(This was made on TikTok, so sorry for the weird cropping!!)
Oops... I made this back in October and forgot to post it. But hi, I'm often asked what/how I eat as a houseless traveler who started as a runaway teen with $0, so here are some food memories I've acquired over the years. I spent my first 8 months of being houseless with $0 and no way to make money considering I was hiding from the police, which taught me a lot. Learning how to feed myself with nothing helped me later feed myself even better when I was gifted my ukulele, which brought in a few bucks when I needed it. I haven't stopped using what I've learned either, and I feel like a lot of people can benefit from finding creative ways to add to meals cheaply. Since most of my meals as a nomad have been some—or a mix of—foraging, dumpster diving, community resources, mutual aid, a few bucks, and some creativity... I can happily say I've gone most of my days with food in my belly. Stay tuned for part 2 (and more)! #poverty#cheapmeals#strugglemeal#homeless#survival
I know a lot of y'all are curious about Slab City (my houseless home), and I’ve got plenty of content planned for my upcoming return. But this place also means so much more to me personally—it's truly my home. So I'm asking for your help.
Slab City saved my life when I was a runaway. It was there that I learned how to thrive without a roof and a guaranteed meal as a 17 year old girl, surrounded by strangers who oftentimes also had a troubling past. Slab City taught me everything I needed to know in order to stay alive while homeless in the middle of the desert, in a community with very little money, and without running water, plumbing, stores, sidewalks, or electricity. With that, there are a few people I really owe it extra to, and that's why I want to give back by sharing this fundraiser run by my folks in Slabs.
If you'd like to help the children in Slabs get a gift for Christmas, check out the links below please! My friends run this fundraiser and wishlist every year for this exact cause, and I've seen firsthand how magical it is when it works out. It means so much to these kids, and especially with food stamps being shut down recently, a lot of folks are having to direct the very little money they have towards food instead of towards the holidays. My folks do so much for Slabs, and have done soooo much for me personally, too. So feel free to be a part of this wonderful thing they do by sharing or donating, they really need it this year!! Thank you guys so much 💜
It has been brought to my attention that there are multiple accounts pretending to be me—on here and other platforms—attempting to scam people for donations. So let me officially say: I am not on WhatsApp, I am not DMing anybody asking for donations, and all of my real donation links can (and should only) be accessed directly through my bio here or on TikTok.
My only public platforms are YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram—all with the username @itsnotquitevanlife (except for Reddit, which is u/travelinova). If you think you're interacting with me, please check carefully. These scammers are using small username variations like adding a number, removing a letter, etc, to look as real as possible. You can check the legitimacy of any account that looks like mine by clicking the profile picture, going to the account, and checking for things like my posts, account age, follower count, etc. If something looks “off”, it probably is.
Please keep yourself safe—do not give away personal information, click odd links, etc., from anybody saying they are me (and honestly, from anybody you don't know personally). If you see any of these fake accounts, feel free to report them directly to YouTube, or tag me so I can remove their comments manually.
If you are looking to donate to me, my official links are in my bio on my account page. These links go directly to verified sites/apps like GoFundMe, Cashapp, and Amazon. I am not asking anybody for donations through dms, WhatsApp, alt accounts, etc.
I am so very appreciative of all the support and kindness I've received from y'all, and I would hate for somebody to be negatively impacted by this. I wanna give a special thanks to @hikikootaku and @bluntsimracing for bringing this to my attention, too. I had no idea this was happening, and this information could truly help protect people. Thank you. Stay safe, be aware, and as always: thank y'all for everything.
Hey y'all. I'm getting closer to having my phone fully fixed, but it might still be another week or two—maybe longer. But this unexpected break (no pun intended) has granted me lots of free time to think about my plans when it comes to my content and life, and also lots of time to just miss making videos, too.
I'm hoping to jump into long-format content (and more music) once I get everything sorted out, like y'all have been requesting. But that's also a pretty big and almost scary commitment for me: to record in such a different style, much more frequently, with much more thought, timing, and energy needed—while still being at the mercy of the road’s beautiful chaos.
Still, it's very exciting, and although it's a bit overwhelming—I can't wait to share this experience with y'all.
