“Oneika Answers” is a feature on the blog where I answer readers’ questions about travel. In this installment, a reader wonders how they can sustain themselves financially while living abroad:
Hi Oneika! I am strongly considering moving to Spain to study Spanish, but I would need steady income to sustain myself. I’m having a hard time finding remote jobs and I don’t want to go the teaching route. I would love to hear the types of jobs you’ve noticed avid travelers have that allow them to be mobile (or at least travel more than others). It would be great to hear more options/opportunities that I may be overlooking, even if I don’t choose to relocate to Spain…just to travel more.
Hi! There are definitely ways of making a steady income abroad without going the teaching route. Becoming a digital nomad is one of them. A digital nomad is “someone who leverages technology and the internet to work remotely”, whether that be from home, from the Starbucks down the road, or in some wildly exciting foreign country! Web designing, editing, and freelance writing can allow you to work entirely online. Another really big industry these days is social media and SEO consulting. Basically all you need is an internet connection! The folks over at Neverending Voyage have a great post on how they got started as digital nomads.
If you’re not into the techie side of things (admittedly, I’m terrible at all things technical), you still have options. They just require you to think outside of the box. Have you ever thought about working in tourism in your destination(s) of choice? Working at a hostel doesn’t pay very much BUT you can often negotiate free lodging and meals in exchange for work. You’ll find that it’s super easy to organize such an arrangement. Do you work in a high-demand field where your skills are required abroad (think nursing, social work, etc)? In places like the UK there is lots of work for people in niche fields. Do you work for a multinational company? It may be possible to get a job transfer abroad. In Hong Kong I met tons of people working in the finance industry who had gotten an internal transfer. If you’re American, you may have the possibility to join the Peace Corps– while it’s a volunteer opportunity, I believe that you get some sort of stipend to cover your living costs!
Whatever your interests, there are lots of ways to make money to keep yourself afloat while abroad! Hope that helps!
Readers, do any of you work remotely or done any of the things I mentioned in the post above? Any recommendations for this traveller?
58 Comments
Great suggestions, Oneika!
I work in Digital Marketing for a tour operator, and I’m technically ‘location independent’. I worked from home for months before moving into an office, but I still could work from wherever I wanted. There are a lot of web-based companies that aren’t too techie, so I’m sure there are more similar opportunities out there!
You’re right – even if you’re not a techie (or a teacher), there are still really cool things you can do.
I so envy you with your job, Lindsay! I was definitely thinking of you when writing the response!! 😛
I liked this post. The digital nomad is a great idea!!
But I don’t agree with the Peace Corps being a good alternative to a TEFL job. It takes 24-36 months to to completely fill a peace corps application, they often require relevant academic, work and volunteer experience in order to get placed. And if you don’t, the default is teaching ANYWAY, so not only do you end living in poverty conditions where you don’t make enough money to travel internationally – but you’re doing exactly what you DIDN’T want to do. So, the peace corps isn’t a viable option if you don’t want to do TEFL work – and if you commit yourself to be in Peace Corps, it’s for two years (you can always leave, of course, but generally you stay for two years if you choose to commit). Additionally, the Peace Corps is service work, so many people don’t really do it to travel abroad since you’re in the parts of the world that are the most disenfranchised. Not exactly a holiday vacation.
If she wants to sustain herself, she can look into connecting with some companies there. LinkedIn is a super valuable resource, and maybe she can make enough connections to help set her up with work. There’s of course the low wage, low skilled work of being an au pair but that’s not everyone’s cup of tea and I don’t like to recommend it to people. So I think her best bet to figure out what she wants to do because that creates clarity, just asking “how to make money” won’t be very helpful.
And there are loads of resources of people online who tell OTHER people how to create or find work abroad. A common piece of advice is to get an international transfer, but I don’t like this because it can take a long time and that’s not helpful if you want to leave immediately. Or even just leave within a few months.
Thanks for your comment! To be honest I don’t know much about the Peace Corps as I am not eligible. I realize that it’s not the most ideal situation, but I still think it’s a viable option for those who would like to live and work abroad in areas like communication and international development. I think that sort of experience is invaluable, even if the pay is not amazing and the place isn’t considered your typical “holiday” situation.
You’re right that getting an international transfer is a longer term plan, but I mostly like the idea of it because the paperwork involved is way easier to procure and the international move greatly facilitated in general. The unfortunate reality is that getting a work visa to work in most parts of Europe is near impossible for North Americans without a European Union passport. Working for a multinational for even a year and actively seeking a transfer is a lot more realistic than getting valid working papers for France/Spain/Italy.
The international transfer is what I plan on doing after working for 2 years with my company. Though the problem is now which country to choose. But I think I’m choosing Europe just so I can travel easier to the Middle East & Africa 🙂 But who knows, that’s still far in the future
Sounds like a good problem to me :-0
Great article! I’m hoping to leave the corporate world pretty soon and transition into full-time travel for at least a year or two 🙂
It’s hard work to find something good abroad, but once you do move it’s well worth the wait!
I teach Spanish online to high schoolers in rural Oklahoma, so I can live and work anywhere as long as I have internet at home. The issues I face, however, include the 90-day limitation under the Schengen Agreement (finding an affordable apt for 3 months is challenging) and my work hours (3:25 – 9:50 pm) because of the time differences. At least I got off one hour earlier in the UK :).
I agree that getting a long stay visa in the EU can be extremely difficult and very frustrating. Do you perhaps have any ancestry from the EU countries that would allow you to facilitate the process for a long term visa?
