Not ALL Travel Makes You An Awesome Person

There's a Huffington Post article floating around called Why Travel Makes You An Awesome Person. For the most part, I think it's great. I have a whole blog based on this concept and it's nice to know I'm not nuts for thinking it's a worthwhile subject to write on. But while I generally agree with its assertions, the article is woefully unspecific when it comes to the kind of travel it's talking about.

The words Vacation and travel are often used interchangeably, but vacations are not the kind of travel being referred to in the article above (or on this blog). They can certainly be part of a longer travel experience that does, but taken by themselves, vacations do not make you an awesome person. Happier? Maybe. Tan? I hope so. Well-rested? For sure. But awesome? I don't think so.

While the article does a bad job of differentiating, one easily-overlooked sentence hits the nail on the head: "Unless you sit at a resort drowning your brain in frozen drinks, travel will teach you about the world." That's a big unless. Sadly, plenty of people out there who consider themselves "well-traveled" have experienced little during their time abroad other than an upscale version of their own culture, transplanted into a prettier location.

The thing is, you don't get more adventurous, smarter, less materialistic, or any number of other "awesome" qualities listed in that article by spending a week or two living the high life in some exotic location, surrounded by other Americans. There's nothing necessarily wrong with going away and doing nothing but "tourist stuff," but just because you went up the Eiffel Tower doesn't mean you learned jack about French culture. Know what I mean?

Now, my goal here is not to rip on vacation. My family and I have enjoyed plenty of wonderful vacations that have provided rest from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and given us the opportunity to make some great memories together. I'm also not trying to say you can't be awesome if you don't travel the way I say you should. You can still be awesome; it just won't be due to travel.

I am saying you need more than vacation to really learn about the world. And lest you think this whole post was just a little too serious, I'm going to use Disney/Pixar to help make my point. Not sure whether trips you've taken have made you awesome or not? Here are a few ways you can know you have actually traveled (and not just vacationed):

1. You had to pinch pennies before, during, and after your trip.

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2. Your standard of living was lower while away than it is at home.

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3.  Forget "getting out of your comfort zone," you were (at times) downright uncomfortable.

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4. You actually got to know some locals (who weren't wait staff).

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5. You cleaned (or didn't clean) your own living space.

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6. Consistent internet access wasn't a thing.

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7. You went to extreme lengths to communicate on multiple occasions.

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8. Being lost – really lost – was a legitimate possibility, if not a reality.

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9. You packed something other than bathing suits and "resort wear."

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10. Once it was over, you needed a vacation. 

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Can’t Afford It? 4 Tips for Financing Your Time Abroad

Money is far and away the biggest excuse young adults, whether single or married, throw around for not traveling as much as they would like to. Why? I haven’t run a study on it or anything, but it seems pretty clear. The thought process goes something like this:

Maybe it’s ok for college students to blow their savings backpacking through Europe, but we’re adults now. We have responsibilities, and extended travel isn’t in the cards right now. Frankly, I/we can’t afford it.

Let me clue you in on a little secret. Spending time abroad can actually make a lot of financial sense. Don’t sell yourselves short because you don’t think you can make it work. You can. Like all good things in life, it just takes effort. So, if you’re looking for some solid advice on how to live abroad “wisely,” read on.

1. Extended trips are cheaper than short vacations.

It surprises me how few people seem to figure this out. Say you want to go to New Zealand (and trust me, you do). Weigh these two options and tell me which one sounds better to you:

1)    You could take a 2-week vacation there, during which you will spend $1600 on plane tickets, another $500+ on lodging (yes, even hostels would cost at least $400), not to mention the $500+ it’ll cost to do all the sightseeing and thrill-seeking, and you will be getting over jetlag the whole time to boot. In all likelihood you won’t get to know any actual Kiwis (the people, not the birds… or the fruit), and you have a 0% chance of seeing a significant portion of the country in a meaningful way.

2)    Or you could spend 3-12 months living and working there, either staying in one location or moving around every so often. You will spend roughly the same amount of money on plane tickets and “tourist stuff,” but if you play your cards right, you can get food and lodging for free (see here) and/or make enough money to break even or better (see here). You’ll make a bunch of friends who are actually from New Zealand, and from a bunch of other countries to boot. And you’ll have the time and know-how to see as much of the country as you want to.

So, let’s do the math. With Option 1, you spend $2500 minimum in two weeks. With Option 2, you spend anywhere from $0 to $2500 in 3-12 months. I know, I know, if you spent those same 3-12 months working a steady job at home, you could probably make a lot more than $2500. But my point here isn’t that extended travel makes you rich… it’s that extended travel doesn’t have to make you poor, and experientially it’s more worth your while than “binge traveling.”

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2. Traveling with a buddy is cheaper than traveling alone.