As winter rapidly approaches and the temperatures hit freezing, I'm also beginning to head south—meaning I'll soon be back in Slab City, where I'll likely have a lot more stability to focus on making videos. The content will be different, though, as I usually do not travel during the winter and instead focus on making a comfortable camp and connecting with my desert community.
As always, thank you all so much for the continuous support—I appreciate y'all ineffably. I'd also love to hear some suggestions in the comments for videos y'all would like to see—long-format or short—or even other suggestions. Stay safe n’ eat good food!
Thank you all soooooo much for the support! Because of y'all, I was able to get out of the rain—and out of that city—much quicker and smoother than I otherwise would've been able to. I got Bambi a sweater in preparation for the colder weather, and my gear is almost fully dry. I'm still trying to figure out how to get my phone fixed so I can get back to making videos, but I promise I'm working on it. One of the most significant things I've learned on the road is the importance of community—and that's exactly what I've found here. I appreciate you all so much; you have no idea. Stay warm, eat good food, n' stay safe.
This is the reality of the road sometimes. After helping out that abandoned puppy and unfortunately missing my ride out of town, I’ve been stuck in storm after storm. Every time the rain stops, I've been laying out all my wet belongings—just for them to get soaked again within a few hours, just before they get to dry.
I had to hunker down in a far-from-ideal location with a tent, and this is what I woke up to: vague, ominous, and heartless.
I've been on the road for three years, and luckily, this is my first “eviction notice”. I've had much worse experiences, and also countless experiences I wouldn't trade for the world. But it's important to understand that life on the road is not all sunshine and rainbows—and when life throws you a curveball, you gotta hit it out of the park... and then maybe stop camping at that park, too, haha.
I guess some things happen for a reason, even human-poop–covered abandoned puppies.
Things have been a little rough lately. I've been stuck in a less-than-ideal city where it's been raining more than I'm equipped for, and it's not the greatest place to be regardless. My phone microphone is broken, so I can't make videos, and the cheap external mic I got as a temporary fix broke very quickly, too. But after days of being stuck in town—burnt out and ready for that to change—my roaddawg and I finally seemingly got the perfect train ride out.
It was the first train going east to stop in many days of waiting, and we rushed to get on. Finding a rideable car wasn't going too smoothly, so we chose to briefly retreat through a hole in the train yard fence for a quick break. Regardless of the minor hiccup, we were beyond excited to get out of town—relieved and hopeful that the rain would be slightly more merciful in the next place. I even started thinking about the possibility of having some good luck busking, then getting my phone fixed so I could get back in the swing of making videos. But as we were about to head back to the train and ride out of town, a skinny puppy came out of nowhere—in between multiple massive freeways, roads, bridges, and the train yard. He ran up to me, my roaddawg, and Bambi individually—before immediately screaming and flinching when I tried to pet him. I grabbed his scruff to keep him from running off in literally any direction, since any direction could very likely injure him (or worse). It was at this moment that I was absolutely mortified—realizing he was covered in human feces.
My roaddawg passed me our gallons of train ride water and my soap, as I worked for about an hour cleaning the disgusting mess from his fur. Many gallons and gas station water refills later, he was finally… less gross. I tied his leash to the fence, my roaddawg set off for one more gas station trip, and I sat on my pack, realizing the reality of the situation. I absolutely could not get on this train now and leave this baby to fend for himself—especially considering I know what it's like to be abandoned, even on the streets. I also couldn't afford to feed another mouth and train another puppy with winter quickly approaching, especially since I already have one dog.
So I took a few pictures of him—brainstorming a Facebook Marketplace post or maybe even a post here asking for help—while just sitting in the stress of it all. I decided this wasn't a safe place for any of us, so I gave him the rest of Bambi’s food and water, then I took Bambi back to where I was recently camped. After many slow trips of Bambi watching all of our belongings as I brought more things from the puppy's location to camp, I only had the puppy left to transport. I leashed him with a piece of elastic string I found on the ground, but I ended up carrying him since he had no clue how to walk on a leash. I wrapped the puppy in a blanket, and my roaddawg returned with the last gallon of water for the dogs and ourselves. We washed our hands, gave the dogs water, and discussed what options we had—hitting many obstacles.
