Lifestyle

Making a Career and Life of Travel

Making a Career and Life of Travel

People have always asked why I felt such a strong urge to travel. The truth is that I caught the travel bug when I was only a teenager. I knew I wanted to find a way to build a career and a life of travel. While I tried to ignore it and choose a stable career path, I was never happy or fulfilled. If you are facing a similar dilemma, here’s how I found a compromise between my head and my heart that didn’t leave my bank accounts empty.

Making All the “Right” Choices

I come from a lower-middle-class working family. My parents worked hard to provide for us. And, they believed that a college education was the key to a bright future. Although this was true for me, they didn’t realize that it would open up more than a successful career path. College presented me with a whole new world of opportunities and reignited my desire to travel.

When I shared my excitement to study abroad, they would dampen my enthusiasm. With the best of intentions, they would try to direct me toward careers with better job prospects and salaries. However, I was stubborn. And, I had big dreams of exploring the world and experiencing other cultures. Yet enough of their concerns over the cost of travel helped convinced me that I needed to be more “realistic” with my plans.

As a compromise, I pursued dual degrees in history and education. I thought I could be happy teaching what I love and enjoy greater job security. But by the final semester of my senior year, I knew it was a mistake. I went to my advisor to share my sudden change of heart, and it led to one of the most honest conversations I have ever had about what I wanted for my future. It opened my eyes to the fact that I didn’t need to settle for a life I didn’t want. But most importantly, it showed me that there are several lucrative ways to build a career and life of travel

Looking for a Better Way

That day forever changed the course of my life. I realized that I didn’t need to define myself by other people’s standards of success. I also understood that it was possible to have the lifestyle I wanted and still find a way to support myself.

So, my next step was a big one that led me to study abroad. After graduation, I started a post-graduate degree in another country and pursued a degree in anthropology. This took me out of the work culture of corporate America and exposed me to an entirely different worldview. There were all types of new job opportunities. And since I was already familiar with the student visa process, it was a relatively easy transition into a professional career abroad.

When I finished my degree, I realized the only path to career advancement in my concentration was through academia. Although I have a passion for education, the world of academia is highly competitive, even cutthroat at times, and that’s just not me. Plus, I didn’t want to spend my life applying for grants and being under the thumb of benefactors.

However, anthropology is a broad field. And I met other people who showed me better ways to build a career and life around travel.

3 Ways to Support a Career and Life of Travel

After living abroad for more than 10 years, here are three ways that I have successfully found employment and supported myself overseas.

1. Pursue higher education.

Even though my parents and I had different expectations of my college education, it was an important step in my career path. And it led me to where I am now. Choosing to study abroad and pursue higher education opened doors that I never knew existed. And no matter how you look at it, I earned a master’s degree which has helped my job prospects.

But being in-country gave me the chance to network and get hands-on experience that would have been impossible back home. I also discovered that many several professional internships with multinational organizations can help you get your foot in the door. With the right training, credentials, and contacts, you can land a great job and build a very satisfying life as an ex-pat.

2. Look for online opportunities.

Although I left academia behind, I wasn’t ready to give up on my dreams. So, I used my skills and went online to look for new employment options. I soon learned that tons of online opportunities will allow you to work from anywhere. And, there are even more remote gigs post-Covid.

During my travels, I’ve worked as a freelance writer, copy editor, transcriptionist, translator, and tutor through several online platforms. However, there is also a huge demand for graphic and web designers and many other digital skill sets. If you have marketable skills that only require a computer and internet access, you can live comfortably as a digital nomad.

3. Find a position teaching ESL.

As ironic as it seems, my professional journey overseas ended right back where I started. For the majority of my years abroad, I settled into a teaching career. Native English speakers are in high demand as other countries want to become more competitive in the American and international markets. As long as you have a bachelor’s degree, many schools and companies are willing to compensate you well for your services.

I spent 8 years teaching ESL because it provided a great salary, benefits, travel allowances, and housing. And, I had nearly two months off every year to travel. By the end of it, I had earned enough to pay off all my debts, fund my travels, and save enough to start investing. It was one of the most financially and personally rewarding experiences I’ve had.

Those who are interested should look at one of the many online forums where you can browse offers to live and teach abroad. If the idea of being bound to one place doesn’t appeal to you though, you now have the option to teach online which will allow you even greater freedom of movement.

