6

Working, volunteering and studying

No matter how many museums and handicraft markets you hit, no matter how long you bounce around from bus to train to tuk-tuk, no matter how little you pay for your night’s accommodation, you’re not likely to get under the skin of a place until you stop and engage yourself. It doesn’t matter if you’re working, volunteering or studying, all it takes is some ongoing interaction with locals to develop a connection and make some friends. If you’ve studied, consider the relationship you’ve had with your closer classmates compared to the one you’ve had with people you’ve shared a bus ride with. It’s a different level entirely. Some jobs, volunteer projects and courses immerse you in the culture more than others, and it’s not always easy to tell in advance which will and which won’t, but at least you’ll still be earning money, helping others or learning a skill – not a bad way to see the world.

Most wages for travel jobs are firmly set by employers. Therefore, to increase the chances that you’ll make some cash to keep you on the road, you’ll do well to follow this basic concept: work where the currency is strong and spend it where it’s weak. An hourly wage in Japan will get you three nights in a cheap Indian hotel, whereas an hourly wage in India wouldn’t cover a drink in a cheap Japanese hotel.

If you plan to work, learn how to recognize a good travel job

Worried you might run out of funds before you run out of wanderlust? Not a problem. Travellers have gone for years with just a few months’ worth of cash in their pockets. Depending on your age, nationality and professional skills, you can get legal permission to work nearly anywhere. If you don’t qualify under the country’s regulations, or can’t be bothered with the paperwork, that doesn’t mean you can’t work. It just means you can’t work legally. Thousands of work-visa-deprived travellers manage to earn money overseas every year, especially in short-term seasonal positions, many of which require language skills that the locals don’t possess. Of course, working illegally carries a serious risk that should be weighed carefully.

Many travellers who work abroad needlessly end up in the worst travel jobs. The reason? They take the first one that comes along and never bother to see if it fits with the travel experience they’re after. (Plus, many take jobs without securing proper work permits, so they figure they need to take whatever they can get.) Let’s say you want to work in a ski resort. You go to the Alps, search frantically for a job and land one washing dishes. You’re thrilled to have work, but the minimum wage doesn’t get you very far in a pricey resort. You get by working eight-hour days six days a week (fairly standard). After a few weeks you realize you’ve only put your skis on once and, as the lone washer, you’ve been kept too busy to meet anyone at the restaurant. It’s not uncommon. In fact, very few jobs in ski resorts pay well (considering the high cost of living) and many don’t allow you much time to ski. Eventually, you’ll wonder what the point is. If you can’t answer “yes” to at least one of these questions, you’d do well to look for a different job:

  • Factoring in living costs, does the job bring in enough money to cover future travel?
  • Does it make for an interesting experience or provide you with a valued skill?
  • Is it a relatively easy workload and/or does it offer a lenient schedule that allows you to partake in activities you enjoy?

How to find work abroad

Wake up early, check the classified ads in the paper, check notice boards, put up your own messages, dress smartly, don’t wear sunglasses, take off that hat, lose the body piercings, cover any tattoos that may frighten small children, dye your hair back to a colour that could at least pass for real hair, double-check your letters for typos, return calls promptly. In short, don’t give them a reason to pass you over.

If you are rejected, take it with a smile, thank the company for their consideration, and always take the opportunity to ask them where you might find work. If you’ve made a good impression, most people won’t mind providing a few leads.

Furthermore, don’t cross off a potential employer just because they said no a few days or a week earlier. Things change. One of their employees may have quit or been sacked. Or perhaps someone they were expecting never showed up. They might even realize that they needed more help than they thought. And as long as your approach is polite, your perseverance will be respected.

To make a start with your job hunt, try web_icon kareeve.com, web_icon transitionsabroad.com, web_icon jobmonkey.com, web_icon payaway.co.uk, web_icon jobs4travellers.com.au or web_icon helpx.net.

Not all illegal jobs will land you in jail

If you do illegal work (not drug trafficking… more like babysitting, tutoring, web design, garden help, etc), you could very well – depending on the laws of that country, which are certainly worth looking into – find yourself slapped with a fine, thrown out of the country (guess who gets to pay for the ticket home?) or landed behind bars learning language skills from your cellmates. With that little disclaimer out of the way, there are scores of employers who don’t mind hiring unregistered foreign help and, from experience, know that the authorities will turn a blind eye. In fact, you may go to great lengths to secure a work permit only to be paid under the table. They often just like to know that you have a permit in case the police show up requesting documents.