Just then, we saw a familiar face. For the past few days, we had been frequenting a local gas station for water, charging, and food—and we became acquainted with some of the employees and regulars. One of these people was the older brother of an employee, who happened to be walking through our camp as a shortcut to work just then. We exchanged hellos, and my roaddawg boldly asked him, “Hey, do you want a puppy?”—which was followed by an immediate “No.” I joined the conversation, asking if he knew anyone who could take a puppy off our hands—explaining the stressful situation. He asked how long we'd be there, and we told him we're kinda stuck with this dog, to which he said he'd be back at two p.m. to take the puppy. He said he has a yard, and has rescued hurt and/or abandoned puppies before.
We exchanged numbers—I almost cried—and we all just relaxed a bit. Within twenty minutes of sitting in burnout, relief, stress, empathy, and grief—he returned—six hours early. He took the puppy and left, and the three of us passed out for practically the entire day.
Life happens—and in weird ways. Sorry for the lack of posts lately; crazy stuff keeps happening. I hope y'all enjoy this story for now—and wish me luck in getting out of town and getting my phone repaired. Stay safe, y'all!
It gets better—and that doesn't have to mean one thing or another. As my three-year anniversary of being on the road approaches, it's been nice to reflect on all sorts of times: Good times, bad times, memorable times, forgettable times—all the times.
My first truly “bad” time on the road was a little past my first year anniversary. I got stuck too close to the Sierras through winter, and it all hit me when I spent my January birthday in a massive storm. I was genuinely scared I was gonna freeze to death, as I starved through my sleep in a puddle under a park bench in Stockton, CA every night for weeks. The boots I wore were practically just visual. They were only there so I could still go inside stores that had a “no shirt, no shoes, no service” policy, just so I could spend every last penny on food scraps for Bambi and me. I was also pouring all of my energy into folks who used it, instead of getting myself into a better place. I checked thrift stores when I could, but I was always a few dollars short of the cheapest shoes. So I survived that winter like that, including my nineteenth birthday—and I learned a lot.
The main thing I learned is that you have to be there for yourself first, even before others—especially if you value being there for others. Folks always say you can't pour from an empty glass, but I realized you can't even fill a broken one to begin with. You also shouldn't put all the broken pieces back together in a rush, and expect it to still hold water. If you do, it'll likely break worse than before—and you'll be even further from pouring.
I poured so much of myself into others during that time—in ways that were never given back, and in ways that disallowed me to continue giving to anybody, including myself. My glass broke.
That winter was long, and the next was too short. Maybe this winter will be different in some ways, but I know I can't control it all—and thank goodness I learned that, too. This season, though, I have boots and pants that are treating me well. Bambi has food every day, and I’m investing energy into myself, which allows me to invest into others. Altogether, I’m further along the journey of learning how much I can pour, and when to stop and mend cracks when they inevitably happen.
I also learned to hold true to my own wants, needs, and desires. If I had kept on traveling instead of getting stuck for some folks who took advantage of my glass, I would've at least made it somewhere my shoeless feet wouldn't have been in cold puddles all the time. Ironically, my glass wouldn't have been so shattered if that were true, either. And even if it would've still been empty at times, I would've only been one step away from pouring again—which is one of the things I live for. But order matters—you can't pour from a shattered glass, ‘cause you can't even fill it.
So this is what “better” means for me—shoes that keep my feet dry, and a glass that I can pour from. Don't let folks fully define your “better”, or shatter your glass. But also understand that life happens, and that it is important to know how to mend your glass just in case.
Thank you all for the support, I hope your glasses are full as can be.
Nova Black
Nova Black
(This was made on TikTok, so sorry for the weird cropping!!)
