What if you were to quit your job and go backpacking? Seriously what if? It’s easy to dream away sat at your desk working for your paycheque. That money coming in every month is more encouragement and you need to stay in the status quo working in a job that you don’t really like. People fear change, and are worried about the unknown. If you were to quit your job and go backpacking how would you survive? When the money runs out in a couple of weeks what then?
Well there are a couple of things you really should consider prior to discounting travel. Sure quitting your job to go backpacking takes guts but ultimately it will be incredible. There are so many places to see, people to meet and experiences waiting for you that will really make you live. It will make you a better person it will make your life more exciting. We are firm believers that travel broadens your horizons. In every way. It’s a rarity that people enjoy their jobs. If you do congratulations perhaps travelling is not for you. But if you feel that life is passing you by, sometimes the biggest and best way to change things is to really change things. So do it quit your job and go backpacking and see what happens.
Okay now let’s get real. We are not suggesting you walk up to your boss this very minute and slam down your notice while flipping him the finger. But do make a plan and start now.
Many people put off backpacking because of the comfort of their paycheque coming in, but there are ways you can extend your travels and even change your life and career in the process. We call them dream qualifications, and they are activities that you can do while you travel which can help you earn money abroad. A couple of these options are listed below.
Now these dream qualifications may not pay as much is your current job, but hey guess what. You currently live in what most expensive places in the world. What you pay in council tax right now would cover your entire rent for the month in Asia. What you pay in petrol or commuting on public transport would cover all of your food. You don’t need as much when you travel, and that’s the key. It will give you freedom. It will give you time and freedom to do what you want to do. To meet new people from all over the world. To have exciting adrenaline fuelled adventures (and that’s where we come in).
Quit your job and go backpacking now it will only get harder later.
So money aside what else is stopping you? Well I tell you what if you haven’t considered this you really should. The clock is ticking.
If you don’t quit your job and go backpacking now it will only get harder later. Assuming you aren’t stuck in a dead-end job for the rest of your entire life (we hope not) then one day you’re going to have a job or career that you actually like. And then you aren’t going to quit and have the adventures you could be having.
You will also be older, once you hit your 30s or settle down with a family the game is up. In your 20s it seems like you have all the time in the world. But really you don’t. How quickly did this year go by?
And it’s not just that. The most common time to travel is in your 20 And early 30s. After all travelling is as much about the people you meet as the places you go. You don’t want to be out of place in surrounded by people half your age when you finally get around to travelling in your mid-40s.
But can you really afford to do it?
Can you afford not to should be the appropriate question. But if it comes down to money, then the answer is yes. There are plenty of opportunities to work and travel. Yes you need to be prepared, yes you need the flight to get you to the country in question. You also need a little bit in your bank account. But 2 1/2 thousand pounds could be enough to change your life. And if you really want it you can save that money in six months. We have programs in Australia starting at £200 which will help you get a job abroad. And from there well but world is your oyster. We have sent away people who have genuinely changed their lives. Success stories of people finding their dream jobs in Australia, and travelling the world with a new qualifications. From dive instructors, Divemaster’s and surf instructor’s. To the people who got lucky with snagging their perfect job away from the 9-to-5. We had one girl who was mad about horses, she bagged a job in Australia working on a stud farm and has since travelled around the world with her employers looking after horses.
Many people extend their travels and earn a living abroad by finding a job that includes accommodation and food. That way you do not need a huge amount in the bank to just head off. The four example our learn to earn in the outback course, will give you all the skills and tools you need to find a job working on a Ranch. It’s tough physical work but rewarding both financially and mentally.
It may be that you already have skills you can take abroad with you. What you will find is that when you are located long term in a different region. There are shorter term mini breaks that you can take to really see the world while still working and earning money.
If you want to quit your job and go backpacking, Xtreme Gap Year is here to support you. Get in touch with our experienced travel advisers and check out some of the qualifications below that will help you earn money abroad.
Portugal Surf Instructor Course
Become a surf bum with Xtreme in the best surf destinations in Europe! The perfect warmup to the summer, you can qualify as a surf instructor over 12 weeks ready to start earning money living by the beach in summertime. The best candidates also have a job opportunity on completion.
