CAR LIVING IN CORVALLIS
As more and more students and service workers as well as retired single people in Corvallis have commenced living in their cars, a few words of caution are in order:
Living in your car - Where to park is the
problem.
Be careful about telling anyone you are homeless. Homeless people become
targets of crime and rape when it becomes known that you do not have a
support system to protect you.
Wal-Mart, in the past, has allowed people
to park vehicles in their parking
lots in several Southeastern states. In some areas, due to damage, the
stores have made it illegal.
Generally, any well-lit parking lot that
does not have trespassing signs is
a place to park for a few hours, but remember not to stay and make yourself
known for being there night after night. Most police have an unofficial
rule of allowing someone to park for up to six hours. Arrive at midnight,
be gone by 6:00 in the morning, and you most likely will stay out of
trouble.
Other places to park may cost a little gas
money, but will be worth it in
the long run when you need more than 6 hours sleep. Truckstops that service
18-wheelers will not say anything about your extended parking, as long as
you stay out of the way of inbound and outbound routes to the gas tanks.
Parking to the side of the Truck Area - Night Parking (where truckers park
to sleep), is the place you can usually sleep for as long as needed.
Truckstops of America has a cordial staff, along with other chain
truckstops, and as long as you don't come back the next night, and tell
them you just need a night's rest, they won't bother you. Many truckstop
employees can offer helpful information on where you might park tomorrow
night.
We have a volunteer who wants to tell you
more about living in your car.
HERE IS HIS ADVICE (from someone who knows):
The importance of stealth when car living
Average suburbanites (and the police who serve them) are a pretty nervous
and fearful bunch. They are easily scared by anything which is strange or
different to them. Homelessness certainly falls into this category-- be it
voluntary or involuntary. Therefore, it is very important to create a
"stealth" vehicle for car living.
The first step in this process is to choose a model that does not stand out
(if you have the luxury of planning this ahead of time). I love VW vans as
much as anyone... but to a cop they scream "hippy" (and therefore,
harassment for you). I chose a Toyota van for my most recent hobovehicle
(dubbed "the mystery machine" by my cousin), but even it is a little too
uncommon. I recommend a "soccer-mom" mini-van, a plain work van, or any run
of the mill sedan or compact. you should remove all bumper stickers and
other distinguishing marks. You want it to be as non-descript as possible.
Once you have a vehicle, pull out all rear
seats.... This will create your
living space. Next, block out all rear windows with black tinting (or use
black spray paint on the insides of the window). I sealed some insulation
board to the windows after tinting them... in order to block out light (and
drafts).
The last step is to create a partition to
hide the rear area from the
driving area. I use a shower curtain rod that runs just behind the front
seats. I hang a dark blue sheet from it (doubled) and can slide it open or
closed quite easily. At night when I sleep, I slide the curtain closed.
from outside, especially when its dark, you can't tell there's a curtain...
It just looks like the rear area is in shadow.
(Note here from Karen's Homeless
Prevention: Be careful not to black out
your windows in a state where it is illegal. Some states will arrest you
if your tint is too black & an officer cannot see you inside)
In summer, I'll usually put a sunshade on
the front windshield, to provide
an extra bit of concealment.
With these modifications, I can park in
populated areas and no one suspects
that someone is living in the van (although choosing good parking areas is
vital... a topic I'll cover at another time). in this sense, the suburban
lack of imagination works to your advantage. It would never occur to most
people that someone would choose to live in their car.. therefore, with a
bit of modification its quite easy to blend in.... even with a quasi-hippy
van like mine.
Overnight parking while car living
A stealth car and a good parking space are the essential ingredients to
pleasant car living. I have already covered the essentials of stealth
vehicles.. and they are essentials. a completely hidden rear-living area
and a non-descript car will take you far.
So where should you park at night? My first instinct was that a remote
and/or concealed area would be best. During the Nissan Sentra experiment, i
started by parking in an abandoned lot- concealed by trees. This worked for
a few days and then the police found me. The Athens police have always been
quite nice....It was very obvious that I was living in my car (this was in
my "pre- stealth days) but they didn't hassle me. They did tell me that I
couldn't park on the lot. I was brash and asked them where I could park
without them bothering me. They suggested any public parking space in the
downtown area... especially if it didn't have a meter. I thanked them and
found just such an area-- only 100 feet from the lot I had been in.