Seasonal work

One of your best chances of turning up and landing a decent-paying job with no previous skills (or a work permit) is going to be taking advantage of the seasonal openings that, at any given moment, are available somewhere in the world. It’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time; if you know what you’re looking for, it’s easy to coordinate.

Summer-resort work

For summer resorts (June–Sept in the northern hemisphere, Nov–Feb in the southern hemisphere), you may want to turn up a month or two before the season begins to beat the rush for jobs, then, once you’ve secured a position, go travelling and return when the job starts. Women tend to have a much easier time finding work on the hotel/bar/restaurant end than men. Possible jobs include: camp counsellor for kids, bartender, waiter, hotel receptionist, hotel housekeeper, cook, baker, sales clerk, supply driver, DJ, rental shop clerk, cleaner, bouncer, guide, sports instructor, lifeguard, scuba instructor and campsite maintainer.

FUNDING A TRIP

To finance my year-long trip, I spent six months living with my parents while waitressing in a restaurant renowned for its hefty tippers. I managed to save about £5000, even after buying my flight. I chose cheaper countries and budgeted for just under £15 a day. This worked out fine for accommodation, food and local buses, but to help cover the occasional beers, decent meals and a few once-in-a-lifetime activities (whitewater rafting, hiking to Machu Picchu, etc), I took the odd job I found along the way. I worked in bars in Chile and Peru and taught English in Quito. The wages were in line with the meagre local rates, but they were enough to stop me from dipping into my savings. I ended up renting shared flats in these places, which allowed me to make local friends, improve my Spanish and get an insider perspective on day-to-day living so different from home in the UK.

Claire Southern, Account Manager at Fiona Reece PR

Winter-resort work

For ski-resort work, either apply in writing for work with a tour company in your home country six to eight months in advance, or arrive at your desired resort around a month before the season begins (Dec–April in the northern hemisphere, June–Oct in the southern hemisphere). Be especially careful about hiring yourself out as a freelance ski instructor – most resorts keep a keen eye out for unofficial lessons on the slopes and prosecute. Possible jobs include: ski tuner, lift operator, snowmobile guide, ski guide, ski rental shop clerk, chalet cleaner, bartender, waiter, hotel receptionist, hotel housekeeper, cook, sales clerk, supply driver, cleaner, bouncer and DJ. Countries with ski resorts include: Switzerland, France, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Scotland, Austria, Slovenia, Argentina, Chile, USA, Canada, Japan, Iran, Lebanon, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and, strangely, Dubai.

THE CLASSROOM VS TUTORING

I went over to Korea on a teaching contract for eight months. I had a university degree but no ESL. They took care of my work visa, which was a relief. The experience on the whole was so-so. There was more work than I expected. It’s not uncommon to teach a class before businessmen go to work, which is at 6.30am, and your last class for college students and businessmen may be at 10.30pm. You work six days a week and get Korean holidays, plus one day for Christmas and one day for Thanksgiving. The academy did provide supplies and help structure the classes. On the other hand, I was at their mercy – you can’t legally leave that school and stay in the country. Stories of academies withholding final pay checks, skipping a month’s salary or adding up hours incorrectly were not uncommon.

When I decided to go back a few months later, I opted not to go back to the school. I started teaching on my own. It took a couple of weeks to build up my client list. Some people just ask you in an elevator in a nice apartment complex while you’re leaving another student’s house. Plus the usual networking. I ended up making more than twice as much per hour as with the programme, saving (with my wife) over $10,000 in six months. And I could take vacations when I wanted – actually I had to leave the country every three months because of a tourist visa. The trick was changing money because they limited the withdrawal for foreigners. There were many foreigners teaching this way so they must have found a loophole. Mine was to have the family I was staying with convert my earnings to dollars. Then I took the dollars and transferred them to travellers’ cheques and took them out of the country that way. The other trick was not getting caught – teaching or changing money. You can get fined and kicked out of the country for both, though they’re more likely to catch you changing money.

Ken Johnson

Harvest-season work

If you can eat it, you can probably find work picking it if you turn up at the right place in the right season. The best place for pre-trip research is the internet:

Pay is often based on the amount you pick, and it may take a few days to get up to speed. Remember to ask for adequate protection when pesticides and other noxious chemicals are sprayed. Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America are likely to offer the best rates.