Plenty of “rogue” types out there will tell you traveling by yourself is where it’s at. And that philosophy definitely has its merits; I’m a big believer in the importance of spending time alone out on the road. I even wrote about it once, and you can read my musings here if you feel like it. But when it comes to extended trips abroad, it’s tough to argue that it makes more sense to go with someone, at least from a financial perspective.

This isn’t rocket surgery. It’s not brain science either. If you travel alone, all the expenses fall on you and no one else. If you travel with another person, you split a lot of these expenses (cars, campsites, etc.). You also have twice as much brainpower to research deals, make reservations, and that kind of thing. And if there were some kind of emergency, as it says in the Good Book, two are better than one.

A tip: whether it’s your childhood best friend, your college roommate, your sibling, or your spouse, choose your travel buddy wisely. You’ll be spending a lot of time together.

3. The secret to saving up is… save up.

You already know all about saving money. Chances are high that you’ve had to find ways to put funds aside to pay for education, a car, the latest hot technological commodity, an engagement ring (guys), or possibly all of the above. Which is why I’m a little skeptical when you say you can’t afford to travel. What you actually mean is, travel isn’t high up enough on your priority list to merit saving for it.

Not everyone is in the position to drop everything and jet off to live in some exotic location (though a lot more people are than want to admit it). But if you’re serious about wanting to live abroad “someday,” start preparing for that someday today. Make room in your budget for travel, and regularly set some of your earnings aside for no other purpose. And again, you do not need bags of money to live abroad. I’ve already written four blog posts on different, legitimately affordable options that don’t require much in the way of savings, so go read them if you haven’t yet.

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4. Don’t let career concerns scare you away.

If you’re worried that “wasting” a year living overseas would hurt your future job prospects, don’t be. In fact, spending a year abroad after college will help your career in the long run. I have a lot of good reasons for saying this, and I’ll list the top three here:

1. Taking a year “off” to travel after college will look great on your résumé. Most good job openings will have a number of qualified applicants, and any Career Services counselor will tell you that you need to find ways to stand out. Work experience overseas is the perfect way to set yourself apart and make potential employers take notice. And they should; no matter what you end up doing abroad, you will develop skills that will serve you in any workplace.

2. What you do abroad doesn’t have to be irrelevant to your future career (though in my personal opinion, if it is, who cares?). If “relevance” is that important to you, look for jobs that tie in to your long-term aspirations… they’re out there. Also, if you plan to get an advanced degree, consider studying in a foreign university. You’d be surprised how inexpensive tuition can be, and in many cases, a diploma from another country will look pretty snazzy back in the U.S.A.

3. Living overseas will automatically expand your professional network. Make no mistake, if you spend some solid time studying or working in a foreign country, you will discover all sorts of job opportunities you would never have known existed otherwise. Both your peers (classmates and/or coworkers) and your superiors (professors and/or bosses) will have a host of internationally-applicable tips and connections that could influence your future career.

So there you have it. If you have any other tips to add, or any questions about the finer details of living abroad, please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments box below!

One of Us Wants to Travel...

My last post on Why Marrying Young ≠ Selling Your Soul generated a lot of responses, with a number of readers saying they'd love to live abroad with their soon-to-be spouse but they either 1) can't convince their fiancé/spouse to jump on board, or 2) don't know how to make it happen financially. Now, I have no intention of turning my blog into a relationship advice column, and I promise future posts won't be so couples-specific. But these are fair questions that I happen to be in a good position to answer, so here goes. I'll deal with the first quandary here and tackle the second in a follow-up article. 

One of us wants to travel, the other isn't so sure.

This just might be the number one issue that keeps couples who contemplate living abroad after marriage from actually doing it. And it makes sense, given the whole "opposites attract" axiom. One person wants adventure, the other wants stability, and more often than not stability wins out because hey, it's the easier path.

Long-term travel is scary and hard to plan; staying close to home is less scary and, well, less hard to plan. Just like that, the more logical partner convinces his/her more adventurous other half that maybe extended travel isn't the best idea. I'd like to gently challenge this oh-so-reasonable tendency to follow the path of least resistance (and to you logical halves out there––know that we still love you bunches). 

Please note that I'm not trying to say you can't have a perfectly happy life, whether single or married, spent entirely in your country of origin (or even in your home town). But I do want to suggest there might be more out there for those who are willing to take the plunge. See 5 Reasons You Should Live in Another Country for more on this, but here are 5 reasons young couples should live abroad after they get married:

1) It's all about sacrifice.

