Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Preparing for your departure
• Part 2 of 4: Starting your journey
• Part 3 of 4: Surviving running away
• Part 4 of 4: Dealing with potential problems
• Tips
• Warnings

Running away from home is not very pleasant, although it can also seem liberating and even romantic. You may end up on the street looking for food, and your life will certainly not be easy. Yet sometimes a home situation is so bad that running away seems like the best option. If you've really thought about it and still want to run away from home afterward, then it's time to prepare.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Preparing for your departure

1. Save some money. It is best if you have at least € 3,000 with you. That sounds like a lot, but it can be used up in no time. The last thing you want after you run out in the morning is you don't have the money to buy breakfast. If you're in trouble (and you probably are reading this), you'll be glad you have the money with you.
   • This is especially true if you don't have a job or a place to sleep. If you're lucky enough to be one of the few who run away to have a place to go, you can probably get by with a little less money.
2. Practice living as a fugitive. Before you really running away, you should actually live for a while as if you've already run away, especially if you want to run away well prepared. In short, this means two things:
   • Look for ways to get free food. Whether that means experiencing what it is like to eat from one euro a day or that you are going to eat leftovers: at least practice with it. It is very important that you find out what to expect in terms of food and drink. Aside from these two ideas, in this article we'll go even further into other things you can do.
   • Practice sleeping in uncomfortable places. If you are on the run, you will sleep on benches, in the bushes, curled up in corners; places like that. You will no longer sleep under your Egyptian woven cotton sheets as you are used to. However, sleeping in hard, uncomfortable places is only difficult if you are not used to it. Get used to that in advance, because then it is one less worry for you.
3. If it applies to your situation, find a place that you can move to first. Sometimes young people just run away. That is also possible. But if you leave without preparation, it can cause many problems. It is better not to go until you have a place where you can stay at least for the first time, until you have recovered a little. If you had to go somewhere now, which place would you choose?
   • A youth shelter is a good place to start. However, it is not the right place for the long term, but people can help you there to see what your situation looks like.
   • A friend, or a family member can also be a good option, but be aware that it can be difficult for them because of the bond they have with your parents. If your parents have reported a missing person, they are obliged to inform them of your whereabouts. But sometimes you can stay for a few days without them telling you, or asking you questions (and while they feed you).
4. Make sure you pack your bag well. A good, waterproof backpack is what you need (because you never know if you will end up in the rain or snow). The backpack should contain a warm sleeping bag, a flashlight (with extra batteries), a water bottle with a filter in it, food with a long shelf life, a compass, clothes that you can wear in layers, a knife with which you can defend yourself , and possessions that you have that weigh little. If you have the space, it is also nice to bring a pillow. You will have to leave everything else behind.
   • Remember to take the backpack everywhere, like a backpacker. That can sometimes be annoying, but also very useful. Also remember that the bag you carry with you determines how you come across. Do you look like a backpacker, tourist, or hunted fugitive?
5. Please leave a note. Hide behind a note letting the police know you've run away so they don't think you've been kidnapped (or worse, murdered), although this may seem counterintuitive. The police will handle a kidnapping case more thoroughly than if someone has run away.
   • Make sure you hide the note reasonably well: the police will find it if they go looking, no matter how well you hide it. If your parents or guardians find it, they will immediately call the police.
6. Leave when the weather is good. When it's the middle of winter and it's freezing at night, you're just as bright as Napoleon when he invaded Russia in January. If you want to give yourself a better chance of success, wait until the weather is better. You will spend a lot of time outside; day and night; so it is better to have the weather with you.
   • When we are used to sleeping indoors, we often forget how cold it actually is at night. Bring long undergarments and warm clothes with you, even if you're not sure you'll need it. You better be prepared, and staying warm is a necessity.

Part 2 of 4: Starting your journey

Put on sunglasses and make-up so that you are not easily identified. Also, don't put on clothes that you wear often. Don't stand out among other people.