The best parking spaces are, in fact, in
populated areas... where your car
will be one of many. Ideally, this should be in a multi-use area... a place
with several different types of establishments. for example, my favorite
area (where I have never been bothered) is near a nightclub, an apartment
building, a convention center, and office buildings. as a result, cars come
and go at all hours. i could conceivably be at any one of these places, so
no one pays attention.
Other multi-use areas might include: a 24
hour grocery near apartments, a
24-hour gym near a motel, a late night restaurant with nearby offices, a
bar with condos nearby, etc... but these aren't always easy to find,...
especially in the suburbs.
In the burbs, I usually park in large
apartment complexes. I choose a spot
that is caddy-corner to busy entrances or balconies.. I don't want to be in
line with front windows. I arrive and leave at off-peak times and once I
arrive I never leave the vehicle. I quickly crawl into the back, and pull
the partition that runs behind the front seats (a dark sheet on a shower
rod works well for this).
Also, I rotate between 5-6 complexes...
going to a different one each
night. When its time to go, I quickly crawl into the front seat, start the
car, and leave. I did this for the last five months in Georgia and have
never been discovered.
Busy motels, truck stops, state parks,
campgrounds, and the like are decent
for one-night, occasional stops... but not great for extended periods of
time. Multi-use areas with late night activity are best.
Of course, the ideal place is the driveway
of a sympathetic friend. I had
this option last summer and it was perfect.
A NOTE ABOUT VERY BAD PLACES TO PARK
(other than empty lots):
1. never park near a police station, as
they are very observant of their
immediate surroundings.
2. never park in housing developments or
upscale apartment buildings...
again, these people tend to be paranoid and hyper-vigilant.
3. never park where there are a lot of
children (in a school zone or
daycare area, for example), as you may be mistaken for a stalker.
4. don't park near banks or other high
security areas, as again, these
people are hyper-paranoid.
5. in general, don't tell friends or
others about the locations you park
in. 6. if confronted by the police... never admit to sleeping/ camping in
your vehicle even if its obvious!!!! (tell them you got tired and were
"resting" before going home (or to a friends or whatever).
Finally, try to keep your movements slow
and gentle when parking
overnight... as you don't want people to notice the car shaking or rocking
!!
WE HOPE THIS ADVICE WILL HELP YOU TO LEARN
TO BE DISCREET. PEOPLE'S FEAR OF
THE WORD "HOMELESS" LEAVES YOU IN A SITUATION OF JUST TRYING NOT TO SCARE
PEOPLE.. OTHERS DON'T KNOW YOU ARE NOT DANGEROUS.. TO THE AVERAGE CHURCH-
GOER OR CITIZEN.. "HOMELESS" MEANS "DANGEROUS".
3. Browse at Truckstops - Resources for
homeless people are a lot like the
same kind of support used by OTR Truck Drivers (OTR - Over the Road).
Truckstops offer a variety of information for living out of your "truck".
You might even learn to like it as a lifestyle, when you realize you can
run a dorm refrigerator, TV, and even a VCR from your car. Park and watch
the News on TV before you go to sleep. It's easier than you think.. All it
takes is adapting your car with $40 worth of supplies that can be bought at
any auto parts store.
4. Your Car Generates Electricity - USE
IT!
Plug these conveniences into your cigarette lighter:
Camping stores and large retail stores sell a camping convenience that
looks like a "Coil" that plugs into the cigarette lighter in your car. Plug
in your coil, put it in a cup of water. When the water is hot, unplug and
remove the coil and add instant mixes: Instant Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Cup-
of-Soup, Ramen Noodles.
TV/VCR combinations will run off your
cigarette lighter (small 8" tv/vcr
combo made for a car - from a store such as Bestway or Radio Shack) and can
be bought at large retail outlets that sell camping supplies (K-Mart or
Wal-Mart), or large electronics retail chains. If you plan to watch tv for
hours - keep the engine running to keep the battery charged up or have a
separate battery installed that is not connected to the battery that
"starts" your car.
TO RUN LARGER APPLIANCES
Buy a convenience from an electronics department or Radio Shack that acts
like a cellphone charger. This little convenience has a slot to plug-in
your appliance and has a 110-volt plug like a hairdryer.
