It's 2015, and like you, I've redefined the American Dream.
When my parents immigrated to the US, they had one objective for their children: get an education and secure a prestigious career.
I was supposed to become an attorney and marry a nice Christian man to give me a white picket fence. (Oops.)
Let's be real: College used to be where you get your MRS degree, but times have changed.
Our generation has many more opportunities.
With the development of technology, a growing appreciation for art, entrepreneurship and a reoccurring liberal climate, wanderlust is no longer a luxury, but a Millennial necessity.
We can do more, so we want more.
We want to travel. We want to start our own businesses.
We want our work to be meaningful. We want to create art and get paid for it.
For the first generation since our founding fathers, life, liberty and the pursuit happiness (and not just paying your bills) is a real goal.
We've raised our standards, and a trip around the world is the new Mercedes.
We've romanticized travel to the extent of cleaning toilets and quitting our jobs to globetrot.
You don't have to clean toilets or quit your job to travel. Actually, chances are, unless you have a trust fund or some savings to put work on hold, you're only going to see the world if you work very hard.
I would know; the world is my office.
I travel full-time while working, and I've been doing it for years before starting my blog.
You can, too.
But before you work and travel, keep these few things in mind:
1. Make a decision to try something that might be temporary.
I know some German women who were au pairs for a gap year to improve their English before heading to university for more permanent careers.
I dabbled in bartending in Australia before pursing a freelance career.
Focus on how current goals can help you achieve goals outside of your career, and remember that travel looks great on your résumé.
2. Do what you already do as an expat.
You may not need to get a new job.
You could do your thing overseas, in a transient destination that makes country-hopping the new bar-hopping.
3. Teach yourself the appropriate skills.
A friend of mine worked in plumbing and wanted to do more than blow his money on weekends.
He taught himself photography, and he's now a professional photographer and Instagrammer who is paid to travel the world.
4. If you're working while traveling, you aren't living a vacation.
It's real, tangible work and sacrifices.
You're going to miss out on sleep. You're going to get homesick. You're going to have the best time of your life.
It's not easy, but it's worth it.
5. Get a game plan.
Learn about visas, read a few blogs and ask people who have done.
Figure it out. You can do this.
The decision is terrifying, but it's just a decision. You can make your dreams into goals, too.
32 Jobs You Can Hold While Traveling
1. English as a foreign language teacher
2. Volunteer for the Peace Corps
3. Financial statement auditor (Big Four Certified Public Accountant)
4. Publicist for hospitality industry
5. Board of tourism representative
6. Tour operator of crew or team
7. Cruise ship or yacht crew (cook, deckhand, performer, etc.)
8. Photographer or videographer
9. Remote writer
10. Remote graphic designer or web designer
11. Remote web developer
12. Model
13. Au pair
14. US Department of State representative
15. Overseas worker for your current company
16. Graduate school student
17. Athletic recruiter or coach
18. eBay seller
19. Blogger
20. Field service engineer
21. Pilot or flight attendant
22. Bartender or waiter
23. Scuba, skiing or snowboard instructor
24. Social media manager or consultant
25. Virtual assistant
26. Timeshare seller
27. Hostel worker
28. Day trader
29. Yoga teacher or personal trainer
30. Tutor or translator
31. E-commerce entrepreneur
32. Teacher for online classes
