me to understand what drove other people to think and do as they do, even though it was the next best thing to travel. I can't say I understand them all, even now. But I had to travel so I could explore the complexities that created the differences in views. Until I began to travel, my worldview was extremely limited, as it is for most individuals.

Once I hit the road, I faced reality for the first time. I had been starved for real experiences among people who had nothing in common with me or my background. Suddenly I was face-to-face with people who “hate Californians,” “despise blacks and Mexicans,” “can’t stand politicians,” “dislike farmers who use all the water,” and think, “people whose children get on drugs must be really bad parents,” among many other strong opinions that I couldn’t understand until I talked to them and could see things from their perspectives—which were mostly from restrictive, prejudiced backgrounds. These were typically people who didn’t watch television, especially the news since they were likely to hear something that didn’t agree with their beliefs; they didn’t read newspapers or books, go to movies, etc. Many wouldn’t travel beyond their own preset boundaries, even if offered the opportunity.

Sometimes their closed society existed because of religious beliefs, or simply because their own parents never went anywhere or read anything, or watched TV. If that was good enough for their parents, it was good enough for them, no matter that the world has shrunk since then and what impacts society elsewhere will soon be at their own doorsteps.

I was always curious about the world. It’s the way I was brought up and the way I was educated. There’s a great big world out there and we all need to know what’s going on since it all impacts every one of us in some way. Since I have now traveled throughout the United States and Canada, and met and talked with people from every type of background, geographic influence, and religious and political belief, I’ve received an entirely different type of education from what I learned in school. I’m better informed and have more tolerance for others’ opinions, even though I might still not agree with them.

Now, I firmly believe that anyone who doesn’t travel at all ignores an opportunity to understand society. I question how anyone can hold firm views on any topic without meeting and talking to people with opposing opinions. No one can understand poverty in the United States, or why some can’t seem to rise above their pitiful circumstances, or why some people can’t get a basic education, or how people from different backgrounds and cultures can think so differently, unless they have traveled the United States and talked to people from all over. And if they can’t travel, they have a responsibility to read about a variety of subjects so they can become more understanding and tolerant.

Travel is something that everyone who has the opportunity, should do. And not just cruise through a region with the windows rolled up and the radio turned on high. It should involve stepping out and talking with the Native Americans you see selling jewelry by the side of the road. It should include stopping and talking to the migrant worker that you see in the market or walking alongside the road. And it should be about trying to understand why that person thinks like he or she does, rather than passing judgment. Ignorance about other people breeds intolerance. It’s too easy to think, “Oh, they’re just a poor, dumb nobody.” No! They might be poor, but they’re probably every bit as intelligent as any of us reading this in ways we may not understand until we meet and talk to them. Their only problem may be that they never had the opportunity to learn the things we have been taught. Believe me, everyone has something to teach each and every one of us, no matter how privileged our own lives or how limited theirs.

Like the quote says, the world is a book, and those of us who can travel, but don’t, instead choosing to stay in our own little world and pass judgment rather than make an effort to understand others, have only read one page. One page does not make a book!

The next best thing to travel is reading. And we writers have the privilege of opening up minds when we travel, including our own, and to put what we’ve found and learned in words that paint pictures for those who can’t or don’t travel. Our words may not be read by those who need to read them most, but they will reach some who long to experience our journeys, and who will learn something valuable from them.

Must Read - Eats, Shoots and Leaves

A while ago, I mentioned that I was reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves, a great little book on punctuation. I finally finished it this week, and I must say there was a lot that I didn’t know about a lot of things. One problem is that the author is British, and therefore included lots of British slang. Many times, I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.

It did explain why so many people are now putting their punctuation marks (commas and periods) outside quotation marks. I had wondered if that rule had changed recently, or if writers are being churned out that don’t know punctuation rules. Hey, I had one high school English teacher who operated about four grade levels lower than the dumbest student in the classroom. Most of us could have skipped that class. Luckily, my previous teachers had been very competent, and their training has served me well enough to survive as a freelance writer for a lot of years. And I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not anywhere near perfect.

