I'm going to be homeless for a week this summer.

If you have the strength to face something terrible, I say do it.

But don't overestimate what you can handle. Good luck, I think this is at once foolish and nobel.

 

as someone who was once homeless for many months. It is not an cake walk, and I hope you take some precautions, personally I wouldnt do it again for choice. It was an awful place to be in, and i am glad you are nto truly homeless. IT was an awful experience I should write about it someday. If I was good at writing. good luck, I also agree you shouldnt let anyone know you are doing an experiement the other homeless people might not treat you so well if they know that. I miss my family, that i had when I was homeless though, I had 3 people that kept me safe when I was homeless in san diego, but I must admit in palmdale I didnt even have fellow homeless people on my side. It was yikes, horrible!

 

I think all of you have shared some wise words for sure on the topic. Especially those of you who say I have no idea what i'm getting into. You're right, but im taking the precautions necessary, reading up on survival etc. I'm not just making my self a bagged lunch and jumping into this. For those of you who have lived on the streets, please feel free to share your experiences. The more I know the better.

 

Ah, for bein' a street dweller for over two years now, be prepared, it's a lot harder then you think. I can't say I'm homeless cause I have a home where ever I am on this green and blue ball, but I live out of my pack or van, 'cept for those few times I'm adopted or go to visit family round the united snakes.

Knife defense, as is a good idea, just be prepared, you draw a weapon out in combat, be prepared for it to be turned against you. I suggest also keeping a thing of bear mace in you're pocket.. it's kinda the cheap trick, mace and stab. Make sure the knife is legal (as in blade length or style) too or you're on the wrong side of johnny law.. and they like to keep a special eye on the homeless.

Don't tell anyone it's an experiment, make up some story.. most homeless are class-b bullshitters, join em.

I wouldn't do shelters, I can't stand em, aside from the meal and shower. Find yourself a nice secluded spot where you feel safe, and there is an entrance and an exit that are different from each other. Also, take a male friend or two.. don't do it alone for first time experiences. Plus if you have a pack, it makes it easier to run into a store to nab a drink or something while you're buddy watches you're pack outside.

Anyways, enjoy the experience.. it's great when you get comfortable with it. I wish more people would shut up and do it, at least it'd kill the dependency on their ipod, cell, washing machine and amerikan idol. <mumbles> Then again, there's already too many idiots on the street.. crossin' my fingers for zombies.

 

A lot of the homeless people I see in my local area are homeless because they are stuck on crack and liquor. Not all, of course, but many.

Just something to think about.

 

You are a STUPID STUPID girl! Living on the street is no fun at all, not even for the experience. I could go on forever about the shit that could happen to you. Your parents could be identifying your beaten up and raped body in the hospital or worse still -in the morgue. If you really want to get an idea of what it is like living on the street, volunteer at a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen. Get to meet the people who have to go there and find out what their lives are really like. I did a lot of volunteer work when I was living in San Francisco and you would be surprised at the amount of shit that I saw. Rapes and beatings were common place: and that was back in the sixties. I'm sure things haven't gotten any better: if anything they have probably become worse. If you want to discuss this further, you can always PM me and I will tell you about the kind of shit I've seen. I don't want to go into any detail here because it still sickens my stomach thinking about it. I better stop before I say anything stupid if I haven't already.

PAX

 

Not meaning to be an ass, but this is a very foolish, naive, and arrogant plan.

Let's forget about the whole personal safety aspect because i can respect taking the risk for something you feel is worthwhile. Most homeless are harmless but drugs and mental illness make some dangerous.

It's foolish and naive to think that you are going to be able to walk up and infiltrate a subculture in a week. These people are not stupid and will likely be offended when they realize that this is your personal social experiement. Alot of homeless people want to be "off the grid" and will view you as a "spy." Would you want someone setting up camp in your living room because they've "always wanted to know how you live and write a book."

Trust me, I've worked with many of them.

Second, its incredibly arrogant to think that you'll suffer through a week of homelessness and have some amazing insight that will give you material for a profound book. Sorry to burst your bubble, but this idea has already been done on a much grander scale.

Borrow a car, go on a week long camping trip and you'll get all the interesting adventures you please...and you'll probably have some encounters with homeless people as well.

 

You should read this tread:

http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=364025&f=12


PAX

 

The more I think about this idea, the more certain I am that it's going to be an experience that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. There's a high probability of ending up dead, seriously injured, or suffering permanent consequences as a rape victim. It would be educational, but what you could learn from it is not in any way worth the potential cost.