Manual labour

Construction jobs tend to be underpaid and backbreaking. There’s often a spot or two in cities where labourers show up each morning and get selected by employers. If no such place exists, or the competition is too fierce, look for large construction sites and ask for work directly from the foreman. There’s also plenty of factory work; the nastier tasks usually come with a higher wage. If they don’t, don’t do them. Possible jobs include: house renovation, road building, landscaping, shrimp peeling and fish packing.

A few solid tips for creating your own independent job

Money-making opportunities for the creative entrepreneur are almost endless. You could sell cool drinks on a hot beach or cheap umbrellas on a busy street when it rains. And if you have a trade that allows you to work independently, even better. But unless you have a work permit, be sure to find out about the penalties, assess the risk and keep a low profile. If you’re looking for a street to perform on, think about good acoustics, an original act and a place where the police are kind (northern Europe tends to be popular in this regard). Often small towns with pedestrian streets and few buskers bring good fortune. Also, keep an eye out for festivals, which attract ready-to-be-entertained crowds with ample pocket change. Possible jobs include: street musician, masseuse, au pair, private cook, private music instructor, street juggler, house cleaner, gardener, window cleaner, language tutor, jewellery street-seller, T-shirt designer and peddler, and distributor of flyers for local bars and hostels.

The scoop on teaching English

If English is your mother tongue, you have a university degree of some kind, can dress smartly and carry yourself with confidence, you’ll be likely to find a teaching job just fine without a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language; web_icon tefl.co.uk) certificate or similar (such as Celta or TESOL). If you do have a teaching certificate, though, you’ll probably land a better job or beat unqualified competition, and find it easier in the classroom than if you were winging it. Is it worth £1000–2000/$1500–3000 and a hundred hours of classwork to make that “liveable wage”? Or £250/$385 for a weekend introductory course? Your call. But factor this in: a certificate is more valued for the higher-paying jobs in Asia and less valued in Latin America and Eastern Europe. The pay could be anything from £20/$31 to £1000/$1540 a week. In a country with a strong economy, an elite school or big company might pay upwards of £3000/$4620 a month. However, most require a six- to twelve-month contract to prevent you from skipping out and leaving their students with verbs unconjugated and participles dangling.

TEACHING ENGLISH IN MADRID

I didn’t have a job lined up before I arrived, but it didn’t take long to find work with a private agency. I just browsed the phonebook for English schools and then paid them a visit. They meet you and make a judgment call. I was mainly working with students on their conversation skills, so my lack of formal training wasn’t an issue. The setup was ideal. I had flexible hours – about five to fifteen hours a week – which brought in around $600 a month. This was enough to cover my $300 rent in the apartment I was sharing and gave me enough extra time and money to enjoy the city and my newfound friendships.

Amy Schrier, Editor, Blue magazine

Teaching diving

With a Divemaster certification (web_icon padi.com), you can find work throughout the world. Landing a job is another thing. Most certified instructors have success making personal contact with dive shops and get paid under the table for their work. Or they return later, once the proper work visa has been processed back home. You might try applying directly to some of the larger, more professional resorts. Among the major diving centres are: Airlie Beach and Cairns along Australia’s Great Barrier Reef; Belize and Cozumel in the Caribbean; and Sharm-el-Sheikh in the Red Sea. But you may have more luck at many of the lesser-known dive sites you stumble across on your travels.

Journalism and photography

Travel writing and travel photography are very competitive fields, and in both cases your chances of supplementing your income or supporting yourself while travelling will be greatly enhanced with well-honed skills from a course or formal education. No matter, however, how much skill you may possess, selling your material without an established track record is extremely tough.

But that’s only if you go the traditional route. If you have a Facebook or Twitter account or are keeping a travel blog, you’re already a travel writer. Several writers have launched themselves this way, or built up a following, then monetized their site with links, sponsored content and adverts (have a look at web_icon nomadicmatt.com, web_icon everything-everywhere.com and web_icon johnnyjet.com for examples). The competition is tough so standing out from the crowd will take a good deal of effort (and possibly some decent programming, video and photography skills) but it can be done.

If you’re serious about going the more traditional route, writing your way around the world, you’ll want to give yourself a head start by making inroads in the industry before you go: get some articles or photos published (no matter what the subject), build a relationship with one or more editors and start putting your portfolio together.