Xtreme Marine Conservation & Dive Hero Belize£899
Hang loose and protect the world's second-largest barrier reef clearing it of lionfish. Staying on an idyllic tropical island, join the Xtreme marine team to protect Whalesharks, Queen conch, lobster and eradicate invasive species. The perfect Caribbean Marine conservation and diving getaway.
Mexico IDC Scuba Dive Instructor Course £3899
Exceptional scuba diver instructor training delivered in a 14 day instructor development course (IDC). Cast-iron guarantee that you will pass or your IE fees back. With a close to 100% pass rate, we operate one of the best scuba diver instructor training courses in the world. This is the gateway to becoming a SCUBA dive instructor and changing your life forever.
Divemaster & Marine Conservation Internship Mexico Playa Del Carmen £2159
The Mexico divemaster Internship has it all. Clear aqua marine seas, exciting marine (and night) life and action packed days learning to dive and moving towards your professional level dive accreditations. A great location for Whalesharks between May and September - but great anytime of year.
Underwater Filmmaker Internship, Thailand £1989
Step off the plane and into paradise, living on an incredible tropical island and getting paid for it! This once in a lifetime opportunity is not to be missed. Become an underwater videographer on the island of Koh Tao in Thailand, spending your days filming colourful and tropical scenes underwater, and your afternoons editing your footage into awesome movies! This is living!
Koh Tao Divemaster Thailand £2599
Koh Tao Divemaster course plus internship: Live the life on a tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand. The Koh Tao Divemaster course means living on an incredible tropical island, diving every day for 12 weeks, accommodation and equipment included. You will discover one of the most amazing lifestyles and gain a professional level qualification enabling you to work in the scuba diving industry all over the world.
Whitsundays Sailing Course Australia £1699
Whitsundays sailing course Australia Want to get paid to do a job you love? Sailing on luxury yachts over the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsundays in Australia? This is the ultimate Australia gap year programme training you to qualify as a salty sea dog, and work on boats all over the world. After this 23 day internship you have exceptionally good chances of being paid up to $500 a week too!
Surf Instructor Course Australia £4759
Surf Instructor Course Australia Experience summer beach parties, make new heaps of new friends from all over the world, relax and enjoy the sun, sea and sand while learning how to become a surf instructor. The programme takes place about a two hour drive from Byron Bay. Here you find the secluded beaches and the surf camp where you will eat, breathe and live surf! You will develop your surfing abilities, train your ability to teach others and then we qualify you to work in the industry.
Kung Fu Master in China £789
Learn kung fu in China in a 2000 year old temple. Training under grandmasters, this is the ultimate Kung Fu in China experience. Our Western run academy with deep links to the Shaolin Temple, provides you with an incredible opportunity to develop serious kung fu skills. Whether it's one month or one year you will be amazed by what your body is capable of. Train from a few weeks up to a year!
Mozambique Divemaster Course & Whale shark Diving £2199
Train as a professional Divemaster in one of East Africa's most beautiful beach front settings, with the Indian Ocean providing the backdrop for an incredible couple of months living the life diving with manta rays, humpback whales and whale sharks everyday! Tofo, has one of the highest populations with juvenile whale sharks in the world.
TEFL Training And Work As An English Teacher In Thailand £839
Gain an internationally recognised teaching qualification with a guaranteed job offer after your course and earn over $1000 per month A great way to work and travel.. Phuket is one of the world’s most famous dream destinations of the most beautiful places in the world. The course location is 30 metres from the beach . It is ideal for students to have time to relax while they are learning. Food and accommodation is very cheap by western standards.
Australia Divemaster £3499
Become a Divemaster in Byron Bay! Living the life as a Divemaster in Australia in one of the coolest towns in Australia, Byron Bay! Diving everyday at Julian rocks, one of the best dive sites in Australia. You will be living in the thick of the action as you discover why Byron Bay is one of the most fun towns in Australia.
Zero to Hero Dive Instructor Start Your Dive Career Here £4449
Become a dive instructor! No prior experience needed, you can become a dive instructor teaching others how to dive leading to an exciting career all over the world. This 7 month programme is a life changer, training under one of Koh Tao most established an successful course directors you can put the prospect of a 9 to 5 rat race well and truly behind you.
