Depending on your interests and hobbies, there are so many interesting ways to travel for free! I took advantage of some of these throughout my summer holidays. I knew I would have to work throughout my holidays, and I would rather be working in a new, exciting country, rather than sticking with my usual Saturday university job! The list below is just a few ways to travel for free, there are hundreds more it just takes researching to find the awesome opportunities! And the options available mostly include free accommodation which I know is an issue for most students throughout the holidays, if housing isn’t included! Working abroad eliminates these issues and stops people moving home for the summer and clashing with parents they have forgotten how to live with.
My first year of university I went to America to work as a lifeguard at a summer camp and it was the most incredible few months of my life! I had to pay about £2,000 upfront for flights, health insurance, visa paperwork and deposits but this is paid back to you throughout your time working. Personally, I was paid monthly but it may differ depending on camp and the organisation you go through. Every week, I had 2 days off to explore – which I took full advantage of and to accommodate travels afterwards the company ask when you would like to leave. I decided I wanted to travel for 1 month after my job finished, so my visa date and flights were extended for 1 month. Whilst I was researching which organisation to go through, I found so many different companies all specialising in different things. I met people going to football, water sports, dance and art speciality camps, if you have a particular skillset I would try and see if there is a camp that suits your needs.
I have known many friends who have worked as au pairs all over the world, there are so many different companies which specialise in different countries and they match you up with the perfect family for you. This would be perfect for languages students who are multilingual as many families like using British au pairs to help with their children’s language skills. In the many different positions, you can live with the host family or be provided with your own accommodation, but this varies depending on each family. And depending on your skillset, the pay can be quite reasonable and the days off vary depending on which company you work through.
I worked with youth groups within the UK last summer, and you work with the same group of teenagers for 1 month. The work let me travel around the UK going to new adventure camps and trying out fun activities like stand-up paddle boarding, rock climbing and so many more. I was paid to accompany the teenagers on all these fun activities whilst providing guidance and assistance through the activities. Throughout this time, you work away from home and your travel, food and accommodation costs are all covered. For students looking for a way to make some extra money, whilst also trying out new activities – this is perfect for you. They want young, fun workers who are close in age to the people they are working with, so they can relate and look up to you.
I worked for Thomas Cook 2 years ago in a kid’s club position. The hours were incredibly long but I got 2 days off a week to explore the hotel and its surroundings. I was lucky that my hotel was in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt, so my days off were spent swimming with dolphins and scuba diving – basically any activities involved with the sea! As with the summer camps, there were so many positions at my hotel, climbing instructors, football, swim, dance – if any of these are your chosen areas, you get paid to do something you love in the sun in a luxury hotel! The food, accommodation, flights were all paid for, but this varied with holiday providers, I would check to make sure you are getting a good deal before-hand.
I have also worked as a language teacher for groups similar to the youth position, in number 3. But the opportunities were for shorter periods of time and focusing on helping non-English speakers improve their English. The accommodation and food was paid for, however there was no salary and the flights weren’t included. This would be a perfect opportunity for someone looking to improve their public speaking skills, but the fact it was unpaid may discourage people. There are plenty of language teacher positions through organisations like TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), but these ones tend to be longer positions.
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