How Learning the Language Can Change Your Travel Experience

Posted on: 4 April 2016

Do you wish you could travel around the world and experience new cultures but feel hopeless that it will every happen as you glance at your bank account balance? The idea that you need to be well off in order to travel is just a myth. There are several ways to travel the world when you're low on funds.

Look into opportunities with travel agencies.

Travel agencies do a lot more these days than simply book plane tickets and hotel stays for their customers. They also provide tours of remote locations that are difficult for tourists to see on their own. They help backpackers connect with others, provide ratings and reviews of local restaurants and entertainment venues, and keep travelers informed of political unrest and other dangers in the locations they're visiting. To provide these services, they have to employ people with a wide array of skills. Chances are, whatever skill set you have, there's a travel agency out there looking for it. Can you take great photos, write informative blog posts, design websites, connect with people, provide customer service over the phone, give tours, or visit and review restaurants? Start looking for employment with a travel agency!

If you're able to secure a job with a travel agency, you'll likely be given travel perks as a part of your compensation package. This might include discounts on plane tickets and accommodations or extra weeks off to travel. You might even be sent on trips as a part of your job -- and get paid for it. The more you travel, the more knowledge you accumulate, and the more valuable you become to the travel agency. They know this, so they will make it easier and worthwhile for you to travel while you're employed by them.

Teach English in a foreign country.

Throughout Europe and Asia, so many people want their children to learn English as a second language. There are various companies that employ native English speakers to teach English to these students. Some of these companies have branches in various countries. Once you become employed by them, you can teach in one country for a few months and then move to another country and teach there for a few months, and so forth. On long weekends, you can take short trips to nearby cities and countries and see even more of the world.

It is easier to get a job teaching English abroad than you might imagine. In many countries, you'll need to have a 4-year college degree, but there are nations (including Mexico and most Latin American countries) where this is not required. You'll need to be willing to take a TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) course, which the employer will likely pay for. You need to be comfortable working one-on-one with children and adults and willing to embrace new and different cultures.

Travel and work in hostels.

One of the biggest expenses related to traveling is your accommodations. Working for hostels as you travel is a way to negate those accommodation costs and also earn a bit extra money to support yourself. If you're not familiar with hostels, they are places that offer low-cost, basic room and board for travelers. Travelers typically pay for a bunk bed in a shared room. Hostels are typically laid back environments, and they often employ travelers to work at the front desk, cook, clean, and give tours in exchange for a place to stay and a small stipend.

Look for your first hostel job before you depart. Then, once you're working there, you can stay for a few weeks or months until you find another hostel job in a different location to move on to. When you work for hostels, you'll also have access to a lot of tourist resources, like low-cost transportation and discount group tours, that you may not find out about otherwise. This gives you the opportunity to experience more than you otherwise would during your travels.

If your dream is to see the world, don't let a tight budget keep you at home. Look for employment opportunities with travel agencies, English teaching companies, and hostels, and then get paid to travel.