Another popular approach, especially for photographers, is to document your trip and try to sell the images on your return. This can certainly bring in some money, but generally very little, and you’re not likely to get it until long after you return. Cold-calling an editor just before you leave and asking if you can, despite your complete lack of experience, report your way around the globe is a textbook example of how not to go about it. However, this approach can work with photo agencies (web_icon gettyimages.com, web_icon istockphoto.com, web_icon alamy.com, web_icon corbis.com) if you can produce high-end, professional work. Picfair (web_icon picfair.com) works as more of a marketplace, allowing you to sell your images – professional or not – directly to anyone who’s willing to pay for them.

Before you look for a “real job” overseas

If you want to work professionally abroad, you’d do well to set up a job before you go. For most foreign companies to obtain a work visa on your behalf, they need to demonstrate that you have a skill that they can’t find domestically, which might include web designing, specialized mechanics, commercial diving or language teaching. Or they need to demonstrate that the country is in short supply of your skills, for example in the fields of teaching, medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine. One of the best places to get information is in your local trade publication or larger national one, where foreign companies may advertise for workers. Or, if you already work for a multinational company, you might start out by enquiring from within. Also try web_icon monster.com or another of the work placement sites listed in the directory at the end of this guide.

There’s a load of red tape involved in getting this sort of work set up, but much of it is taken care of once you have an employer providing the necessary invitation and paperwork. You should have it all arranged before arriving so that you can clear customs with the correct visa. If you have to travel abroad for an interview for the job, you may need to return home and wait for your work papers to clear immigration before you can re-enter and begin. Many countries have bilateral arrangements that will allow you to skirt much of the process, so it’s worth investigating each country’s immigration/visa website for the most up-to-date information.

SOME WORK PRACTICALITIES

If you satisfy the requirements of various countries (nationality, age, marital status, student status), you may qualify for a work visa, or a limited version of one. Typically, it’s for a set period or for certain job sectors, but it’s definitely worth looking into. Just make sure you obtain it before you arrive in the country so you can receive the correct stamps when you pass through customs. Arranging for a work visa once you’ve arrived is, depending on the country, anywhere between difficult and impossible. You can find just about everything you need online at the immigration or work-visa section of the country’s embassy website.

Primarily aimed at students or very recent graduates, international placement organizations (web_icon ciee.org, web_icon allianceabroad.com and web_icon interexchange.org) help travellers slice through the red tape and find minimum-wage jobs in select countries. The fees range from almost nothing to several hundred pounds – in some countries you may also get insurance thrown in. It alleviates much of the hassle, but you have to decide if that’s worth the price.

Once you get a job offer you plan to accept, ask for a few days to fix housing arrangements. Look into family stays, university-room rentals and enquire at various hostels to see if they’ll offer you a long-term deal.

If you work abroad and declare your earnings there, knowing that the amount is too small to be taxed in that country, bear in mind that you might be taxed for the amount in your home country, depending on reciprocal agreements and any other income sources.

Keeping your job and telecommuting as you travel

No one says you need to work where you live. It’s entirely possible to work while you’re away for people back home (or wherever) by computer: consulting, designing, writing, photographing, editing and so on can all be done remotely. Maintain contacts where you work (or seek freelance work before leaving) so you can do perfectly legal work that’s well paid and in your own currency. Have a look at The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss for additional insights on making this work.

WWOOF (WORLD-WIDE OPPORTUNITIES ON ORGANIC FARMS)

Not all WWOOFing experiences are necessarily about farming. My friend and I used it primarily as an enjoyable way to make our budget last a little longer. We chose to spend a week with a couple who had renovated a cottage on a tiny island in the Hawkesbury River, just north of Sydney. Although they had a lovely organic garden, our task was mainly to paint the outside of their house. All our expenses were covered and we enjoyed some fantastic organic food and wine. After our four hours of daily painting we were able to relax and enjoy the island.

Sally Schafer

< Back to 6 Working, volunteering and studying

Volunteering – not as cheap or simple as it sounds

Donating your time can be a tremendously fulfilling experience, but if you’re not careful in selecting a project, your time contributed may feel like time wasted. Some organizations’ definitions of efficiency and utility may differ substantially from your own. In certain cases, it can be fulfilling for you, but little benefit, if any, to the community. And many of the volunteer ventures are almost identical to English teaching or the labour-intensive work projects listed in the previous section – only, as the name implies, you’re not getting paid. You might be moving boxes, doing dishes or shovelling cow dung, which is fine, provided you know what you’re getting into. Before you sign up, make sure you get an exact description of what you’ll be doing and what your employer expects you to accomplish during your visit. You’ll want some local orientation before you’re dropped off with your project, and a safety net (local contact) for emergency support, supplies and advice. You can ask for these things because you’re not just going to be working there for free; you’re helping finance it. And volunteering ain’t as cheap as it sounds. First, there’s the airfare. Then you often need to pay a fee that covers your lodging, food, insurance and the entire screening and orientation process. You might be looking at costs in excess of £250/$385 a month. As a guideline, the more exotic the project the more you pay to assist.

