I’m a Traveler – 4 facts you didn’t know, from social events that give us a ‘bad reputation’ to strict proposal rules

AN IRISH traveler has claimed he may be frowned upon for hanging out with non-travellers.

Zoey Pon, who left school at 14, took to TikTok to tell all about her community and other facts people may not be aware of.

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1. Travelers don’t mix with non-travelers

According to the 19-year-old – who makes guests take “bleach baths” before entering her caravan – most traveling girls won’t be seen mingling with girls outside their community.

Zoey, who insisted this wasn’t out of “disrespect,” explained that hanging out with anyone other than a traveler would be frowned upon.

“Basically, we have a bad reputation – so to speak,” the woman told her 24,000 followers on the videoadding that this would not be the case if a traveler did the same thing.

2. Traditional gender roles for travelers are changing

Zoey, who previously revealed that sleepovers were also banned, admitted that many previous traditions had been abandoned over the years.

In the past, a traveling woman would not work or send her children to school – things that, she says, have since changed.

Not only do a number of Traveler children attend primary and secondary school, but many women have also entered the workforce.

Someone in the comments shared their experience about this: “I’m an Irish Traveler and I went to school, got my GCSE and went to college, got my L2 and L3 Beauty Therapy certificate.

“You can be whatever you want to be when you put your mind to it.”

But for Zoey, who admitted to not going to college, not having a job or “working,” she said that it is her husband who “goes to work and comes back and gives everything to [me].”

3. Strict rules about drinking, smoking and dating

Before the redhead got married, there were also strict rules her parents had for her, like going to parties or dancing to music in clubs.

”Before you get married, you also can’t drink, you can’t smoke, and you can’t have a boyfriend if you’re a certain age – and if you have a boyfriend, you have to keep it a secret.

4. Proposal and marriage

When it comes to marriage, Zoey, who got married at 18, said there is only one condition; the man has to be old enough to ask his parents for permission.

There is no set time frame for how long the boy and girl must know each other or be dating before a hand in marriage can be asked.

Zoey said, “Everybody’s different, but a boy and a girl [can be dating] three, four weeks, and he just goes up and asks for her [hand in marriage]. ‘Can I marry your daughter?’ And in a week they could get married.

“In addition, there are more boys and girls who could wait a few years, as well as non-travellers. [They want to] get to know each other.”

The TikTok clip clearly left many speechless as it quickly racked up over 39,000 views.

But this isn’t the first time the Irish traveler has revealed everything about her community and her caravan’s strict rules.

In addition to making sure guests wash their feet before entering her home, Zoey said eating and drinking are prohibited in her home — and she also doesn’t cook inside the house.

The young woman shared that this happens because she doesn’t want to leave her caravan “dirty” or leave smells of food afterwards.

”You can’t eat in my caravan, you can’t drink and even if it’s raining, you have to stay under the umbrella and eat your food.”

Once you get permission to enter, you won’t be able to relax on any of the sofas, the woman revealed.

“You have to sit on the floor,” explained Zoey, who was worried that guests would leave the furniture “dirty.”