We all love traveling, but many of us do not have the funds to travel abroad for every vacation. Well, I have good news for you. Traveling does not have to be as expensive as you think. Here are three ways to travel that you can get accommodations for free!
View from volunteer accommodations in Ecuador
1. Workaway
Work Away is a great community to look into if you want to travel. This website has hosted from many different countries. The idea of the website is to have people who are looking to travel connect with host looking for helpers in return for accommodations. There is a wide range of what kind of work offered. From farm help to childcare, there is work for any kind of traveler. Different hosts offer different accommodations in return. Some can only offer a spare bedroom, while others will offer meals and a small stipend.
Farm Land
2. Au pair
If you love children like I do, this is a great opportunity. Being a nanny for a family abroad really immerses you into the culture. There are many websites out there that claim to pair you with a family if you sign up. I have never had good results with that. Instead, I recommend using websites that allow you to personally reach out to the families. You will be able to get a better connection with the family and find out if it is a good fit. You will have a better chance of finding a family that fits your likes and dislikes as well as what kind of experience you want. Websites like
Au Pair World are great for this! Most families offer accommodations, meals, and a small stipend. Read my blog post about my Au pair experience in London (coming soon!)
First day as an Au Pair in London
3. Omprakash
Omprakash is a volunteer-based community. Similar to work away, most places will offer accommodations for volunteering. The difference is that Omprakash works with nonprofit organizations seeking volunteers. They have multiple genres such as human rights, education, and the environment. There are multiple positions as well in each genre. What I like most about this website is the partnership they have with the organizations. You have to approved by the organization to be a volunteer which ensures your help is wanted and is a good match. There are some organizations here that cannot afford to give anything to volunteers, but most give at least accommodations.
My students when volunteering with an Omprakash education partner
Take Away
Doing volunteer work or small jobs is a great way to travel. It helps tremendously with the budget. It also is a great way to immerse yourself into the culture and meet new people. Have any of you done volunteer work/ jobs while traveling?
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