Every day, I see posts on various travel groups of people wanting to know how they can move abroad. Whether it be a long-dreamt about destination in Europe, a country that you unexpectedly fell in love with on a trip or meeting the man of your dreams – only to find out he lives halfway around the world, moving abroad is possible and luckily, it is getting easier and easier thanks to advances in technology.
I have spent 12 out of the past 15 years living abroad. Depending on your nationality and skillset, there are many options available to people who want to fulfill this dream. Here are my top tips for starting a new life abroad…..
- Find a remote job. In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to have a flexible life with a stable income. Remote jobs are very competitive but if you can land one that pays a “western” salary (ie UK, US, Australia) and live in a developing country, you can have a great standard of living.
- Teach English online. Native English speakers around the world are jumping on this opportunity to make some extra money. I have been teaching online for two years and it is a job I can take with me anywhere. I have taught from Copacabana Beach in Brazil, houseboat in Kashmir and everything in between! Pay is usually around $20 per hour and while I only make around $500 per month, many teachers who work more hours are able to live in amazing places like Medellin and Bali on their teaching salary. The most well-known companies are Dada and VIPKid but more and more competitors are popping up every day.
- Get a job with an international company. This is a game of chance as you have to wait and hope that you will get transferred internationally. I moved from New York to Hong Kong in my previous role with Booking.com which was an amazing experience but unfortunately, there is no guarantee that this will happen.
- Teach at an international school. This is an option that has only recently come up on my radar. I have met many, many international teachers over the years but never thought it was something that I could do as I don’t have an education degree. After doing a lot of research on it, I discovered that there are many programs that allow you to get certified to teach online without going back to school.
- Start a freelance business. Digital nomads work all over the world and seem to have it all. A flexible schedule, the ability to use your skills and easily upskill, and control over your own business. Virtual assistants seem to be in demand and skilled professionals can demand anything from $30 up for niche skills. Many VAs even work as consultants for various industries and do everything from digital marketing, social media, book-keeping and other administrative work.
- Get a job in country. The final option is to simply apply for jobs abroad and keep your fingers crossed. While doing my master’s degree in Prague, I decided that I wanted to get a job in international development focusing on tourism. I found a website called idealist.org which specialized in non-profit jobs and started my search. Luckily, I came across a posting for the CEO of a social enterprise in India.
