I don’t know about you, but here on the East Coast spring is in full swing, and we have had days of sunshine (and maybe a little rain here and there), which was just what we needed after a tumultuous winter. All of this sunshine is making me feel a little nostalgic or my first summer working abroad, most of which I spent in the playground of a tiny school playing “Arriba! Abajo!” (Up! Down!) with a bunch of screaming school children. We had the time of our lives.
Which brings me to this week’s post, which is all about fun! It’s already May, so many summer jobs could be gone, but it’s never too late to find something that will make you a little bit of money, but most importantly will help you make some great memories!
- Resort Activities Manager: Every resort is a little bit different, but most of the sprawling all-inclusive resorts have activities for children and adults alike to keep everyone busy and smiling. While there is sure to be some emphasis on the beach scene (think volleyball games and limbo contests), some activities managers also organize social events and mixers for guests. Every hotel chain is a little bit different, but a great place to start your search for a resort activities jobs is JobMonkey.com’s Resort Jobs Page, which features Club Med jobs abroad.
- Hostel Manager: I spent a bit of time working the front desk at a little hostel in Santiago, Chile. I did it for the extra cash, but had no idea what a good time I was in for! Most of the people I worked with were expats like me, and the visitors came from all over the world, and had the greatest story to tell. All I really had to do was check them in, wash their sheets, and give them advice about things to do in the area. Sometimes I acted as a translator for things like taxis, or airlines. It was a fairly low-stress job, and the pay was a little less than decent…but it was fun! Many hostels will actually let you live in the hostel for free in exchange for a few hours of work a week! If you’re looking for a hostel job abroad, you can actually find great information just through Google. That will lead you to a hostel that speaks your language and has job openings. You can also do a search for “freeloaders”, which is a term used by some hostels that offer free rooms in exchange for labor.
- Scuba/Water Sport Instructor: So not just anybody can decide to move to the Caribbean and become a SCUBA instructor – it’s a specialized skill that requires classes and training. But chances are that if you already have the proper certification, your services will be in pretty high demand at resorts, hotels, cruise ships or with adventure tour companies. If you don’t know where to start, think about your ideal location and start searching from there. Or you can always just pick at random. How about SCUBA instructing in the Cayman Islands?
- Tour Guide: You can be a tour guide just about anywhere, but there is always demand for English-speaking tour guides abroad. Of course, in order to guide tourists through the best places in a particular region, you‘ll have to know it pretty well yourself – even if the tour company is training you, it’s nice to be able to give it a little something extra! So if you’ve been living abroad for a while, know the language and can get around traffic patterns, a tour guide job might be for you. You should like people, not get sick of the sound of your own voice, and be up for anything! Sound like a good fit for your summer adventure? Contiki Tours (they are currently hiring in Europe!) is a great place to start looking. And if you want to read about the “real life” of a tour guide abroad, check out this article on Transitions Abroad.
- Teen Trip Group Leader: Maybe you went on a trip yourself, or maybe being a role model to a group of teenagers appeals to you, but teen trips are incredibly popular, and an excellent way to see the world while getting paid. Of course, you’ll be responsible for the well-being of other people’s children, but they best tour countries will arm you with everything that you need to get from place to place quickly and safely, and with plenty of time to enjoy yourself. Most trip leaders need to have proficiency in a foreign language, experience with living abroad, and experience working with children. Does this sound like you? Head over to Overland Adventures and dip your toes into the world of teen tours abroad. If there’s nothing there that interests you, try Global Leadership Adventures, which focuses on service projects abroad.
Are you anxious to see the rest of the Top 10 Fun Summer Jobs Abroad? Make sure to check back next week for our next post!