living in a new country every year

Travel Forums General Talk living in a new country every year

Page
  • 1
  • 2
Last Post
1. Posted by mbwinther (Budding Member 8 posts) 4y Star this if you like it!

hello everybody

I am a young man who is soon done with my education and wants to travel.
I really want to see the world and experince different cultures. I was thinking about moving to a new country and live there for 6 months to a year, to see how people live there, make new friends and just to see the country for a longer time.

my question is, is it possible to move to a new country every year without being a millionaire. I can imagine it can be a bit expessive, beacuse you need to find a aparment and move your stuff and stuff like that. but when you are living in a country for a longer time you can find a job and save up some money.

has anybody done something like this?

thanks, and sorry for if any mistakes, my english is not perfect

2. Posted by Sander (Moderator 6083 posts) 4y Star this if you like it!

The biggest hurdle to this will be being allowed to stay in the country for half a year, let alone work there, where your nationality determines everything. Most countries allow visitors to stay for only up to three months as a tourist, and working isn't generally allowed at all.

If you're from the EU, you can definitely do this (work and live anywhere) within the EU due to the open borders. If you're not from the EU, you can only stay within the entire EU (actually the "Schengen zone", which is slightly different) for three months, and then need to leave for a full three months before being allowed to return, and you're not allowed to work.

What is relatively common is making use of something called a "Working Holiday Visa" (WHV), generally available for people aged 18-30 from the EU/Canada/Australia/New Zealand and some countries in SE Asia (with restrictions), that allow you to stay within that country for a year and work. These visas tend to be "once in a lifetime" for each country, so it pays to stay the full year.

I can definitely recommend the general idea of staying in places longterm and getting to really know them. I personally did WHVs for a year each in New Zealand and Australia right after each other, slowly travelling around quite a bit to see each country, but also living in Auckland and Melbourne for many months while working, and that was an experience which shaped my life for the better.

[ Edit: Edited on 11-Oct-2020, 10:34 GMT by Sander ]

3. Posted by mbwinther (Budding Member 8 posts) 4y Star this if you like it!

Thanks of the answer

yeah I live in the EU so that helps alot

I would love to travel around australia, but did you ever felt like hold backed beacuse of lack of money, I am guessing money is tight when traveling around like that.

4. Posted by karazyal (Travel Guru 5882 posts) 4y Star this if you like it!

Hello. Filling out your profile will make it easier to give suggestions.

Sometimes how long you can stay and how easy it is to enter a particular country depends on what country passport you enter with. Not all countries want foreigners taking jobs away from their citizens.

Often with a tourist visa there are requirements that you have sufficient funds to support yourself during your visit.

-

"I can imagine it can be a bit expensive, because you need to find a apartment and move your stuff and stuff like that. but when you are living in a country for a longer time you can find a job and save up some money."

(Assuming you could actually find a "country" that would allow you stay 6 months and work legally.)

For short stays you do not need to buy cars, no need to invest in big items like expensive furniture, fancy TV's, and other large household items. I managed to live comfortably with a hotplate and cheap microwave oven. Some cheap hotels or guest houses do a deal for long term guests. They may provide refrigerator, linen and maid cleanup. When you leave for the next country you give the microwave and hot plate away. Plates you can give away too. Don't accumulate lots of stuff you have to take with you!

If you are in a family where men rarely know how to take care of themselves and they can't cook simple stuff to feed themselves - you might have a problem!

Right now not many countries want any kind of visitor. Especially if you are from a country with a high death count from this virus that came from China.

Time to do some research. Right now you need to work a bit to accumulate enough money to pay for a 6 month stay in any country that allows for visitors with your particular country passport to enter for long stays.

Good luck.

[ Edit: Edited on 11-Oct-2020, 11:34 GMT by karazyal ]

5. Posted by mbwinther (Budding Member 8 posts) 4y Star this if you like it!

oh didnt know I could fil out my profil, thanks

yeah, I figuren you lived as simpel as possible and live cheap.
it was more like if you still could be alle to aford going to a nice restaurant, skydiving, scubadiving like that kind experience as well, if it was hard to get the money for that

I will wait for the corona virus to go away, hopefully it will be soon, thats kind why i found these forum to do some research and get some money.

i am a educated carpenter, but I would also like trying new jobs like a resturant, bar or what not, I have experience as a chef and dishwasher.
I also heard that being a carpenter, if there has been a natur disaster, it is very easier to get a job to help build.

