International work exchange tips

Do these 6 things before applying to volunteer abroad!👇

‼️First and foremost, I find all my work exchange opportunities through Worldpackers. 🌍

This is where you exchange about 20-25 hours of work per week (usually 2 days off) and as a result, you get free accommodation abroad! 🏠 and even meals depending on where you apply 🍽️

1️⃣ Know yourself and what you like in terms of location.

It’s really important to know what you like before you apply because you’ll be basically living there! So take some time to self reflect… for example, do you want to be near the beach, mountains, a big city, or in the countryside? Carefully choose what country/city you want to visit and do research beforehand to make sure it’s a good fit for you. 🤝

2️⃣ Determine how much money you’ll need to save up.

This goes alongside with how long you plan to stay and volunteer. Hosts usually allow volunteers to stay from 1 week to 3 months. So make sure you know your spending habits to calculate how much money you’ll need to bring with you. If all meals are included, that’s a plus! If not, then research prices in that location & determine how much you’ll be spending on meals.💰

3️⃣ Make sure the work will be a good fit for you.

Take time to reflect on what type of work you are willing to do and the effort you will put in to do it well! Some things to consider are: what kind of work experience you already have, what kind of work you strongly dislike, if you’re a people-person, things like that. The work tasks are usually on the host’s listing.

Some common work locations are: hostels, guests houses, farms, sustainability projects, etc. The type of work just depends on the location!

4️⃣ Be clear about your expectations.

Not only with yourself, but with your host! Be open to openly communicating about what works for you and also consider the host’s expectations as well so the exchange can be a good experience for both of you. If you really want 2 days off but the host is only offering 1, then be honest. And if they can’t offer 2 days, then it’s okay to apply somewhere else.

5️⃣ Put yourself out there to make friends.

This applies more to while you’re doing the work exchange, but it’s very important! I know it’s easier said than done especially for those who are shy, but if you can, try to put yourself out there by introducing yourself to other volunteers and/or locals. The people you’re with/connections you make definitely makes it 10x more enjoyable based on my experience. 🙂

6️⃣ Apply EARLY to as many locations as possible.

Especially in the summer. Hosts receive A LOT of applications, so make you have a good profile, put some thought into your application, and apply as early as possible so you can get the experience you really want. Some hosts might not respond, but of course some do! So just keep that in mind. 💭

Hope this helps! 💟

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. I’ve completely work exchanges in Italy and Montenegro so far. 🫶🏻

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