1. Take a bus or train. Once you are out of your home (be it after school or while your parents are still sleeping), take the nearest bus or train. Check the timetable and take the next train or bus. Come along and you're gone. There are some things to keep in mind:
   • If you've decided to move to another country, try to do so within 12 hours of running away. You can easily be recognized by the photo in your passport, in case your parent (s) have officially registered you as missing.
   • You will be less easily recognized when you are away from your home. While this may sound strange, it is actually easier to flee abroad, especially to Europe, as people there will think you are an American tourist with a lot of baggage.
   • Don't tell your story to other passengers. Maybe they don't feel sorry for you (and they do for your parents), and they can tell the police about your situation. If someone asks you questions, make up something or say you don't feel like talking.
2. Make sure you don't get caught by a device you have with you. Do not take your mobile phone, IPod, IPad or any other device with you. You can find out your location through these types of devices. If you do need a device to carry out your plans, bring enough money to buy a simple mobile device with some calling credit on it. It won't be a flashy phone, but at least you'll have a phone number.
   • Don't write about it on social media either. If you write something like, "I have had enough of this situation. I'm going to run away! "Is no brilliant idea! And, once you've run away, stop using old accounts from Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, YouTube, Gmail, or any other accounts you use over the Internet. You are easy to find if you use these types of accounts.
3. If necessary, change your appearance. If people are looking for you and you don't want to be found, you need to change your appearance so that people pay less attention to you. The easiest thing to do is cut and dye your hair. Wherever you do this (chances are it will be a public toilet), make sure you leave everything clean. In the worst case, the police will take a hair from you and look at your DNA, making it easier for them to find out where you are.
   • It's also a good idea to put on weight if you can (within reason, of course). Because it is expected that you will lose weight; the people who are looking for you will assume that you are getting thinner as the days go by because you have no food available.
4. Never try to contact friends after you run away unless you are 100% sure they will not notify the police. The fact is that you will start to feel lonely. You will tend to call people from your past, but if you want those people to be part of the past, then you shouldn't call them. Only when you are there 100% absolute you are sure that they will not notify the police, only then should you be allowed to enter to think.
   • Even then, stay careful. They may know someone who will tell someone else again and tell the police. People just gossip, and stories do the rounds.

Part 3 of 4: Surviving running away

1. Look for a place to sleep. If you don't have a bed to sleep in (which will be the case most nights), the best places to sleep are in the bushes, in the park, in the woods, or in empty, large fields. In a nutshell, the best spots are outside the city. But if you're not out of town, go to a place that's open 24 hours a day, such as a train or bus station.
   • If you are in a place where you are surrounded by people, be aware that it is more likely that the police or passers-by who are concerned will ask you about your predicament. Always have a good story to tell.
   • Make sure the deserted place you choose in the evening also the next morning is still deserted. That parking lot at the church may seem safe and secure on a Saturday night, but on Sunday morning you may regret this assumption.
2. Eat cheap foods. Food is expensive. Don't just buy cheap food from the supermarket by eating only bread, cheese, and peanut butter, but always try free to do the groceries. Here are some ideas:
   • The containers behind supermarkets and restaurants are often the places where food is dumped that can no longer be sold. It does not mean that the food is always old or outdated; it is food that can no longer be sold. Get there after hours, and chances are you will be rewarded for it.
   • Look around if there is a buffet somewhere in the garden. If there's a party somewhere, go for it. You can indulge in the food that has not been eaten.
   • Ask for food. If you go to a restaurant, cafe, or hospital, they may feel compassion for you and give you food that they know they probably won't or won't be able to sell. Don't forget to put on your sweetest smile when you ask for it.
3. Find work. If you're sixteen or older, you may be able to get a job and settle down in a new place. It's the best way to get money. You didn't want to go home anymore, did you? If you give people a phone number and address, and look fresh and clean, you have a better chance of getting a job.
   • If you are not yet sixteen, or if it is a problem to reveal your identity, see if you can find a temporary job that will get you paid in cash. This will likely be a physical job like a seasonal worker, but at least it's something. If you respond to calls at the supermarket, in local newspapers and on websites such as Marktplaats, you have the best chance of getting something like bulb peeler or picking peppers. Also ask an organic farmer, because they often have more work in the summer than conventional farmers.
4. Look for a cheap place to live. There are roughly four options: live with a friend, live on the street, live in a youth shelter, or squat. All options have pros and cons (especially the fact that squatting is illegal). That said, after a while you will need a place to live. If you can get a job and then find a cheap room somewhere to rent (rented out by roommates, not a landlord), that's perfect. After all, you don't want to live as a fugitive for the rest of your life.
   • Whatever you do, don't steal things from the places you stay. If you do that, you can become a wanted criminal, and you will be wanted even more than if you had run away alone.