Most projects have specific dates for training and transporting new volunteers. Plus, the organizations prefer to screen applicants. So showing up to lend a hand, though well intentioned, can actually backfire. Your best bet is to make arrangements well before you leave. If you’re already on the road, your best shot might be online contact at a nearby internet café. With a more web-advanced organization, you may be able take care of all the details before you arrive.

More and more families are taking volunteering trips as well. These tend to be short term, more expensive and better coordinated experiences (see web_icon metowe.com and web_icon globeaware.org for more information). For those who do decide to bring their kids, it can be traumatic, but you are the best judge of what your kids can handle. Dr Harold S. Koplewicz, president of the Child Mind Institute in New York, commented on this in the New York Times (Aug 14, 2012): “Generally, I think during the teen years, a time when most kids are very self-absorbed, it is not a bad thing to take them out of their comfort zone.”

EMPLOYMENT IN ISRAEL

Israel has traditionally been one of the world’s most popular destinations for travellers looking for work. Not surprisingly, the market has been swamped with immigrants and travellers alike, and the wages absolutely stink as a result. Travellers are left trying to raise funds at an abysmal rate after living expenses are deducted. Still, they keep on coming.

On a Moshav farm, workers live together and cook together in basic provided accommodation and put in ridiculously long and hard hours for molecular-size wages (about £200/$308 a month, or half that if the farm provides your food). There are generally trace amounts of social life, though, so the little that’s earned is easy to save. On a kibbutz, it’s typically less work, less pay (£9–13/$14–20 per week – often provided on a card that works only at the kibbutz shop) and more socializing. You typically “volunteer” seven to eight hours, six days a week. In return, you get room, board, some leisure activities (depending on what’s available) and an allowance that buys you a couple of cokes or ice-cream cones per week (at the kibbutz kiosk) and probably won’t begin to cover your bar tab.

There are 273 kibbutzim around Israel (with over 100,000 Israelis living on them), but only 16 are religious. The rest are entirely secular.

Volunteers and kibbutzniks (kibbutz residents) have increasingly grown further apart as the volunteers have demonstrated their ability to party and the kibbutzniks have responded with more distance and disciplined work conditions. But, again, this is not necessarily the case everywhere. In many places, volunteers are greatly appreciated and welcomed with open arms and assigned to various families. Jobs range from milking cows to working in a cement factory, picking fruit, doing dishes or preparing meals. You need a bill of good health signed by a doctor, a few hundred pounds or dollars in cash, an onward ticket and you must agree to stay for at least two months. Placement can be made through a local booking agent, or by calling or visiting an individual kibbutz directly.

See also web_icon kibbutzvolunteer.com.

Not sure why you might want to volunteer? Here’s a little reminder

  • Choose a remote community where it’s easy to make friends.
  • Learn customs and language skills.
  • Get to know volunteers from around the world.
  • Get some hands-on practical experience.
  • Use your professional skills to make a tangible difference to people’s lives.
  • Feel that you’re striving to leave the world in better condition than when you arrived.
< Back to 6 Working, volunteering and studying

The best souvenir you can bring back – a new skill

Taking a course is one of the most enriching things you can do on your trip: it’s a chance to learn a new skill that will remain with you long after you’ve returned. Education aside, many offer a nice break from the travel scene and provide a chance for you to meet up with some locals or other foreigners with similar interests.

Many courses can be arranged at the last minute, especially if you’re travelling alone. But most often, the better programmes require some advance booking. Look into this well before you arrive. In fact, well before you arrange any flights. Unless you’re absolutely sure about the soundness of a programme, don’t pay the entire fee in advance. And pay with a credit card to help protect yourself. The courses listed here are not “recommended” by Rough Guides or the author, but are meant to provide a sample of some of the activities out there, and are only intended to be used as a starting point. Take a look at web_icon golearnto.com for more ideas.

