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Today I will be interviewing a couple who has been RVing in a recently-renovated school bus. They have enjoyed some interesting experiences and discovered a way to earn a few extra dollars by finding jobs in the local community in addition to their Workamping jobs.
Allen and Mandy Hallengren were in Leavenworth, Wash., working at a KOA when I interviewed them several months ago. While Allen was involved in maintenance duties, Mandy would help plan and lead activities for kids and adults.
The couple bought a school bus and spent $15,000 renovating it because they liked some of the safety features on the vehicle. By gutting the seats, they could completely design it to fit their needs. For example, they created a bigger-than-average kitchen and set up solar to have the option for off-grid camping.
Allen worked in the U.S. Navy for 20 years and Mandy calls herself a “Jill of all trades,” but she really enjoys restaurant work.
In fact, she will work for local restaurants while Alan takes care of Workamping duties. It’s the best of both worlds as they get a free RV site, and Mandy makes pretty good money as a waitress at a local restaurant.
Yet, she really enjoys working with people on special activities, which makes their RVing experience even more fun for the couple.
They love RVing for the ability to go to climates that better suit them instead of the snow and cold of Michigan, which Allen had to endure for 47 years.
Allen and Mandy found a unique way to put Workamping to their advantage. Allen’s skills in construction, electricity and engineering can often be put to use at campgrounds. He’s retired so he has a military pension to augment his income.
Mandy, on the other hand, is still working. So she finds jobs at local restaurants where she can often make better income through tips than she could at a paid Workamping job. When she’s not working at a restaurant, she’s helping to organize special activities at the campground.
Because they live in 275 square feet of space inside the converted school bus, Allen and Mandy had to develop some good communication skills to ensure they could work and live together in that tightly-confined space.
Mandy said she’s a verbose storyteller, and she’s often describing their adventures on their Facebook page called Beulah Beluga Adventures. You can connect with them there. They also have a YouTube channel.
Today’s episode is brought to you by the featured employers at Workamper.com These Workamper employers have taken the extra step to share some photos and detailed information about their Workamper programs with you.
Opportunities exist for solos, couples and families, whether they are full-time, part-time, seasonal or even long-term jobs. Some are income opportunities and others involve volunteering at locations throughout the United States. Go to www.workamper.com/fe to meet the featured employers today.
If you are an employer seeking to hire Workampers, then you can learn how to benefit from year-round recruiting by becoming a featured employer. Visit www.workamper.com/fedetails.
That’s all for this week’s show. Next week I will be talking with someone from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about what sounds like an amazing opportunity to spend some time volunteering at a wildlife refuge along the coast of Oregon. I’ll have more details on the next episode of The Workamper Show. Thanks for listening!
