Back

Letting Go of the Bus: The True Meaning of Home | Day 275 of my 2023 Journal

Cecilie Conrad·Oct 3, 2023· 2 minutes

Home is not about walls and stuff

I remember the first time we left the bus at Mon La Bassa. We had been parked there only a few months, overwhelmed by how right it was for us. And yet, we needed to travel and leave for the Canary Islands for some months.

It was before my mother died. Before covid. The children were still children.

How little did we know about the travel life, how newbies we were. Yet adventurous, courageous, and crazy. We had spent so much time and energy building the bus, and it had become a symbolic token of the freedom we were creating, so much so that leaving it even for an afternoon, in the beginning, seemed a risk.

Leaving for months was letting go. Leaning into freedom, even the symbol of freedom, could not stop us.

It was a long time ago.

Since then, we have left and come back many times, and the circle has worked as a mirror, reflecting the inner and outer journey.

This time, we waited a full 24 hours before we did it. I was not ready for the overwhelming reaction I thought I would have. Or for the work.

It turned out perfect.

We ARE leaving the bus; we knew it, and it was only more right when we returned. Immediately, we began to clear it of personal stuff, letting go of what was not needed and packing personal items to ship back to storage in Denmark.

It was melting hot, and there were a thousand mosquitos, so we put in a few hours and left for the beach, confident it was the right thing and grateful for the already much lighter feeling.

It was lovely to meet our friends at the sanctuary and have good hugs and warm conversations.

We will always have a home in Catalunia. But it is clear, we don’t need the bus for that. We don’t need stuff to have a home.

Home is - truly - where the heart is.

With love

Cecilie-Underskrift-300x133

Cecilie Conrad

Thank you for reading
I would love to hear from you. Listen to your thoughts and reflections - or praise :) It is often emotional to share our lives like this, and we get very happy when we get your feedback. So feel free to share a comment below 😋 


More images on Facebook

Unschooling and Parent consulting, conversations, blogposts, and podcasts on family life and learning

Hi, I'm Cecilie Conrad. I'm a trained psychologist, mother of four, radical unschooler and full-time traveller. I have lived with unschooling for over a decade and help other families find their own path – whether it is about homeschooling, unschooling, or the bigger question of how you want to live as a family.

I offer guidance, conversations and talks. I call my work grandmothering – not coaching in the traditional sense, but presence, professional insight and concrete help navigating motherhood and finding your way home to your own values.

Am I the right person to help you? You can book a free discovery call, and we'll talk and figure it out.

Listen to my podcasts

I share my knowledge and curiosity about family life and learning in my two podcasts.

Read my latest blogposts

Discover the life-changing mantra 'Anything is better than the sofa' that became central to our family's philosophy during an epic road trip. Learn h…Read more
A walk through the local market reveals the beauty of street art and its vulnerability to time and change. The experience is enriched by the discover…Read more
A thought-provoking day trip to Portal Maya in Playa del Carmen reveals the complexities of modern tourism. The experience raises questions about eco…Read more
Jetlag and emotional shifts mark our second day in Playa. As we await friends, we explore local markets and street art, challenging first impressions…Read more
In Playa del Carmen, we confront initial reactions to tourism and local flavors. The "Why are we here?" question sparks deep reflection and planning.…Read more
Navigating a 20-hour journey to Playa del Carmen, we confront various fears and challenges, from dietary restrictions to border controls. Despite the…Read more
Transitioning from van life to backpacking, our packing choices reveal hidden fears. As we embark on a seven-month journey, we face the challenge of …Read more
In our sixth year of full-time nomadic living, we've found that the real adventure lies in the people we meet. From Europe to America, friendships ar…Read more
As we transition to a life in backpacks, we're reminded of the power of minimalism. Discover how shedding the non-essentials not only lightens the lo…Read more