VOLUNTEER SUCCESS

In northern India I was able to put my anthropology studies to use helping translate oral histories of women who communicate their cultural identity by song. The report I produced from the experience enabled charities to channel their involvement toward the village’s specific needs and left me with the sense that I had helped put something back into the community – which isn’t as common as you’d think. Finding a volunteer programme and a situation that allows you to do this isn’t as simple as showing up in a remote village with a good attitude and plenty of enthusiasm. I’ve met so many frustrated volunteers. They have images of working in a rural area, but when they arrive they are assigned a task that seems unappreciated or unbeneficial, have trouble with the language barrier, and don’t have any other foreign volunteers nearby to help cushion the culture shock. The isolation can be overwhelming, especially for those who are starting their trip with such a project.

Those who asked loads of questions before signing up, however, seemed to find programmes that allowed both them and the community to gain from the experience.

Beth Wooldridge, Former author, Rough Guide to India

Studying a language along the way

“Hello”, “please” and “thank you” won’t take more than five minutes to learn, no matter what the language. If you want to move beyond a few words, a language course is a great way to start your travels in a new country. Aside from tools that will help you unlock the cultural codes of the country, you’ll meet more locals, be able to get assistance when needed, keep your grey matter active and make your travels far more meaningful. You’ll need at least three weeks to make real progress, no matter how intensive the course is. Two months should provide good conversational skills, depending on your study habits.

Many of the better-known language courses take place in towns loaded with English-speaking students – great for your social life, but lousy for language discipline. It’s better (and cheaper) to select a smaller place where you’ll get an experience far more intensive than the more expensive “intensive” courses offered in major language-learning centres. If you’re set on a specific course, you may need to sign up in advance. Otherwise, you can walk in off the street and usually start the same day. And, naturally, you can find inexpensive private tutors to teach you in nearly any city. Put up a notice near a university and you’ll have a few offers within hours.

SAMPLE VOLUNTEER PROJECTS

There are literally thousands to choose from, throughout the year and around the globe. If any of the projects listed here sound intriguing and you want to find something similar, visit a search engine and type in a few of the key words regarding location or the type of work plus “volunteer”, “help” or “assist”. Meanwhile, here are a few volunteer sites to get you started:

web_icon yearoutgroup.org

web_icon travellersworldwide.com

web_icon volunteerinternational.org

web_icon workingabroad.com/organis/international.htm

web_icon wwv.org.uk

web_icon habitat.org

web_icon doctorswithoutborders.org (non-medical personnel are also wanted)

NATURE CONSERVATION

Repair forest pathways in Spain • Survey Australia’s Great Barrier Reef • Aid forestry conservation near Japan’s Mount Fuji • Renovate hiking paths in the Black Forest of Germany • Construct mountain footpaths in Italy • Work on an organic “WWOOF” farm in New Zealand • Develop ecotourism in Ecuador • Build an “eco-house” in Belgium • Maintain parks in Argentina

WILDLIFE

Patrol beaches to protect turtle eggs in Mexico • Catch lemon sharks in the Bahamas and tag them with transmitters • Catch kangaroos in Australia and attach radio collars to them • Swim with and collect data from dolphins in New Zealand • Track killer whales off the west coast of Canada • Bring wintertime food to reindeer in Finland • Dive to examine ghost shrimps in Papua New Guinea • Locate groups of howler monkeys in Venezuela • Record octopus behaviour in the waters of Myanmar • Track orang-utans in Borneo’s rainforests • Monitor wildebeest migration in Kenya

HUMAN AID AND DEVELOPMENT

Build simple water and sanitation systems in rural Nicaragua • Teach and assist at an orphanage in Malaysia • Meet medicine men to discover medicinal uses of plants in Nigeria • Assist at a camp for children with learning disabilities in Australia • Volunteer at an orphanage with an organic farm in Cambodia • Build city parks in Turkey

ARCHEOLOGY

Excavate dinosaur bones in southern Australia • Restore fortified castles in France • Catalogue dinosaur remains in the USA’s Mojave Desert • Excavate Mayan remains in Belize • Analyse mummies in Chile’s Azapa Valley • Preserve an unearthed town from 1537 in Mexico • Restore archeological and architectural sites in Italy • Sort and catalogue unearthed pottery in Fiji

Improve your photography with a course

Even if you’re just taking a pocket camera, learning how to compose your photographs is going to get you a lot further than an overpriced lens. You may not learn anything more valuable than some basic tips, but you’ll need to practise them and develop an eye for what works and what doesn’t. That means taking oodles of photos and having them critiqued straight away (or straight after developing them, if you prefer to use film). You can find community photography workshops for less than £75/$115 but the upper-end instruction doesn’t come cheap. It does, however, often include a trip to India, Morocco or some place you may not feel comfortable venturing to on your own.