In my experience, the number one thing that separates young couples is unwillingness in one or both people to make sacrifices. The result being that either the couple breaks up, or one person does all the sacrificing and ends up being unhappy and/or bitter in the long run. And it's not always the case, but in Christian circles at least it's more often than not the girl who gives up her dreams to follow the boy. I find this problematic not simply because it's "not fair," but far more importantly because God gives dreams to all of his children, sons and daughters alike, for a purpose. Forfeiting them may well result in us serving his Kingdom less faithfully. Logical halves, a year(ish) abroad may seem irresponsible to you, but honestly, why should young couples without children be any more tied down than their single counterparts? If your spouse (or future spouse) feels pulled toward travel, whether in a missions context or simply to experience other cultures and landscapes in this incredible world of ours, I want to encourage you to take this desire seriously. Nothing reassured me I was marrying the right person in the right stage of life more than when, part way through our engagement, Alec let out a deep breath and said "Ok, let's go to New Zealand." 

Alec catching his breath during a pre-dawn scramble to the top of the Pinnacles to watch the sun rise. 

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2) Nothing brings you together like traveling together.

If there's one thing I can say I have learned personally from my experiences living abroad with my husband, it's that there is no better form of bonding out there. Moving to another country is like moving to a new town, times a bazillion. When we arrived in New Zealand, we were literally all each other had to lean on. Together, we had to figure out how to arrange transportation, set up a bank account, buy a car, and interpret the crazy Kiwi slang. By this point we have made plenty of new "mates," but we are still each other's only close friend this side of the Pacific. We aren't just husband and wife. We're fellow travelers, coworkers, confidants, prayer partners... and drinking buddies. All of this has taught us that we can trust each other completely. We are a team, 100% of the time. I know all newlyweds spend a lot of time together, but Alec and I are together about 20 out of every 24 hours, minimum, and we're loving it. We already can't wait to look back on the memories we are making. 

3) Independence is the only option. 

Independence is something a lot of newly married couples struggle with, and it can be especially difficult for Mom and Dad to let go (or to let go of Mom and Dad!) when you're barely grown up as it is. Parents (not to mention siblings, extended family, and close friends) are awesome, and I'm not suggesting you cut yourselves off completely or anything dumb like that, but it's important to establish boundaries as your own familial unit right off the bat. At least that's what our pre-marital counselor said. And what better way to politely yet abruptly establish said boundaries than to ditch the country all together!? Seriously though, we miss our relatives and friends like crazy, but we are also grateful for the independence that naturally flows from living overseas. We are not merely able to make our own decisions (and, yes, learn from our mistakes)... we have no other choice. 

Our trusty Chacos, set in front of Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel Penninsula here in New Zealand.

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4) You'll learn to do without.

Another big lesson all married couples learn and that extended travel throws into sharp relief is managing your resources. And I don't just mean money, though money is obviously a big deal. I also mean time, and heck, just stuff. In terms of finances (more in-depth post on this coming soon), it's an added challenge to keep a budget when there are so many awesome opportunities to spend inordinate amounts of money. Thus, we force ourselves to spread out extravagant expenses, figure out the cheapest possible ways to do things, and really consider whether a given attraction is worth it. Sometimes you just have to say no. Time-wise, there's so much to do here, but we also work full time, on a very erratic schedule. So we've learned to pace ourselves, get enough sleep, and use our days off wisely. As far as stuff goes, Alec and I each brought one suitcase and one hiking backpack to New Zealand. Two bags each for 8 months. When you don't have a lot, you learn to make do with what you need (and to be thankful for the extras).  

5) Now is the time.

If you are young and either married or about to be, there is literally no time like the present for extended travel overseas. In this you have a huge advantage over your older counterparts. They have to worry about pre-established careers and pressure to have a family in the near future. You don't. From this perspective, there is actually tremendous freedom in marrying ahead of the curve. Being "tied down" too soon is an oft-cited criticism of early marriage, but who says you need to tie yourselves down? You can pick up those long-term plans of yours after you spend some solid time abroad, growing as individuals and as a couple, learning to see the world from different perspectives, and all that jazz. Sure, you could wait for retirement; plenty of people do. But how many older folks have you heard wishing they had the energy and stamina of their 20-something selves? So, if anything I've written above has spoken to you, if you feel yourself itching to follow this advice, I urge you... leave. Pick a place and go. Don't wait for a better time, because there isn't one. 

Why Marrying Young ≠ Selling Your Soul

I’m 21 years old, and I am a wife. This tends to surprise people. Honestly, it surprises me too. All through high school and going into college, my plan was to graduate, see the world, get a grown-up job, and then get married. I figured I’d date a few people along the way, decide what kind of man I wanted to end up with, and eventually (somewhere in my mid to late twenties) the right guy would come along. That’s how my parents did it, and four kids and twenty-seven years later, it seems to have worked pretty well for them.

Of course, as so often happens to life plans, mine went out the window when Alec and I started dating. I never really expected the first guy to be the right guy. But he was. By that I do not mean he was the only person in the world I could be in a successful relationship with. Seriously people, we all need to jump off the “soul mate” bandwagon. Read a great article explaining why here. I do mean Alec was (and is) a smart, mature, God-fearing man who I happen to find attractive, funny, and interesting. He also loved me through two sleep-deprived years of 4:00 AM crew practices, regatta weekends, and more sweat and spandex than most men would even consider putting up with, but that's beside the point.