As for punctuation, the book reveals that putting commas and periods outside the quotation marks is the British way. We Americans put ours inside quotation marks. Aha!

Has the global economy changed the rules for Americans? No, although it might be trending that way—especially if writers produce articles for a magazine or newspaper with an International readership. As you know, the British also spell some words such as color with an ou, as in colour. That’s why it’s necessary to study a copy of the publication you’re writing for, and ask for a copy of their “writer’s guidelines.” For now, the rule still stands that commas and periods should be inside the quotation marks for American markets.

Sometimes, failure to understand little details like those mentioned above can stop a good writer from submitting work to magazines because they’re unsure of the rules. Don’t let it stop you from following your dreams. There are a lot of books in libraries that can provide you with the confidence to submit articles to magazines, and after perusing a copy of your targeted magazine and its guidelines, you can compete with the best of them.

Eats, Shoots and Leaves mentioned a few other instances where the rules differ between Americans and British grammar and punctuation, so you might want to pick up a copy at the library and find out what you may not know about punctuation.

WORK-CAMP - MAKE MONEY WHILE TRAVELING IN YOUR RV

Updated and adapted from an article by Kay Kennedy that appeared in "RV’n" magazine, April, 1996.

Got an RV sitting in the driveway and a yen to see the country, but not enough money to make the trip? Or are you dreaming of fulltime RVing but afraid that you’ll get bored once you’ve seen everything you want to see?

Why not work your way around the country? Working and volunteering at campgrounds is an ideal way to earn or save a little money while you slow down and enjoy the journey. Sometimes it allows you to stay long-term in an expensive place that you really enjoy, for free. And it helps some leave the rat race early like we did!

Thousands of RVers take what is known as work-camping positions at campgrounds while they roam the continent. They simply choose what part of the country they want to visit, then contact RV parks in the area to find out if they have any openings. Once they’ve secured a job, the RVer heads there to spend anywhere from a few weeks to a few months earning money, using their free time for sightseeing, visiting friends and relatives, or simply enjoying the amenities of the campground. In return, the campground owners get a seasoned employee who holds skills acquired through a lifetime of living and working. It’s a win-win situation for both RVers and for the campground owners who hire them.

The beauty of work-camping is that you can labor as little or much as you wish, part-time or full-time, for a few weeks or a full season. You can even take consecutive jobs, working your way across the U.S. And you don’t need a separate work wardrobe because the standard dress code is casual (as in what you wear every day). Of course, the best thing about work-camping is that there are no daily commutes.

Our first work-camping position was in New England so we could be close to family and see some sights that we had missed on previous visits. Campground fees in the area near Boston and Cape Cod were outrageously high, so we looked for something that would fit our requirements, i.e., a job offering a salary plus free site, including utilities, somewhere in the Northeast. Resumes to four campgrounds in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire netted job offers in PA and MA. We chose Massachusetts since it would be nearest to our Cape Cod relatives. Remember, we had never worked in an RV park or even in the tourist industry.

Our jobs were as Ranger (Joe) and store clerk (me). As with most work-camper jobs we investigated, couples had the same days off but were required to work most holidays and weekends.

We worked a few other work-camping positions following the first. A couple of them were awful—both instances where the person hiring us had misled us about hours and duties. The most enjoyable position we found was when we were looking for a park while spending the summer in the Arkansas Ozarks and stumbled across an owner who was looking for a couple to work through October. It was perfect and we returned there three years in a row. There was no pay, but we only worked 10 hours per week, each, and could pretty much work the hours we chose in exchange for a free site. At the end of the season, we received a bonus payment that helped send us on our way to our favorite winter destination where Joe had a seasonal job preparing tax returns.

If you think you might like to pursue a work-camper job, these tips will help you.

