Three Month Rule

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Three Month Rule

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Three Month Rule
Lome, Togo West Africa
Saturday, March 3, 2007

I am stating, there is a Three Month Rule for travelers, I have nobody else to debate with, I have thought about it for years. I know of only a couple people on the planet that have openly, overtly discussed the rule with me, however, someone has to say,
- There is a rule. -
- There needs to be a rule. -

There are unspoken traveler rules, normally that non-travelers think they qualify to use or apply.

This is about the Three Month Rule.

THREE MONTH RULE
If I stay more than three months in one location, then I have stopped traveling and have become an expat, I am living in a different country, I am not traveling or a traveler.

1. The counting of days or months is frowned on, no true traveler is clear about what day of the week it is or the date.
2. Doing a Visa run to another country, and returning does not stop or terminate the counting of time.
3. A person must have traveled for over one year, not violated the three month rules, to be considered eligible to think about the rule, talk abut the rule, all others person shall politely admit, they are not travelers.
4. The counting of days, the counting of months is to be very loosely enforce, nobody is allowed to say to a person, show me your passport. This is bad form.
5. The passport is the proof, yet in a accordance with rule 4, no person I allowed to check your passport.
6. This is an honor system, you need to feel guilty proof of purchase system, the only person who enforces the system can be yourself, you are allowed to cheat, lie, get quirky, make up sub-rules, however in the end, you will know if you obeyed the rule. Guilt and shame is your little goblin on your shoulder, telling you what to do.
7. Persons who say the rule do not apply instantly have defined themselves as non-travelers.
8. Travelers are not expatriated or expats.
9. After violating this rule, have lived in one location for six months, a person is required to stop the time count, they must start again, they cannot say, I have traveled for X amount of years as if it was continuous travel.
10. A person is not to discuss these rules with non-travelers.

All the rules above, violate the Prime Directive of Travel which is to do what you enjoy, and not care what anybody else thinks or says, therefore the Three Month Rule is moot.

I have thought two months should be the count for years, decided, this is too short, a Visa is often is for two months to three months. A good visa is offered for 90 days or the three months, a bad visa is for 30 days or less, a great visa is six months or more. There has been many considerations about this rule, however, the biggest one is I start to feel guilty after about two months in one location and say to myself,
- I need to leave. -

This rule and conditions are automatically activated and when I hear the words, I am traveling… or,
- I am traveler. -

If you are talking with me, Andy, and I say,
- Remember to travel. -
You can take it as an insult, because it was. This means you have explained how you are traveler too long and I know, you are not.

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Reader Submitted Comments

ash said on Saturday March 3rd, 2007 09:25:00 AM

Where do travelers go on holiday/ vacation?

Andy HoboTraveler.com said on Sunday March 4th, 2007 02:30:00 AM

HmmmI suppose a traveler would need to go to his or her home culture. I am not sure I have ever met a woman traveler?...Therefore, I need to go to Germany, England or USA, maybe Canada, but who want to listen to 24/7 complaints and P envy.I also go where the girls like me... hehehe

Andy HoboTraveler.com said on Sunday March 4th, 2007 02:31:00 AM

I may be on vacation now

Kyle Crum said on Saturday February 14th, 2009 05:04:00 PM

Wow, you clearly have too much time on your hands to come up with these rules. After traveling so long, one would think that you would have a better perspective on the asinine tourist/traveler debate. As in, who cares? Why do we need to classify people like this?

Andy HoboTraveler.com said on Sunday February 15th, 2009 05:20:00 AM

Kyle, it appears you are not a traveler.