I have many friends that seem to be travelling at a younger age and I was curious how they could afford to travel abroad when they were just establishing themselves. So I asked them how they did it. Turns out, they didn’t sweat the small stuff. Travel was a priority for them. They listened to that wanderlust calling and followed their hearts and their dreams then got creative with how to make it happen.
Missionary Projects
Some people are able to go on missionary work trips to a foreign country. These trips usually consist of a small group of people that go with a specific work goal in mind. The trips are often paid for by the donations or fund raising activities of a church. Sometimes they are sponsored by individuals who can’t go themselves, but support the cause. When on these trips there is plenty of extra time outside of the project to see the area and take in the sites. Often times participants on these work trips stay among the locals and are deeply immersed into it’s culture. It is very common to return to the same area on multiple trips and develop strong ties to people there.
My Mother and Father-in-law were part of a group at their church that took many missionary trips to Jamaica. There was a sister church there that they planned improvement projects for and they would bring a team to do the work and share devotions with the people. As a young man, my husband went on one of their very first trips. In addition to helping improve the lives of the people there, he got to have fun and see some beautiful sites too. It opened his mind at an early age to the joy of travel.
Educational Opportunities
Colleges often offer “study abroad” international travel opportunities. Students travel to another country where they complete 1-2 semesters toward their degree. While in the host country, they either stay in dormitories, apartments or are guests of local families. It is a great opportunity for them to interact with people their own age on a daily basis while furthering their education and taking in everything the area has to offer.
My friend Jon travelled to Brazil through a college program. He taught English as a second language to kids there. He did such a a great job that the company that organized the program invited him back for 2 additional years as a Team Leader. It was a great chance for him to really fall in love with the culture and atmosphere. He says that the most important thing he gained through this experience was becoming a Global Citizen.
My friend Cortney participated in a Year Abroad program to Guatemala through the university she attended. She worked on a project there called Gods Child. While there, she met Katherine, who she has sponsored for over 7 years. Cortney has returned to Guatemala 8-9 times since her first visit. It has given her a real connection there and become a home away from home of sorts.
Jobs that include travel
There are jobs out there that include a lot of travel. For instance, my son works for the sports media department for a large university. He has had the good fortune to travel all over the US, Canada and Europe as part of his job. He has learned to manage his time when he travels to include plenty for local exploration and foodie finds as well as doing his work.
Short-term Internships
Some college programs and employers offer opportunities for people to take on short term internships in another country. They work in an area that pertains to their career or field of study and live among the locals. With Internships you may get a stipend toward your living costs or be offered low cost housing while staying in the host country. These programs provide an interesting insight into how differently your field applies in another culture or social environment. Because these programs are usually independent opportunities and less group based, one must make sure to follow all rules, customs and guidelines to ensure their personal safety. These trips are another great way to do a deep dive exploration into a specific area.
Savvy Planning
My friends Cody and Michaela didn’t use any of the above programs, and shared a plethora of suggestions for how to travel cheap, how to get the best deals and great ideas for funding. It’s all about how much you want to go, how committed you are to making the plan work, and how creative you can be with the details. They weren’t afraid to take small spontaneous trips within the country nor were they afraid to plan for an adventure across the world.
Cody and his wife Michaela carefully save up time off to use for their adventures. They keep a travel savings account and deposit into it regularly. They also add to it for special occasions in liu of gifts. They grab great deals through Deal Vendors and sites like AirBnB, VRBO or Home Away and pair them with their travel savings from using Travel Rewards cards. With careful planning and choosing economical options they are able to stretch their travel dollars further to see and do more on their trips plus travel more often.
Final Thoughts
The biggest thing I learned while talking to all these friends, is that they were brave enough to take chances. They sought out and grabbed opportunities, took a leap of faith and just went for it. FDR said “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” How true that is. Don’t be afraid to find your window of opportunity and take that adventure! I hope you do. There is ALWAYS a way!
Dream, Plan, Save, Adventure!
The World According to Dev 