July 10, 2023, 4:27 pm | Read time: 12 minutes

Would you like to just fly off with a one-way ticket and spontaneously see where the journey takes you? Do you want to live somewhere else in the world for a set period? Or do you even dream of moving abroad entirely? With some determination, these dreams can be turned into reality. For many, it’s easier than ever: With the coronavirus pandemic and the introduction of remote work in almost every industry, mobile working has gained even more significance. However, since money plays a significant role for most, this text also addresses that. On my travels, I have come across five models that I would like to present.

Also interesting: Can I take my child out of school to travel despite compulsory education?

Model 1: Take the Job on the Road

The sea rushes in waves, feet feel warm sand beneath their soles, someone brings a coconut or a plate of local delicacies. Nothing is heard except the sea and my fingers tapping on the laptop keyboard, inspired by the surroundings, flying over the keys. This is roughly how I imagined my life as a traveling author. And it was often similar. I found this setting in various forms (and quickly realized that sand and laptops are a bad combination). More often than the dreamed-of table or hammock on the beach, my travel office reality is a car.

Whether coaching or writing, I regularly sit in some four-wheeled vehicle, ideally on a huge cliff overlooking the sea, in a gray parking lot on a highway, working. This means wedging my extra-charged phone somewhere, checking for the umpteenth time if the mobile router really works or if the current country’s SIM card has enough data to spend an hour or more talking to a client via video app. Or balancing the laptop on my lap or somehow between my knees, writing texts that I then send to magazines and agencies in Germany. If I don’t necessarily need total silence around me, a café, restaurant, or park bench will do–the other much-lived travel office realities.

Also interesting: Volunteering abroad? Here’s what to watch out for

The model of working on the go with a laptop was already spreading before the coronavirus pandemic. But since then, it’s become even more normal to work outside the office–though much less on the road. During the many lockdowns, many continued working on their home couches. In the crisis, many became very creative and suddenly created all kinds of learning places online. Accordingly, it’s not surprising that it’s now even easier to work while traveling.

Here are a few jobs you can easily take on the road:

Freelancers in the Online Sector

Freelancers working in the online sector and not necessarily tied to an editorial office, agency, or office need basically just a laptop, a functioning internet connection, and occasionally power to do their job.

These jobs, among others, are possible:

• Journalist and Author
• Social Media Manager
• Online Coach or Psychologist
• Translator
• Web Developer
• Graphic Designer
• Language Teacher

Fitness Trainers, Yoga and Pilates Instructors

In addition to classes and individual lessons on-site, more and more fitness trainers, yoga, and Pilates instructors are offering their sessions online. Some combine both, teaching people in one place while being filmed and sending the result live to people elsewhere in the world. This trend also intensified during the pandemic.

Travel Photographer and Cameraman

Traveling to the most beautiful places in the world to capture them in the best possible way–the photographer’s profession remains one of the ultimate dream travel jobs. Freelancing is an option here, but not many can live solely from independent travel photography. It’s easier for employed photographers and cameramen who travel abroad with a team of editors and technicians for productions. Especially cameramen might be in high demand for the many emigration shows on German TV. Those skilled with a photo drone also have good prospects.

Travel Blogger and Influencer

Many do it alongside their regular job or only when they are traveling: writing a travel blog. But you can also approach it professionally and earn money from it. Travel bloggers generate income by recommending products and services they use on their travels, known as affiliate marketing.

Model 2: Work on Location

This is the model I often encountered while living in Portugal and is completely normal in popular vacation spots. Many travel enthusiasts go somewhere and find a job there that provides the necessary travel funds. Several friends of mine regularly live in different places and work in studios, spas, or guesthouses as yoga instructors.

Basically, you can do almost any job you do in Germany in another place in the world. It might require some retraining or creativity, but it’s doable with most professions. Depending on the scope, duration, and location, you may need a work permit.

These jobs work well abroad:

Surf, Yoga, and Ski Instructors

Those who love sports like surfing or skiing can turn their passion into a profession. This way, they can always be in the waves or mountains, but may have to change locations depending on the season. As a yoga instructor, it’s even easier, as it can be done anywhere, both offline and online.

Doctor and Nurse

Doctors and nurses are needed everywhere–especially those with solid training. Those who have already completed it, are eager for a stay abroad, and want to work can apply directly to hospitals and medical stations or inquire with organizations like “Doctors Without Borders.”

Au Pair

After school, going to another country before starting university? A classic is the job as an au pair. For most, this means moving in with another family and taking care of the children and household. But even those who are a few years older can work as an au pair.

Also interesting: The 10 cities with the best work-life balance worldwide

Harvest Helper

Another classic of “gap year jobs” is fruit picking in exciting countries like Australia and New Zealand. This is called “Work and Travel” and often includes accommodation during the work period, such as on a farm.

Archaeologist

Those who love history and travel and enjoy searching for treasures could become archaeologists. Sure, there are excavation sites in Germany too. But much more exciting are ancient sites in Greece or Italy or the Mayan ruins in South America.

Geologist

Those more interested in the formation of the Earth, volcanoes, and plate tectonics might find the profession of a geologist exciting. Even during their studies, aspiring geologists travel the world to explore various geological mysteries.

