E-Paper
Why did this US couple quit jobs to travel the world with kids, live in an RV
Steve and Wendy McGrath, a couple in their 30s, left their jobs last year and are now travelling the world in a homey 45-foot RV.
Many families in the US are quitting the American dream as they move on to a better lifestyle. Another US couple from Phoenix, Arizona has quit their jobs and sold their house to travel the world. They are fulfilling this dream along with their kids and two pets, who all live with them in an RV.
Steve and Wendy McGrath, a couple in their 30s, left their jobs last year and are now travelling the world in a homey 45-foot RV. Along with them are their two kids, Brady and Ainsley, eight and seven years old. The couple also houses two pets, a cat named Ms.Pikachu and a German shepherd named Eis.
Before setting on their journey, they spent a year trying the camper life while their kids finished elementary school.
It was in May when they finally hit the road and since then the family of six has travelled through the summer in Maine.
Steve, a former ER nurse and US veteran who was deployed to war zones spoke to CNN about their journey, saying, “I don’t want to work 40 hours a week, I don’t want a respectable job, I don’t want to spend the majority of my life working hard to enjoy a few weeks a year."
“I won’t be a victim to the trap that is the American dream.”
“Wendy and I have decided this way of life just doesn’t cut it anymore. We are doing things our own way. We are going to live every day like we are on vacation. We are going to roam this country and others. We are going to make every day, week, month and year truly count. If all goes well, we will not regret anything we have seen, done or experienced.”
Wendy, a former safety operations manager at an American airline, explained how the stress and pressure of her job had become unbearable and she was no longer able to spend quality time with her family, which led to her taking this decision.
RV Schooling
The couple's kids are being RV schooled by their father where in order to make them understand the meaning of things, they actually get to practice them in real life.
“This way they learn a lot of stuff from another viewpoint, and we are able to protect and keep them safe. Every week in some school in the US there is a shooting, it is no longer safe sending them to school."
Steve has also taken up the role of the cook and loves preparing fresh food for the family. He shared how his son Brady, "likes to see real bunnies, geese and chickens."
His daughter, Ainsley loves seeing new things and spending time with her family.
Settling down in Latronico, Italy
While the couple has no definite itinerary of where they are going to travel, they plan to settle down in the Italian town, of Latronico.
The town was selling homes in 2021, and many American families have bought an abode in the quaint town. According to Wendy, the town has a lot in common with their trailer life.
“It’s totally the opposite from the chaotic center of Phoenix where we lived. Living on the road has an appeal similar to that of Latronico in getting back to nature, away from iPhones and iPads. It’s like going back to our roots.”
However, the couple will not be taking their RV with them. It will be stored at a friend's place as they fly to Italy. Steve, who was born in Germany plans to apply for dual citizenship.