I taught Spanish and ESL in a classroom for 10 years and what like to leverage this skill online. Could you recommend any online companies or schools I could look into for opportunities? For whom do you work or is it freelance? The possibility to do this while living abroad with my daughter is exciting!
Hi Oneika!
This is my first time contributing a comment to your blog! I have been reading it for awhile (1 to 2 years) and have been inspired by your travels. I was able to travel by applying for a job with Semester at Sea which opened me up to so many new places that I never considered to visit. Memoria and I are in a similar situation. I work remotely as well and finding housing for 3 months is a challenge. I would like to live near the London area (not in London though because I will have to relinquish one of my kidneys to afford it), can you recommend cities outside of London that would be a good alternative?
Hi Shayla! Just consulted a good friend of mine who is from London and she says that your best bets would be Surbiton, Croydon, Luton, and Stratford. All are within an hour commute to London centre and still relatively cheap to live in. So check those out!
An online friend of mine was able to go travelling for a year. She was/is a freelance writer and set up several service based products that she could sell online. All she neeed was an internet connection and she was goo to go.
It is fantastic how much traveling you are able to manage with the full time teaching gig. Continued Happy Travels 🙂
Thank you! It’s all about taking advantage of my vacation time and booking early to minimize travel costs!
Oneika,
First let me say I truly LOVE LOVE LOVE your site. Since learning about it a week ago, I’ve stalked it!!! I’m an avid explorer and travel addict and have dreamed of living abroad for a while now. You are definitely a woman after my own heart living the life I’ve dreamed of and longed for. Well, my dreams are becoming my reality. I, too, am embarking on a new life chapter of international expat living. Like you, I will live in several regions of the world (Asia, Centra/South America, Europe, Africa and beyond). My journey begins in June. I will join the Peace Corps as a Volunteer in the TEFL China program as an English Teacher stationed in South Central China (Sichuan Region), Peace Corps indeed is a viable option for me as I am interested in living and working abroad and it will give me the option to travel to surrounding Asian countries. You are correct, I view this as an invaluable opportunity to be of service and learn a new culture (and language) in the process. Travel is my life and now I’m taking my love of culture, language and travel to the next level. I want to eat, live and drink new adopted countries. Rock on!
Thanks so much Karin!! Glad you found me and are liking what you read :-). I’ve never been to Sichuan but am dying to explore more of China! Sounds like a good gig you got there, good luck and have fun!!
I made it a year living abroad by freelance writing. Speaking English in a place that doesn’t means you can tell other people who speak English about a place they may like to go. But it was rough, I am shy and instead of being professional and coming out of school and earning the opportunity I just decided to quit my normal job and move and juiced personal connections to do it. I also didn’t write about Paris for very much money and mostly wrote about other things.
Still freelance, but mostly for a small publishing company. A lot of smaller companies can’t afford to hire employees and rent offices so if you have some basic skills and can get an introduction there’s always the possibility you’ll be bored out of your mind managing data for a small but survivable wage while looking out the window at a place of wonder and beauty.
Connections are key for the likes of me, and I can’t say I’m exactly living the dream or even living where I wanted to be these days. It’s a rough gamble but if you’ve the constitution for it, you’ll figure it out and make it work.
The key in all of this is realizing that it takes a lot of research, hard work, and thick skin to make your own way abroad! It’s all about using all resources available to you (skills, personal connections, etc). Definitely some sacrifices have to be made if living and working abroad is really what you want (i.e. it’s rare that someone will get to do their dream job in their dream country, even rarer that they will be making a great wage doing so).
Hi Oneika! LOVE your blog, very inspiring <3 <3
I work as a complementary health/holistic therapist, meditation teacher and soon-to-be yoga teacher in London… if anyone is interested in this field of work, it is possible to travel and work doing what you love. Over the last few years, I have seen a huge change and people seem to be much more open and interested in this… so it's a good time to explore this area!
I admit, like all businesses, it takes time to set your Self up and slowly build a client base if you are freelance – most newly qualified complementary therapists have to juggle full-time unrelated jobs with clients at the beginning (not easy at all lol!)… but the bonus is you are able to work in some fab locations around the world if you want to travel with it, like exclusive spas, yoga retreats, gyms, corperate venues (they are becoming much more open to this for their employees!) etc – and keep fit at the same time!
Especially as a yoga teacher, the options of where to work are quite exciting! Many oif my colleagues who have been teaching for years will all tell me about their travels…. like doing travel "tours" around Europe and Asia and teaching workshops at different locations, booking online and growing their client base that way… this has inspired me to begin the process of teaching yoga too. I plan to travel much more with this. Excited and nervously happy lol 🙂
Thanks Linda! I actually tried yoga for the first time (in India!) last week! I agree that pursuing a life abroad whilst sustaining oneself financially takes time!
I work as a freelance translator and lawyer. It’s easily enough to finance my travels, but then I am usually going to staying in cheaper countries: http://andreasmoser.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/how-do-you-finance-your-travels/
I just started following you on Twitter and I’m glad you tweeted this, Oneika! I’ve been a teaching assistant for two years in Martinique and I really want to find something else to do abroad. There are great ideas here! One thing I would add is the Youth Mobility Visa (for Canadians). If you’re between 18-30, you can apply for a visa to work abroad in the UK, France, Czech Republic…the list is really long!
Also, being a teaching assistant isn’t like teaching full-time so maybe the person could look into that. We only work 12 hours a week and don’t take classes on our own! From what I know, they are available in Spain and France.
Yours in Travel,
Alyssa
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