6 Jobs That Pay You to Travel the World
Ladies and gentlemen, what better way to travel the world than to get paid for doing it?
No, I'm not insane, crazy, or any of the other choice words that popped in your head at this suggestion. There really are many, many jobs in the world that will pay you for traveling.
Remember that ad campaign a couple of years back for the 'Island Caretaker', or 'The Best Job in the World'? Jobs like these actually exist. How else do you think the world's multi-millionaires keep their mega-yachts staffed?
The following six jobs will not only help you travel the world, but even give you some nice coin to do it:
1. Work on a Cruise Ship
This is so obvious, yet so little thought of. Cruise ships employ hundreds to thousands of people from all parts of the professional fold - IT staff, service staff, musicians, managers, customer service, chefs, mechanics, sailors...the list goes on. Today's mega curise ships are pretty much like floating cities and have all the staff requirements of one.
Jobs on cruise ships pay well and you get to travel to exotic destinations. The only downside is that you get to be surrounded by water in sun-kisssed beach islands all the time!
CruiseJobFinder is a great resource to find get a leg up on this industry.
3. Work as a Travel Writer
Haven't you thumbed through an issue of the National Geographic or watched a travel documentary on Discovery and thought, "Man, I would love to do that!".
Travel writing is an exciting and challenging job that pays well. Top travel writers often become mini-celebrities in their own right. If you're very good and have the right connections, you could even land your own show!
Travel shows also need a camera crew, drivers, etc. If writing/presenting is not your forte, you could always get a job behind the scenes.
Get in touch with travel magazines or broadcasters with travel shows. Do anything to get a leg in the door, even if it means starting out at the lowest rung. The best travel writers today did the same.
2. Work as a Travel or Adventure Guide
'Adventure Tourism' is the new buzzword in the travel industry. And since there are so few travel guides actually trained in this field, the pay is typically very good. Your job description would include traveling to exotic locations, teaching people how to climb mountains, zipline through dense jungles, and raft across a river.
Finding such jobs can be a little tricky, but try contacting local adventure travel agencies. Many large cruise line operators also hire travel and adventure guides.
4. Work as an English Teacher
You probably already know that the demand for fluent and effective English teachers is huge all across the globe, particularly in Asian countries like China, S. Korea and Japan. In fact, working as an English teacher is usually the most common way for native-English speakers to travel through Japan and China. Not only is the pay good, but you also get to meet and interact with people from an entirely different culture.
Most well paying jobs do require that you have at least a Bachelor's degree in English or Education, however. If you have a Master's degree, you can get paid even higher.
5. Work as a Boat's Crew
Yachts, sail boats, fishermen's boats - they all require a large crew to maintain smooth operation. While the pay varies from job to job - working on a fisherman's boat will pay little, while a crew member on Larry Ellison's yacht can expect to take home a hefty pay package.
Finding work on a boat can be a little tricky. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources on the internet to point you in the right direction. Crewfinders.com is a good starting point.
6. Work as a Volunteer
There are hundreds of thousands of charities that desperately need volunteers and are willing to pay for all your expenses. Not only do you get to make a difference in the world, but even get paid for doing so. What else could any adventure-lover ask for?
Further Reading
Tim Ferriss' 
