These days, it’s almost impossible to scroll through Instagram and not see people who are “world travelers.” You know who I’m talking about…the hostel hopper guy doing his scuba dive with manta rays in Mexico at 2pm on a Tuesday. Or the girl in high school who has been traveling non-stop for the past six months and is selling a course on how to “travel penniless.”And yes, the lifestyle looks great, but even if they are To tell It’s achievable…hard to believe.
Are these trust fund babies? What are the success stories of OnlyFans?
perhaps. But probably not. Two years ago, after I myself was forced to travel full time thanks to a condo fire (0/10 stars, not recommended!), I realized that wasn’t the case. all Traveling the world is complicated — eh? parts Virtually free worldwide. The main options are job exchanges, house-sitting jobs, and employment in the travel industry. Although there are always new ones coming out.
Here’s what you need to jump off the proverbial cliff and hit the road (besides courage and a house fire). If you want to know more about my story, click here!
Part I — Setting expectations
You probably aren’t going to splurge and travel the world for “free.” Maybe you’ll become an au pair for a wealthy family in Paris or a muse for a world-famous hotel photographer, but more often than not, you’ll find yourself on the path of work and trade. If you have to do menial work (see: almost wild) living conditions. Having said that, hostel jobs and farm-based volunteer ships can be great character builders.
You can also expect expenses Several Transportation expenses, visa fees, personal care, and other money needed for daily life.Remember, nothing actually Freedom in life. To achieve this “free travel” lifestyle, you need to contribute something outside of yourself. If you’re still interested, there are websites and resources online that can help you accomplish this. So, in Uproxx style, we’ve put what you need right at your fingertips.
Part II — Volunteer work (work exchange)
A proven way to travel the world for free is through job exchanges and volunteering. This may include your salary. I found a volunteer job at a beautiful ecolodge in a volcanic crater lake in Nicaragua. I taught yoga for 3 months and coached marketing and web design. In addition to free lodging and food, and making money teaching yoga, I left with meaningful (and valuable) connections and a sharper skillset.
That’s a pretty valuable perk if you ask me.
Volunteer positions and jobs are unique and plentiful. Work on a farm through volunteer programs like WWOOFING (which stands for Worldwide Opportunity on Organic Farms), live abroad by teaching English in Thailand, or check in guests as a receptionist at hotels and hostels in the Caribbean. or provide housework or child care. For families around the world.
Ask yourself what you can offer, where you want to travel, and what kind of environment you want to be in. If you’re looking for a calmer atmosphere, you might not want to apply to be a bartender at that hostel. Once you find a host that meets your needs, apply. Don’t be afraid to negotiate with other projects for additional benefits. Once the relationship is established. (Warning against asking for a better deal before you’ve proven yourself.)
Here are some important volunteer programs and job exchange websites.
Part III — House Sitting
There are thousands of people around the world looking for someone (like you) they can trust to look after their home while they’re away. Many house-sitting assignments are long-term (more than a month) and include caring for pets.
House sitters are provided room and board in exchange for caring for the house, maintaining the garden, and other agreed-upon duties set by the owner.The downside is that you can’t Really Use your days off while volunteering to set off to explore as much of the country as possible. Another way to look at this is as a retreat in another country. There you can get to know the local cities and towns in depth.
House sitting website:
Part IV — Travel/Tourism Jobs
The way I’ve found to travel the world for free is to work in the travel industry. (Just to name a few) Travel writers also have the opportunity to go on press and media field trips, review hotels, and tour entire countries. If writing isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other options (sorry, but how? It’s similar to speaking, but with the functionality of a redo button).
Check out our tourism and travel industry jobs below.Also, if you Really If you’re good at what you do, you can also work as a freelancer for an international company that will travel to you for events and projects. One day, at the airport, I met a woman who works for a fruit and vegetable company that travels all over the world just to sell apples!
Travel-based work:
- Travel/Gourmet/Drink Writer
- flight attendant
- travel influencer
- Travel agency
- work on a cruise ship
- Captain/Captain/Yacht Hand
- travel nurse/doctor
Part V — Other ways to travel “free”
Remember, you rarely get to travel for free. There is usually significant capital involved. And if you’re going to “work” in some capacity, you have to either 1) earn a fair wage, 2) learn a new skill set, or 3) gain desirable experience. If your goal is to earn a fair wage, you will find that earning US dollars is preferable to local wages in many situations.This means that you can tutor American students online and you can actually I can afford it At that hotel in Nicaragua, you don’t have to sit at a desk for 10 hours a day.
If “free” is your goal, you can rely on the kindness of strangers to find accommodation on Couchsurfing, Be Welcome, and Host A Sister (sorry, women only). The only exchange in such cases is a little kindness. And in fact, if you can’t do that, it might be time to get off the road and do some soul searching.
