Of prejudices, campers and the perfect "Y": Why I am the Tussy Van
Imagine: A dusty parking space somewhere in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by untouched nature, rugged rocks and the rough charm of van life. The car door flies open and out jumps... well, who? The classic outdoor icon in a faded checked shirt? Not quite. Curtain up for perfect eyeliner, well-groomed make-up and a look that signals: I take care of myself. And right at this moment you can literally feel it - this collective, silent outcry from the long-established camping community: "Oh my God, here comes the Tussi!"
I know that look. I experience it almost every time I climb out of my camper. It's that split second in which the drawers in my counterpart's head snap shut with a loud bang. Prejudices in a multipack, delivered directly to your home. But instead of getting annoyed or conforming, I sit back, relax and smile. Because I have made this supposed swear word my strongest trademark. I am the Tussy Van - and that is the story behind why this name is not just a brilliant coincidence, but absolute perfection.
Fate and the thing with the "Y"
As life sometimes happens, the best stories start with a very pragmatic problem. When I wanted to create my Instagram profile and set up a suitable Gmail address, I had a vague idea in my head. But the internet quickly taught me otherwise: “Tussi” with a classic “i” at the end? Long taken. Sold out. Snatched away.
At a moment like this you can give up in frustration - or let your creativity prevail. I thought to myself: "Hey, that's fine! Why not just write it with 'y'? Tussy. Looks somehow cooler and makes the whole thing individual." What I hadn't really figured it out at that point: That was an absolute sign of fate! My real last name also contains a YAnd everyone who has an unusual letter in their name knows the lifelong ritual that goes with it: every phone call, every visit to the authorities, every official presentation, I repeat the same sentence like a prayer wheel: "...and mind you with Ypsilon, not with I!"
The fact that my digital name now requires exactly the same linguistic explanation was the final proof for me: This is not a coincidence, this is predestination. The Y remains. It creates the perfect bridge between my real identity and my alter ego on four wheels.
Cliché meets reality: Jumping out of the camper
But why this word at all? Why voluntarily give yourself a label that is often equated in our society with superficiality, bitchiness or lack of independence? The answer lies in the wonderful irony that happens every day on my travels.
I'm wearing makeup. I love cosmetics, I take care of myself and I see absolutely no reason why I should leave my femininity and my joy in appearance at the border of the campsite. Modern vanlife is often portrayed on social media as a kind of “back to nature” extremism, in which you have to stay in your sleeping bag for days without a shower in order to be considered “real”. I see it differently. You can check the oil level, chop wood, stand self-sufficiently in the wilderness - and still brush your eyelashes in the morning.
It's a fascinating psychological phenomenon: people see the makeup and wrongly conclude that there is no room for craftsmanship, logical thinking or a sense of adventure behind it. They expect a helpless woman to call for roadside assistance at the first sign of a problem. But the prejudices are only there until they get to know me. Until they talk to me. And until you see what I'm actually capable of.
As soon as we sit around the campfire together, I expertly repair my van or explain the self-sufficient on-board technology, the house of cards of stereotypes collapses with a crash: The prejudice evaporates, but the "Tussy" remains as a loving description in your head.
The reinvention of the "Tussy" - with respect and sarcasm
And this is exactly where my life comes full circle. I'm taking this historically negative, cliché-laden word and turning it completely inside out. I use it jokingly, ironically and with a huge, sarcastic wink to myself. I play with the cliché instead of suffering from it.
The nice thing about it is: When people call me “Tussy” today, they no longer do it in a derogatory way. It is not said as an insult, but with deep respect. It has become an unmistakable code. If someone says on the pitch: "It's over there? Tussy with your van", then everyone immediately knows exactly who I mean. You don't even have to know my real name. The term immediately conveys a clear, strong image: there is a woman who doesn't take herself too seriously, looks damn good, but at the same time can tackle things like a professional.
It is my personal strategy for dealing with the expectations of the world. By aggressively embracing the cliché, I take the wind out of every critic's sails. You can't judge me with a label that I already put on myself with pride and humor I wrote.
Stay true to yourself - no matter which one Spelling
At the end of the day shows my trip as Tussy Van one thing above all: never let yourself be restricted by other people's rigid rules. If you feel like checking your tire pressure while wearing a fancy outfit, then do it. If you want to worry about your fingernails for a moment in the mud on the off-road track - here you go!
Life is far too short to fit into the dusty boxes that others have made for us. Use the clichés, play with them, laugh at them and break them down in your own way. And if life throws a busy "I" in front of you when you're creating your channels, just make a shiny, perfect one. Y from this.
See you on the road - made up, self-sufficient and ready for the next adventure!
See you soon and always have a good trip,
your Tussy 💛