IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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IPC COMMUNITY 52 FALL 2024 On the day of our interview, the sun was shin- ing, the California sky was blue, a gentle breeze was blowing, and campers were milling about. He had already taught his classes, met with his supervisor, and made himself some lunch. Kris says he's not surprised that he ended up in this lifestyle. He grew up bouncing around from state to state, finally ending up in northern California, where "it's my personal belief that it's one of the best areas in the world," he says. As an ambitious young man, he dreamed of owning a big house and a fancy car. His work took him to jobs in California, Washington, Colorado, and Michigan. But job layoffs when government contracts ended, the upside-down economy that put him into a double mortgage, feeling like a cog in the machine of multibillion-dol- lar companies, and frigid temperatures of the upper Midwest all gave him pause. Was this the life he wanted to continue living? "I started watching shows about peo- ple living the RV life, and how you could have your satellite internet and work off laptops that were powerful enough you didn't need a big desktop computer anymore," he says. "It sounded really fun to teach from a campsite in the woods near a lake rather than in a crowded city He's left behind living paycheck to paycheck, or whether he'll have enough food for the week. "I'm just living day to day, thinking about the things that make me happy," Kris says. "Getting out in nature is one of the biggest health bene- fits you can ever have for yourself." Sometimes he schedules special hikes or biking trips, but he likes having impromptu activities. "There are times where I just decide based on what I feel like when I wake up," he says. "If it's a beautiful spring day, I'll head out to a nearby trail. If it's a stormy day, I'll head to the indoor climbing gym. If it's hot and muggy, I'll grab the canoe and head to the lake. For me, I'm always cognizant of nature and the environment around me."