Though my friends and family all thought highly of Alec, some had their doubts when, after a year of serious dating, we got engaged and set a wedding date for the summer after we graduated from college. I remember one person in particular encouraging me to rethink things, saying I needed to “break it [our relationship] off for a while, date other people, and enjoy your young years.” I politely thanked him for his advice and said I had no intention of ending a relationship with someone I cared about and who fit me so perfectly.

Photo Credit: Christina Blanarovich, Zen Photography

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At the same time, I’d be lying if I said I never had any doubts. I didn’t doubt for a second that Alec and I worked well together, or that God was blessing our relationship. But I had always dreamed of post-college life the way our society paints it, as a glowing time of independence and, well, fun. I wanted to see the world! Live on the edge! Grow as an individual! [Insert cliché "find yourself" phrase of choice]! I most definitely did not want to settle down right away, have kids, or start a long-term career. And pretty much everyone I knew who married right out of college did one or all of those things.

Instead of running for the hills (the hills in this metaphor being single life), I made one of the best decisions of my life and talked about these fears with Alec. He is the responsible, step-by-step kind of person I won’t ever be, and his general life plan prior to meeting me didn’t involve anything out of the ordinary. Plenty of likeminded men would have shied away from attaching themselves to a spontaneous, adventure-seeking tomboy like me, but not Alec. By the time he gave me that ring, he knew he was signing on for more excitement than he’d originally planned. My dreams meant as much to him as they did to me, and he made it clear that I wouldn’t have to sacrifice them to marry him.

That isn’t to say I didn’t have to sacrifice anything; my aspiration to solo hike the Appalachian Trail is probably gone forever, and I’m pretty bummed about it. Honestly though, these so-called sacrifices feel more like collaborative improvements, both for me and for Alec. Case in point: after graduating college in three years, I wanted to spend the fourth doing something exciting and slightly irresponsible. Alec had been planning to go straight from undergrad to grad school in Belgium. When we shared those dreams with each other, Alec realized a year off of studying wouldn’t be such a bad thing, and I decided living in Belgium for a while could be pretty awesome.

Fast-forward to present. We are volunteering at Lakes Ranch (part horse ranch, part adventure camp, part events center) in New Zealand. We work hard taking care of camp and having fun with kids, and then on our days off we get to explore one of the most incredible places in the world. We’re doing all kinds of fun, crazy stuff, and while Alec is loving it, he admits it never would have been his idea. On the other hand, Alec is applying for fellowships to study in Belgium next year, and somewhere along the way I decided to go for my Masters as well, which I probably wouldn’t have done if my future philosophy professor of a husband weren’t going to put us back in a university setting for five years.

Photo Credit: Christina Blanarovich, Zen Photography

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As it turns out, marrying young was the best thing that ever happened to my inner adventurer. Living abroad with Alec, I get the best of both worlds—the thrill of globe-trotting and the security of my best friend to lean on, not to mention explore with, talk to, and laugh at (I mean with… laugh with). None of this is to say you can’t do these same kinds of things while you’re single, because you can. But to the concerned advice-giver I mentioned earlier, I would like to say I am fully enjoying my young years, and being married to Alec only makes it all the easier. 

So if you’re like I was, worried that getting married too soon will take the fun out of life and/or force you to give up your dreams, stop. Taken by itself, this is quite frankly a self-centered and narrow-minded reason to postpone marriage. Please, please, realize that the sacrifices marriage requires (as long as they are mutual) do not equal selling your soul. Consider the possibility that you can still enjoy your young years with someone else, and that in the process your dreams might grow to be more than you ever imagined they could be, not in spite of, but because of the fact that they aren’t just yours.



P.S. One last thing—if you also got married young and loved/are loving it, take a few minutes to leave your story in a comment below. I can't express how important it has been to have young couples who "went first" to look up to, and I'm sure you feel the same. This whole young-marriage-is-fun thing isn't as rare as people seem to think, and a lot of readers could benefit from hearing about your experiences along with mine! 

Living Abroad (Without Bags of $) Part 4: Hostel

If you're like most young Americans, the word "hostel" probably conjures up 1) images of sketchy rooms full of bunk beds, occupied by dozens of the near-homeless, or 2) a bunch of un-showered hippie backpackers sitting around a common room smoking weed.

While I can't promise there aren't hostels out there fitting those descriptions, I can guarantee that with a little research (seriously, just read some reviews on Trip Advisor or something) you can find pleasant, reputable hostels in/near just about any developed city. What's more, hostels can be more than just inexpensive accommodation; if you play your cards right, you can live there for free. Read on to find out what you need to know about long-term, affordable hostel stays.

A gorgeous hostel (centermost large building) in Ambleside, Lake District, UK.