  • Close Up Expeditions web_icon cuephoto.com. Workshops in over forty countries concentrating on nature, landscape and traditional cultures.
  • Ralph Paonessa Photo Workshops web_icon rpphoto.com. Specializing in birds, nature, landscapes and travel, these programmes range in length between five and fifteen days.
  • Jim Cline Photography web_icon jimcline.com. Small group (7–10 people) trips mainly to Latin America, India and Southeast Asia. Sometimes in combination with workshops, or with informal tutoring on location.

Pick up some survival skills

You don’t need one of these courses to navigate the planet, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt. Most survival schools are run by Americans these days, but many of the programmes take place around the world. You can study general skills or take a specific course in jungle, desert, mountain, marine and Arctic survival. Some, such as NOLS and Outward Bound, place more emphasis on the group experience, while others are more technically orientated. Make sure you ask plenty of questions before making your decision.

  • Aboriginal Living Skills School Prescott, Arizona, USA web_icon alssadventures.com. One-day to one-week courses on desert survival and winter camping with primitive camp craft skills.
  • Boulder Outdoor Survival School (BOSS) Boulder, Colorado, USA web_icon boss-inc.com. Desert survival courses in southwestern USA or Mexico.
  • Karamat Wilderness Ways Edmonton, Alberta, Canada web_icon karamat.com. Courses run from two to six days, specializing in the northern boreal forests.
  • LTR (Learn To Return) Training Systems Anchorage, Alaska, USA web_icon survivaltraining.com. Mostly two-day programmes on a variety of topics. Aviation-oriented survival is the speciality, but there are also courses in Arctic survival, water survival and international travel survival.
  • NOLS Wyoming, USA web_icon nols.edu. Courses typically last two weeks to one month, and are held mostly in the USA and Canada, but also around the rest of the world. Transferable educational credit is possible with some universities.
  • Outward Bound Golden, Colorado, USA web_icon outwardbound.org. Courses between four days and eleven weeks, with focus on wilderness training and team-building; they take place in the USA, Caribbean, Europe and South America.
  • Randall’s Adventure & Training Peru web_icon jungletraining.com. Jungle survival instruction in the Peruvian rainforest that lasts from one week, with cooperation from the Peruvian Special Forces.
  • UK Survival School Gloucestershire, England web_icon survivalschool.co.uk. Courses are taught in the UK, but expeditions to Africa and further-flung locales are also available.

LEARNING SPANISH

Spanish is perhaps the most popular language for travellers to study. It’s relatively easy to learn, the courses are cheap and often include arranged family stays, and a little Spanish is extremely useful for travel around South and Central America. For some basic price and course information, try web_icon spanishschools.org and web_icon donquijote.com.

Travel security and first-aid courses

You can learn the basics from the SAS Survival Guide 2E by John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman, but if you’re looking for a bit more information on travel security and first aid consider these:

  • Adventure Lifesigns Puttenham, Surrey, England web_icon lifesignsgroup.co.uk. Expedition training, remote medical training and courses for independent travellers lasting from one to four days.
  • Objective Team Daventry, Northamptonshire, England web_icon objectiveteam.com. Specialized corporate training for hostile environments as well as one-day gap-year classes, taking place weekly in London and monthly elsewhere across the UK.
  • Wilderness Medical Associates USA and Canada web_icon wildmed.com and web_icon wildmed.ca. Courses around the USA and Canada, ranging from two days to the month-long Wilderness EMT (Emergency Medical Training).

Mountain survival

If you’re more interested in staying alive in the mountains and summitting in the process, check out this list of international mountaineering courses: web_icon dmoz.org/Recreation/Climbing/Guides_and_Schools, or one of the following:

  • Australian School of Mountaineering web_icon climbingadventures.com.au. Guiding and training in the Blue Mountains.
  • Bob Culp Climbing School web_icon bobculp.com. Rock- and ice-climbing trips to the French and Italian Alps and in the USA.
  • Colorado Mountain School Boulder, Colorado, USA web_icon coloradomountainschool.com. From first snow school to extreme alpinism, and from starter rock climbing to Big Walls.
  • Swiss Association of the Mountaineering Schools web_icon bergsportschulen.ch. Pick the region you want to climb and the site matches you up with a school.