Final Thoughts

When the end finally comes, many people regret not traveling more or settling for a life they didn’t want. However, I don’t want to be counted among them. So, I have actively sought out a different path.

Although I did it while I was young and unattached, I have seen people at every stage of life successfully build a career and life of travel. Whether you are moving out for the first time, traveling with children, or retiring abroad, it is possible. However, if you want it, then you have to go out and make it happen.

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Considering Starting a Garden to Save Money? Here Are 5 Tips to Help!

Starting a home garden can help you save money and get closer to nature. Even a few basic homegrown herbs and vegetables can positively impact your budget and overall health. While there’s no way to go around certain upfront costs, there are steps you can take to maximize savings from your garden after the initial setup. Here are five tips to help you save money on your home garden.

1. Sow Seeds Instead of Seedlings

While seedlings save you time, seeds save you money. You just need to be organized and plan ahead because it takes time for seeds to germinate and grow to a point where you can transplant them. However, you can harvest more plants from a packet of seeds compared to a punnet of seedlings. Although seed packet prices vary, most edible flowers, sprouting seeds, microgreens, herbs, and vegetable varieties go for two to four dollars on average. For some varieties, you can get hundreds of seeds in a packet, enough to last a lifetime or to swap or sell.

2. Choose the Right Spot for Your Garden

Regardless of where you decide to put your garden or the plants you intend to grow, there are two fundamental requirements your chosen spot must fulfill for the best success: light and water. Vegetables, like other plants, rely on the sun to initiate photosynthesis. Vegetables that grow fast generally require at least six to eight hours each day in direct sunlight without obstruction from fences, shrubs, or trees. According to Arbor Day, areas under a tree’s shade can be 20 to 45 degrees cooler. That’s why planting sun-loving vegetables in shady areas won’t yield much.

If your garden receives partial shade, plant herbs, and vegetables that can withstand those conditions. These include thyme, parsley, cilantro, chives, spinach, chard, kale, and lettuce. If your chosen spot gets at least four hours of sunlight a day, consider root vegetables such as beets, radishes, and carrots. If you have a sunny patio, container gardening is a better fit. This approach allows you to place sun-loving herbs and vegetables like rosemary, dill, basil, beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes, where they’ll thrive.

3. Mulch Your Garden

Mulching your garden can work wonders for your budget. It conserves water and prevents weeds from sprouting, so there’s less weeding and no need for herbicides. To protect your established trees and shrubs from the effects of weather, surround them with a layer of two to three inches of brown compost, birch chips, wood shavings, or dried leaves.

4. Attend Plant Swaps

Plant swaps are events where plant enthusiasts come together to trade specimens. Attending these events allows one to swap a plant you don’t want for one you love for free. You can also find free plants by logging on to your town or neighborhood online forum for local gardeners.

5. Pick Plants with Multiple Functions

If you’re working with a small space, make cautious plant selections. Grow plants that serve at least two purposes, which means you’ll need fewer plants. For instance, blooming herbs such as chives, basil, and mint taste great. When they bloom, they attract helpful insects like hoverflies, ladybirds, and bees that feed on pollen and nectar. In turn, these insects provide crucial ecosystem services, such as pollinating food crops and managing pests such as aphids.

You don’t need lean beef to get your recommended daily amounts of 10 key vitamins and nutrients, including B vitamins, riboflavin, selenium, niacin, zinc, magnesium, and iron. You can get your nutrients from your garden! You should also consider planting oilseed rape, cotton, soybeans, and maize, which make up 99% of global crops worldwide. Get started on your vegetable garden today and it won’t be long until you start reaping the benefits.

7 Frugal Reasons Why You Should Vacuum Seal Your Fruits and Vegetables

7 Reasons Why You Should Vacuum Seal Your Fruits and Vegetables

Those who enjoy cooking and grilling are probably already familiar with vacuum sealing. But, have you ever given it a try for yourself? Although I was initially intimidated by learning how to use a new appliance, it’s a lot simpler than you might think. And in addition to the health benefits, it comes with some significant financial ones as well. If you are thinking about investing in one, here are 7 frugal reasons why you should vacuum seal your fruits and vegetables.