Also interesting: 13 of the world’s most active volcanoes

Tour Guide

Living in your favorite city abroad, getting to know every corner of it, and sharing your (insider) knowledge with vacationers from home: For communicative people, the job of a travel or city guide might be just right. Or you work for a German tour operator as a tour guide and regularly accompany tourists abroad. Those who know the destination well and speak the language have good chances.

Working in Hotels, Hostels, and More

Tourist accommodations like hotels and hostels are always looking for people to help keep the operation running. You might work at the reception, make beds, clean, cook, wash dishes, and so on.

Working in Restaurants and Cafés

Similar to accommodations, there is always a need for new people in eateries to serve or prepare food and drinks for guests or wash dishes.

Also interesting: The 10 best restaurants in Germany

Beach Tester

Travel the world and test beaches–the best job in the world? The online portal Beach-Inspector.com regularly seeks freelance beach testers and interns for various countries and regions. Just occasionally check the website to see if there are open positions, and maybe you’ll get lucky and become a beach tester soon.

Hotel Tester

Checking the quality a hotel and its staff offer is the task of a hotel tester. How do you become one? There is no classic training path to it. Usually, it’s consulting firms that are commissioned by top hotels for tests. A degree in hotel management or training in the hotel sector is certainly helpful for applicants. The term hotel tester can also broadly apply to editors and authors of travel guides, travel magazines, or online travel portals who test hotels and then write reviews or recommendations.

Restaurant Tester

Similar to the hotel tester profession, the restaurant tester tries various restaurants, tastes different dishes, and also checks the service and sometimes the hygiene. Restaurant testers often work with magazines. Some combine their passion for food with their own food blog and/or Instagram account.

Language Teacher

Language courses are in demand in many countries. English teachers are especially sought after, for example, in Spain and Italy, but also in Africa and some Asian countries. To teach a language (or, for example, music or IT), you don’t necessarily have to be a trained teacher with a degree. Information and offers can be obtained, for example, through ProjectsAbroad or through the Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA) of the Federal Office of Administration. By the way, the profession of an online tutor is similar and even more independent.

House Sitter

Jet around the world and take care of the most beautiful luxury homes and cutest animals: This pleasant task is taken on by house sitters. You can register, for example, with “House Carers,” “Trusted Housesitters,” or “Mind my House.” You can then apply for relevant postings and offer yourself as a house sitter. While you don’t pay a cent to live in someone else’s house, you also don’t earn anything, so house sitting is more suitable as a side activity. Or for freelancers who only need a laptop to work.

Also interesting: How house sitting and home exchange work

Model 3: Travel for the Job

Whether as a freelancer or employee, there are various jobs for which you might be sent on trips. These can be regular business trips to meet with partners in other countries or to set up a new company location elsewhere. They can also be temporary jobs, like retreats, where you work as a teacher/trainer, coach, or masseur and are flown in. Or the journey itself is the job, such as in these cases:

Pilot and Flight Attendant

Flying around the world in an airplane and visiting foreign countries is a dream for many, which they fulfill in the professions of pilot or flight attendant.

Also interesting: Why flight attendants really stand in the airplane door during boarding

Working on a Cruise Ship

On large cruise ships, dozens of people work in all sorts of areas: as technicians, in the service sector, in the kitchen, or as entertainers. There are hairdressers, doctors, masseurs, lifeguards, and so on. Maybe there’s something right for you, and you can move your profession from land to water.

More on the topic

Experience report You Want To Earn Money While Traveling? Here Are 11 Tips To Realize Your Dream

Experience report Travel Author Explains: ‘This Is How I Earn Money on Vacation’

Model 4: Sabbatical

I experienced the sabbatical model a few years ago with my mom. She works as a medical assistant in a practice and was eager to spend some time in Nepal. She didn’t just want to travel there but also work. So she did it: She received about half of her monthly salary at home for half a year, and the other half of the year, she was in Nepal and continued to be paid–with the other half of her salary. In Nepal, she volunteered at a medical station.

Sabbaticals have been gaining popularity for some time. There are different models. You can do it as described or take unpaid leave if the money allows. Or you can find another job at your desired location. A colleague of mine is doing a classic sabbatical with split income. She travels a bit and mainly takes time to build her independent coaching business to work completely (location) independently afterward.

Also interesting: How to best plan a world trip

Model 5: Save Beforehand

Another acquaintance of mine does it this way: First, he works a full year at home in New Zealand and lives a somewhat frugal life during that time. Then he takes the entire saved pile of money and flies to Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, or wherever he wants to go and stays where he wants. Because he keeps coming back and apparently does good work in his job, his boss allows it repeatedly and now even pays huge bonuses, flights, and so on if he occasionally commits for longer. This model seems to work too.

This text is already the third part of the series “Working on the Road.” In the first part, our author Anna Wengel (now Chiodo) shares her own experience as a traveling author (read Part 1 here: How I Earn Money on “Vacation”–My Life as a Traveling Author). And in the second part, Anna gives tips on how the dream of traveling and working on the go can become a reality (Part 2: read here Earn Money While Traveling–11 Tips to Make the Dream Come True). Enjoy dreaming–and working on the go.