Connecting Outside of Convergences
When my partner Julie and I started RVing a few years ago, we launched from Denver not knowing there was a large community of nomadic friends out there we had yet to meet. After several months of road life, traveling without any friends or support system, I was getting lonely and homesick. Things were great with us and our dogs, but we were lacking outside socialization and connection.
Meeting Xscapers
I learned about Xscapers online and then after randomly meeting a couple of members in Sedona, we immediately signed up for the Annual Bash, our first Xscapers Convergence. Meeting new friends and creating amazing connections through that event changed our lives and cemented RV life for us.
Meeting new friends and creating amazing connections through that event changed our lives and cemented RV life for us.
But what happens after Convergences when everyone raises their jacks and hitches up? How will we keep in touch and when will I see these amazing people again? My separation anxiety kicked in. This wasn’t like sticks and bricks life. Where are you going?! I just found you, don’t leave me! I look back with great amusement at how scared I was to lose what I had just found. We quickly learned of all the ways Xscapers keep in touch and reach out to one another to connect in this unique lifestyle.
Technology is our friend. After the Bash, but before the next Convergence, people find new destinations. Since so many Xscapers work from the road, they need good internet connectivity. As such, smaller groups end up in a handful of locations based on cell service and friendships combined.
Maintaining Friendships With Fellow RVers
How do we stay in touch or meet up? There are the obvious ways, such as phone calls and texting. There is also Facebook Messenger, Instagram, the app called Life 360 and several other location sharing options such as Google Maps. These can be as public or private as you prefer.
I’ve also seen people post their travel plans on the main Xscapers Facebook group, asking who might be there and if anyone wants to meet up. Strangers quickly become friends, online connections become personal ones, profiles become real people. It’s a wonderful thing, this social media deal, when used correctly.
Personally, I like Messenger chat groups to discuss where you are planning to go and Google Maps as you can see where everyone is, but each person controls their privacy settings and can turn their location on or off at any time. Messenger group chats can be created with just a few people and can be expanded by encouraging chat members to add their friends which then creates a larger group.
This helps build community and then you have the pleasure of meeting new people when you eventually meet up in a new location. All of these online avenues have made connecting outside convergences very easy.
Making Xscapers Meetups Happen
The beauty of informal meet ups is in the variety of ways we make it happen. It’s also somewhat of a personality trait to instigate one. There are those who throw out ideas and try to make that meet up come together and there are those who are happy to have someone else initiate it and just show up to enjoy being around friends.
Personally, I’m a bit of both characteristics. I love throwing a meet up idea out there and seeing who might want to join us. I’m also just as happy to hear about friends gathering somewhere and plan to join them if possible. These meetups can also be as big or small as you like. For example, someone in our chat group threw out the idea to boondock at Lake Mead and meet up in Las Vegas on Fremont Street for St. Patrick’s Day last spring. Sure enough, the idea caught on and we had a large group that had a great time in Las Vegas for the weekend.
Another example was over the Christmas holiday last year. We had a small group of friends gather outside of Tucson for a fun week around the holiday. Someone brought a decorated tree, someone had a projector to show movies on the side of their rig, we played bocce ball, we had potlucks, some were working, some were RV shopping (us) so at times, we separated and then flowed back together. No matter what we were doing, we all enjoyed each other and had a wonderful holiday together.
How Impromptu Xscapers Gatherings Work
People participate as much or as little as they want at these informal gatherings, which is the magic of it as there is no pressure. As many Xscapers are digital nomads and working during the daytime hours, these gatherings tend to have more socializing in the evenings when the workday is over. I.e.; happy hours, potlucks, weekend Jeep trips and hikes.
Meeting Xscapers Friends Outside Convergences
The flexibility of schedules and unconditional acceptance of everyone is probably the best part about meetups between convergences. Introverted, extroverted and everything in between, all are welcome and who you are is what makes spontaneous meetups special. Each personality brings something unique to the whole and helps solidify friendships. Convergences are a great way to meet new people and create connections. Using these online options to meet up between convergences is one of the most enriching ways to solidify them.
Author
Marni Pearlman
Marni Pearlman and her partner Julie Axelson travel full time in their Class A motorhome. They are owned by two rescue dogs, Bungee and Friday who rule the roost. They boondock 95% of the time and greatly enjoy traveling with friends. You can find them perfecting the balance of their complimentary introvert and extrovert traits so that each is happy. It’s often an entertaining endeavor for the two of them and their friends to watch. Somehow, they make it work. ☺ You can follow their travels on IG @lust_for_roaming as they explore the US and hopefully make international travel a thing in 2020.
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Don’t forget the cool mapping tool on RVillage for finding Xscapers all around you on a map! This explains how:
https://blog.rvillage.com/rvillage-locating-group-members-on-the-map/