7 Frugal Reasons Why You Should Vacuum Seal Your Fruits and Vegetables

1. It keeps your food fresher, longer.

The most obvious financial advantage of vacuum sealers is that they will make your food last longer. Since your produce is less likely to go bad, there is less risk of you wasting money by throwing it away. Fresh items that would normally start to turn within a week can last up to 2-3 weeks with vacuum sealing. And freezing them can extend their shelf life to 2 years or more.

When you look at the time frame of normal freezing vs vacuum sealed freezing, the savings become even more apparent.

  • Normal Freezing / Vacuum Sealed Freezing
    • Ground Meat (4 months / 1 year)
    • Meat (6 months / 2 years)
    • Fish (6 months / 2 years)
    • Fruits and Vegetables (8 months / 2 years+)

The reason for this is that vacuum sealing removes the oxygen from the packaging. Oxygen is a necessary component of bacterial growth. So, less oxygen means slower fungal and bacterial growth. Ziploc bags and containers can prolong the life of your fruits and veggies as well. But, they still allow a fair amount of air to seep into the packaging. Vacuum sealing will better preserve the flavor, texture, and quality of your food.

2. Vacuum sealing can prevent freezer burn and chemical reactions.

In addition to preserving them longer, vacuum sealing can also prevent freezer burn and chemical reactions that ruin the texture and freshness of your frozen food items. Freezer burn occurs when the cold, low-humidity climate of your freezer removes the moisture from your food and oxidizes it, covering the item in ice crystals. Fruits and vegetables are even more susceptible to it since they consist of 90% water, sometimes more.

However, tightly wrapping your food with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and removing the oxygen from the packaging can prevent this. Not only will it keep the moisture in your food, but it also keeps bacteria out that can cause food to spoil faster. While other containers can protect your food, vacuum sealing it will preserve your food 3-5 times longer and ensure it doesn’t taste strange or develop a mushy texture.

3. It allows you to save your leftovers longer.

Coming from a big family, I have gotten used to making large portions. But now that it’s just my husband and me, we always have leftovers. And though I enjoy them, I can’t eat the same meal for days on end. This usually leaves us with a lot of uneaten food which pains me to waste.

So, another benefit of vacuum sealing is that you can store your favorite dishes in the freezer and enjoy them again later on, without all the prep work. This has been a great solution and a huge money saver when we don’t want to cook or spend money on delivery services.

4. You can buy in bulk.

Another frugal reason to vacuum seal fruits and vegetables is that it will allow you to buy in bulk. Most budgeters already know and practice this tip. But, it’s a bit more complicated with fresh produce. If you don’t use them right away, they will probably end up in the garbage.

I think about this every time I go to Costco. And, I hesitate to buy fresh produce for this very reason. But thanks to a vacuum sealer, you can divide them into smaller portions and save them for later.

5. It makes organization easier.

My mom has frozen her leftovers for years. But, I cannot fully describe how much I hate digging through the freezer and having to try and guess what is stored in each container. Not only is it time-consuming, but the oddly shaped packages take up more space than necessary.

Vacuum sealing will make organization much faster and allow you to fit more in your freezer. Since the bags for the vacuum sealer are approximately the same size, it’s much easier to stack and store each package.

6. The vacuum-sealed bags are more durable.

In addition to preserving your food longer, the vacuum-sealed bags themselves are more durable than your standard freezer bags. Therefore, there is less chance that they will tear. This also eliminates the need to pre-wrap your items and double-bag them before freezing. And of course, it’s more cost-effective to store your food this way since it reduces the chances of losing items to freezer burn.

7. The initial investment will pay for itself.

Many people choose to stick with other methods because the initial investment is substantial. If you look online, you will find dozens of models that cost hundreds of dollars. However, it is an investment that will pay for itself in time. When you do the math, you can see that it will easily save you more in the long run by preserving your food and preventing waste. What you save in unused produce will cover the cost of the appliance.

If you decide to purchase a vacuum sealer, you want to make sure that you invest in a quality product. Buying the most economic option may save you a few bucks up front, but it could cost you more in repairs and replacements later on. So, it’s wise to do your research and read consumer reviews before you buy anything. Not only will this help you find something that is built to last, but it may also help you find a better deal on specific brands and models.

Have you used vacuum sealers to preserve your food? Share your experiences in the comments below!

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