We had the good fortune of connecting with Megan & Sam and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Megan & Sam, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Hello, I am Megan del Valle. I am a senior in university studying Molecular/Cell Biology and I hope to shortly find a career as a field researcher or in forensics when I graduate in June. The pandemic took my academic and work life to a standstill. In the beginning, it made things difficult transitioning to work online and it began degrading my confidence as an aspiring Scientist. Since then, I have acclimated to online-hybrid courses and have excelled in this mode of education. It has allowed me to find some balance in that work-life relationship. This is how the Great Escape U.S. has been able to come about between Sam and I.

Hello, my name is Sam (Samuel) Fisher. Like most undergraduate students, I was plunged into online schooling during the pandemic and had to make the difficult choice of moving back home with my family. I graduated in May of this year with a B.A. in Communication Studies from California State University, Northridge. I am currently taking a year off and gearing myself towards the start of going to law school. The two of us together make up the Great Escape U.S.!

Like many others in the height of the pandemic, we found ourselves restless and isolated in our respective homes away from one another. We understood experiences had to be limited because of the ongoing public health battle, but we also understood there were some things we could partake in. National and Public lands were open for communities to use with basic limitations, and so we figured we’d try a hand at that as a couple. Boondock camping, hiking, and other outdoor recreation became something we would look forward to doing in this time. In October of 2020 in Sam’s 2007 Ford Escape (get it? the Great Escape) we began sharing our thoughts, photos and other tips we’ve learned on the road via Instagram.

It’s been interesting and enlightening being able to manage this passion project together. We learned very quickly that our systems of operations differ drastically, but we think this is what keeps us going with our very tiny page. We always have something between us to offer! We don’t take ourselves too seriously, because we don’t consider ourselves a brand or company. It’s simply us showcasing our young, outdoorsy hobbies.

We are two young adults beginning our professional careers while entertaining this adventure-lifestyle when the time permits. Our aspiring professional lives differ greatly from our personal lives. Sometimes in these escapes, they are unbalanced in the work-life relationship, and that’s okay. At the moment, our professional careers are being prioritized simply because we are new to our respective goals. Validity behind our degrees needs to be earned and practiced. At the same token, running the Great Escape U.S. in our free time has been equally as fulfilling.

Since we began this project, our audience grew from just our friends and family, to people throughout the Country asking for our advice, gear recommendations and so on. They have found value in what we’ve shared from our experiences. We’ve taken great pride in this.

Our goal has always been to showcase that the outdoors is accessible. We hope to motivate anyone who is willing to connect themselves more with nature. We’d like to show you that you do not have to have the fanciest off-grid rig, the most up to date tech gear to document your travels, or the most professional background to get outside! You can start now; Just as we spontaneously decided we could do about a year ago!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The Great Escape U.S. is our online alias where we post our SUV and Car Camping adventures on Instagram, Youtube, and most recently on our Website! Starting our page was easy – it was us simply wanting to share our experiences to our friends and family during a time where we couldn’t share them in person because of the pandemic. Traveling in our free time has presented valuable lessons thus far. It’s given us more insight on earning independence, self-sustainability, taught us more about our relationship as a young couple and most importantly, how to take care of the places we visit. Megan is very much a planner and life on the road has taught her not everything can be accounted for in an itinerary. Sam is very much a go-with-the-flow type, and life on the road has taught him some structure and extra responsibility about caring for one another when isolated in the wilderness. In a time where #VanLife and other nomadic lifestyles are popular online, we wanted to share that similar experiences could be accomplished with less. We may not have the fanciest gear to get us outdoors, but we utilize what we have well. The Great Escape U.S. offers itineraries, educational content, mini travel guides, and so much more! We are so excited for anyone who is willing to join us on our ongoing travels. Cheers!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh, we have actually done this quite a lot! A lot of the friends that we’ve met through the outdoors community don’t come from California and we love showing them around town. We have so many favorites in San Diego! There are an endless amount of great restaurants, breathtaking views, and many undiscovered nooks-n-crannies to be found.

For beautiful views and a relaxing atmosphere to hang out, we will always recommend the beaches. Sunset Cliffs in Ocean Beach, Coronado Island, or La Jolla Shores are some of our favorites. There is always something to be said about these beautiful places. For good company, we recommend our friends at Honest Thrift Studio & Garden Coffee in Old Town. Jess and her team are a joy to San Diego. You’ll be sure to walk out of their corner with a new friend.

For some local eats, we love picking up a loaded calzone from Tony’s Giant Pizzeria on Diane Ave., some pub grub from Raglans on Bacon St., and country cooking from the Chicken Pie Shop on El Cajon Blvd.. Mexican food is a MUST in San Diego! Any shop will guarantee to have good Mexican food, but we go crazy over La Loteria in Jamul or Roberto’s Taco Shop at their multiple locations.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people we would love to thank for their support in both our professional and personal lives. Firstly, our families. Our families have shown endless support that we couldn’t possibly ever say thank you enough. Thank you for letting us, your babies, grow and explore in our own ways. They have given us the confidence to try. Secondly, there are plenty of people in our small online community who have given us plenty of inspiration to do what we are doing today! On Instagram, we’ve love @ChadAndClaire and @Gar.bnb (formerly Gary off-the-grid). We thank them for their support and the gratitude that they have extended towards us. Lastly, we thank you, the reader! Thank you for taking the time to get to know us, and we hope to connect with you soon.

Website: https://thegreatescape.us/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatescape.us/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGTrJAerGp9-ZNKMAtr-csw

Other: For other means of communication, reach out to us at contactgreatescape.us@gmail.com !

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