Peter Gorr is a fairly well-known writer of the network. He was interested in the problem of the survival for a long time. At the time, he got relatively good preparation for this profile. He has a leadership experience and participation in a large number of ski and hiking the highest category of the complexity.
In this article, we will talk about his tips which the author learned from communicating with the professional homelesses. Partially he used the personal experience too.
So, what do you do, first of all, if you are left without a roof over your head
The most important thing is not to lose heart and, in any case, do not look for the comfort in alcohol or other antidepressants. My personal firm conviction – you should drink only when you feel happiness. If you have an accident, it is necessary to mobilize all your forces, don`t loose your mind with the help of alcohol. First, accept the fact that life has changed dramatically. We must leave old habits and adapt to a new life without any regard. The miracle doesn`t happened – no one will help you, that`s why you need to help you by yourself. We will learn to survive and hope that this black streak will go to the end.
What equipment do you need if you became a homeless?
CLOTHING
The question is very complicated. As a rule, you have to wear something, what you can get. However, if you have a choice, it is necessary to give preference to the dim and dark colors. Ideal outerwear – the leather jacket or windbreaker, knitted hat and jeans. The shoes may be solid shoes or military type, or tourist type. The main task is not to stand out from the crowd and try to maintain a more or less respectable view.
The coolest thing among the homeless people is considered the ability to look like an intelligent man, but for that, with a homeless life, you have a lot of effort and work.
The smell is one of the most unpleasant and vile satellites of all homeless people. To get rid of it is impossible sometimes, but we must try to do so. Needless to say that whenever it `s possible you should regularly wash the underwear and wash your body. The easiest way to do it in the public toilets. Do not spare even the last money on the hygiene. If this is not possible – wipe the body regularly with a damp cloth which is lightly moistened in the warm soapy water. Then with the help of the another cloth make your body dry. With a little practice you can do it even without taking off the clothes. In winter time regularly change the underwear, and if you can not wash the clothes, you can post it on the several days in the cold. Thus, the underwear is weathered from the odor a little bit. Another effective method is to “iron” the clothes in a dense smoke, what can kill bacterias simultaneously.
THE BAG FOR THE THINGS
The best option is an urban backpack. Try by all ways to get it and you will appreciate the convenience of this piece of the equipment. You can easily carry loads up to 10-15 kg and your hands will stay free.
CANE
We strongly recommend to get hold of this subject, even if you are not disabled and do not need it. Best of all is the ordinary, so-called cane without frills, carved handles, and other bells and whistles. This is an indispensable item in the long standing on one place and on the further transitions. It is very good as a weapon against the two-legged animals and perfectly helps to fight off the couple of dogs.
WARE
The best is the cup from the stainless steel with a capacity of 300-500 ml. In the sports and hardware stores it costs really cheap. When you`ll have a money, it`s required to waste a money on this purchase. An indispensable thing to make the noodles, to cook the soup or just boil the water for hygienic procedures. As the water tanks use a simple plastic bottle. Do not miss the opportunity to put the clean water inside this bottle.
NEWSPAPERS
Always keep them with yourself. I don`t know a more universal thing. This is the tablecloth, napkins, sheets and a handkerchief. You may use the wet piece of paper instead of a kitchen sponge, which is fine to wash the dishes. Do you need to wash the clean plastic or glass bottle from the inside? Finely tear the newspaper, tuck through the neck of the bottle, vigorously shake with the water. Do the several procedures and the bottle will shine like it`s crystal. Well, for kindling a normal fire the newspaper is also useful.
If you shove the newspapers under your clothes, at the same time one layer will be under the shirt, the other will be under the sweater, the third – under your jacket, then it becomes much warmer. More versatile and easily accessible insulation is difficult to come up!
MEDICINE
First keep the bandage material. Remember that in the wounds and injuries it is very important to stop the bleeding. To restore every lost drop you will require the additional energy, and for the patient and the body’s depleted it can be a backbreaking task. You can use the purely laundered and dried by the sun the bandages which were in use before. For the best disinfection you can boil them. By the way, during the World War II it was the same. But still it is much better to get hold of a full sterile package, which literally can save the lives.
The list of the homeless`s equipment can be continued indefinitely. This is the box of matches, salt, the changing of clothes and so on. I said only about a few public and necessary things.
How to get the food?
In fact, this is not a big problem. You must once and for ever leave behind you the false modest. It is enough to walk up to any man on the street and, honestly looking into the eyes, ask to buy a bread for you. Please note: don`t ask about the money, but only about the food! Perhaps, you will be sent away, but be persistent and, at least, one from the ten whom you`l ask will respond to the request. Traditionally, in urban areas, food produced from the garbage cans and boxes. In fact, this is an extreme option, but in the trashcans you can find a lot of the useful things for the homelesses – plastic bags, clothes, shoes, dishes and so on.
You should follow a few rules:
1. The bread and other products with mold discard without pity or carefully cut it. If you feel a particular taste of the mold in food – spit it. It is better to be hungry than to get a food poisoning. The death from the diarrhea is one of the real dangers for a homeless man.
2. Try to traet vegetables and fruits by the heat. And, everything is good to brew: rotten cucumbers and tomatoes, watermelon rinds, chicken and fish bones, etc. It is advisable to add the salt and pepper, of course, if you have them.
3. As the cooking utensils is highly undesirable to use the cans. But, if we had to cook in them, do not forget to rinse this “ware”, and in any case don`t leave food there, even for a short time. The metal, which the cans are made from, can enter into a chemical reaction with the fats and edible acids to produce the toxic substances.
Where is the best place for the homeless`s house?
Based on the personal experience, I will say with a confidence that the most convenient and safe place is the housing in the countryside (close to the nature). Any tent, in the summer, most preferably of the comfortable porch (attic, basement, reservoir). Relatively the comfortable places to spend the night are not so much in an urban setting. Most of them are already occupied by other homeless people, which will fight for a shelter. Any fight which is directly related to the survival (and this one is happening among the homelesses), may be extremely cruel and treacherous. You do not have many chances to win it, if you are a beginner. It is also a danger in the city which is waiting for you from the all sides: the police, the drunken teenagers and vigilant citizens, and the colleagues also homeless people.
Security is guaranteed for you on the nature – rarely it`s difficult to find someone in the woods who will be there only to oppress and hurt homeless. Even rather vice versa. If you will be a welcoming, soon you will acquire by the familiar summer residents, mushroom pickers and hunters, who are seeking to help the unfortunate homeless. About living you should take care in advance, preferably in the warm summer months. It is difficult to choose a location. It must be near the city because there is only the easiest place to find the food, clothes and temporary income. Next to the your housing desired the source of the drinking water (like a stream).
Suffice a week to rummage around the neighborhood and not far from the edge of any settlement, you`ll find something acceptable for the housing. Household items left there, can say about the owners and how they can agree with your settlement. Just always keep ready a couple of the compassionate stories about how you became a homeless. Some homeless find shelter in the numerous community organizations and abbeys.
Every homeless must have his own legend
Any homeless must have a beautiful story about how he has come to this life. It is the best if you`ll have the several stories for the different audiences. You can add a bit of mystery, but do not go too far. Be prepared to answer on the various tricky questions and don`t puncture on the little things: if you get caught in a lie, the matter may ends very lamentable – the most of the people do not like when they are cheated.
Overall conclusions
This material is not intended to be comprehensive, and is probably just the information to think about. Not by chance, in a variety of the specific literaturte the word “art” is next to the word “survival”. Indeed the survival is an art and it must contains the elements of fantasy, ingenuity and creativity. The price is high enough cause it`s your life.
Good Luck To You!
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