Another convenience changes car voltage to
110 electricity. Buy an
"Inverter" from any auto parts store for $40 - $100, depending on how many
amps you will run off the battery. A car works off of 12-volt electricity
from the battery. An inverter can be hooked up to a battery so that
anything that would run in your house - a smaller version can be plugged
into the inverter and run in your car. The inverter hooks to your battery,
but the plug on your appliance is just like a wall-plug in your house, and
you plug in a smaller appliance that runs off less amps.
A $40 inverter will run a grill, like a griddle, around 1' square to cook
meal.
An extra battery under the hood is a good
idea if you use your inverter
every morning to dry your hair. Running a second battery to power your
hairdryers, tv, griddle, etc. - keeps your car battery from going dead. To
use power, keep your engine running. An appliance can drain your battery
sometimes within twenty minutes, and then you can't start your car.
Turn off the car engine BEFORE sleeping -
to prevent suffocation from
fumes.
5. BUY CAMPING SUPPLIES - PRETEND YOU ARE
CAMPING!!!
Baby-boomers pay big bucks for camping appliances, which has created a
convenience market around cars, camping and travel. Go to any store that
sells camping supplies and browse. You would be amazed at the 10 for $1
sales on vacuum-packed meals at Army Navy Surplus stores that won't go bad
so there's no need for refrigeration. Stores such as Sears once sold
through their catalogue a tent that hooked to the back of a van - just
install snaps and you're camping.
Here is some good advice from Karen in
North Carolina, a camper from way
back - and Muley in California.. for those who are new to camping.. or "new
to the streets":
CAMPING TIPS, INFO & SECRETS
By Muley, California,
Coalition on Homelessness And
Poverty-Stanislaus County (California) - Ken
Lane, Editor
& additions by Karen, North Carolina - Karen's Homeless Prevention Service
With the cold wet weather here again, I
thought Iıd offer a few camping
tips for those that are spending their first winter out. Itıs fairly easy
to stay reasonably dry and warm if you use a little common sense and are
willing to spend a few bucks. I know that money is hard to come by and even
harder to hold onto, but believe me, it will pay off in the long run and
youıll be glad you made these investments.
Tents-A decent tent can be a real
blessing, providing that 1) you can
afford it and 2) you donıt lose it due to theft or a police sweep. The
Salvation Army may give you a tent so ASK! There are so many varieties of
tents available that I wonıt even attempt to cover them all, but I will
give you a couple of tips that I learned from personal experience. Keep it
as small as you can so that your body heat can warm it and do not, I
repeat, do not under any circumstances get one that is made from a
waterproof fabric. Water resistant, yes. Waterproof, no. Thereıs a good
reason for this: A waterproof fabric will collect and condense all the
moisture produced by your body and breathing and will rain it back down on
you and your sleeping bag. If this moisture freezes, it will form a
waterproof layer that will trap your body moisture in the sleeping bag
itself, making for a very miserable night. If it doesnıt freeze, youıll be
soaked come morning time. You do want a waterproof floor to keep out ground
moisture of course, but thatıs all.
Tarps-If you canıt afford a tent, buy a
couple of tarps. Use one to keep
your gear dry and the second one for yourself. If you can afford three,
even better. Use one for your gear, another for a ground cover and one for
an overhead cover when itıs not too windy. If itıs windy, use the overhead
tarp to roll up in. Tarps can be found at Army-Navy Stores, Wal-Mart & K-
Mart in the camping section, even camaflouged for deer hunters. While the
price varies according to the size, for the price of a couple Meals at the
Burger King you can stay dry for many nights. One thing that you can do to
save a buck is to buy a large one and cut it into several pieces to suit
your needs. Until you get a tarp - you can ask for free plastic used by
grocery stores that the "Deli" throws away each day. They line their
shelves with new plastic each morning.
Ground Pads-See if you canıt get a ground
pad, the kind that backpackers
use. They are thin & light, and it insulates you from the chill and the
dampness of the ground. K-Mart & Wal-Mart sell them in the camping or
hunting area. Silver in color, they are sometimes called "Space Blankets",
and fold up to fit in a glove compartment of the car - for travelers whose
car breaks down & might get caught in the cold. Believe me, it works. Also,
they roll up really small, making it easy to carry from place to place,
fitting in your back pocket while you work, so no one steals your
"blanket". A tip-While foam rubber pads will work in a pinch, they will
soak up moisture and are hard to dry out. Get the real deal. What you want
is a closed-cell foam pad. These can be had for next to nothing at Sporting
Goods stores, Wal-Mart or K- Mart.
