Gap year: work and travel around the world
GAP YEAR around the world: it doesn't matter if you are working or doing volunteering, all it takes is some ongoing interaction with locals to develop a connection and make some friends.
Work
Depending on your age, nationality and professional skills, you can get short term legal permission to work almost anywhere. Seasonal work means summer resorts by the sea, from June to September, or winter resorts in the snow, from November to March, the opposite if in the Southern Hemisphere. Transitions Abroad and JobMonkey list seasonal and short-term jobs.
The easiest legal route for young travellers is a working holiday visa. Australia gives them to 18 to 30 year olds, or up to 35 for British, Canadian, Danish, French, Irish and Italian passport holders, and US citizens can apply up to 30. New Zealand runs its own schemes. The details are on RTW for Students.
Teaching your language, mostly English, is another way to earn on the road, and so is teaching diving once you have a PADI Divemaster certification.
CIEE, a non-profit exchange organisation founded in 1947, runs Work and Travel programmes that bring international students to seasonal jobs in the USA.
Work for your bed
If you don't need a wage, a few hours of work a day can pay for your room and meals. WWOOF places volunteers on organic farms in more than 130 countries. Workaway lists more than 50,000 opportunities in over 170 countries, for US$69 a year on your own or US$79 for two. HelpX has a free membership, and a Premier one for 20 euros for two years. More on these in Hospitality Exchange.
Volunteering
It can be for human aid and development, in archaeology, protecting wildlife or in nature conservation: there are many useful websites. The Year Out Group lists approved gap year providers, and Habitat for Humanity takes volunteers to build homes.
Donating your time can be a tremendously fulfilling experience. But before you sign up, be sure you get an exact description of what you'll be doing and what they expect you to accomplish during your stay.
To plan how long to go and what it costs, see HOW long do you need? and RTW Trip How much?.
Tags: RTW, volunteering world, work around the world, work travel
Planning a round-the-world trip? AirTreks has built multi-stop itineraries since 1987. See sample routes or ask a specialist.