Today’s blog will cover an uncharacteristic topic for travel websites and reviews – making money while you travel. Of course, most travelers hit the road – abroad or in their home countries – for a simple short-term vacation, maybe lasting a week or two at the most.
During that time, they do their best NOT to think of work, as they sit by the pool sipping $12 Mai Thais, pretend to like crumbing structures just because they’re old, and wear cute matching outfits with the Mrs. as they run around chasing ridiculous photo ops. Ahhhh vacation!
But soon they’re back home, doing the 9 to 5 thing and just looking at those same photos as their desktop screensaver, right?
However, there’s a new breed of traveler – one who looks to extend their experience and therefore make it more authentic and memorable. By living in a place longer than the obligatory one week, you start learning about the local culture, what real life is like there (not the tourist façade), and even start making great friendships. In fact, a lot of younger travelers (especially from Canada, Australia, Europe, etc.) look to stay in a region abroad for months at a time or even a year, as they take advantage of a gap between high school and college, between college and starting work, in between jobs, summer breaks, etc.
A rising number also look to work as they travel. Some have their own business already set up that they can run via the phone and internet while on the road, while others still can do their job back home for a company, albeit virtually. And even more look to make a buck or two anywhere and anyway they can while traveling, as it replenishes their coiffures and allows them to extend their trip.
But there are also complications and considerations like not having a work visa, not having official employee papers, and not having access to a local bank account. If you get a local job at local wages in some countries – like developing nations – you’ll also be shocked at how long and hard you have to work for a very humble wage. There may even be resentment from the locals if you’re “stealing their much-needed jobs.”
In my many years living and traveling abroad, I’ve identified some of the top jobs you can do as you travel – flexible enough to do just about anywhere, will make you a wage that’s not insignificant, and that you can feel good about.
I’ll cover two of them here, and the next five in part two of this blog.
1. Yoga Teacher
Just about anywhere you go as a traveler will have other travelers and these days, people want to be healthy and live cleanly as they’re abroad. Therefore, a whole lot of people (young women especially) who are into yoga work to teach yoga classes to others in hostels, fitness centers, wellness centers, nice resorts, and even in community centers. Since it’s a group class, you can make a decent wage for just an hour or two a day.
2. Yoga teacher training
Thanks to all of those wanna-be yoga teachers, the bigger game being played by yoga teacher training camps and academies . I’ve seen these just about everywhere, and they can charge BIG money to get other travelers, foreigners, and even locals certified as yoga teachers, themselves. These courses usually last a full month and cost thousands of dollars. Any resort, yoga center, or another hostel in nature would probably love to host a teacher training, so it just takes a little coordination and hustle to attract the willing clients. You’ll work hard for 30 days but then have enough to keep traveling another few months!
About Norm Schriever
Norm Schriever is a blogger, Amazon best-sellling author, cultural mad scientist, and enemy of the comfort zone. His work appears in the Huffington Post, Business.com, Good Morning America, The Anderson Cooper Show on CNN, NBC, MSN, Yahoo, Hotels.com, and media all around the world.
Norm grew up in Connecticut and graduated from the University of Connecticut, where he was never accused of overstudying. After expatriating to Costa Rica in 2011, he started traveling the world and documenting what he saw. He now lives in Southeast Asia, writing his heart out and working with local charities.
