Who else wants to pack a bag, leave town & start life over somewhere new? Has anyone done it? Can it even be done these days?

Excellent point. My only 'anchors' are some personal items that have meaning (a small side table and artists easel given by my deceased father) and my kitty. The rest I can leave or sell. But there is that comfort factor of familiar things. Hmmm

I am pretty soon...not exactly sure on the destination yet...

... I'm 26... and I've done it three times in two provinces. I'm now considering another move oversea's somewhere. Just don't want to remain in Canada anymore. Its not that hard... just make sure to plan it well in advance... atleast 3-4 if not more... and to have a couple thousand set aside.

I'm not a member, either, but my email is listed if you click on my name.

Sure it's frightening, but I didn't have a choice. I was getting chased out as much as leaving of my own accord. I wouldn't have had the guts to make the leap without the money and supplies. I'm sure I would have survived, but road money makes it much easier.

You have to take stock of yourself. How resourceful are you? Do you have some minimal standard of living you require and how low is it? Can you persevere through tough times?

I would suggest you test yourself. Take a weekend and spend it on the street in a big city. 48 hours of sleeping in alleys with say $10 in your pocket. Maybe you spend the second day trying to find a job to make a few bucks. Talk to the bums, most of them know where to get a meal or a place to sleep. When you get home evaluate your stay. Could you find a place to bathe? Could you eat on 3 or 4 dollars a day? How well did you handle it mentaly, were you totaly overwhelmed and depressed or did you just take it in stride? Then you'll know if you have what it takes. I wish in hindsight I would have done that myself.

Your travels might come to that at some point. It would be nice to know if you could hit a low point without jumping off the nearest bridge.

I did it twice while in my twenties. I'm 44 now.

Before you do it you must ask yourself one question, and be honest with yourself without pulling any punches.

What are you running from in your life?

Once everything is all said and done, if that issue is not resolved before you pull the trigger then there is no point in going. Your problem will follow you in some form. It may take a while for you to realize it but when you do you'll be in the same place you were before, just a different zip code.

The frustration of your situation does not stem from your job, it is just manifesting itself in your job and personal relationships.

Moving solves nothing.

Absolutely, 3 or 4 grand and spend each dollar like it's your last. You don't pay 65 cents for a can of beans when the yellow label ones are going for 45 3 blocks down the street.

Spend it like you're going to have to live 5 years on it. I could have been on the road 10 years with what I screwed out of the banks but I blew most of it and only got careful with the last few thousand. Don't make that mistake.

Very good advice, take heed. Only a person who knows himself well should ever do something like that.

relocating does need need to be so dramatic people

done it about 8 times, all on different continents. It's easy, in fact (paradoxically) the harder it is, the easier it really is.

the power of positive thought, the will to change things and energetic enthusiasm are the only tools you need.

good luck

This is different, people typicaly move to be closer to mom, or to their new place of work. This is more like dissapearing from the face of the earth and surfacing someplace else at a later date, possibly under a different name and/or identity. They're two different things altogether.

People who are just renting a U-haul and moving their party to another area code don't need to ask how easy it us.

If I'm running away from anything, it would be the depressing nature of my surroundings. In the past year, my father died, I got divorced and my sweet kitty of 8 yrs died. I am surounded by sadness, and everywhere I look I'm reminded of one of these tragedies. These aren't fixable things, just fresh scars that are still very painful. I'd like to be somewhere where I'm not reminded constantly of these things so I can heal & move on.

know the feeling OP...sometimes a fresh start is just that...

Op,
I have done exactly this. And, more than once!

If you can do it, I wholeheartedly say GO FOR IT.

You are on this planet not to be stuck in just one place. Go forth and gain new experiences. When you leave this planet, you will have so many experiences to carry with you. Dont be afraid. In my own personal experience, I have discovered that when I went to the new place, opportunity would open for me. I made new friends and gained and made new memories. Sometimes, depression is your mind and body telling you that you are not living your most intended life to the fullest.

So, what are you waiting for?
Get to packing!!!

I do it frequently. Overseas life is nice and easy. It helps to get out of this hotbox from time to time, to live some place different to remember what its like to be human. I like Asia. Cheap, people are friendly, lots of things to do and places to go. I would imagine South America would be doable, as well.

I've done it many times -doesn't work anymore (unless you have some real money and good references, credit etc)

Hop a plane to Nashville, get an apartment in the Vanderbilt area. You will Love it. Nashville is NOT Maybury like everyone tells you. Everyone that comes here and spends a few weeks always stays. GOOD LUCK!

Most hobos had these thoughts before OP, but difference is they acted on them.

I ed because I want to gtfo out too but have 3 cats 2 dogs and a snake to off well I can let the snake go...

but definitely dont go to philly...


my dog is 15(i think) now, guess she is going to have to go with me for a little while...cant really abandon the old girl now...

Yeah, but the trick of it is, not to die drunk in a boxcar. That's what takes some doing.

It wouldve been much easier to disappear 80 or even 40 years ago. It's the credit bs that won't disappear! You're tagged as irresponsible, and you can't lease an apartment, get certain jobs, get a car, get a bank account.. What happened to giving people an honest second chance? I declared bankruptcy after an extended battle with cancer. I had no insurance, and made too much (14,000/yr) to get any assistance, so I did what I could putting the bills on credit cards. Then I lost my job. Long story short, landlords & bank mgrs don't care about the reason you bankrupted, only that you did. I can't even rent a decent place, I live in the ghetto with the scum that rob & rape & kill each other and can't get out.
I know all the 'rebuild your credit' programs but you have to have $$ for the overblown interest rates & down payments & security deposits which I don't.
I am a good, honest person. It killed me to file bankruptcy, but I couldn't do it anymore. And I can't now. I just wish someone could see that, maybe somewhere else-a small town somewhere-they would see me for more than a credit score. I'm thinking that it may have to be another developing country though.

It can be done. WE used to live in Southeast New Mexico. Hot dry in the summer usually triple digits,not to cold in the winter but cold enough.. one day hubby and I decided we were tired of it all. we packed up what we absolutely had to have, sold everything else. Loaded our 4 horse trailer with everything we kept plus a horse and moved 1600 miles to northern Idaho. From the day we decided to go till the day we left was 3 weeks. Hubby is disabled ( back problems) I'm close to being so. We left on the 8th of August 2009 and arrived here on the 10th. It has been the greatest thing for both of us and our youngest son who will be graduating in June.

So yes It can be done if you just set your mind to It!

I like BNA, I layover there once in a while. The people seem genuinely kind.

That's my plan as soon as the IRS comes after me. I quit paying taxes four years ago and as soon as they try to come after me I'm going to disappear. Fuck them I done supporting evil.

I packed up a subaru station wagon 20 years ago, leaving behind my library (3000+ books), my family, my friends, my fiance and took off out west. I have never looked back and have only been back in Ontario (Onterrible) for a grand total of 21 days over those years. If you feel the need to go, go.
I love my life and the few times I went 'home'...everyone else looked tired, fat and drunk.