Sleeping bags-Sleeping bags will be the
most expensive investment covered
here and can be had in a couple of styles and made of several materials.
There are also temperature ratings for bags. Letıs cover styles first. If
youıre single, the best style you can get is the mummy bag because it will
retain your own body heat better. The disadvantage to a mummy bag is that
they tend to be more expensive. If you have a companion (either 2 legged or
4 legged), you might want to go with a couple of the rectangular shaped
ones so that you can zip them together and share body heat. Make sure to
check the "length" of the bag. Mixing up a FULL-LENGTH CHILD SIZE with a
FULL-LENGTH ADULT SIZE - will waste your money and won't work no matter
what you try.
REMEMBER TO SPRAY YOUR BAG WITH SCOTCHGUARD FOR WATER- PROOFING & LET IT
DRY WHEN YOU FIRST GET IT BEFORE YOU USE IT!
As far as Material goes, down filling provides the best insulation pound
for pound, but the major
disadvantage to down filling is that it tends to lose the insulation
qualities when it gets wet. Then it has to be dried and if you are homeless
and camping, that can be a hassle. Another thing is that down has a
tendency to clump up after repeated use, also causing it to lose the
insulating qualities. This means that you have to air it out periodically,
and this can be a problem if you are camping and itıs raining. One of the
best ways to go is to get a nylon bag with Hollofill insulation. Itıs
lightweight and Hollofill has a major advantage over down in that it will
keep you warm even if soaked. No lie, folks. And as long as we are talking
about sleeping warm, letıs get personal. Do not sleep with your clothes on.
Strip down completely. Remember, itıs your radiating body heat that makes a
sleeping bag work. If your body heat is contained in your clothing, the bag
will not work as well as it could. If you must sleep with something on,
sleep with your longjohns on only. If your clothing is dry, you can stuff
it down in the bottom of the bag so that it will be warm in the morning.
Ratings are pretty simple and worth talking about because the lower the
rating, the higher the price
of the bag. Bags are rated by the coldest temperatures that they can be
used for. Where nighttime temperatures rarely drop lower than 25 degrees,
you can get by with a bag rated down to 30 degrees. Anywhere the
temperatures are around freezing for most of the month - get a bag rated
for 10-30 degrees BELOW "O". It helps to "prevent" sickness, and it helps
to keep you warm when you get sick. If you are sharing a bag with a
sweetie, you can get by with a bag rated to 40 degrees without too much
discomfort. Hereıs a tip for those unexpected cold nights-go down and buy a
couple of Space Blankets at your local Outdoors store. They are cheap,
packaged in shirt pocket sized packs and look like super thin tin foil.
When itıs colder than you expected, line your bag (shiny side facing you)
with one of these space blankets. Itıll reflect your body heat back and
keep you super warm. The disadvantage is that they are noisy and good for
only a couple of uses. And donıt even try to fold them back up to their
original size unless you have a good sense of humor.
Outer wear-As far as outer clothing goes,
my best advice for you is dress
in layers, but wear the
fewest layers that you can get by with. In other words, try to avoid
sweating. What difference does it make if you are wet from rain or your own
perspiration? Wet is wet. And when you get wet, you lose body heat. Wet
feet can mean infections and hospital visits - and even losing a toe or
two
See "SOCKS" written about below. For the same reason, try to avoid
rubberized raingear for long periods of time, particularly if the weather
is not real cold. Youıll end up sweating so much that you will be just as
wet as if you werenıt wearing any raingear at all. Army surplus ponchos are
notorious for this. Remember this: If you get wet, you get cold. Thin
raingear from Wal-Mart is preferable. If you have no money - a huge 55-
gallon trash bag with a hole in the bottom for your head, two holes in the
side for your arms, and thrown over your head - has worked many a time for
those in need.
Longjohns & thermal underwear-There are so
many different types of long
underwear on the market
that Iım not even going to attempt to cover all of them. Besides, you can
really get into some money here. Most department stores sell long underwear
at a reasonable price and you can buy either uppers or bottoms separately.
