Where Are Our THIRD PLACES?

In the era of digital connectivity, remote work (or “work from home”) has revolutionized the way we think about our jobs and lifestyles. Combine this with the rise of nomadic living, particularly in forms like vanlife and skoolie life, and the result is a complete redefinition of what was once considered the traditional workspace.

However, all of this new freedom comes with some unique challenges, particularly in the enjoyment and utilization of ‘Third Places’ — those communal spaces outside of home and work where our social interactions flourish.

The Beginning: Remote Work

The acceptance of remote work has grown exponentially in recent years, especially after the COVID pandemic. This shift in thinking has been driven both by technological advancements, which have made it easier for people to work from anywhere with an internet connection, and by a desire from both employees and companies to shape better outcomes.

Companies are slowly coming to the conclusion that having remote workers is actually a benefit. Despite some misgivings from management that they cannot control what they cannot directly see, and by the bean counters who now have empty physical office space that is going under-utilized, businesses are seeing that remote workers actually deliver more and are more readily accessible outside of traditional office hours.

As for employees?

I worked as a software engineer for a major corporation for almost 14 years, all of it remotely. Aside from online meetings, it took five years before I even met a single one of my co-workers, and even then it was a casual get-together when they were visiting Miami, where I was living.

And during those 14 years of remote work, a fair amount of it wasn’t even in this country. I spent months on end traveling throughout Europe and Central America, and never skipping a beat as far as productivity. As far as my employer was concerned, I simply showed up every day and did my job.

From where didn’t matter.

Now granted, it was a tad easier because we were a global team. We had members from Romania, India, and all across the United States. We found a common block of time that worked for everyone and that was when we came together to discuss and co-work as needed. The rest of the time was spent on projects … and because of less distractions, this worked better for everyone.

Life was good (from a work point of view).

Adding Complexity: Skoolie Life

Nomadic lifestyles, particularly vanlife and skoolie life, where people convert vans or school buses into rolling homes, have become increasingly popular. This lifestyle offers a sense of freedom, adventure, and a break from the conventional.

And those of us who choose this way of life often work remotely, using ever growing technology to maintain our livelihoods while we’re on the move.

The biggest problem with this is that one has to have reliable internet. And now with satellite-based services like StarLink, there literally hasn’t been a place in the US where I haven’t had a good connection.

(Except maybe for when I parked under trees in national forests. LOL!)

There are other drawbacks, like if you’re working eight hours a day … when do you drive to your next destination? But then again, if you were in a rooted home, there are the problems of squeezing in “non-business” time to your projects as well.

But overall, remote work and remote living are completely compatible.

THE BIG PROBLEM

While “work from home” and nomadic lifestyles offer many of us unparalleled freedom, they also present a unique challenge in our finding and enjoying ‘Third Places’.

Third Places are locations like coffee shops, libraries, and other non-work/non-home locations, where folks gather for vital social interaction and community building. Third Places offer a neutral ground where people from all different walks of life can meet, exchange ideas, and build relationships. They are where we can be ourselves away from our responsibilities.

The problem is, for those of us living a nomadic lifestyle, developing a sense of community in these missing third places can be challenging. Constantly being on the move means fewer opportunities to form long-lasting relationships and our sense of belonging through these communal spaces.

To put this into real terms … when I was living in Miami, I belonged to a meetup.com group called “Miami Fun Inexpensive”, or MFI for short. Every week there were at least one (usually two or three) events around the city where members gathered and shared an experience. Perhaps a concert, picnic, or cultural event. Anywhere from 10–50 people, all gathering in one place, to just be social and enjoy a moment.

Living in a bus, that simply isn’t possible for me anymore. On any given week, there is no telling where we’ll be.

But there are ways around this problem.

Adapting to the NEW NORMAL

In order to adapt to this new way of living and working, nomads need to find innovative ways to socially connect with others.

Social media and online platforms have become critical in creating virtual communities where individuals can share experiences, advice, and support. But honestly, virtual connections only go so far.

Other nomads schedule regular or planned stops in certain locations to foster a sense of community and familiarity. Recently I attended something called “The Skoolie Swarm”, where for ten days there was a gathering of 100 buses, vans, and other rolling homesteads in a large field in the mountains of Shenandoah Virginia. And for those ten days we packed in so much togetherness that we became family.

And there are a number of these gatherings every year all around the country which provide nomads the ability to make physical connections and to reconnect with those they have already met.

But what do you do during all those weeks and months between Swarms?

Enter Harvest Hosts. This is a website/app that is primarily used by travelers to find overnight parking. Businesses offer up a spot and in return you purchase a product or service from them. It’s a complete win-win for everyone.

But the added bonus is that most of these Harvest Hosts are also Third Places.

For instance, a popular type of HH is a winery. They usually have large parking lots, which is a win for those of us with large rolling homes. Wine is something we’re going to purchase anyway, so why not try something we wouldn’t get in a grocery store. And … other people visit wineries!

Aside from more deeply interacting with the staff (for some reason those of us in skoolies attract extra attention and conversation!), there are usually so many other folks at your evening’s host that it’s almost impossible not to interact with others in an enjoyable way.

Is It A PERFECT WORLD?

The fusion of remote work and the nomadic lifestyle is indeed reshaping our understanding and use of third places. And while these lifestyles offer an extreme amount of freedom and flexibility, they also present many new challenges in forming and maintaining personal connections.

As society adapts to these changes, third places must evolve as well. As will our definition of “normal”.

Traditional lifestyles of suburban homes, commutes to and from work, and the corner bar will always be there. But for many, the idea of planting roots in a single place simply feels wrong. And yet, those nomads have the same social needs as those with a mortgage.

Technology is certainly helping bring these Third Places to nomads, but I can also envision a time when the two groups are not so separate. Every time I stop to refuel or to buy groceries, I get at least one person who wants to ask questions and see the bus. They are simply fascinated by the lifestyle, and you can see in their eyes the phrase “the possibility … if only”.

Perhaps the next step in the evolution of Third Places is to somehow bring both of these groups together. It should be quite easy … those of us on wheels can come to you.