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What are hostels actually like? 

This is a tricky question. Hostels really are a unique option in the world of travel accommodations. Perhaps what most sets them apart from regular hotels is the extent to which they are a shared space. You and the other guests don't just share the dining room during continental breakfast and the pool for an evening swim. You share everything short of your bed. So for those of you who have never experienced hostel life before, here's a brief description (and all hostels are different, so these are "more like guidelines than actual rules").

The Rooms: 

In terms of space, hostels can range from small house- to large hotel-size. They typically have a mix of "shared" and "private" rooms, as well as twin (often bunk) and double beds. As for the number of people in a shared room, this also ranges from approximately 4 to 12. In most cases, guests share one or more hall bathrooms, which can be single-gender or co-ed. 

The Amenities: 

In addition to guest rooms, most hostels also include at least one common room (with or without TV) and a community kitchen. Many offer complimentary hot drinks/breakfast (UK hostels throw in dinner as well!), and additional services such as airport pickups, wireless internet, or transportation to the city centre. The often-surprising thing is these services are typically either free of charge or really, really cheap.

The People: 

As far as who stays in hostels, the answer once again varies. Yes, backpackers are a given (in fact, here in New Zealand, hostels are simply called "Backpackers"). But you'll also find couples, families, and older folks. Across the board, hostel-dwellers (and staff!) tend to be a kind, respectful, fun-loving bunch. Let's just say you're more likely to make friends in a hostel than in a hotel. In fact, I met my husband in a hostel... next question?

What are the pros and cons of hosteling? 

Like I explained in a recent article on hospitality jobs, pros and cons are subjective. So let's just say if the cons list sounds appealing to you, you should definitely try out the hostel life.

The Pros:

- Hostels are really inexpensive compared to just about any form of lodging other than pitching a tent. Prices vary, but you're probably looking at anywhere from $20-$50 USD per night. Plus the free food.

- Most hostels are ideally located in or near cities (so transportation won't be a worry), and they are all over the place, so if you have several destinations in mind, "hostel-hopping" is a perfectly valid option. 

- Again, the community atmosphere in hostels really is a very special thing. You will meet other young, adventurous people from all over the world, which can be a huge plus if you're traveling alone. 

The Cons:

- There isn't much privacy in hostels, even if you have a private room. So if you're the introverted type, either steer clear or plan on spending a lot of time taking walks or curled up with headphones and a book. 

- It's not the Ritz-Carlton. Staff typically keep the place nice and clean, but make no mistake – this is minimalist lodging. If you compare it to a hotel, you will probably be disappointed.

- No two hostels are the same, meaning what you get at one might be completely different from the next. Plus you always hear horror stories about bed bugs and serial killers.

Another beautiful hostel, this one a 10-minute walk from Bath, UK. 

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What's that you were saying about free hosteling?

Right, right, the "free" part. Here's the lowdown. Many hostels rely on volunteer staff to run the place. Thus why they are so inexpensive. Who are these volunteers, you ask? Often young travelers like us, who trade a few days of hostel management (cleaning, greeting new guests, serving food, etc.) per week for free lodging. Again, finding hostels with programs like this just requires some basic research. Look up hostels in your destination(s) of choice, shoot an email to their contact person, and ask if you can trade labor for lodging.  

Picture yourself with nothing but your suitcase/backpack to your name, sleeping on a bunk in a room with a few random strangers. You live off of cheap groceries that you cook yourself in the community kitchen. A couple days a week are spent scrubbing toilets, refilling the coffee, and pointing lost people in the right direction. In exchange, the rest of the week is yours to roam around, see the sights, even work other odd jobs, without having to worry about lodging expenses. After a month or so, you move on to the next hostel in the next city, wash, rinse, repeat.

If that picture sounds good to you, why not try the hostel life for a while? It's living (sort of) on the edge, but hey, that's why you read through this whole article in the first place. 

Living Abroad (Without Bags of $) Part 3: Volunteer

Volunteering might sound like a dumb option to include in a list of ways to live overseas without breaking the bank. "I don't have any money," you say? "I can't just volunteer." Well, maybe you can and you just don't know it yet.

A lot of non-profits exist around the world, and it seems like more pop up every day. These organizations run on very little funding, and typically rely on help from volunteers to function. If this kind of work appeals to you, read on to find out the basics of volunteering abroad.

Why would I volunteer?

This is probably the easiest question to answer, um, ever. As ironic as it sounds, the rewards of a volunteer position are seemingly unending. You may not get paid, but you will have the opportunity to:

Go anywhere, do anything.

You can volunteer pretty much anywhere in the world, including a lot of places that aren't quick to hand out work and/or tourist visas. And given the varied nature of NPOs, you can find a job that suits your needs in terms of structure. Sign up for a program that will get your plane ticket and visa for you, pick you up from the airport, and organize your entire trip for you, or find an organization that accepts "walk-on" volunteers and just let them know you want to come and when. 

