I thought it was ‘weird’ living on a bus – but after a trial run we didn’t want to go back to reality and sold our house

A COUPLE went from thinking living in a bus was weird to raising their newborn baby in one – their next step is a bus conversion.

All it took was one bad job to set his life on the road in motion.

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Mariajosé and Chase, a husband and wife duo who abandoned the typical nine-to-five lifestyle for a life of freedom on four wheels, post their conversions of retired vans and buses on their YouTube channel (@mariajoseandchase).

Mariajosé moved from Venezuela to Wisconsin in 2015, where she met Chase — it seemed like love at first sight.

Chase was general manager at Best Buy, and the couple packed up and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, so he could continue his work at the company.

Three years later, Chase unfortunately lost his job and Mariajose continued working to support her family.

Chase spent much of his childhood camping with his family, and as an avid camper, he began seeing videos of users converting buses or vans into livable spaces while on the road.

His parents even told him about someone they knew who converted a retired school bus into an Airbnb and had quite a bit of success with it.

“I thought it was the stupidest thing ever because I thought, ‘Who would pay to sleep on a bus? That’s so weird,'” Chase told The US Sun in an exclusive interview.

Chase and Mariajosé didn’t know it at the time, but the seed for living on the road was already planted and growing – quickly.

As they watched more videos, it took one bad day for the couple to start looking for a project.

“I had a terrible day at work and so I texted him and said, ‘Maybe we should take a bus,’” Mariajosé said.

Chase said he felt conflicted because, on one hand, he felt obligated to keep working, but on the other, the dream of living on the road didn’t seem so far-fetched.

Before they knew it, they were building a house out of a retired 40-foot bus.

From the videos on his channel, no one would ever guess that Chase wasn’t always as helpful as he seemed.

“I never had much experience building things, but I had a vision,” he said.

I thought it was the stupidest thing ever because I thought, ‘Who would pay to sleep on a bus? This is so weird.

Chase, YouTuber

“I watched a lot of YouTube videos to learn how to build it and it took me about four years to build the bus.”

Once construction was complete, the couple became addicted to the freedom that came with coast-to-coast travel.

The original plan was to travel just a few months before “returning to reality,” but the open road was too irresistible.

However, the bus seemed a little too big for the couple, and they sold the bus and transitioned to a Ford Transit van, where Chase waved his wand and drove home.

Then Mariajosé became pregnant with her first child – but that didn’t interrupt her lifestyle.

They sold their Nashville home and decided to live in their van full time.

Instead, after their daughter was born, they traveled with her in the van for the first three months of her life.

HOW DID THEY DO THIS?

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Mariajosé and Chase said the van had plenty of room for the three of them.

“Fortunately we didn’t need to make many changes, except to create space for a car seat,” said Mariajosé.

They didn’t have a crib for her, but their daughter was nearby.

“She slept with us, so it wasn’t that difficult,” she said.

As their daughter grew, so did their ambitions, and the couple decided to buy a store in Nashville where they could generate customer conversions.

Tips for Traveling in an RV

Whether on a big or small rig, there are a few things every traveler should know before hitting the road.

Having a home on wheels is a great way to save money and travel safely, but there are a few things that should be addressed before traveling long distances and parking for long periods.

• Consider the location. Different regions and climates present different challenges, such as hot days but cold nights, persistent rain and humidity, or extremely dry air. Knowing where you are driving can help make your stay more comfortable.
• Consider the costs and prepare. How much do RV campgrounds cost? Average fuel costs? Are there laundromats nearby that accept credit or debit cards? Are there hardware stores nearby in case something breaks? How about RV insurance?
• Be flexible. As always when traveling, it’s important to plan, but travelers must remain flexible when things happen unexpectedly.
• Pack lightly. Even though an RV is a home on wheels, a small space will quickly teach travelers how to organize items according to what’s needed and what’s convenient.
• Consider the weather. Pack according to the weather and note that insulation in an RV is not as effective as insulation in a house. Always bring extra items to stay warm or cool.

Source: Progressive Auto Insurance

There is a house on the property where Chase, Mariajosé and their family can take refuge, although they prefer to get around in their van.

Then the couple discovered she was pregnant with another child and decided it was time for their next project: another retired school bus.

Mariajosé laughed at the irony of the platform’s situation.

“When we first got on the bus there was a lot of space, so we got into a van and when I got pregnant [again] I thought ‘Maybe this is too small,'” she said.

“Then we realized the space was too small, so we bought a bus!”

THE WHEELS ON THE BUS

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The bus is still under construction following the birth of their second child, a boy, in June.

They are planning a queen room for youand are building a separate room with bunk beds for their children.

Chase has ambitious plans to keep the children’s rooms safe from strangers by removing the windows and has already added air conditioning and solar power to the equipment.

The couple is currently with family in Wisconsin as they adjust to sleepless nights with a newborn.