Long "vacation". Extremely Small budget.

“Hello, I'm 19 years old and live in sweden.
I have around 1550 usd and I want to "get away" from Sweden.
It's impossible to get work in sweden, I have been trying for months.

So with my limited budget I need help on where to go.

I want my money to last as long as possible.
Food is not cheap so I don't know how I can make the money last for more than a month no matter where I go, some help on that would be great!

I have taken some vaccinations already so I can go anywhere in the world without worry.

Would be great to go to a country where it's very easy to get work at without having a education.
If I can get work then money won't be a problem anymore.

Preferably I want to go to Philippines or Thailand. Most preferably Philippines.

Cheapest place I know of to have somewhere to sleep is in a hostel.
If you know a other way that is good enough to sleep for free let me know.

I think it can be hard to get work at a country I don't know their language though.
I can speak only Swedish, German, English.

Any help and advice I can get is much appreciated.”

“"Only" Swedish, German and English - how limited. That was a joke. You are about two and a half languages ahead of most 19 year old Americans.

I googled Volunteer Vacations and there are lots of things you can check out. I have friends who have gone all sorts of cool places for next-to-nothing that way. And if you spend a month building houses in Thailand you get a sense of the people and culture and even pick up enough language that you could probably kick around on your own. Besides there are a lot of English speaking (and probably German and Swedish speaking) people doing the same thing.

God luck and have fun!!”

“Would be great to go to a country where it's very easy to get work at without having a education.

Go to Mexico, then sneak in to Califirnia.”

“He's Swedish, Sarge...probably doesn't get the reference...”

“Ya, don't screw aound with us Scandinavians.

It's a shame he feels a need to leave such a beautiful country to locate a job. Even more than 50 years ago many of them went to England to locate work.”

“Thanks pepperDog for your advice about volunteer work.
This sounds like the key to start my journey on.
I been checking around and there is really much volunteer work everywhere.

Probably going to Thailand because it's a lot easier to renew your visa there.

In Philippines you must have a return ticket out of the country to be allowed a visa =(

Adventurist, Yes I seen their website and taken a look already at it. It probably will be helpful but I don't like to depend on other peoples kindness.

nowslimmer, I'm not leaving Sweden only because of not finding work here.
I would have wanted to get work in Sweden to create a bigger budget to start my journey on.
So leaving Sweden is something I would have done anyway.
I want a warmer country because it's freezing in Sweden and the summers are way too short.

Also got advice from a friend just..
Imagine being a diving guide in Thailand.
They need diving guides who speak different languages because not many tourists speak Thailandish or what is their language called? is it Tagalog? Tagalog is what they speak in Philippines.
Anyway.. That sounds like a dream job.
Get payed for swimming and diving in a country where it's summer all year round.
That's paradise ;)”

“OK Jake, I know a bit about the life you are considering as I left the States in 1969 with $50 for Europe knowing no one and speaking nothing but American. I returned to the USA in 1987...I moved countries either because it got cold, I followed the sun to a large extent or visa issues...that was then, this is now...

The idea of doing volunteer work is good...you're working for food and a bed...you get some good info that way...pick a country where you want to start...focus on that and how you can get there...

They speak Thai in Thailand, by the way...nice country...lovely people...been there...the beer is really strong and comes in BIG bottles...

It's an amazing world...once you start, once you enter the world of the traveling survivor, you will find one thing leads to another. The things that will control your movements are visas, those countries that will not let you enter without a plane ticket out, weather (no money? stay in warm countries...)...while you have the ability to go online check out the various entry requirements of lots of countries...you will survive...just do it!”

“You got a few ways to go. One - go to countries with a low cost of living. Many of them you can live for a few dollars a day.

Second you can go to expensive countries and try to find work. Countries like Australia and NZ may offer you working visas.

Third - go to the tourist traps and try to find bar work and accomodation and suchlike.

First would be my choice as it'll give you the most varied experience from what you're used to.”

“MJ: This article is geared for Americans, but it might give you some useful ideals or angles to explore:

http://www.frommers.com/articles/4726.html”

“Thanks everyone for all the great advice so far.

Mataharihiker, Very inspiring to hear that!

pedxing, I checked the article out and it had 3 links to some websites that help finding work while "overseas". A lot of text on all of those websites so going to take a while to read through it all though. Thanks.

Y2, Choice #1; Philippines (the country I want most preferably to go to) is very extremly cheap. It's earned a nickname of "The worlds shoppingmarket" or was it "Asias shopping market" perhaps.
Thailand is also a cheap country, a little bit more expensive than the Philippines but it is still cheap.
I don't have so much more knowledge of other countries that might be cheap. Probably the near countries like Malaysia and Vietnam etc should be cheap too. Also a friend of mine from Kosova says it's very cheap there too.
Choice #3; I think there should be a lot of tourist traps in Thailand.
Sum; Thailand fits into choices 1+3 and Phil into 1.

Thailand would be best choice but I really want to go to philippines since I have more research about that country and a little knowledge of their language.

I wonder if anyone of you experienced backpackers know if there is anyway to get around the visa problem in Philippines.
I don't think I can afford going there unless I find work or a volunteer work in Philippines.
Without Visa I can only stay there 21 days.
With Visa I'm not sure how long I can stay but I must have a flight ticket to leave Philippines before requesting the visa.
Very hard to stay there for lengthier periods then which will be needed for having work.”

“They speak Thai in Thailand, by the way...nice country...lovely people...been there...the beer is really strong and comes in BIG bottles...


Mataharihiker
5:59:51 PM
1/01/08

Sweet Jesus! I am living in the wrong damn country.”

“"I left the States in 1969 with $50 for Europe knowing no one and speaking nothing but American....."

And she ended up dancing nearly naked on a table in Goa, India.
(Man, I still want to know what that's all about!)

Take more than $50 when you go, Jake.

You and me both, Chili!
last edited: 1/03/08 10:00:34 AM”

“Well, a plane ticket to Thailand or the Philippines is gonna cost you at least half your budget.

You may want to try and save up a little more $$ before you make a jaunt.”

“I wish I could roseymonster but like I said before I have tried getting work in Sweden for months.
I get about 150 USD per month and that would take ages to save up on.

You are right it would take half my budget to just get to Thailand or Philippines (I can only go one of them).

Once there I think the remaining 800+ USD should be able to get me food, transport, shelter until I get a job or volunteer work.
I also will wright down some numbers from couchsurfing.

So I think it will be doable with my budget but like I have explained I really really want to go to Philippines instead of Thailand. I called the embassy but they were of no help so I want to check with you backpackers if you know how to get around the problem I explained in the previous message.”

“As part of the EU, you should consider obtaining work in another country.”

“If you can sing or dance, you can move to America and work in Dollywood.

Seems like half of America goes there each year.”

“How about Finland or Norway? Or someplace in the Alps? If you are interested in mountains and hiking, how about hiking one of the pilgrimage routes through the Pyrennes, near the border of France and Spain? Lots of people hike those routes, and there are cheap places to stay along the way. Finding work along the way, I don't know about.”