In recent years more and more people have taken to travelling; as a gap year, employment, to explore, have adventures or sometimes even taking their work with them. Travelling is becoming increasingly popular and those who aren’t travelling wish they were.
Many people travel for long periods of time, working as they go or writing about their adventures and those people who wish they were travelling have lots of questions or opinions for those who are out on adventures.
If I had a pound for the amount of times I had been asked or heard the following statements, I would be able to traveller wherever I wanted to around the world.
1) Travelling’s expensive, how do you afford to do it?
I get this question all the time, the truth is you don’t have to be rich to travel. I have undertaken three jobs with three different companies; Sunsail, Neilson Holidays and Peligoni. With all three I applied for jobs with them online, had interviews and embarked on adventures. What would you say if I told you all three companies paid for the following things; flights to a from the resorts (Three different places in Greece), my food and accommodation for the duration of my contract (one of which was 6 months long) and all three also paid me monthly. I worked as a water ski instructor but all three also employ; waitresses, bar staff, swimming coaches, lifeguards, nanny’s and many more. There are hundreds of companies like this all over the world; winter or summer season staff, cruise ship staff, au pairs or even English teachers. Check out my article A beginners guide to finding jobs abroad for more information.
2) How can you stay away for so long? Don’t you miss your family and friends
The true is every traveller at some point gets home sick, misses friends, family, birthdays or nights out. Yes there has been some times when I wish I could go home for one day, but then you think about it, would you give up travelling, meeting new people, having crazy experiences for one night out at home or one meal. The word is so small now that with a touch of a button you can video chat someone across the world, or be at that party without being there. Technology and communication has made the world smaller and more accessible.
3) Aren’t you scared of what might happen
Travelling can be scary but routine is lethal! Travelling can throw up all kinds of unknown situations both good and bad, but hey so can being at home. By getting out of bed each morning everyone takes a risk, the unknown can happen anywhere, at home whilst travelling. Yes some risks are greater than others, but they are still risks, you never know what might happen this afternoon, tomorrow or next year. You shouldn’t let that fear stop you from living, it should make you live life to the full.
4) Don’t you get lonely
Turning up to a new job, new city or country alone can be scared and lonely but can also be the greatest opportunity to meet amazing people from all over the world. Staying in hostels is a great way to meet and interact with people, you never know who you may end up meeting; a new best friend, life long friends, a new boyfriend or girlfriend – travelling can change your life, you might meet someone who will hook you up with a great job in their home country. New people bring with them new opportunities, new travel destinations, jobs or relationships. Everyone you meet in your life has an effect on you or shapes you into who you are meant to be.
5) I wish I could do what you are doing/ your life is amazing
This is the question people ask me that I hate the most. The answer I give is always the same YOU CAN!!! Everyone can travel, everyone can work abroad if they would only take the first steps. Many people are scared to leave home or of the unknown. I can’t do what your doing is the biggest lie I have ever heard. Anyone can do anything if they just take the first steps, my mum always told me ‘there’s no such word as can’t’ when I was young I hated when she said that, but as I got older I realised she was 100% right! If someone has a dream or wants to do something the only person stopping them from doing it is themselves. Next time you think to yourself I can’t do that, remember what your parents told you or what I just told you.
6) Don’t you want to settle down? Have a career?
Actually as someone in my mid 20s I don’t want to settle down yet, there’s still loads of things I haven’t done yet. Yes I could have probably been high up in a career by now but as someone who still has no idea what I want to do in life it’s a hard task. How do I know what I want to do if I haven’t seen all the options, I was never one of the who people who knew what they wanted to be when they grew up. I see the people who studied and dreamed as a kid of a career, then when they make it they realise it’s notas amazing as they ought it was going to be. Society pressures us to have ‘normal’ jobs, but what are normal jobs. Gone are the days when people would go to school, university and then find a job in their local town or city. People want to explore, move away stand on their own two feet. As I am writing this I am in Bogota Colombia, I have two sisters one is in York at University and the other is working in a resort in Greece, my hometown is Norwich in Norfolk in the UK. I feel like this is as far away from the picture my parents had of our grown up lives as it could be.
The world is everyone’s oyster and they can choose to live it however they wish, but don’t spend your life looking and wishing you were doing what someone else is. You can do anything if you set your mind to it, don’t make excuses because in the end you will be the one who is unhappy.