Try a cooking course

Learning how to make one great local dish could very well be the best souvenir you bring home. Cooking schools can be found almost anywhere. If you find you’re really enjoying a local cuisine, talk to the local tourist office about courses available. Most last from a day to a month, with widely varying prices. As well as the listings below, try web_icon cookforfun.shawguides.com.

  • Chiang Mai Thai Cookery Course web_icon thaicookeryschool.com.
  • Italian cooking schools web_icon cookitaly.com. Choose by regional cuisine (Sicilian or northern Italian) or let price dictate your choice.
  • Cooking with Mari web_icon japanese-cooking-class-tokyo-mari.com. Japanese home visit and cooking class in the heart of Tokyo. $45 for a two-hour class.
  • Le Cordon Bleu French Cooking web_icon cordonbleu.edu. Schools in Paris (the original), London, Ottawa, Seoul, Kobe, Tokyo, Adelaide and Sydney with day-long workshops to full-diploma cooking courses.

Learn a martial art

Most of today’s traditional martial arts come from China and Japan (with other popular disciplines in Korea, Thailand and Brazil), and it can be particularly inspirational to study and train with masters where the craft was developed. If you’re already trained in one or more of the martial arts, then it’s likely you’ll already have a decent grasp of the working vocabulary. And what you can’t follow verbally, you can certainly pick up by watching, as most explanations are accompanied by demonstrations. This does apply to newbies as well, though it can be particularly helpful to have English instruction if you’re just getting started. If your local training centre doesn’t have such contacts, they can usually point you to someone who will, as it’s always nicer to arrive with a personal recommendation.

Otherwise, you’ll just have to find your own way in, either through website contacts or by poking your head in the front door and making enquiries yourself. Be forewarned: while you may be welcomed with open arms, some locals may be reluctant to spar with you. They may be afraid to lose face if beaten by a foreigner or find it boring if your level is too low. In other instances, locals may try to demonstrate their superiority by giving you a sound beating. Keep in mind that some dojos practice rougher training than you may be used to: it’s better to observe before you participate. A few courses cater to international students:

  • Capoeira schools of Brazil web_icon rio.com/practical-rio/capoeira-classes. Training centres in Rio where you can try this rhythmic martial art.
  • Kick boxing Jitti’s Gym web_icon facebook.com/JittiGym. Learn Thai kick boxing in Bangkok from the trainer of national champions.
  • Shao Lin Martial Arts Academy web_icon shaolins.com. Learn kung fu straight from monks who’ve passed it down for generations.
  • Taekwondo web_icon cafe.daum.net/RokTaekwondo. Foreigners’ Gymnasium in Seoul, teaching Korea’s national martial art.
  • Tai chi Hong Kong web_icon hktaichi.com. Hong Kong’s Association of Tai Chi can steer you towards courses and practice venues.

EVER WANTED TO KNOW HOW TO…

No one says you have to learn something you’ll ever use again. So long as it piques your interest, it’ll be a nice addition to your collection of experiences. Here are a few less conventional programmes:

Ikebana web_icon ohararyu.or.jp. Also known as Kado, this is the art of Japanese flower arranging. Learn how to make a living sculpture in Japan.

International Car Racing Schools web_icon racingschools.com. Here’s a chance to burn rubber with someone else’s car, from F1 racing outside Monaco or Vegas to drag racing in New Jersey.

Taiko drumming web_icon tokara.net. Bang a drum in Japan.

Wat Pho Thai Massage School Bangkok, Thailand web_icon wahanda.com (search for “Wat Pho”). Get the lowdown on sore muscles and pressure points.

Windsurfing school Hood River, Oregon, USA web_icon hoodriverwaterplay.com. Big wind plus big water equals big air. Hold on tight.

Learn to meditate

This is perhaps the ultimate remedy to fast-paced travel. Whether you’re spending a week in total silence or taking a series of yoga classes, getting back in touch with your mind and body can be an invigorating pit stop – just what you need to continue on your physical and inner journey. Many courses are offered in English around the world, so a simple online search including the name of the country where you plan to take a break and “meditation” should yield numerous listings. Try also web_icon dhamma.org, web_icon kopanmonastery.com and web_icon yogadirectory.com.

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