But i come from denmark, and like coming on a hotel or getting a apartment is very expensive, I think thats why I worry a bit about money but I know some country where is cheap

but thanks

6. Posted by AndyF (Moderator 3019 posts) 4y Star this if you like it!

Yeah the two obstacles are money and visas. The suggestion of a Working Holiday Visa is a good one and you should look into it. For Australia or New Zealand. Plan on saving up as much as possible beforehand, and the income from working when out there will extend your stay. Toys like skydiving and scuba diving are expensive, up to you how much of that you do but bear in mind that one of those may eat your normal budget for a week or two so it would mean coming home that much sooner.

Bar work etc is common, but you may find your carpentry skills in demand.

7. Posted by mbwinther (Budding Member 8 posts) 4y Star this if you like it!

yeah, thats is true, lot of things to consider

but when I tell people what I want to do, I get a lot of negative respons. like saying that it is unrealstic and can not be done, and would never be a adventure or fun. and that wouldnt get to see the country i am in because I would need to stay put in one place when I get a job

but how were your experience when doing this?

8. Posted by AndyF (Moderator 3019 posts) 4y Star this if you like it!

Your original plan, 6 months to a year in once country after another, is indeed difficult. So I can see why people would call it unrealistic. Generally countries welcome travellers who are going to spend money, but they don't really want them taking jobs away from locals. The best way through this is to look into Working Holiday Visas as has previously been mentioned. These always come with restrictions, like age 18 to 30 and a specified time limit, and the idea is often to get some cheap labour for tasks such as fruit picking.

I've read that Danish citizens can possibly get WHVs for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Argentina, Chile, Japan, South Korea, but I've not looked into the detail beyond looking on the internet.

In both Australia and New Zealand I've known people use it as a way to extend their budget and afford a travel year even though they didn't really have the funds for that. Yes, you don't get to see the country as much as if you were just travelling without working, but if you were working five days a week you do at least get to spend the evenings soaking up the local culture / hanging out with other travellers, and the weekends exploring the local area. And the nature of these jobs is often short-term, so you could relocate after a week or a month and see another area. (In both Australia and NZ there is an enticement to do the harder farm work - 3 months farm work qualifies people for a 2nd year visa, which many people want. But the work is often seen as poorly paid, and in remote places where there aren't the same opportunities for fun after work as in the cities.)

I've also seen people use this as an opportunity to "window-shop" what living in a country would be like. And they've found jobs they enjoy, and stayed on permanently, with the employer sponsoring them for their residence permit.

You could also do this across the EU, though there is not the same Working Holiday culture to tap into and many of those sort of jobs are low-paid work filled by migrants from former Communist countries, so perhaps not so appealing as a way of working your way around.

So you are right that this CAN be a way to see new places, and it can be an adventure and fun; equally it can be hard work and time spent at work is not the same as a holiday. If you go into it aware that it will be part holiday and part work then you should get what you hope for. :)

9. Posted by karazyal (Travel Guru 5882 posts) 4y Star this if you like it!

One thing you can look into is a company in Denmark (or some Western company with good wages) that has business interests in another country far away. You get a job with that company with the thought of being employed in their overseas facility.

Not all countries are the same for the day to day cost of living. With a good salary from a "back home company" living in a country with a cheaper cost of living you do pretty good! And you have a career of sorts that might pay off when you are older if you stick with the same company. At your age you may not be thinking about retirement but someday you will have to!

Another thought. If Denmark has some sort of volunteer organization (similar to the U.S. Peace Corps) see if they have a project in a country that interests you. No big money but probably a place to sleep and food to eat while you work and explore on your off time.

Good luck.

10. Posted by mbwinther (Budding Member 8 posts) 4y Star this if you like it!

yeah thanks it is some great advice, all of you have giving me. really appreciate it

can see there is blot of stuff to look intim, but guess i have time since this corona shit is going on.

I also have to look into how much money I think I would spend pr week or month to get idea how much work i need to do and how holiday I can get

Page
  • 1
  • 2

Last Post

To reply to this thread, please login or join