Hitting the beach with some fellow volunteers at Campamento Cresta del Mar in Panama.

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Make amazing friends.

If you volunteer at a non-profit or a similar organization, you will make great friends, guaranteed. Why? Because they, like you, are volunteering of their own free will. No one is only there for the money, meaning everyone is there solely because they want to be. There aren't many jobs out there that can boast the same. 

Spend next to nothing.

Depending on the position, you can spend just about no money while volunteering abroad long-term (over 3 months). Practically every NPO will cover your food and lodging, and some will pay for travel expenses as well. Meaning sightseeing and souvenirs are all you need to budget for.

Note: Some NPOs, particularly those run by Christian or other religious groups, will ask you to raise your own support. Although this takes time and effort, in the long run it often allows for more freedom than simply relying on the organization for all funds. For any of you interested in mission/outreach work, this is the perfect opportunity for you to get some experience "on the ground" with seasoned missionaries.  

Do something that matters.

Volunteering is potentially the most rewarding job out there. Unlike better-paid hospitality positions, your day-to-day work will be deeply meaningful (and hopefully a lot of fun!). So if you want your time abroad to be about more than just "finding yourself" and "experiencing the world," if you want to impact the lives of others in a real, tangible way, go for a volunteer position. You might just find you will find yourself and experience the world in the process. 

"Working" with some Panamanian schoolchildren on a short-term volunteer trip to Cresta del Mar.

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How do I volunteer?

If you think volunteering might be for you, the next step is to explore the options and find one that fits. There really isn't any rhyme or reason to this, so just pull out all the plugs and see what happens. Use the internet, talk to friends who've done this kind of thing before, ask your church/place of worship if they could connect you with any missionaries they support, etc. 

Again, narrowing your search is key, so try to form a vague idea of what you want to do and/or where you want to go. If you want to have some spending money once you get there, it's also a good idea to start setting some aside now, you know, while you're still making money. 

This whole process might sound scarily unstructured and difficult, but trust me, it's a lot easier to convince a non-profit to let you help them for free than to find a paid job overseas. So no more excuses. If reading through this post stirred up a longing inside of you to give of your time and energy in service of the less fortunate, stop longing and get going. Like right now.

P.S. - Check back soon for Part 4: Hostel-Hop!

Living Abroad (Without Bags of $) Part 2: Work in Hospitality

For recent graduates who want to get out of America for a while, or for current students looking to travel and not study abroad over the summer, hospitality jobs are a great option. You can go anywhere tourists go, live where they live, and get paid for it. Don't fool yourself into thinking the work itself will be glamorous. In all honesty, it's hard and often unpleasant, but as I wrote in the introduction to this series, these live-abroad options are for those of us who can't afford luxury travel. So here is what you need to know about getting a job in hospitality.

What is a "hospitality" job?

In this context, hospitality essentially refers to paid positions at luxury hotels, lodges, and resorts, where tourists who have a lot more money than you go for vacation. These jobs include housekeeping, valet and porter services, desk clerking, waiting and bar-tending, even massage therapy. Basically anything to do with serving guests. Typically, no prior experience is required, though for more specialized positions (like that massage therapy option) you will need training and/or certification. 

My first hospitality job - working in the Colter Bay Grocery Store in Grand Teton National Park

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What are the pros and cons of working in hospitality?

Hospitality work definitely isn't for everyone. It can be tough, unrewarding, and sometimes downright unpleasant. But there are a lot of upsides, not the least of which is the chance to travel to some amazing destinations on a tight budget. Pros and cons typically depend on who you ask, but here's the gist:

The Pros:

- Location location location. If you're working at a luxury resort/lodge/hotel, you will be in one of the most beautiful places on earth. 

- It's easy on the wallet. Not only do you avoid draining your savings; you actually make money. Food and lodging are typically included in your contract, so you'll probably make at/around the equivalent of minimum wage. And some of the more specialized positions make a good bit more. 

- There'll be no shortage of entertainment. Again, you're working in a tourist center, so you'll have all kinds of exciting activities to take advantage of during your days off. More importantly, a lot of these activities will be discounted or FREE for employees. 'Nuff said. 

- You'll meet some great people. Possibly the best thing about a job like this is you will make a lot of other young, adventurous, motivated friends from all over the world. 

The Cons:

- It ain't pretty. In all honesty, hospitality jobs can be kind of rough. Chances are you won't feel like you're on the fast track to success when you're scrubbing toilets or busing tables for hours on end. Even if you have one of the more desirable positions, you'll have to deal with tourists day-in and day-out. 

- It's not much money. Like I said above, the wages aren't usually super high for these kinds of jobs. You may feel way over-qualified for your position (and you probably will be), and wish you'd stayed home, done that internship, and applied to grad school after all. 

