About three years ago, I decided to quit my 9-to-5 job to experience the world beyond my comfort zone. My job had become more daunting than fulfilling, so I told my boss I quit - but it wasn’t on impulse.
About a week before I quit, my friend who had just recently come back from his sabbatical told me about what he’d done while he was away. He introduced me to the concept of work exchange, and my mind was blown by his stories because right there and then, I knew where to go after I handed in my resignation.
Here are some of my vivid and eventful experiences during my work exchange trip that I’d like to share. Read on and find out how I was able to travel freely, live abroad, enjoy the world without breaking the bank, and you can discover what awaits you with this kind of lifestyle, too.
- Work Exchange: A Cheap Yet Fulfilling Travel Endeavor
- The Benefits of a Work Exchange
- Planning a Work Exchange
- The Life of a Person on a Work Exchange
Work Exchange: A Cheap Yet Fulfilling Travel Endeavor
What’s a work exchange, you ask? It’s a way of traveling the world where you exchange your time, skills, and efforts for a host who is in need of the services you can offer. In return, the host provides you with accommodation, along with other benefits which depend on the host or your agreement with the host.
There are countless organizations that offer this kind of setup, such as campsites, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), social projects, farms, restaurants, hostels, ecovillages, and even small businesses, among many others.
In my case, I was able to travel to Asia during my first year of work exchange as a language teacher in a remote school for preschoolers.
The Basics of a Work Exchange
I’ve also come across organizations and institutions looking for people who can offer specialized skills like housekeeping, bartending, photography, gardening, childcare, and community work in exchange for free accommodation.
The duration of work exchanges varies between hosts, so it can last for as short as a week, or as long as a year.
I was able to stay with the remote school I was teaching in for an entire semester (which lasted for about four months) before I found another school that needed a language teacher in another area.
The Benefits of a Work Exchange
Even before I got to experience this work exchange setup, I knew from the beginning that this lifestyle will be an incredible and life-changing experience for me. My friend who introduced me to the work exchange setup had already said enough to convince me to go for it, but it wasn’t until I experienced it myself that I really got to reap its benefits.
As a budget traveler, I am always looking for new ways to travel in the cheapest way possible. Because accommodation and food usually constitute about 70% of expenses, I figured that work exchange is the best option for me since board and lodging will be provided for me without a cost.
The fact that I can stay in a place for more than just three days means so much to me because this means that I will have more time to really immerse myself in the place and get to learn the people’s way of life, traditions, cultures, and even language. I prefer to really get to know the essence of the place I am traveling to.
During my four-month stay with the community in that remote area in Asia, I got to know people and listen to their stories. Staying with a community for a long time introduced me to a whole new community in which I was treated like family too.
Breaking Free from the Comfort Zone
I guess the best part of my work exchange experience was that I was able to break out of my comfort zone and had the courage to do things I’ve always wanted to try. I was able to meet new people and other volunteers with diverse backgrounds.
As an introvert, I was often too shy to socialize and kept to myself. But with this engagement on my travels, I was able to develop my social skills, alongside the skills I was sharing with my gracious host.
My work exchange was a breath of fresh air from the mundane and rudimentary life I'd lived prior to going. It was a much-needed change of pace. I’ve felt better about my life since I’ve come back from Asia, and I started living my life with a renewed sense of peace and hope.
Planning a Work Exchange
Are you convinced and want to plan for this next adventure of your life? The first step to help you get started is to decide on whether you’ll be doing a short-term or long-term work exchange. Short-term exchanges usually last from about a week to a couple, while long-term exchanges can last for months.
Then, it’s time to choose your destination - much like how one plans a vacation. If you don't have anything particular in mind, you can start by picturing the type of experience you would want to have, then do a quick search on the Internet from there.
I chose Asia as my destination since it’s a fascinating and diverse place that’s on the other side of the globe. I did a quick search for legitimate NGOs who were looking for volunteers and signed up for a community project looking for language teachers. I enjoy teaching kids a lot so I decided to grab that opportunity.
From there, I was in constant communication with my host from the community and the NGO that ran the program. I researched the NGO before signing up and asked a few of my contacts about the organization. Luckily, they were an established and reliable one, so I put my fears aside and pushed onward.
Traveling to the Work Exchange Locations
Because I was traveling to the other side of the globe, I had to get my visa ready. Hosts do not usually offer any kind of assistance when it comes to international visa applications, so you’ll be lucky if you find a host that’s willing to help you.
However, you can ask for proof that you’ll be working with them to use for your visa application. You’ll also be in charge of your airfare on the way to your destination.
While hosts make it customary to pick you up from the airport, train station, or terminal, remember that this is not really required of them. They do it as a courtesy and a way of thanking you for offering your services to them.
The Life of a Person on a Work Exchange
During the time I spent as a language teacher in a remote area, my host took care of my accommodation, travel expenses to and from the city proper, as well as all of my meals for the day.
Because the NGO also took care of a beach community and a mountain forest reserve, I was given the opportunity to take free surfing lessons from the locals and hiking trips with foresters who were in charge of the forest conservation.
I was also able to travel to nearby communities and got to experience their food, culture, music, dance, and even picked up a few basic words of the local language. After my four-month stint, I moved to another nearby community that was also looking for language teachers.
Although the host was only able to provide me with one free meal per day aside from the accommodation, the people in the community were so generous and treated me like their own. I never felt homesick even once and enjoyed the rest of my engagement as a language teacher.
Ways to Earn Money
So if a work exchange does not guarantee that you will be paid, how do we ensure that we’re not going to live off the streets after some time?
It’s important to still set aside a budget for your roundtrip and emergency expenses. After all, work exchange still requires some money since you’re technically only saving your accommodation.
Some of the people I know worked as freelancers online while they were traveling, which is a decent option to continue earning while traveling. Others looked for other jobs within the area, such as housesitting, pet sitting, or babysitting to earn a little extra.
Conclusion
Work exchange is definitely something to try for people who are looking for new adventures and experiences in their lives. It’s another way to travel responsibly and sustainably which a lot of tourists do not really bother to do nowadays.
Indeed, traveling with purpose is one of the most fulfilling ways to travel. Not only do you get to see the world, but you get to see beyond the scenery, food, and attractions. Have the time of your life through one of the best travel ideas ever!
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