First of all, put together a short letter highlighting any experience you have that might be useful in a campground/RV park. For instance, clerical, retail, computer, security, cleaning, crafting, activities director, maintenance, electric, plumbing, and grounds keeping are among skills most campgrounds need, so be sure to emphasize any experience in these areas, even if acquired while being a home handyman or housewife. Details such as a list of past employers, dates worked, personal references, etc., can be covered in a longer resume. When we did our job search, we used a cover letter that included a brief description of past experience and skills for both of us, and attached more detailed individual resumes.

Next, decide where you want to visit and how long you want to stay. Some campgrounds will require a two-month commitment; others may want you for the entire season, which can range from May to October in northern and Midwestern parks, and October through April for southern parks.

Also, decide on the type of campground you want to work in. If you prefer adult parks, family campgrounds probably won’t appeal to you since they’ll likely be overrun with kids—especially during summer and on weekends. On the other hand, if you’re under 50 or 55, it might be difficult to get an adult park position that includes a campsite because some municipal laws limit the number of sites that can be occupied by non-senior RVers in senior parks.

Most RV parks will want a current photo of you and may also ask for one of your rig. A good snapshot will do.

How do you find work-camping positions? The largest clearinghouse for jobs is through Workamper News, a publication that lists openings throughout the country, divided by state. RV magazines such as Escapees usually list job openings in their classified ad section. We found one listing for a marina campground on an island in Puget Sound. It was already filled, but an additional position was available in a park at the center of the island. We decided against it because there was no sheriff or deputy on the island, and being responsible for maintaining peace and quiet among partying teenagers each summer weekend (which this campground was known for) didn’t appeal to us. Also, the only way onto or off the island was by ferry, which didn’t operate past 9:00 PM. Miss the ferry back to the island at night, or have an emergency when the ferry wasn’t running, and you were pretty much on your own. This is why you must ask questions about any particular position before accepting an offer. However, this island job would probably appeal to a lot of RVers, and it was certainly a lovely place to spend the summer.

Some friends visited a lighthouse on the Oregon coast last fall and asked if there were any job openings. They are now tour guides at that same lighthouse in what has to be one of the most picturesque settings possible. It was a perfect fit for our friends.

After you’ve sent your letter and resume to those campgrounds that interest you and they’ve contacted you back, find out as many details as possible about the job they want you to do. Ask for a written job description since job titles aren’t always accurate. If you have a written description describing duties and hours, then you can refuse to be on call 24 hours a day after you’ve been told that you’ll only have to work eight-hour days.

When applying for a job, tell your potential employer about any physical limitations or job requirements you might have. Most campground owners are willing to make concessions for health problems—probably because many of the RVers they’re recruiting as work-campers have reached that certain age where they are likely to have some limitations. If you dislike chores like cleaning, or can’t stand yard work or maintenance, state that up front, too, so you don’t end up with a job you hate.

If working in a campground doesn’t appeal to you, other seasonal jobs are available for RVers, especially in popular snowbird and tourist areas. For instance, some RV supply stores and dealers hire seasonal employees. Also, National Parks, like Yellowstone, hire hundreds of employees each summer, as do many private resorts. The good news is that most tourist attractions are also seeking mature employees, so retired RVers will find excellent opportunities in places like Disneyworld in Florida, and Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. In fact, there are literally thousands of seasonal and part-time jobs open each year to RVers, and you can find enjoyable positions that will be a perfect match, no matter what your background or interests. Many also offer additional perks in addition to free camping and/or pay, such as free tours, free ski lift passes, meals, etc.

RVers have many reasons for working while they travel, not the least of which is making a little extra money for sightseeing or for those items they might ordinarily hesitate to buy. Others put aside money for traveling expenses the next time they hit the road. And many want to work simply because they’re not ready for full-time leisure, but want the flexibility work-camping and travel offers.

So if you’re hesitating to travel this summer because of high fuel costs, or you’re afraid you’ll get half-way across country and become tired of constantly moving around, rest assured there is a fun and interesting work-camping job available in some exciting place along your travel route that is sure to appeal to your adventurous spirit.