After a quick three semesters in school I found my self quite disenchanted with America, success, and most everything that I was 'supposed' to be working for. So I checked in with my heart and decided to drop everything to travel.
I've currently sold my furniture, moved out of my apt into a friends, and am awaiting my departure to Europe in April. I am thrilled, exhilirated, and a little nervous.
My question to anyone listening is, do you have any advice? Where is it easiest to come across work? What's a cheap way of getting around? Any bugdeting advice? Anything and everything, I'm all ears!
I thank you kindly for your words of wisdom,
peace,
matty pants
Reply to this Dude, I'm leaving, too! My plan is to go this summer to Australia for a year and get an IT diploma. Then I plan to go and work my way around Europe. I just moved out of my apartment last weekend and into my aunt/uncle's house, and I am about to begin auctioning off all my stuff, too!
Anyway, I guess I have all the same questions, only regarding Australia. Heh!
-Steven
Reply to this So are you American or Canadian? I heard that if you are Canadian you can pretty much move to either Austrailia or th UK. Also, did you plan on staying in hostels or are there friends there that you know?
Reply to this I'm American. As far as friends in Australia...well, I was supposed to go with my girlfriend later this year, but she suddenly decided to go back to her plan of leaving in February...without me. She probably arrived today and is getting settled in as I type. I don't know if that qualifies as a "friend" or not, but other than that, there is nobody I know in Australia. It's going to be a completely fresh start.
Reply to this Good job deciding to get out and see more of the world. I am also planning that kind of a trip. My friend just got back from teaching English around the France and Germany border. In his program, there are lots of jobs to teach English in different countries but mainly in Asia. My friend got a job in France mostly due to connections. But that's an option.
For budgeting, what I'm doing is putting about 20% of each paycheck into a savings account. I'm not touching anything in the account until just before I leave this May. Just like when you're making a budget for any big purchase you just have to pick a reasonable amount to save and stick to it religiously until you're ready to spend.
DB
Reply to this You don't even want to know what this trip is going to cost me, DB! I only WISH I made enough to be able to do it on 20% of my income. It's going to be more like 90% of my earnings for the next 5 months! :O
But very few things worth having come cheaply or without sacrifice, so no worries, mate! 😊
-Steven
Reply to this Look at it this way, being on such a tight budget serves as practice for life abroad. And I'm right with you Steven, I have to save just about everything.
Reply to this Most of the travel I have done has been for pleasure/touring purposes -- I play in a band. And in between the cost of shipping gear from place to place (even when you don't fly, it's not like gas is cheap) and feeding a bunch of people, I nickel and dime it all the way. And even when I save a bit, there's always the possibility that something big will happen in the meantime and then you're back to your last dollar again. But it's worth it as you said. I'd rather work for my rewards including have to sacrifice some things than have things handed to me like a trust fund baby.
Reply to this 
