This year I had the privilege of attending the RV Owners Lifestyle seminar series held by Okanagan College in Kelowna, BC. It was a jam-packed weekend, during which I attended no less than eleven seminars in three days. This was my first time attending and it was a blast.
I’m told that this is a unique event, the likes of which may exist nowhere else (yet)! I could be wrong on that however, I’m just going with what I was told.
So what was it like? What did I learn? Would I go again? Answers to these burning questions and more to follow!
Where is Kelowna, BC?
Kelowna is located in the interior of the Canadian province of British Columbia, right in the middle of the beautiful Okanagan Valley. It’s less than two hours north of the US border if you cross via Highway 97 near Oroville, WA, or about three hours if you cross further west at Sumas, WA (but you’ll need to drive over some mountains).
Was it worth it?
If you can be somewhere in or near the northwest around June, and the course content appeals to you (which you can review months in advance), then I’d highly recommend visiting for a few days and enjoying the weekend.
And, although it’s excellent, it’s clearly about more than just the course material itself that draws people year after year; it’s also about the community.
Folks will bring their rigs and camp together in the college’s parking lot for the weekend, and walk or be shuttled the short distance to the classes each day. There is evening entertainment provided, and a buffet supper to cap off the event.
What Sessions Are Offered? What Were They Like?
I can’t speak exactly for next year’s schedule, but you can take a look at this year’s topics easily enough on the course website. You can see that there is a wide breadth of topics. In fact my one “gotcha” is that there are so many interesting courses that it’s hard to choose a stream! But I suppose this is also what keeps attendants coming back, to take in new topics that they couldn’t fit in the year prior.
Overall the information provided was excellent, and one of the things I appreciated most was the consistent message of safety and responsibility—tips on best practices and honest caveats abounded, and not one instructor ever told us to “fudge” something for convenience or time-savings.
Also, every session had a lengthy and open Q&A time where we participants were free to ask just about anything. Not only that, but the questions often sparked interactivity between the attendants, which provided more learning and the sharing of personal experiences.
Personally I learned a LOT this year, and as you might guess, if I am able to attend next year I’d like to go again.
Final Notes
For more information just peruse the course website, also there’s contact information at the bottom of the course homepage, the supporting staff is very helpful and pleasant—you can tell they love hosting this unique event each year!
