“Through travel I first became aware of the outside world; it was through travel that I found my own introspective way into becoming a part of it.” -Eudora Welty
Without learning how to work online, I would never have been able to travel as much as I have for the past 5 years. Finding your niche, realizing what it is that makes you want to get out of bed every morning, and then being able to do that for “work,” is a very rewarding experience. Learning how to take yourself out of the office equation, so that you may work mobile from any location in the world, is an amazing sense of freedom.
For others, this sense of freedom can come in a number of different ways. There are multiple routes and paths that one can take in order to achieve a lifestyle of long-term, immersion travel. The resources and steps below can help put you on the path to location independence, so that you may travel and work in unison. Below are just some of the ways to achieve location independence. Depending on certain characteristics, (your personality, what you can/can’t live without, your motivation, your work ethic, your enthusiasm for your work) you will have to decide what path is best for you. The main thing is that you get started now. If you are reading this far, you are already on the right path. Let the information below be a starting guide to help you on your way to location independence, so you may enjoy the benefits of long-term, immersion travel.
Finding a Job Overseas
Volunteer Overseas
Work Online
Resources for Finding a Job Overseas
“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” – Henry Ford
Finding a job overseas can be difficult, but it does not have to be. There are, again, many routes you can take to find a job in a foreign country. Numerous options can keep you employed throughout your travels; bartender, server, holiday worker, English (or another language) teacher, just to name a few. If you have experience in a field or have already had a career, you can obviously use this to your advantage and try to land a more stable position. Just keep in mind how much time you would like to spend in your new home country. As a young traveler with no experience, you will be more limited to the options available in the work field. In addition, be sure to have all of the correct licensing, permits, visas, and paperwork. The main drawback to this path of finding employment in another country, is that you will likely be working a low-paying job that does not fit the criteria that we are looking for in order to gain full location & time independence. However, this could also be a good starting point for getting on the road and discovering what it is that you want to pursue. The resources below should help guide you in the right direction.
Teach & Travel – Information for teachers who want to teach and travel
CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) – Career opportunities with numerous exchange programs
Indeed.com – An international directory for finding jobs
Alliances Abroad – A great program that helps find work and accommodations in your host country
Inter Exchange – A non-profit offering numerous work programs in many countries
CareerXchange.com – An online directory with listings that are updated daily
Bunac – Offers work and internship opportunities in multiple countries
The US State Department – Offers careers for Foreign Service Officers, Specialists, and Civil Service Employees
SimplyHired.com – An online directory including international job searches
Peace Corps – One of the most common and best ways to find overseas employment
OverseasJobs.com – Another online directory for international job hunting
Daves ESL Cafe – An online forum for those looking for teaching opportunities & connections
Resources for Finding Work as a Volunteer
“What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.” – Aristotle
There are many charities and organizations looking for help from travelers. Although this is not ideal in the way of being location independent or supporting yourself with a new passive income stream, it can be a great start to finding out what it is that you want to do. It’s a great chance to give something back to the world. It also opens the door to meeting other travelers and getting in touch with the locals. Several organizations even place emphasis on cultural immersion. There are many reasons to volunteer, and the organizations below are great sources for moving toward this path.
WWOOF – A very popular program linking volunteers to organic farmers and growers
GVIUSA – A great service offering multiple overseas programs geared towards travel and cultural immersion
MeToWe – Another great organization offering volunteer travel trips
Go Abroad – A thorough directory for volunteer work placement
Projects Abroad – A UK-based organization with numerous programs around the world
Go Overseas – Another great directory covering numerous locations around the world, including program reviews
Cross Cultural Solutions – A non-profit geared towards sustainable economic community initiatives
Go Eco – This organization offers a selection of ecological-friendly vacations
Bunac – Provides low-cost volunteer programs through Africa, Asia, and the Americas
Resources for Working Online
“Becoming a member of the “New Rich” is not just about working smarter. It’s about building a system to replace yourself.” – Timothy Ferriss
When you decide to put your business or brand online, the first step is to setup your website. The basic steps below are shown with the assumption that you are going to go this route alone. It is always a good idea to learn and understand exactly what is going on with the creation and behind-the-scene sections of your business. Eventually, there are ways to shorten the learning curve and outsource these steps, but we’ll save that for another time.
Buying a Website Domain Name –
Having a website has become a standard element of every new business plan. A domain name is the gateway to your site, and should be relative to the type of product or service provided. Search the two sites below for best possible pricing and availability.
Website Hosting –
Just like your word docs and photos can be stored on your PC, your website pages need to be stored somewhere, but on a bit larger computer, called a server. Web hosting is the space that you buy on a web server to store your website files. The two hosts below have provided me with excellent service.
Website Creation –
Unofficially known as the ultimate in website building, WordPress is the most recommended builder due to its versatility, freedom of operation, and customization. If you’re looking for something basic and easy to use, Weebly offers a quick drop & drag format, and offers visually appealing themes.
Logo & Brand Image Creation –
A major component toward building your brand is the visual exterior. You need something in which people can see and relate to your business and ideas. The logo is the foundation of your brand. The two sites below have have built a reputation for being very quick, professional, and cost efficient.
Business Apps –
When Google decides to do something, they usually do it very well. In regards to their business Apps; Gmail, Drive, Hangouts, and Calendar, they’ve kept up the integrity. As well, Analytics is a must-use service that generates detailed stats & reports about the visits to your website.
Photo Compressor –
When building your site, it should be a routine action to compress your photos. Why? Because the smaller the size of your image files, the faster your photos and web pages will download for the viewer. The two services below are simple to use and will save a lot of hassle in the future.
Video Editor/Recorder –
Video marketing has experienced major results over the past few years. Not only does it allow for greater exposure, but it also gives a personal touch to your business or brand. Take the time to create video for enormous potential growth. The sites below allow for great editing & recording; Animoto for video production; Jing for video recording on your PC screen.
Outsourcing –
Outsourcing is a whole new ballgame, but can be used in micro-steps upon initial setup of your site. Elance allows you to outsource just about anything, such as research, design, photo editing, etc. Fiverr acts similarly, usually working best to help create immediate buzz about your product launch. Best yet – All gigs sell for $5.
Get some guidance using some of the books from my own experience…
Very enlightening! Thanks a lot Jon !