Living and Working Abroad

Living and working abroad is a much different experience than your normal holiday vacation. For most people it requires you to tackle a new life without the immediate support base of friends and family should things not pan out exactly as you planned (and most of the time they don’t, but often they work out better). Don’t fear though, because soon enough you will have a new set of friends whom you can call family and when its time for you to leave you will be sad to say goodbye.

If this is your first time of leaving the ‘safety of home’ and venturing to live in a foreign country, its understandable to be a bit nervous, or even a bit scared, but dont worry, you will not freeze or starve to death. Here are a few tips that I have learned the hard way.

Work Visas
Each country has different ‘deals’ with other countries on working legally. Visit the embassy web page on the country you plan to visit to find out the information you need to know. Many organisations are out there to help you but beware of ‘scams’. Often it is just as easy to do it yourself. Talk to people that have been to where you’re going before. If not in person, then on forums, or you can hit me up and I might be able to give you some advice.

Do your research
The only travel guide I use is Wikitravel.org. Look up the country, take notes, then the city. If you want specific details on a certain ‘adventure’ eg a bushwalk, the silk road etc and it doesnt come up on wikitravel, then just google it. Chances are someone has done it and blogged about it. If not, then you should!

When You First Arrive
I book ahead my first night in a hostel, somewhere close to the city and easy to navigate to. I use HostelWorld.com. If in a city where nothing comes up for it, then just google cheap accomodation in whatever city your going to. Also, in wikitravel they usually give some recommendations. Once I’ve got my shit together, I will decide if I am going to stay in that hostel for another night or 2. Go to the tourist centre, do some internet research etc and suss out what area you envision yourself living in. I usually just go for the cheapest area, as long as its not too dangerous (eg I wouldnt live in Compton).

If your in a country that has gumtree.com, use it. In the US or Canada you can use cragslist. If the country you’re in doesnt have these things then just get the local paper. Its a tough choice if you are going to get a job and find a place close to work, or get a place and find a job close to where you live. I usually just try do get a job and a place at the same time as see where I land.

Gumtree.com is great. I usually look for short term accomodation, anywhere not too far from the city (and cheap). It’s better than staying in a hostel, and you’ll get to meet locals. Once there, start looking for work. Then, when you find a job, you can move closer to your workplace.. or you can try to find a job in the area you’re in if you like it.

Do the Tourist Thing
While your waiting for things to fall into place, do the tourist thing. You may not get time once you get a job and a social life. Wikitravel! Also, venture out to other areas. Just get a bus to nowhere. (See this post to read up on the best way to explore a new place.).

Get a Life
Travelling alone can get lonely, and its not like when your kids. Adults already have friends that they have known for years, and often dont need or want any new ones. You need to actively be social. Easy for some, not so easy for others. If your interested in something, see about joining a club for it, just like you would at home. Its easier to make friends with common interests eg sport, music, art. People you work with, people you live with. There are probably a few people in the hostel you stayed at which are in the same situation as you. Like minded travellers bond fast!

Venuring Out
So you’ve got a job, a place to live, a social life.. now what? Its easy to get stuck in the routine of life, even in a foreign country. You can get up, go to work, go home, watch tv, have sex, go to sleep from monday to friday, then go and get stupid drunk on the weekends. Right?? Well, I can do that anywhere, but since your in a different country, why not explore it! Its fine to ‘live the normal life’ in a foreign country, but you’re a traveller, so travel. Use where you are as a base, and then explore from there. After a month of being in a new place I’ve usually seen more than most of the locals. Its the Travellers Spririt. Dont lose it, or you may as well go home, start a business and get filthy rich, ’cause you cant do that whilst travelling. You may be ‘away from home’ but if you’re not travelling, then your not really travelling!

Employment Options
Summer camp. This is a great place to start. Alot of like minded people. You will form some amazing relationships and possible travel partners. It s a nice safe way to test the waters to see if you want to keep travelling, but be warned, it is not an accurate depicitation of the life of a long term traveller. I use it as a break from travel. Check out Camp Leaders, BUNAC, IEP and Camp America.

Tefl/Tesol. Ive not done it but it has been on my list of things to do for a while. Good thing about it is there is no age limit (unlike work visas for many countries). You can do online courses or train in country. I think I’ll train in country when I do it, as many have deals where you learn the language as part of the package, and I figure employment opportunities will be greater if your in the country.

A Normal Job. This has already been discussed. Try to get a job youll enjoy, and where youll meet people.

Cruise Ships. Ive never done it, but know people who have and they have had a blast. There is a alot of information for sale on this subject all over the internet. I did alot of reseach on it once and I think if I where to do it then I’d probably use these guys. They have been recommended by friends who have used them and came out on top for my comparisons of products. Having said that, I have not actually used them myself.

Working Illegally. Be careful with this one. If you get caught youll either get kicked out of the country with a permanent ban, or have to bribe someone, depending on what country your in. In saying that, Ive done it a couple of times in countries where I cant get visas, and even in countries where I could but just didnt have one. It’s all about who you know with this one. Talk to the people in the hostel, gumtree.com or craigslist might hold some promise, and pubs are a good place to find cash labor work. Or maybe even work in the pub. Beware of exploitation.

Make money over the internet
This is my eventual aim. Even if I was making enough over the interent to not have to work, if I planned to stay in a place for a while Id still seek some part time work. Its good to meet people, learn new skills and just keep busy.

Sending Money Home
I’ve pretty much just added this bit because I just found a pretty good site which allows you to send money between US, CA, AU, EU, UK, HK and SINGAPORE for only $7 no matter how much it your sending. Considering Lloydstsb tried to charge me 30 quid, and Commonwealth charges around $20AUD and even Bank of America tried to charge me $30USD once I think its a pretty good service. Better than Western Union. You also get the first 2 transfers free. This is my referral link. http://tiny.cc/8anuj. I think if i get 10 referrals I get a Mac Book or something, so if you send money home (or anywhere internationally) then check them out. If you find a better deal, let me know!