- Cabin fever. A lot of these vacation spots are pretty isolated. Unless you can find wheels or befriend someone with a car, it's pretty easy to get stuck. So make sure you pick the right place, and get used to the idea of not being quite as connected with the outside world.

- You'll meet some not-so-great people. No workplace is perfect, and luxury resorts are no exception. You may have to work alongside some pretty unpleasant characters, and there won't be much you can do about it short of buying a plane ticket home.

Camping with new friends in the shadow of the Teton range on one of our days off. 

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How do I apply for a position in hospitality?

If the pros listed above outweigh the cons for you, awesome. Next step: getting a job. First, you have to decide where you want to work. Without a specific country, or at least region, in mind, you'll have way too many options to wade through. So if you like hiking, look for mountain lodges. If you like the beach, search through beach resorts. You get the idea. Once you have a general idea of where you want to go, you basically have two options:

A) Find a cultural exchange program that works in your region of choice. 

These essentially match young internationals with companies looking to hire seasonal workers. For instance, if you wanted to work in Australia, you would Google "Australia cultural exchange" and apply to a program that suits your needs. They would then place you in a specific job in a specific location. The pros: security, as your exchange program will typically assist you with travel preparations, and resume-building, as certain program names may look good on paper. The cons: cost, since you will typically have to pay a stiff program fee, and rigidity, since you are often assigned to a particular position rather than selecting your job of choice. If you've never done anything like this before, and/or you want to play it safe, go with this option.

B) Apply directly to a resort in the area you want to work. 

This might take a bit more research, and your options may be more limited, since some only hire through programs like the ones outlined above. But if you're the do-it-yourself type, this will be the more fulfilling route to take, and you can pat yourself on the back for not wasting money on an unnecessary middle-man program. The pros: no program fees, and complete control over which positions you apply for. The cons: fewer options overall, less help in terms of travel preparations and less on-the-ground support. If you've done a lot of travel, held down a job like this before, and/or are a bit of a risk-taker, this is the option for you.

P.S. - Check back soon for Part 3: Volunteer

Living Abroad (Without Bags of $) Part 1: Study Abroad

Perhaps the most common hesitation we barely-adults have when it comes to extended travel is the price tag. Airfare alone can run upwards of $2,000, not to mention food, lodging, ground transportation, and all those other pesky little expenses. As romantic as it sounds to rent an apartment in Paris or a bungalow on the Yucatan for 6 months while we "find ourselves" (and hopefully write best-selling novels in the process), for most of us it's just not going to happen. So, over the next several posts, I'm going to outline 5 different cost-effective options for living overseas.

You are probably already familiar with most, if not all, of these possibilities for living abroad, but what might surprise you is how inexpensive each of them -- with proper planning -- can be. Money isn't what separates the well-traveled from the not-so-well-traveled; motivation is. So if you've always wanted to live overseas, but your unfortunate lack of a big fat savings account has held you back, read on. And then get up off your butt and move somewhere else for a while. Because while none of the following options take (much) money, that doesn't mean they are easy.

Part 1: Study Abroad

Everyone talks about it, and (almost) nobody actually does it. According to a 2011 study, only 1% of U.S. college students study abroad for academic credit. This is puzzling to me, since practically every college and university offers a variety of summer-, semester-, or year-long options for studying internationally, and even if yours doesn't, there are countless outside programs to choose from. What's the deal? 

Having surveyed a number of former classmates on the subject, most say they would have liked to study abroad if money weren't an issue. If you're among that group, listen carefully. Unless you're on an athletic scholarship or in some other way mandated to spend all +/- 4 years of school on campus, you can study abroad at no extra cost. In fact, with any of the following options you can actually save money by spending a summer, semester, or year overseas. 

Use Your School

Many schools offer study abroad programs (during the academic year or over the summer) that are specific to the institution. While these are often more expensive than their more generic counterparts, they do boast one BIG advantage – your financial aid package often carries over, which isn't always the case for outside programs. So if you get a lot of FA from your school, this might be the cheapest option for you.

Enjoying a class-free weekend in the Lake District during my college's annual "Wheaton in England" program.

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Do a Summer Program

You can save the better part of a semester's worth of tuition by spending a summer abroad. It's that simple. Complete up to 12 credits overseas for a fraction of the cost of a regular semester, graduate a semester early, and voila. Do this two summers in a row, and save twice as much! It's not hard to find a program in virtually any area of study (and if you can't find something that applies to your major, just use the opportunity to get some of those obnoxious Gen-Eds out of the way). 

Go to Europe

You might think Europe would be one of the priciest places to study abroad... but you'd be wrong. The beauty of their semi-socialist education system is it's mad cheap. If you happen to be fluent in a European language, you can enroll directly into one of their universities, often for free. Even if you're not, you can find programs in English that charge international students mere hundreds of dollars per semester. Or if you're the daredevil type, pay comparable fees to enroll in an immersion program and come out on the other side bilingual.