Volunteering in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter is a much better idea. You can talk to the homeless and learn about their lives in a setting where you are surrounded by people who can insure that the situation will remain under control.

The world is a much worse place than you think it is.

Another safe experiment: Try and see how long you can go (while living at home) without spending any money. It's harder than you probably think.

 

Okay I'd like to address all of your comments personally. So I'll start with SandDollar, I really appreciate your advice I will definetly bring a knife with me. However the police here are everywhere and I think i'd be best with a utility knife that way it is for some other purpose that I can get away with.

Faelixx: I will keep to busy areas, I doubt ill have a male friend with me unfortunetly but I will take precautions to hide the fact i'am female. Thanks for the tough love I know this will be a hard venture and I don't blame you. I don't know what I expect from this experience but I doubt it will only last a week.

The imaginary Being:Thought about it, am prepared for it.

Ahimsa: They're not going to know that i'm not really homeless. I'm going to have a story.

Pax: Im interested in reading about this could you possibly PM me what you're willing to share?

Notdeadyet: i'm volunteering at the soup kitchen before hand to see what im getting myself into, im reading survival books, im buying the necessary tools and antibiotics im not just jumping into this.

 

I left home at 15, under the threat of a loaded gun pointed at me by my father, and had no where else to stay, so I slept under a bridge for a few weeks. This was after enduring a lifetime of abuse, so I was glad to leave I thought.

The experiences? They were bad. I remember when the police first stopped me as a teenager sleeping downtown I expected they would offer to help. They harass you, search you, threaten to jail you, and let you go after you're told to move along. People on the street can be trusted much less. I was offered money for sex about daily for three weeks. And that's the story of everyone when you have nothing... they still wan't something from you. I was almost molested, and I was robbed for what I it made out of my parents house with.

I stole from grocery stores to survive. The key was just to take what you wanted and to walk around the store eating it. I felt it was better than panhandling because I didn't want to depend on anyone. But being scared and robbed and not being able to shower wasn't that bad. It really wasn't.

It was the complete desolation of having nobody.

After a month I moved in with an acquaintance from high school, who became my best friend.

So is your experiment a good idea... Fucking of course not. The danger is real, and you say you respect that, which I believe, but It's obvious you don't know it. So go through it anyway, but seriously protect yourself. A knife and pepper spray. Both. I say that as an e-friend or whatever. A ticket doesn't matter, your life does.

Another thought... are you sure you're not half assing this? People become homeless because of violence and drug abuse and mental illness... being transient by choice is a different animal then having nowhere to go. You want to spend a week camping outside to write a book about homelessness?

 

This is exactly why your plan is foolish, naive, and arrogant.

You don't think they're going to catch on when some teenage chick who isn't a runaway shows up one day with a shopping cart full of whatever she envisions a homeless person has in there? Oh, and someone WILL recognize you as the hot peace of ass that served them soup at the shelter.

Go for it if you must, but it is a dumb idea. Like somebody else said, you'll learn something.

Your whole idea about creating a book just shows your lack of understanding and delusional arrogance. You're not going to be the next Kerouac and write something that will change the circumstances for homeless because you have a weeks worth of street cred.

 

I'm going to spend more then a week, a week was just an odd number thrown out there. No I don't think im going to be the next Kerouac it's not even about the book really it's just about a learning experience I want to suffer. Ive had everything handed to me my whole life, kind of. I mean my parents always feed me and ive had a shelter etc. I've almost been on the streets before, fights with my parents I ran away afew times. it's not like im some sort of suburban princess who going to show up with a shopping cart of a weeks supply of food and just wing it. I'm going to fucking go through hell and why?

SO I can understand, I don't mean read a fucking book, visit a soup kitchen I mean honestly fucking suffer. I want to cry my eyes out and be completly appreciative for everything I had before I becamse homeless. At the rate it's going my parents are going to throw me out anyways.

The point is to travel away from here, be on my own. It's going to be scary.

 

It sounds like this is not a social experiment, but, rather a cry for help. You need to find someone who can help you through your family troubles without doing something reckless and self-destructive.

Maybe, just reflect on everything you have just said you enjoy in life and try to express this to your parents. They don't want to throw you out, but they feel that they have no choice. Sometimes, we compromise to live amicably. You'll be independent from your family in a positive way sooner than you think.