Oops... I made this back in October and forgot to post it. But hi, I'm often asked what/how I eat as a houseless traveler who started as a runaway teen with $0, so here are some food memories I've acquired over the years. I spent my first 8 months of being houseless with $0 and no way to make money considering I was hiding from the police, which taught me a lot. Learning how to feed myself with nothing helped me later feed myself even better when I was gifted my ukulele, which brought in a few bucks when I needed it. I haven't stopped using what I've learned either, and I feel like a lot of people can benefit from finding creative ways to add to meals cheaply. Since most of my meals as a nomad have been some—or a mix of—foraging, dumpster diving, community resources, mutual aid, a few bucks, and some creativity... I can happily say I've gone most of my days with food in my belly. Stay tuned for part 2 (and more)! #poverty #cheapmeals #strugglemeal #homeless #survival
1 week ago | [YT] | 18,145
View 222 replies
Nova Black
I know a lot of y'all are curious about Slab City (my houseless home), and I’ve got plenty of content planned for my upcoming return. But this place also means so much more to me personally—it's truly my home. So I'm asking for your help.
Slab City saved my life when I was a runaway. It was there that I learned how to thrive without a roof and a guaranteed meal as a 17 year old girl, surrounded by strangers who oftentimes also had a troubling past. Slab City taught me everything I needed to know in order to stay alive while homeless in the middle of the desert, in a community with very little money, and without running water, plumbing, stores, sidewalks, or electricity. With that, there are a few people I really owe it extra to, and that's why I want to give back by sharing this fundraiser run by my folks in Slabs.
If you'd like to help the children in Slabs get a gift for Christmas, check out the links below please! My friends run this fundraiser and wishlist every year for this exact cause, and I've seen firsthand how magical it is when it works out. It means so much to these kids, and especially with food stamps being shut down recently, a lot of folks are having to direct the very little money they have towards food instead of towards the holidays. My folks do so much for Slabs, and have done soooo much for me personally, too. So feel free to be a part of this wonderful thing they do by sharing or donating, they really need it this year!! Thank you guys so much 💜
Cashapp: SlabCityCareClub
Venmo: Joette-Feczko
Adopt a wishlist:
adoptawishlist25.my.canva.site/
1 month ago | [YT] | 4,935
View 171 replies
Nova Black
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!
It has been brought to my attention that there are multiple accounts pretending to be me—on here and other platforms—attempting to scam people for donations. So let me officially say: I am not on WhatsApp, I am not DMing anybody asking for donations, and all of my real donation links can (and should only) be accessed directly through my bio here or on TikTok.
My only public platforms are YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram—all with the username @itsnotquitevanlife (except for Reddit, which is u/travelinova). If you think you're interacting with me, please check carefully. These scammers are using small username variations like adding a number, removing a letter, etc, to look as real as possible. You can check the legitimacy of any account that looks like mine by clicking the profile picture, going to the account, and checking for things like my posts, account age, follower count, etc. If something looks “off”, it probably is.
Please keep yourself safe—do not give away personal information, click odd links, etc., from anybody saying they are me (and honestly, from anybody you don't know personally). If you see any of these fake accounts, feel free to report them directly to YouTube, or tag me so I can remove their comments manually.
If you are looking to donate to me, my official links are in my bio on my account page. These links go directly to verified sites/apps like GoFundMe, Cashapp, and Amazon. I am not asking anybody for donations through dms, WhatsApp, alt accounts, etc.
I am so very appreciative of all the support and kindness I've received from y'all, and I would hate for somebody to be negatively impacted by this. I wanna give a special thanks to @hikikootaku and @bluntsimracing for bringing this to my attention, too. I had no idea this was happening, and this information could truly help protect people. Thank you. Stay safe, be aware, and as always: thank y'all for everything.
2 months ago | [YT] | 12,585
View 221 replies
Nova Black
Happy Halloween y'all!! Anything fun goin' on?
2 months ago | [YT] | 8,584
View 241 replies
Nova Black
Hey y'all. I'm getting closer to having my phone fully fixed, but it might still be another week or two—maybe longer. But this unexpected break (no pun intended) has granted me lots of free time to think about my plans when it comes to my content and life, and also lots of time to just miss making videos, too.
I'm hoping to jump into long-format content (and more music) once I get everything sorted out, like y'all have been requesting. But that's also a pretty big and almost scary commitment for me: to record in such a different style, much more frequently, with much more thought, timing, and energy needed—while still being at the mercy of the road’s beautiful chaos.
Still, it's very exciting, and although it's a bit overwhelming—I can't wait to share this experience with y'all.
