3 Ways to Get Paid to Travel Around the World

1. Become an Influencer

Although it’s somewhat unorthodox, becoming an influencer can give you the chance to travel around the country and the world on someone else’s dime. Travel pages are exceedingly popular on social media sites like Instagram—many people want to see beautiful views, exotic sights, and glimpses into other cultures. So if you start a travel page and build up a large enough following, you may be able to travel free of charge and rack up some big perks. 

But how does that work? Who pays for your travel? 

Brands and companies looking to get exposure will reach out to influencers who have followers that align with the company’s customer base. For example, a ski resort may reach out to an influencer who posts travel pictures and invite them to stay at the resort for free provided that they post pictures of it on their account. It’s a type of advertising that has become more and more popular in recent years. 

By being an influencer, you’ll also potentially get to work with a huge variety of different brands, that sell products ranging from surfboards to vegan CBD gummies to anything else you can imagine. Overall, it can be a really fun and profitable way to travel if you manage to make it work for you.

2. Teach in a Foreign Country 

Many countries around the world provide opportunities for Americans to take on roles as English teachers in local schools. Countries in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East are constantly recruiting English-speakers to work as teachers. 

You don’t even necessarily have to be fluent in the language of the country you teach in—the most important thing is that you’re fluent in English and knowledgeable about the language. In many cases, you’ll be given the chance to teach regardless of whether you’re a freshly graduated college student with little to no experience, or an older veteran teacher. 

Besides providing you with a paycheck, there are many good reasons to teach English in a foreign country. If you’re curious about other cultures and customs, then you’ll be plunged into a completely immersive experience. What better way to learn about a country than to live there and interact with members of the local community on a daily basis? You won’t just be teaching students, you’ll actually get the chance to learn yourself and the experience will likely provide you with all kinds of unforgettable experiences, lessons, and memories. 

3. Join the Peace Corps

The Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the United States government that’s been around for over 50 years now. It’s a program that allows Americans to travel to foreign countries and live there for two years while working closely alongside local communities. The goal of the program is to help promote cross-cultural understanding, aid communities in need, and to ultimately create a better, more connected world. 

Peace Corps volunteers are stationed in over 60 countries, most of them developing, and perform a variety of important tasks. According to the organization’s website, there are six main sectors that volunteers are involved in: agriculture, environment, community economic development, health, education, and youth in development. Thus, no matter what your interests are or what skills you possess, you should be able to find an area where you feel you can make a difference. 

The program covers the cost of housing for each volunteer, provides them with a living stipend relative to the community they’re living in, and gives them over $10,000 at the end of the service period in order to help them transition to life back home.

Although by joining the Peace Corps you technically get paid to travel, it’s not the reason most people join. Many volunteers find that the most valuable takeaways are the skills they learn, the relationships they cultivate, and the positive differences they make in the communities they’re stationed in.