Working To Travel? 4 Things You Have To Know!

In an ideal world, you wouldn’t need to bother with work. You’d take your millions that have been sitting patiently in a bank account and travel to any destination you please. The money wouldn’t be a problem because everybody would have the resources to do what they wanted when they wanted to do it.

If only! Back in the real world, nothing is given to you, so if you want to travel for long periods, you may have to consider working along the way. There’s no doubt that it’s an incredible experience with fantastic people, yet it’s not a walk in the park. Whether you man a bar or are the helm of a super-yacht, you must be prepared for the journey.

It’s more than mental. You should give it your all and treat the position like a full-time job at home, and that means understanding the dynamics of working abroad. Unfortunately, it’s not the same, not when you’re trying to see as much of the world as possible along the way.

With that in mind, here are the four things you need to know before you begin your adventure. The following will help you to have an unforgettable time!

Visas & Qualifications May Be Eligible

As a Brit, and a protracted member of the European Union (say it isn’t so, EU!), it’s easy to forget that visas are required to enter a country. You’re so used to turning up at an airport and walking through the border that it comes as a shock when somebody mentions a special dispensation. Seriously?

A travel visa is one thing, but a permit to work is another entirely. If you aren’t eligible to be paid for your services while abroad, you run the risk of a fine, jail time, and potential deportation. The latter may not be a big deal – you’ll never go back again anyway – but there’s no way to tell the future. Imagine if a life opportunity pops up and you can’t take it because you’re barred.

As well as entry requirements, you shouldn’t dismiss work qualifications. Lots of roles won’t require them, yet certain ones will. If you plan on working on a boat, like so many travellers do, enrolling in an STCW course is a savvy move. For that other traveller staple, teaching English abroad, you should get a TEFL certification as certified teachers are more likely to secure jobs.

There’s a lot of red tape, which is why you must do your research before you book the flights and board the plane.

Pixabay – CC0 Licence

Make Sure To Save

Ah, the biggest mistake made by anybody who decides to work and travel at the same time. Let’s face it – you’ve never had as much money since you left the homeland to explore the world. Scrimping and saving are fine, but it’s nice to be able to buy a packet of crisps without wondering whether they’re affordable!

The temptation to blast your money as quickly as you earn it is strong, not only because you never had money and now you have it, but also because of your lifestyle. Working behind a bar, for instance, is synonymous with partying and drinking all the time. As a result, you’re bound to spend money hand over fist.

When you do, you look at your account and realise you don’t have enough funds for the second leg of your trip. Considering travelling is the most important part of the journey, it should be your main focus. Nobody wants to spend a year abroad working and not seeing the sights! 

Thankfully, the solution is simple – set up a standing order. You can opt for a direct debit, too, yet they are less forgiving. A standing order from your foreign account to your British one, or PayPal, will ensure that your salary is of use!

You May Want To Stay

Your trip is planned. Once you have the money, you’ll head up the coast of whichever country you’re living in and spend as many months bumming around as possible. At first, it’s hard to see how your plans will change. Nothing sounds better than island hopping and using your hard-earned money on ridiculously cheap food and drinks.

Then, you make friends and find a support group you never imagined existed outside of your loved ones back home. Yep, you don’t want to leave because you’re settled and can’t imagine travelling without another group.

There’s nothing wrong with staying and following the group. However, you must be aware that it could be your only opportunity to experience a once-in-a-lifetime wonder. Plus, if your entire trip revolves around visiting the attraction or destination, you could look back and regret playing it safe.

At a certain point, you may need to make a tough decision and go it alone for a couple of days, weeks, or months. Don’t worry, though, as solo travelling is a part of the process, and one you’ll learn to love. Also, the world’s a small place, so if you think it’s the wrong decision, you can text your mates and book a bus or flight.

Pixabay – CC0 Licence

Homesickness Is Real

What’s the point of working and travelling simultaneously? It’s to extend your budget so that you can travel for as long as the money lasts. Nothing seems more exciting when you’re cooking up plans, but things can get stale once you have worked and travelled for a while.

Living out of a backpack in a hostel room with no privacy gets old in the end, no matter how much of a “traveller” you are. Also, you’ll miss your family and friends back home and feel yourself missing home.

It sounds impossible, yet it happens. Homesickness is real, people! This is worth knowing because it’s better to call the adventure when the feeling starts to raise its head. Rather than extending it and coming to resent travelling, you can return home, get it out of your system, and organise another trip.

Doesn’t that sound more enjoyable than travelling for the sake of it?