As winter rapidly approaches and the temperatures hit freezing, I'm also beginning to head south—meaning I'll soon be back in Slab City, where I'll likely have a lot more stability to focus on making videos. The content will be different, though, as I usually do not travel during the winter and instead focus on making a comfortable camp and connecting with my desert community.
As always, thank you all so much for the continuous support—I appreciate y'all ineffably. I'd also love to hear some suggestions in the comments for videos y'all would like to see—long-format or short—or even other suggestions. Stay safe n’ eat good food!
2 months ago | [YT] | 13,212
View 374 replies
Nova Black
Thank you all soooooo much for the support! Because of y'all, I was able to get out of the rain—and out of that city—much quicker and smoother than I otherwise would've been able to. I got Bambi a sweater in preparation for the colder weather, and my gear is almost fully dry. I'm still trying to figure out how to get my phone fixed so I can get back to making videos, but I promise I'm working on it. One of the most significant things I've learned on the road is the importance of community—and that's exactly what I've found here. I appreciate you all so much; you have no idea. Stay warm, eat good food, n' stay safe.
3 months ago | [YT] | 13,017
View 234 replies
Nova Black
This is the reality of the road sometimes. After helping out that abandoned puppy and unfortunately missing my ride out of town, I’ve been stuck in storm after storm. Every time the rain stops, I've been laying out all my wet belongings—just for them to get soaked again within a few hours, just before they get to dry.
I had to hunker down in a far-from-ideal location with a tent, and this is what I woke up to: vague, ominous, and heartless.
I've been on the road for three years, and luckily, this is my first “eviction notice”. I've had much worse experiences, and also countless experiences I wouldn't trade for the world. But it's important to understand that life on the road is not all sunshine and rainbows—and when life throws you a curveball, you gotta hit it out of the park... and then maybe stop camping at that park, too, haha.
Stay warm and safe y'all!!
3 months ago | [YT] | 6,048
View 353 replies
Nova Black
I guess some things happen for a reason, even human-poop–covered abandoned puppies.
Things have been a little rough lately. I've been stuck in a less-than-ideal city where it's been raining more than I'm equipped for, and it's not the greatest place to be regardless. My phone microphone is broken, so I can't make videos, and the cheap external mic I got as a temporary fix broke very quickly, too. But after days of being stuck in town—burnt out and ready for that to change—my roaddawg and I finally seemingly got the perfect train ride out.
It was the first train going east to stop in many days of waiting, and we rushed to get on. Finding a rideable car wasn't going too smoothly, so we chose to briefly retreat through a hole in the train yard fence for a quick break. Regardless of the minor hiccup, we were beyond excited to get out of town—relieved and hopeful that the rain would be slightly more merciful in the next place. I even started thinking about the possibility of having some good luck busking, then getting my phone fixed so I could get back in the swing of making videos. But as we were about to head back to the train and ride out of town, a skinny puppy came out of nowhere—in between multiple massive freeways, roads, bridges, and the train yard. He ran up to me, my roaddawg, and Bambi individually—before immediately screaming and flinching when I tried to pet him. I grabbed his scruff to keep him from running off in literally any direction, since any direction could very likely injure him (or worse). It was at this moment that I was absolutely mortified—realizing he was covered in human feces.
My roaddawg passed me our gallons of train ride water and my soap, as I worked for about an hour cleaning the disgusting mess from his fur. Many gallons and gas station water refills later, he was finally… less gross. I tied his leash to the fence, my roaddawg set off for one more gas station trip, and I sat on my pack, realizing the reality of the situation. I absolutely could not get on this train now and leave this baby to fend for himself—especially considering I know what it's like to be abandoned, even on the streets. I also couldn't afford to feed another mouth and train another puppy with winter quickly approaching, especially since I already have one dog.
So I took a few pictures of him—brainstorming a Facebook Marketplace post or maybe even a post here asking for help—while just sitting in the stress of it all. I decided this wasn't a safe place for any of us, so I gave him the rest of Bambi’s food and water, then I took Bambi back to where I was recently camped. After many slow trips of Bambi watching all of our belongings as I brought more things from the puppy's location to camp, I only had the puppy left to transport. I leashed him with a piece of elastic string I found on the ground, but I ended up carrying him since he had no clue how to walk on a leash. I wrapped the puppy in a blanket, and my roaddawg returned with the last gallon of water for the dogs and ourselves. We washed our hands, gave the dogs water, and discussed what options we had—hitting many obstacles.