Part 4 of 4: Dealing with potential problems

1. Hitchhike. Maybe you have decided not to stay where you are. That's okay. When you're out of money, hitchhiking is one of the options you have. Although illegal in some places, sometimes it is necessary to do things that are necessary. Here are instructions:
   • Go to a gas station near the driveway to a state road or highway. There you can approach the drivers who you think are willing to take you (young and old people are best; avoid the people in suits and people who look strange). If that is not an option, stand in the driveway or near a road where you are not allowed to drive fast; drivers need time to see you and to slow down.
   • When someone stops, be approachable, behave cheerfully and at ease. And observe the driver (s): do you want to ride with them? Trust your gut: if that says no, politely say you don't want to. If your gut says yes, get in, put your bag in the back, and put your hands on your knees (showing you're not a threat).
2. Hitch a ride on trains. Don't like hitchhiking by car? Then your next free mode of transport is free travel on trains. It's not really relaxing, but it will get you from point A to B. Read more below on how to best go about it:
   • Go to the train station near you and get the train schedule. Look for the train you want to take to your destination. When the train arrives, pick up the middle car when the conductor gets out. Sit as if you were already on the train, and watch for the conductor approaching. When you see the conductor coming to check your ticket, go to the toilet. If he or she knocks on the toilet door, stay on the toilet while you don't feel too comfortable that someone is waiting for you. The only other option you have is to walk around the whole ride and not sit anywhere.
3. Take into account a possible robbery. The world is not made up of roses and moon, especially if your friends are vagrants too. If you act like you are scared and are targeting yourself, you could well be the victim of a minor offense and lose your money and belongings. Keep the following things in mind:
   • Act confident wherever you go. If you act nervous, you attract people who see you as prey and want to disadvantage you. Carry a knife with you for self-defense (it's not nice advice, but it is realistic).
   • If possible, use a secret compartment in your backpack for this. If your belongings are searched, they may forget to check the lining of your bag; you can put in it a small laptop or similar similar to the hardness of the back of the backpack.
   • There really is such a thing as "adventure underwear," and it has pockets. Thieves don't usually look into your underwear, so it's a pretty safe place to keep some cash.
4. If you are in a public area, walk to the nearest store. The thieves probably won't follow you.
5. Make sure you are aware of your legal rights and obligations. If you live in America, it is illegal to run away from home in Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming if you are under 18. If you get caught or are on your way home again, you could be fined. In other countries, the legislation is different about this. And even if it's not illegal; you usually have no rights if you are found and taken home, even if it is against your will. It is important to be aware of these things so that you know what can happen.
   • If you have run away multiple times, you can become a child of the state and put in foster care, or somewhere other than your parents' home, once you are found. Then you have become a "child in need of care," and the court will decide what will happen to you. For this reason it is better to avoid contact with the police or other authorities.
   • If you are in a foreign country where your language is not spoken and there is a confrontation with the police, pretend you don't speak English. It really helps in these situations if you speak two languages, even if it is a language that is different from the one spoken in the country you are in. After all, you can then convince the police that you are from a country other than your actual homeland.
6. Call the Kindertelefoon (0800-0432). If it is really necessary, you can always call an emergency line or the Kindertelefoon. They can also assist and advise you, and they can be a listening ear to you in case you need it.
   • In the Netherlands, the children's telephone number is 0800-0432. In America that number is 1-800-RUNAWAY. In England Childline offers assistance similar to the Kindertelefoon. Covenant House, in Los Angeles, is home to youth in many countries in North and Central America, and the number is (323) 461-3131.

Tips

• After you leave, try to make new friends using your new name to ease feelings of loneliness.
• You may be able to let your parents know that you are alive once you turn 18, because you will remain a missing person until then. If you are fleeing abroad, make sure it is a safe country. If you are a 15 year old girl then it is not very smart to go to Paris. Also make sure you speak the language of the country.
• Befriend as many people as you can, as long as it's safe. Always use your farmer's smartness here.
• At some sandwich shops, day-old bread is thrown away, even if the bread can still be eaten without any problems. If there's a sandwich shop near you, and you're hungry, check out which container they use. Make sure you only take the bread that is on top.
• Don't use drugs. Drug use can not only ruin your life, but you will also be treated differently by the outside world, and finding a place to live will become more difficult.
• Try to flee to a forest, because most people will not look for you there.
• Try to imagine what your parents or other people will do to find you: be prepared for anything.
• Running away with a friend is probably safer because you can defend yourself better together if necessary. It is important to always work together and to agree with each other. That will help you to avoid getting into trouble. Always make sure you have a good story in case people start asking questions.
• Go somewhere you know people are unlikely to look for you. For example, if people know you hate shopping, go to a mall.

Warnings

• Never stay in one place for too long. If you stay somewhere too long, the chance that you will fall and get caught is greater.
• The statistics on young people running away do not look good. In America, about 30% try to commit suicide, 63% are or have been depressed, and the vast majority have problems at school (if they go there) or with drugs and / or alcohol. Half of the girls who run away become pregnant. For that reason, running away is really only recommended if there is no other way out.
• Use your common sense. Running away can put you at risk of being caught, robbed, raped, kidnapped, or murdered. It's something you might regret for the rest of your life.
• Don't run away because of an argument with someone. Talk to them or call a crisis line so you can get help.