For most people, long showers and stocked fridges are no big deal, but for Piedmont High School’s spanish teacher, Tracy Garcia-Barron, they’re luxuries she doesn’t take for granted, especially after four years of living in an RV.
From 2020 to 2024, Garcia lived in an RV in the high desert city of Hispara, California. Struggling to find an affordable apartment during the housing crisis, she chose RV living as a cheaper option.
“[Living in an RV] was the much more affordable housing option versus paying rent to somebody else,” Garcia said.
The move also helped her avoid exposure to COVID-19 during the pandemic.
“Living alone made the most sense to me at the time,” Garcia said.
At first, adapting to living in a small RV, about 100 square feet, was challenging. Garcia’s daily routine included waking up, turning on the water heater, and preparing breakfast while the water warmed up. The short 10-minute showers reminded her of her limited resources.
“It was the toughest part about living in an RV,” Garcia said.
Another challenge she faced was dealing with the sewage system.
“You had to drain your own sewage,” Garcia said, “But you get used to it.”
She always wore gloves and cleaned up afterward. However, ther challenges were harder to control. Some nights, Garcia found herself lying awake due to the strong desert winds.
“The RV would sway with the weather, which could be unsettling,” Garcia said.
Luckily, Garcia knew she could lean on her neighbors in the RV resort when she needed help.
“Sometimes if things would break, I would [ask if my neighbors] had a repair person’s phone number, and sure enough they would,” Garcia said.
This tight-knit community was one of Garcia’s favorite things about RV life.
“[It was] the closest I’ve ever been to any of my neighbors because we all didn’t have much space inside, so we would spend time outside and hang out,” Garcia said.
Being one of the youngest people in the RV resort, Garcia grew close to the elderly couples nearby.
“I learned a lot from them by hearing their life experiences,” Garcia said.
When Garcia got a job at PHS, she decided to move out of her RV and into an apartment in the Bay Area.
Looking back, while she enjoyed the experience of living in an RV, Garcia said she wouldn’t do it again.
“I don’t think I could go back to that,” Garcia said. “It’s just great to be able to be inside a home.”
Unlike her RV, Garcia’s new apartment allows her to move from room to room instead of being crammed in one.
She cherishes the everyday comforts that she now gets to experience.
“The number one thing I learned from living in an RV is to appreciate the things that we take for granted within our homes, like a hot shower,” Garcia said.
Now that Garcia is back in a standard home, she takes one almost every day.
“[It’s] the best thing ever,” Garcia said.
teacher at PHS.
