Residing the dream life is not at all times so dreamy — as one Massachusetts couple have revealed.
YouTube content material creators Kaylee Dubeau and Jordan Saglio spent years touring by central America in a transformed faculty van earlier than selecting the leafy climbs of western Panama.
The couple — who’ve greater than 390,000 subscribers — bought a 2.5-acre plot of land on the outskirts of Boquete for $75,000 4 years in the past and since then, they’ve gone about making a farmstead whereas welcoming their first youngster, Sadie.
After they moved to the empty plot of land, the couple needed to go about constructing all the pieces from scratch earlier than they might lastly transfer out of their faculty bus.
Whereas Instagram posts present them dwelling the ‘dream life,’ a sequence of candid YouTubes reveal the more durable elements of their off-grid life-style together with dwelling with no correct rest room for six years and at all times getting caught with greater costs in Panama as a result of they’re thought-about foreigners.
Kaylee Dubeau and Jordan Saglio, from Massachusetts, spent years touring by central America in a transformed faculty van earlier than selecting the leafy climbs of western Panama
The couple have greater than 390,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel
To earn a dwelling, the couple run a espresso store and promote beans sourced from native farmers. Additionally they run a well-liked YouTube channel
They bought a 2.5-acre plot of land on the outskirts of Boquete for $75,000 4 years in the past
Since then, they’ve gone about making a farmstead whereas welcoming their first youngster
In a single YouTube video titled ‘We Have Regrets Shifting To Panama,’ the couple – who run a espresso store and promote beans sourced from native farmers – handle among the downsides of dwelling overseas.
Firstly, Jordan says one of many the issues that makes it a ‘little bit difficult’ about life in Panama is ‘shopping for stuff as a result of we get “gringo” costs.’
He continues: ‘So as a result of Kaylee and I are clearly aren’t from right here, as a result of we’re foreigners, we get priced at a unique worth.
‘It is a greater worth [for us] and that is with all the pieces from shopping for a automobile to purchasing property to taking a taxi to even shopping for fruit or meals on the facet of the street.’
Jordan says that any time a worth is not listed, particularly if it is a massive buy like a automobile or a chunk of land, they need to get a Panamanian to go and negotiate for them on their behalf.
He provides: ‘So I believe you’ll be able to think about how typically the most important purchases in your life, like a chunk of land or a automobile or stuff like that, it simply provides one other layer of complexity having another person concerned to kinda like negotiate and assist in your behalf.’
Subsequent up, Kaylee reveals that the ‘trash state of affairs’ in Panama – particularly within the cities – is one thing they did not anticipate.
‘Sadly just about in all places you look right here there’s simply trash,’ she says.
‘And whether or not it is like buried in with the dust or it is simply blatantly piled up on the facet of the street, it is a kind of issues that they simply haven’t got the programs in place right here to eliminate it appropriately or recycle it appropriately.’
Whereas Instagram posts present them dwelling the ‘dream life,’ a sequence of candid YouTubes reveal the more durable elements of their off-grid life-style together with dwelling with no correct rest room for six years
To energy their homestead, the couple have gone about putting in a wind turbine
The couple needed to go about constructing all the pieces from scratch earlier than they might transfer out of their faculty bus
On a private be aware, Jordan says he is discovered his allergy symptoms are uncontrolled in Panama.
He explains at one level: ‘For about 5 – 6 months out of the 12 months I’ve a nasty allergy that is some type of pollen or some type of mud.
‘It is so dangerous that my face is so puffy and even the strongest allergy treatment does not even do something.’
Jordan says the one time his allergy symptoms cease is when is when it’s raining, so he’s simply having to ‘be taught to like the rain.’
On the meals facet of issues, the couple say they discover it unattainable to search out natural produce in Panama, and pesticide and fungicide utilization is ‘very, very excessive’ due to the tropical local weather.
In consequence, they find yourself shopping for plenty of fruit and greens which are imported from different nations.
Lastly, Kaylee says: ‘One thing else that I remorse that I positively didn’t assume that I’d really feel as deeply as I do and I believe extra so now due to Sadie, is how a lot I used to be going to overlook our household.’
In different YouTube movies, the duo reveals the hardships of beginning a homestead.
They are saying rising meals has been tough and it has taken them 4 years to be taught what does and does not work.
Additionally they survived for a few years with no correct rest room.
Whereas dwelling of their faculty bus they experimented with a bucket, and once they moved to their farm they put in an 8ft deep pit latrine.
Kaylee strikes a pose subsequent to their beloved faculty bus, which served as their residence for a few years
They are saying rising meals has been tough and it has taken them 4 years to be taught what does and does not work
Regardless of the downsides, Jordan and Kaylee stay decided to make their off-grid life-style work
In a YouTube posted simply over a month in the past, Kaylee and Jordan revealed how they lastly went about establishing a correct outhouse full with a flushable rest room.
They stated the outside latrine was ‘gross,’ and so they needed to enterprise out to make use of it ‘within the rain, within the wind’ and because it neighbored a public path, folks would often stroll by.
After shifting to their farm, additionally they went seven months with chilly showers, however finally they mounted it as much as a scorching water heater.
To energy their homestead, the couple have gone about putting in a wind turbine.
Regardless of the downsides, Jordan and Kaylee stay decided to make their off-grid life-style work.
In a single Instagram publish, Kaylee reveals what she finds most engaging about their lifestyle, telling viewers: ‘I knew at a really younger age that I at all times wished to stay on a farm.
‘I do not know precisely why I wished to – particularly as a result of I by no means actually frolicked on a farm or really understood what that life truly regarded like.
‘Possibly it was my interior youngster instinct pointing me within the course of my future or possibly it was simply the simplicity of all of it dwelling off the land, caring for animals and simply being nearer to nature that I felt so drawn to.
‘All that I do know is that my soul has by no means felt extra awake and alive than it has within the final three years since we stepped foot right here on Lola’s farm.’
Through the years, the couple have constructed a loyal fanbase with their followers praising their tenacity.
One fan left a remark for Kaylee: ‘You’re a stunning particular person inside and outside. Your little woman is so lucky to have a mother such as you.’
One other commenter from Australia addressed the entire household, writing: ‘You, Jordan and Sadie have been my Zen these final three years, watching you construct your dream life in Panama and your stunning being pregnant.
‘You could have purchased my daughter and I a lot pleasure, thanks to you and Lola’s farm, all such superb folks and fantastic fur infants, BIG love.’
