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Advice needed...

Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum, but have been lurking for awhile. I have always loved travelling, and been fortunate to be able to save money and travel during both my time as an undergraduate and masters programs. My favorite place to travel was by far India. I choose to do my masters in something I originally liked, and now have come to hate, so I am looking to change career paths, but I need some advice on what avenue to go done, because I would like a job either A.) where I can travel as part of my job, or B.)can move to another country all together(India or Mexico preferably, but am open to other suggestions). I am aware that in some countries teaching English is a possible way to go to another country and not only earn money, but also explore a new place. Sadly, India and Mexico do not seem to be options for that. I am fine with going back to school and studying something that will allow me to travel as part of my job, the problem is I don't know what I would study, and what career avenue I would go into. I have come to realize that travelling makes me insanely happy, and I can't imagine living the rest of my life without being able to do it.

Any advice would be highly appreciated,

-Eugenio

P.S. I am aware that being a travel attendant would allow me to travel, but I don't find that career path particularly appealing because though I love travelling, I do tend to get a bit scared on the airplane.

Posted by
544 posts

Getting the best job in your field of study is the best way to go. Then save to take a trip every other year.

Travel opportunities with work may present themselves after you've been in your career for 5-10 years. You should also get additional time off.

Posted by
2 posts

Thanks for your reply! Actually the field I am will never have any opportunities for travel, as it has to do with Psychology. For me, I would either like to have a job where I can travel as part of the job, or permanently move to another country altogether.

Posted by
105 posts

Eugenio,

This is just an idea, but I've often thought that becoming proficient in another language would open up job opportunities. Instead of going back to school, study a language and work as a interpretor. Many companies hire this type of worker. With your education, combined with being bilingual, your opportunities might be better. Just a thought. Good luck!

Posted by
7049 posts

This is not an ideal response to your question, but have you considered applying for the Peace Corps or a State Department Fellowship? Both would allow you to live overseas for a number of years. I have a friend who has been able to live and travel extensively in Asia due to such a fellowship (she is a teacher employed under the English Language Fellow Program).

Posted by
5697 posts

Since you now have an advanced degree in a field you hate -- first you need to figure out what you CAN do and whether you can change the parts you hate. And what parts of traveling make you "insanely happy" ?

Read some of Barbara Sher's books about choosing a career path. Good luck !

Posted by
1307 posts

It's just a quick thought, but perhaps you might consider applying to become a civilian employee of the military and get hired to work on one of our bases overseas in psychology. I know you said that you hated it, but it might work for you in a somewhat exotic locale.
Or could you get a teaching credential and either teach overseas in an "American" or international school or, again, on a military base.
Or have you gone to guidance counselor at your university and asked for help in selecting a field that uses your experience and degrees?
I would think that you actually have a lot of possibilities ...

Posted by
3391 posts

As someone in education here are a couple of options......
Since you already have a degree you could pursue a teaching credential. There are many international schools that are always looking for teachers. You need to be careful and make sure to work in a place that has pay and benefits that are comparable to your home country but there are many options out there. If you already have a BA or equivalent you can earn a teaching credential more quickly than if you were starting from scratch. Job listings at reputable schools overseas can be found here. This will give you an idea of what's available and the variety that exists. More jobs will start to appear in the spring. Teaching isn't for everyone but it's a great way to get yourself overseas!
Another, quicker option is to earn your TESOL certification to teach English overseas. This will give you the qualification to teach in a place that will have decent pay. Many colleges and universities offer programs in this. It will take less time than a teaching credential but the pay isn't as good. Again, you need to be careful since many of the positions overseas that require this certification can be very low paying....but if you do your homework there are many positions teaching English that pay well enough to live and travel in your desired part of the world.
Good luck with this life change!

Posted by
15807 posts

I would either like to have a job where I can travel as part of the
job….

A note of caution here? "Traveling as part of the job" can mean just that; traveling for the job and not for fun. It can mean getting to a location just long enough to accomplish a task and then turning around and going home. It can be tedious and tiring, and allow little to no time for leisure. The same can be said for working abroad; it's different than going on holiday because it's, well, work, although you may have weekends to explore a bit.

So it's more important to choose a career in an area you excel at, enjoy, and can make a lucrative enough salary to be able to save for travel whether you take (or even have the opportunity to take) the career skill abroad or not.

Posted by
3595 posts

There are two English teaching opportunities, available to young people, that don't seem to be well-known. One is sponsored by the Japanese government; and is, I believe, now called the JET program. Participants are placed as English assistants in secondary schools. No knowledge of Japanese is required. The second is a U.S. government sponsored Fulbright program. The assignment is similar; native-speaker assistant in an English class. However, for this one, I'm pretty sure you need fluency in the language of the country. No teaching experience is required for either.
Each of my daughters participated in one of these programs and loved the experience. They were able to travel extensively. The one in Japan visited Thailand, Hong Kong, Bali, and Vietnam during and after her time there. The other was based in France and went all over Europe.