Long time no blog! I’ve decided to use this quarantine period to get back into journaling and blogging, sharing my thoughts with you. It feels like we’ve skipped a lot of time, but I’ll try to catch up as we go. For now, stay safe and wash your hands.
Day 3 of quarantine is here. Yesterday was a bit stressful because there were rumors around the campground that we might get kicked out this week. We’ve already been forced to move from one of the military campgrounds in San Diego to another because the first one closed. The problem is, if one of the remaining two campgrounds closes, the other will likely follow, leaving us with no place to go.
Currently, we’re on beautiful Coronado Island, staying at a campground that has its own beach on the bay. The front beach is for Navy SEAL training, so it’s not unusual to hear helicopters and gunfire, but otherwise, it’s a pretty ideal spot for quarantine.
Our RV setup is perfect for self-quarantine—gate-controlled access, a friendly community with just 48 families instead of the usual 200+ in larger RV parks. It costs $40 a night, which adds up to $1,200 a month without any discounts. Although it seems steep, similar civilian spots would cost a lot more and come with extra fees and crowds.
If this campground closes, our next option is a civilian campground near Sea World, which costs about $1,400 a month, plus additional fees for pets and other services. It’s on a nice bay with plenty of space, but I’m concerned about the rising fees and restrictions on RV parks in Northern California, which have closed to new arrivals.
We also considered a rundown trailer park by the highway, which is only $850 a month and just a short drive to David’s work. However, it’s noisy, lacks greenery, and isn’t great for the dogs.
Renting a furnished apartment is another idea, though it’s quite expensive in San Diego—likely around $2,300 or more. An apartment would complicate things, especially since friends in Europe tell me lockdown life is tough without outdoor space like the beach we have now.
Driving the RV to a national forest or public land a few hours away is another option. I could stay there with the dogs while David rents a place in town. This raises concerns about my safety and the risk of social unrest. David’s base has a hotel, but they’re not accepting guests at the moment, and we can’t stay there together due to the dogs.
We’ve also discussed keeping David’s leave days available in case we need to spend a few weeks out of town together. I can’t go to my houses in Guatemala due to the country’s lockdown and growing hostility towards foreigners.
Using my cabin near Denver is another possibility, but it’s currently snowed in and lacks windows, making it more like camping and raising safety concerns due to its remote location.
As a French citizen, I could be repatriated by my government and stay in an empty apartment owned by my grandparents. However, this would jeopardize my green card application, which has already been costly and stressful. Plus, leaving the dogs with David might be risky if he gets posted somewhere without the ability to care for them.
It’s undeniably stressful to feel unstable in my housing situation, but at least I have options, which is what financial independence provides. Even though things are uncertain, having choices makes the situation less fragile.