Xtreme Pro Ski & Board Instructor Course France £8900
Work and earn as you get your instructor qualifications. Our season long instructor training course has been developed to be the most comprehensive of its kind, offering all the bonuses of its little brother –the standalone ski instructor & snowboard instructor course - with the added pull of a totally new routine and lifestyle, and an extended, season long stay on-resort with a guaranteed job offer in resort as well.
Divemaster Internship Honduras £1759
During the Divemaster course in Honduras you will be living on the Caribbean island Roatan. A tropical paradise with a very chilled culture, white sandy beaches and the best diving in the Caribbean with over 50 meter visibility. Experience the freedom and happiness of the Caribbean and enjoy the island life and the amazing diving of Roatan!
Divemaster in Costa Rica £2219
Complete your Divemaster training in Costa Rica, in a paradise setting on the Pacific coast. Days spent diving beautiful sites and evenings chilling out listening to sounds of the jungle surrounded by rainforests filled with monkeys and exotic birds. The local underwater environment is just as stunning, with mind blowing volcanic formations and a multitude of tropical fish.
Field Guide Course South Africa £12799
Xtreme Gap offers courses designed to supply the South Africa safari Industry with high caliber professional Field Guides. But these courses are not only available to people wishing to enter the industry as field guides, but for anyone who wants to increase their knowledge of the African Bush. So whether you have chosen a professional career linked to wildlife or nature or just finished school and are on a gap year, or if you have possibly taken a career break or are a regular traveller to the bush, this course is for you. Including work experience as a real guide!
Learn To Dive In Koh Tao £409
Learn to dive in Koh Tao on your gap year! Getting your PADI qualifications in Thailand is one of the must do activities when you go backpacking in Asia or as part of a round the world trip. Koh Tao is famous for diving, low prices and great experiences, and maybe even meet the Whale shark, the biggest and most amazing fish in the sea! Come join us and have a great time on Koh Tao.
Safari Guide Training 28 Days South Africa £2299
If you want to get under the skin of the African jungle, and really find out what it's like to live in the South African bush surrounded by all the wild animals nature, whilst living in an unfenced camp in the Kruger National Park then this is for you. 100% pure adventure and one unforgettable month.
Australia Surf Dude Surf Development Course £1879
Doing the surf development course is an amazing experience. You will spend a couple of months developing your surf skills on some great Australia breaks. Everybody at the camp is so enthusiastic that you will have a good time and enjoy the surfers life style. Our professional surf instructors help you to push your surf abilities and you will become a real surf dude. Together with beach parties, BBQ's, sun and your new friends, this will be an awesome experience!
Canada Ski Instructor and Snow Board Instructor Course £7799
The Canada Ski Instructor & Snow board instructor courses set you up to make a career in the mountains. Receive intensive personalized training from top ski or snowboard professionals and gain globally recognized qualifications to start your snow sport career.
Learn to Dive on the Great Barrier Reef £629
Learn to Dive on the Great Barrier Reef, becoming a scuba diver in one of the worlds top diving locations. You dive pristine reefs, stay on a state of the art multi million pound Liveaboard vessel, and you have your own Scuba instructor to help you get your PADI Open Water dive certification in this 6 day adventure you will never forget.
SSI Dive Control Specialist Gili Trawangan Indonesia
This is the SSI DIVEMASTER Equivalent: Gain your SSI Open Water through to Dive Control Specialist. Starting from the beginning and working up to a dive professional! Located in the gorgeous Gili islands, it is a little more expensive than doing your divemaster in Thailand, but the diving is much better and the experience is more refined. The Gilis are a piece of paradise on earth and you will love doing your dive training here.
Shark Divemaster Malapascua Philippines £2350
Malapascua in the Philippines is the only place in the world where you can see the Thresher Shark on a regular basis. Although this shark is harmless to humans.This is pretty cool in itself, but then throw in Manta Rays, Hammerhead Sharks and really good macro diving and you have some great reasons to take your Divemaster in the Philippines. The other reason is that you will be living on a tropical island with warm waters, white beaches and lovely people!
Full Cave Dive Course Mexico
A journey into the dark would be describing best the world you enter as a full cave diver. Not for the fainthearted we offer this cave certification course that will take your dives to the next level and to places where not many of us have gone before.