Work hard, travel harder

While fear and anxiety over future plans may plague much of our generation, a small group of young adults is indulging their curiousity and taking the opportunity to travel or work abroad.

The fun and excitement of event coordination, trip planning and au pair jobs are motivaters to work abroad in the first place, but many who stay abroad are doing it for two main reasons: one, our generation is about movement – we’re here for excitement and adventure. And two, the opportunity to work abroad comes once in a lifetime, and we are the perfect age to pick up and move.

Past generations traveled not for the job but because it was part of the job, and our elders did not have the limitless opportunities we do. Luckily, we have great imaginations and a seemingly endless amount of possibilities at our fingertips.

Thanks to technological advances and the state of international affairs, we are more connected to foreign cultures (for better or worse). Working abroad can fulfill an ultra-service-oriented desire to contribute to and learn about a society and culture that is not our own. Studying abroad with a university offers the independence and rush many crave, but having the opportunity to contribute to a new community through work creates a deeper connection and makes the experience that much more authentic.

There are no hard numbers on the popularity of working abroad, but there are dozens and dozens of work placement sites for Europe, Asia and Africa. I currently have four friends on three different continents – they are working on a coffee farm in Brazil, acting as an au pair in Italy, teaching in Africa and spending time in the Peace Corps. No matter how different their paths, their reasons for working abroad were similar – each wanted an adventure, the opportunity to say, “I’ve done it,” and to literally keep moving, if only for a couple of months.

The beauty and culture of popular locations like Rome and London make it easy to have unforgettable adventures, but if we’re lucky enough, the experience becomes something more – a chance to grow from the inside out. When we travel or work abroad, we become cleverer, more steadfast and more independent.

We want to travel far and then work hard wherever we end up. Adventures abroad mean fun and excitement, and since ours is a generation on the move, we are more than happy to pick up and pack up on the next great adventure.

Photo by thinkpanama