Personally, I havenıt really found a big difference in budget priced
longjohns. Most of them seem to work just as well as any other ones Iıve
tried. I just buy the cheapest ones I can find because Iım so hard on them.
But if you want to make a fashion statement go get yourself a union suit,
some of them one piece longjohns with a buttflap. If you do that though,
make sure you get the fire engine red ones. Why? Because they look cool.
Just kidding.
Boots & Socks-Footwear can either make you
or break you, and I am not
talking money here. This
is all about warmth and dryness.
If your feet sweat, you have to change your socks several times a day to
keep your feet dry. BUY wool socks that are used for backpacking -
"wicking" & "wool" in a pair. The inside sock is a "wicking" sock - wicking
the moisture away from your feet. The other sock is wool, and dries from
the inside first to the outside. Wool is always better because of the way
it dries, leaving your feet dry. What you are wearing under your boots can
make a huge difference in your comfort too. Go down and buy yourself
several pairs of thick woolen socks. Stay away from the light cotton socks
for winter wear. Wool is the way to go here, the reason being is that wool
will keep you warm even when wet. And try to resist the temptation of
wearing a couple of pairs at a time that "bind your feet". You want to
leave enough room to be able to wiggle your toes, ok? Trust me on this.
Also, make sure you change your socks DAILY. Youıll stay much warmer if
your socks are dry and clean.
For durability and waterproofing, I prefer leather boots. Lace up or slip-
on is a matter of personal preference, but when you get your boots make
sure you buy some waterproofing for them. Regular shoe polish just donıt
cut it comes to making your boots completely waterproof. Kiwi Waterproofing
(or Mink Oil which is also like a paste) is the ticket here. Follow the
directions as far as rubbing it into the leather itself, but as far as the
seams go, I like to just slather the stuff on, especially where the uppers
are stitched into the soles. I really pack the oil in, rubbing it as hard
as I can, then I put another coat on and just let it stay as it is for a
couple of hours. Then I wipe off the excess, not worrying about rubbing it
in. Do this once a week and youıre set. By the way, if you do buy lace-up
boots, donıt forget to oil up the tongue of the boot too. One more thing-
stay away from leather laces. They break when they get soaked.
Gloves-Gotta have gloves. No if, ands, or
buts about it. The best gloves
for cold weather that you can
buy are the kind that skiers wear, made out of nylon with a synthetic
filler such as Hollofill. Just like in sleeping bags, this stuff will keep
you warm even when wet by wicking the moisture away from you. If you want
leather gloves, try to get the kind with a leather shell and wool inserts
and work the shells with Kiwi Waterproofing, the same stuff I talked about
for boots. The only difference is that you really want to do it several
times, almost to the point of excess. Make sure that you really work the
oil into the seams. You can use "Scotchguard, if you have nothing else, but
have to spray more often and have trouble getting it dry to spray it and
then letting the Scotchguard "dry" in winter.
If you really want to keep your hands warm, take a hint from the Army and
go with mittens. Iım serious, folks. Your hands will stay much warmer with
mittens than with gloves because your fingers share each otherıs heat.
Hats-Hats are not optional during cold
weather conditions. Theyıre
mandatory. You can lose up to
50% of your body heat through your uncovered head, so make sure you wear a
lid. Because the brain is an essential organ, the body does not shut down
the blood supply to the head when the temperature drops as it does to the
other extremities. The old boy that said "When your feet are cold, put on a
hat" knew what he was talking about. Wool watch caps are so cheap at Rite-
Aid and Walgreens that there is absolutely no excuse for not wearing one at
all times. I canıt tell you how many times Iıve run across people that are
bundled up and still cold because they donıt have a hat on. Wool Watch Caps
are a buck or two apiece at the 2 stores mentioned above. Buy two and turn
one of your buddies onto one. Heıll love ya forever.
A couple of tips:
Scotchguard-This is THE stuff when it comes to waterproofing. I regularly
spray all my coats &
jackets with Scotchguard. I havenıt found anything that it wonıt
waterproof, although it does do a better job on some materials than it does
on others. It will cause some fabrics to fade or stain, though. Follow the
directions on the can, and make sure that whatever you are waterproofing is
clean. Also, it doesnıt last forever, so you have to respray periodically.
Youıll know when itıs time to re-apply: Youıll be wet. AND DON'T SPRAY WET
CLOTHES.. Dry them first!