Just then, we saw a familiar face. For the past few days, we had been frequenting a local gas station for water, charging, and food—and we became acquainted with some of the employees and regulars. One of these people was the older brother of an employee, who happened to be walking through our camp as a shortcut to work just then. We exchanged hellos, and my roaddawg boldly asked him, “Hey, do you want a puppy?”—which was followed by an immediate “No.” I joined the conversation, asking if he knew anyone who could take a puppy off our hands—explaining the stressful situation. He asked how long we'd be there, and we told him we're kinda stuck with this dog, to which he said he'd be back at two p.m. to take the puppy. He said he has a yard, and has rescued hurt and/or abandoned puppies before.
We exchanged numbers—I almost cried—and we all just relaxed a bit. Within twenty minutes of sitting in burnout, relief, stress, empathy, and grief—he returned—six hours early. He took the puppy and left, and the three of us passed out for practically the entire day.
Life happens—and in weird ways. Sorry for the lack of posts lately; crazy stuff keeps happening. I hope y'all enjoy this story for now—and wish me luck in getting out of town and getting my phone repaired. Stay safe, y'all!
3 months ago | [YT] | 12,792
View 408 replies
Nova Black
It gets better—and that doesn't have to mean one thing or another. As my three-year anniversary of being on the road approaches, it's been nice to reflect on all sorts of times: Good times, bad times, memorable times, forgettable times—all the times.
My first truly “bad” time on the road was a little past my first year anniversary. I got stuck too close to the Sierras through winter, and it all hit me when I spent my January birthday in a massive storm. I was genuinely scared I was gonna freeze to death, as I starved through my sleep in a puddle under a park bench in Stockton, CA every night for weeks. The boots I wore were practically just visual. They were only there so I could still go inside stores that had a “no shirt, no shoes, no service” policy, just so I could spend every last penny on food scraps for Bambi and me. I was also pouring all of my energy into folks who used it, instead of getting myself into a better place. I checked thrift stores when I could, but I was always a few dollars short of the cheapest shoes. So I survived that winter like that, including my nineteenth birthday—and I learned a lot.
The main thing I learned is that you have to be there for yourself first, even before others—especially if you value being there for others. Folks always say you can't pour from an empty glass, but I realized you can't even fill a broken one to begin with. You also shouldn't put all the broken pieces back together in a rush, and expect it to still hold water. If you do, it'll likely break worse than before—and you'll be even further from pouring.
I poured so much of myself into others during that time—in ways that were never given back, and in ways that disallowed me to continue giving to anybody, including myself. My glass broke.
That winter was long, and the next was too short. Maybe this winter will be different in some ways, but I know I can't control it all—and thank goodness I learned that, too. This season, though, I have boots and pants that are treating me well. Bambi has food every day, and I’m investing energy into myself, which allows me to invest into others. Altogether, I’m further along the journey of learning how much I can pour, and when to stop and mend cracks when they inevitably happen.
I also learned to hold true to my own wants, needs, and desires. If I had kept on traveling instead of getting stuck for some folks who took advantage of my glass, I would've at least made it somewhere my shoeless feet wouldn't have been in cold puddles all the time. Ironically, my glass wouldn't have been so shattered if that were true, either. And even if it would've still been empty at times, I would've only been one step away from pouring again—which is one of the things I live for. But order matters—you can't pour from a shattered glass, ‘cause you can't even fill it.
So this is what “better” means for me—shoes that keep my feet dry, and a glass that I can pour from. Don't let folks fully define your “better”, or shatter your glass. But also understand that life happens, and that it is important to know how to mend your glass just in case.
Thank you all for the support, I hope your glasses are full as can be.
3 months ago | [YT] | 10,214
View 254 replies
Nova Black
Here are some pictures from the past few nights, hope y'all enjoy. Be safe, eat good food 💜
3 months ago | [YT] | 13,951
View 416 replies