 

I would think a person would actually have to BE homeless and have gone thru the trials and tribulations that real homeless people have gone thru ,to get that way. Dabbling in homelessness-a serious situation that in many/most? -cases ,have come about thru no fault of their own (although,many have made the wrong drug choices to end up on the street)and are scratching and hustling to get the barest of essentials ,must carry some kind of attitude that would not be apparent in a non-homeless "homeless" person. I don't see how a person with an actual home to go to could pull it off. Most here and some with homeless experience have warned you off--but what the hell.It's your life. I wouldn't want my daughter trying it. There have been 4 deaths here lately-homeless killed by homeless and homeless killed by punks that killed a homeless man sleeping peacefully in a park. Forewarned is forearmed.

 

Ehh.. go for a knife.. two/three inch blade, something that'd hit a kidney if needed. And dont "just" bring a knife.. bring mace.. or something that'd pack a punch. Look up you're local states knife laws and abide by them, most states I can walk around with my six-inch throwing knife on my belt.

Also, please.. above everything, bring a trusted male friend or two, even experienced female tramps have a male or two with em. Hell, even pay one to be "homeless" with you if needed. Wrong place, wrong time shit happens.. a lot.. you have to be quick witted and have courage/strength. I've been threatened, jumped, and one time almost stabbed, if it wasn't for trusted people I was with at times, I'd have been a lot messier.. mine and their blood. Plus, you're a chick.. not offense, but I don't even let my lady leave squat to take a piss without her in my sight.

A slip-knot is easy to make, and just as easily slid over you're upper torso while you're in a sleeping bag.. sleeping... binding you're arms to a bag. I've heard a bad tale to this trick.. now I can't stand to really even do it as a prank and elfing.

Really think this over, if you want to try it.. you have plenty of years to try it ahead of you.. maybe put it off till you're better prepared.

But not all homeless people are violent, drug addicts, or mentally ill. I've met plenty of legit, wonderful.. beautiful souls that live on the street. Some don't mind being homeless, they got thrown into that situation and then got used to it, and just stayed that way. I've met two famous musicians that are homeless, and partied with them for a few days even.. and no, they weren't class b bullshitters. I learned that less is more.. after the economy fell, along with my business and then IRS following behind. Sometimes, having nowhere to go, is just a sign that you're where you need to be. If I won the powerball, I'd probably donate it all to the Homeless Youth Alliance and wander on down the road... and buy a nice compact rifle.

 

yeah right.

 

if they catch on to your story, which they will, they're going to think you're an arrogant prissy bitch and things will go downhill from there. if they don't ask you nicely to leave you're not going to have enough time to find help.

the more i think about this the more i realize that its a terrible idea. this is like the brand new lieutenant who thinks he knows everything about war because he went to college and studied military science but his first mission outside the wire gets a better soldier killed.

there are some things better to be naive about. i'm not trying to sound conceited or something, but you should really find something else to write about. find a new hobby. maybe you can just go around interviewing homeless people, but even that's pushing it. they're just people who have had really bad luck, people like you. would you want to talk to someone who clearly has it better than you and is just "curious" about your way of life? how would that make you feel?

 

homeless know homeless people. Theyre gonna see you and laugh. My advise is dont do this. You see them every day. that should be good enough. They dont want you in their territory just like you dont want them in yours. Very very mean people out there now. Write down what you see. Its not worth a book.

 

You don't read a book about survival, take a knife fighting class or two, and pull a knife in a fight, especially on the streets...

Chances are, the person you will be facing will have real experience at it and take your knife from you and give you a free lesson on how to use it.

A can of mace is your best bet, and it is not to 'win' a fight, it is to give you a couple of seconds of head start if something happens.

As for the rest... Being homeless is not about not having a roof over your head or not having dinner waiting for you. It is about not having a place to go that you feel safe and secure. It is about hopelessness when facing the future.

The very fact that you have a home to go to, that gives you what you need (even if it isn't everything you want), means you will not be 'homeless' in your experiment.

The people you will be around are people who for one reason or another, feel more secure on the streets then they did in their homes, or who were forced out of them.

They have no choice.

They have no option to turn around in a week (or some other random number) and go back home when they get tired of trying it out for size.

You may not view yourself as some princess who doesn't have a clue, but be assured, the people you are going to be around if you try this, will see you that way, and they will teach you all the suffering you think you want to know.

Keep something else in mind as well. You will be going to their home (whatever that may be) and being deceitful with them, some of them may choose to turn the tables on you after you give your experiment up.

You do realize they make movies of this shit right?

The stars of them are usually referred to in the past tense...