Trash bags-Trash bags are the camperıs
best friend. They can be used not
only to keep your gear
dry, but yourself as well in an emergency. Always carry a spare or two in
your back pocket so that when you get caught in a downpour, you have a
handy rain jacket. Just cut a slit in the top and one on either side for
your arms and slip into it. Most of the black trash bags sold in stores are
33 gallons, but the best ones that Iıve found is the Hefty brand 45 gallon
Refuse bags. These bags are black, heavy duty, extra large, and made with
the Camper in mind. They are so big that when I slide into one, it covers
my Day Pack and still hangs down to my knees. I like cheap 55 gallon bags
for several days of rain, and they're cheap enough to throw away if they
get torn.
Duct Tape-Score some duct tape and carry
it around with you. You can use it
to patch holes in your
tent, tarps, jackets, sleeping bags and so forth.
Canning Paraffin-This is wax sold in
stores, used to seal the tops of jars
when canning fruits and
vegetables. If you find that Kiwi Waterproofing isnıt doing the job sealing
up the seams of your boots, soften up the wax with a little heat and rub
this into the seams. If you can't find the paraffin, you can use drops of
wax from a candle.
Food-Weıve talked about how the insulating
layer provided by your sleeping
gear or clothing is what
keeps the heat from your body from escaping too rapidly into the world
around you. At the same time, your body continues to produce heat using the
food you eat as fuel. Some heat is always being produced by your body at a
certain metabolic rate, even while you are sleeping. Digestion of food
produces additional heat, and metabolism of some foods, particularly fatty
foods, produces more heat than others. So eating fatty foods (such as
chocolates or roasted nuts) before bed will produce extra heat during the
night.
Now itıs time for a couple of No-nos:
Stoves-Keep your stoves, fires & candles outside of your shelters, no
matter how tempting it is to do
otherwise. Many fuels, particularly propane and Coleman fuel, will give off
carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas. If your tent or shelter is even
halfway waterproof, itıll keep this gas contained inside with you. Whatıs
bad about carbon monoxide poisoning is that it will give you no warning
that the levels are excessive. You just fall asleep and die.
Aside from carbon monoxide poisoning, another danger is fire. Stoves and
lanterns can tip over, spilling fuel and trapping you inside your tent or
even worse, your sleeping bag.
Also, donıt smoke inside your shelter. Itıs too easy to fall asleep with a
cigarette in your hand, and by the time you get your sleeping bag or tent
unzipped, it may be too late.
Alcohol-Even moderate alcohol consumption
lowers your body temperature. If
you drink even a little,
you face the danger of hypothermia. If you drink excessively, you can
easily pass out and freeze to death. Drink with caution.
Hope you enjoyed these Camping Tips. Life
can be miserable enough at times
without being cold & wet. Put these tips to use and stay warm, Brothers &
Sisters.
See ya around,
From Karen & Muley
6. USE CAMPGROUNDS TO SLEEP AT NIGHT
Rent by the night $8 per night plus electricity and shower included - just
to park your car. Set up a tent -
the cost increases to $15 per night.. Rent by the month for $350 - $450,
electricity included for short- term. To save on renting monthly, find a
campground that offers lowest-cost year-round camping (sometimes called
seasonal camping). No matter what it's called, you can rent BY THE YEAR,
monthly for sometimes $100 per month! And when you check in, don't say,
"I'm homeless and just need..." Remember that the word "homeless" scares
people, and you get more help if people find a reasonable explanation for
why you are sleeping in your car. Plus, campgrounds ask you to register
using your "home" address. They take people "vacationing", and only some
residents for "temporary living", who for instance work jobs that require
traveling - like special construction jobs, engineers, or other traveling
occupations. Some people in need sign in using the address on their
driver's license, even if it is no longer a "valid" address.
Some people outright lie and say, "My wife
is angry with me and I'm waiting
it out." Others say, "I've rented an apartment at the first of the month,
and only need to do this for a few weeks until I can move in." It's better
to tell part of the truth and make it reasonable, if you can't tell "all"
of the truth.. "I don't want to spend my income on a hotel, because I'm
saving it for a deposit while I look for an apartment." Campgrounds are
less expensive than hotels.
At this point, I'm sure you get the idea.
Turn every problem into an
opportunity! Look back at your experience and say, "It was a wonderful
adventure, and look what I learned."