Annual leave or leave forever? Meet the YouTube creators who found their answer in Van Life
Nov 16, 2024 – [[read-time]] minute read
With over a billion views on van life videos this year, we were curious: what is it about van life that unites such a varied global community?
The phrase may bring to mind aesthetic sunsets and snowcapped peaks, but van life is more than just a pretty picture. Behind the scenes, the lifestyle represents a significant break from the typical 9-5. With over a billion views on van life videos this year, we were curious: what is it about van life that unites such a varied global community?* We decided to dig deeper.
Today, we’re celebrating the community of van life creators with a special, animated version of the YouTube logo (known as a Yoodle) and a premiere you won’t want to miss. Switching Lanes is a film that looks at the motivation behind these van lifers radical lifestyle change. Join Nour from Algeria, Becca and Rico from Germany, Tomas from France, and Ame from the UK as they traverse the complexities of life, love, and adventure, and share what YouTube means to them and their communities.
Switching lanes
When we set out to make this documentary we had one main question: what made people want to pack up and hit the road? There were many answers, but we discovered that life in a van has different meanings for different people.
For some, it’s how to live more cost-efficiently. For others, it's an opportunity to find true freedom. But what we found in common among all of our creators in the video is the resolution to live life on their terms, with courage and the spirit of adventure.
There are moments in life where you can’t prepare 100% and you just have to jump.
Becca @RicoundBeccaTraveling in Prague, Nour says that being on the road makes her feel alive; “I grew up trying to plan and control everything, it felt like I was a prisoner of my own rules. Van life is the total opposite, the excitement, joy, and fear makes me feel alive and grateful and happy.”
For Ame, who travels around Europe with her dog Gigi, van life helped her build a world of her own creation. “I saw it as a way I could create my own world and live the way I wanted, instead of following what everyone else thought I should do.” she explains.
Living in a van can also offer an escape from the grind of everyday city life. This was the case for Becca and Rico, who found the courage to face their dislike of apartment-living during a Berlin winter. “We were fed up with the whole thing, so we decided to just do it. We decided not to renew our rent, and that’s how it all started,” Rico says. “There are moments in life where you can’t prepare 100% and you just have to jump,” adds Becca.
While for Tomas, it was the ability to be wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted. “At first, the van life project was just so I could get a sense of freedom and not plan anything in advance in my life. The most important thing for me is freedom.”
Sharing the journey
For the creators in our film, sharing their adventures on YouTube has been as important as the journey itself.
“We want to help our community by showing other ways of living,” say Rico and Becca.
For Nour, sharing her journey is about more than just documenting her travels. “When my followers message me, it always makes me happy,” she confides, sharing a message from a subscriber that reads, “Nour, you give us energy to challenge our fears.”
As for what’s next for our van lifers? You’ll have to watch the documentary to find out.
- Source: YouTube data, Global, January 1 - September 30 2024.
