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One of the biggest questions travel bloggers seem to get is about their budget. “How can you afford to travel so much???” The answer varies depending on the person, but here is what has worked for me!
Recording studio in Nairobi for Raph Sipalla
Early on, I accepted a teaching job in the highlands of Kenya. At this point, I was fresh out of university with a Bachelor’s degree in music performance and a lot of student debt. I managed to land a Director of Music job at a small international school, which really taught me a lot professionally and helped me grow in many ways. I would highly encourage any young teachers out there to consider teaching abroad for a few years as it gives you a chance to see a part of the world you may have never seen before, as well as giving you valuable experience in the working field.
Leading a strings rehearsal
Teaching abroad is not limited to those with teaching degrees. I did not have a teaching degree and met many expats who specialized in other fields but taught classes in a subject similar to their degree. There is often a lot more leeway with teaching in foreign countries with limited experience. There are also many opportunities for native English speakers to move abroad and teach English as a second language in other countries. Often, the school that hires you will also pay for your certification. This is especially true in developing countries.
Although the pay is not as good as teaching in the States, I made enough that I was able to pay off my student loans in the first three years I was in Kenya, and once my loans were paid off I saved as much as possible. Basically, while school was in session I didn’t spend any money, but once we were on holiday I traveled.
In Cairo with my friend, Carey
Now, I am still teaching music, but as a private teacher based in Berlin . The flexibility of my job means that if I am traveling but have access to the internet I can actually keep teaching if my students also have access to the internet. Skype lessons have been a lifesaver and a way for me to keep earning money even while traveling. Sometimes I am even able to shuffle my lessons around so I can get away for a long weekend.
Strings rehearsal with the Kenya National Youth Orchestra
Because I lived in Kenya, I was able to create a network of friends across the globe. Another way of saving money is by staying with these friends in their countries and cities. It is really wonderful experiencing a new country through your friend’s eyes, be they a local or someone who is also an expat in the country. (To learn more about the benefits of traveling alone versus with friends, visit my blog post on this topic here.)
Facebook and Instagram are also great tools. I usually send out a request on my Facebook for friends to recommend places to visit or friends of theirs who I can stay with when I visit the proposed country. I have never been forced to stay in a hotel due to the lack of knowing someone, and the internet can be a powerful tool if you are willing to take the leap and get to know someone new!
In Austria with my friend, Corrine
I would encourage anyone considering this lifestyle to consider teaching abroad as I believe it could stretch you in really wonderful ways, as well as give you an insight into a culture very different from your own. It may be for as short of a time as one year, but it can really help in getting a taste of the traveling life and making friends around the world that you can visit.
Benefit recital for El Sistema Kenya
Ideas for earning and saving money to travel:
- Keep a separate bank account solely for travel
- Keep a budget spreadsheet of the general costs of places you would like to visit
- Don’t spend money on unneeded things (clothes, jewelry, knick knacks, etc.)
- Look for jobs in your field in another country
- Look for teaching jobs in other countries related to your field
- Plan your vacations around major holidays so you can maximize your travel time
- Network: Make as many international friends as possible that you can visit
- Be comfortable with living with less – experiences are more important than things!
