Thinking about skoolie life (very early stage) advice needed

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice and real-life experiences 🙏

I’m currently an entertainment industry worker based in France, and I’ve been seriously thinking about leaving everything behind to live and travel full-time in a converted school bus (skoolie life). The idea would be to travel across countries (and possibly continents) with my cat.

This is still very much in the early thinking stage — I’m aware this wouldn’t be for right now, but I’d like to start understanding what it would realistically take.

I have a few big questions and would really appreciate any insight:

- What kind of remote or travel-friendly jobs would you recommend to sustain this lifestyle?

- My background is in decorative painting (sets, props, artistic work). Is it realistic to find work abroad with that, or should I consider retraining?

- How do people actually make a stable income on the road?

- I currently have no savings — how much money would be a realistic minimum to start? (buying and converting a bus, paperwork, emergencies, etc.)

- How difficult is it to travel internationally with a cat? Any tips or things to anticipate?

Also, if you’ve done something similar:

- What do you wish you knew before starting?

- What were the biggest unexpected challenges?

- Is it as freeing as it sounds, or more stressful than expected?

Thanks so much for your help 💛