Exploring the great city of Athens during a study abroad trip in Greece.

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Find a Scholarship

You may be surprised to learn that the government will pay you to study abroad. If you're up for jetting off to a "region of strategic interest" (i.e. not Europe), you can up to $10,000 in scholarship money, potentially more if you plan on studying a language like Russian, Arabic, or Chinese. And those are just federal grants. Do a bit of research and you'll find all kinds of other scholarship opportunities. Like every option listed here, this takes time and effort, but hey, no pain no gain right?

P.S. - Check back soon for Part 2: Work in Hospitality

5 Reasons You Should Live in Another Country

Note: This post mostly pertains to American college students/recent college graduates, though I'd like to think others can benefit from it as well.


Too many Americans spend too much of their lives in America. Out of roughly 315 million US citizens, 6 million currently live outside the 50 states. That's less than 2%. Similarly, among US college students, only 1% – about 300,000 – study abroad. These statistics make me sad. Now, there are plenty of reasons to avoid living abroad for an extended period of time (let's define "extended period" as 6 or more consecutive weeks). And by plenty, I mean one.

For the majority of young Americans, college students or otherwise, the lack of impetus to try out the expatriate life all boils down to one thing: it's hard. After all, travel isn't cheap. It takes a lot of planning. You may need to learn a new language. You would have to rearrange your class schedule (if you chose to study abroad). You would have to make new friends. You might miss out on the fun stuff your old friends are doing back home. What if you didn't like it? And how would you even start packing?!

In my not-so-humble opinion, none of the above should be grave enough concerns to keep the average young American from what may well be one of the most formative experiences of his or her life. Yes, moving to another country is hard, and scary too. But as Tom Hanks said in A League of Their Own, "It's supposed to be hard... It's the hard that makes it great." What's so great about it? Glad you asked. Here are my top 5 reasons you should live in another country (for a while):

1. You might find you don't actually like everything about America.

Contrary to what we were taught in school, the United States isn't actually the best at everything. Sure, lots of Americans complain about things... things like health care, the education system, the corrupt government, and the abundance of potholes. But more often than not, we make these complaints with the underlying assumption that even though our country isn't perfect, it's still doing better than all the other countries at just about everything. It's only when you live abroad that you can get a grasp on where our country actually falls short, not just of unrealistic expectations, but of fully attainable goals. You know they are attainable because you see them being attained right in front of you.

2. You will meet really interesting people.

Your friends at home may or may not be awesome. But either way, chances are they're a lot like you. After all, you grew up in the same country, learned the same pledge of allegiance, watched the same TV shows, shopped at the same stores, and probably went to the same school for at least a portion of time. Living and working (or studying) overseas is probably the surest way out there of making some friends whose life experiences are completely different from yours. They will see differently from you on everything from religion to politics to entertainment. Trust me, their schools did not teach the same history classes yours did. Have fun convincing a Brit that the Revolutionary War was justified, or a Russian that we really did land on the moon.

3. You will have to take responsibility for yourself.

I know, I know, you do/did your own laundry at college so that makes you a grown up. But seriously, moving to a new country will throw everything you thought you knew about taking care of yourself into question. Your budget (if you even had one before) will be in a new currency. Your phone won't work. Your electronics won't even plug into the wall without an adapter. You'll probably have to rely on public transportation. Simple things like doing laundry, buying food, and deciding what to do in your free time will feel like small victories. And you will find that all of a sudden, you feel a whole heck of a lot more like a real adult.

4. You might actually get somewhere in that pesky search for meaning in life.

Staying in one place for too long tends to breed complacency. A lot of freshman show up to college all excited about the opportunities ahead of them, but by sophomore or junior year, most are so used to the same old classes/homework/extracurriculars routine and/or so consumed by the looming job hunt that they've forgotten all about that excitement. But there really is more to life, if you have the drive to seek it out. As my high school French teacher always said, "No guts, no glory." International travel definitely takes guts, but there's something about getting outside of your comfort zone that brings about personal growth. The kind of growth that reminds you that the naïve idea you once had about doing something purposeful in life wasn't naïve at all. In other words, your time abroad might well be the kick in the pants you needed to get on with what you were actually meant to do.

5. You'll have a helluva good time. 

Whether you're studying at the University of Sydney, volunteering at a medical clinic in Bolivia, interning in a European embassy, or teaching English in Japan (or any of about 50 million other possibilities), I can pretty much guarantee you won't regret it. Now, take that guarantee with a grain of salt. There is a slight possibility you could be hit by a bus because you looked the wrong way at a crosswalk, or get a nasty infection because you cliff jumped into a bacteria-infested lake. But assuming you're smart about where you go and when (Syria, for instance, would be a bad choice at the moment), you will come away with some of the best memories of your life.



P.S. - Check back soon for a post on how to travel abroad!