Author	Message
littlemisstiny Member AUSTRALIA!!!!	# Posted: 4 Sep 2005 08:56:40 Hey, me and my bf are planning to take a break from study and backpack / work on a visa in europe for 6months - 1 year (prob a year) now i was wondering any advice on how much money we should take, i know a guy who took a plane tix and 900AU which seems crazy and i was thinking about 4000australian dollars and a plane tix. (the 4000 would also have to b spent of visas, exit fees, passports ect) so your lookin at about 3000Au by the end of that Any Comments? Cheers

HHM Guest	# Posted: 11 Sep 2005 08:24:05 I never really understood the whole Travel and Work routine. I get (understand) the whole "work amongst the locals" brings you closer to the culture and envinronment of the destination, but most of the jobs suck...If I want to become a resident of a country, I will move there, but I TRAVEL...for me, travel does not entail working some crap job in a country just so I can live there for a little while. (not all jobs are crap...but really, unless you have a marketable skill, speak the local language, you are not at the top of anyones hiring list). I look at it like this, there are 4 levels of participation in a country. Tourist Traveller Resident Citizen Generally, I have no desire to be a citizen or reside in another country (thus, why would I want to work in that country). But, let me cease my rant...and get to your question. Obviously, you couldn't support yourself for a whole year, let along 6 months on $4000Au, so working is necessary. $4000Au is about 2500 EUR, so assuming you could get by on 50 EUR a day (which for two people is not likely in western europe), you are only bringing enough for 50 days (less than 2 months).
JaMeZ Moderator Amsterdam	# Posted: 11 Sep 2005 20:58:55 HHM : I never really understood the whole Travel and Work routine. I get (understand) the whole "work amongst the locals" brings you closer to the culture and envinronment of the destination, but most of the jobs suck...If I want to become a resident of a country, I will move there, but I TRAVEL...for me, travel does not entail working some crap job in a country just so I can live there for a little while. Obviously you're entitled to your own opinions, but everybody's "mode de voyage" should be his/her own choice. I think it boils down to one's personal view on travelling. Some people like to travel and then come back to their 'home base' and others want to give up their home base for a longer time and truly live life on the road. Especially for the people who could be categorized as the latter, working in other countries is a great opportunity to be able to stay abroad for a longer time and experience something different than the 9-to-5 of back home. It's also nice that the amount of needed up-front money doesn't play that big a role because you can support yourself abroad. Many feel that this is reason enough to do the work&travel thing, even if the jobs are crappy. Either way: littlemisstiny, is the AUD 4000 for you alone, or for you and your bf? If it's for the both of you, you'd best try to arrange a job before you go to Europe, otherwise you might find yourself short on cash indeed. On average you can definitely assume to spend 25 EUR a day per person, unless you travel on the cheap (hitchhiking, camping, cooking your own meals)... James "It is no coincidence that in no known language does the phrase 'As pretty as an Airport' appear." - Douglas Adams
HHM Guest	# Posted: 12 Sep 2005 06:43:09 I will grant, that everyone is entitled to their opinion, but here is how I see it. Travel is largely a "self indulgent" activity in the first place (in fact, it is quite selfish). There is no particular value in "experiencing someones elses culture" except to the individual, and given that easily 99% of the worlds population do not do so, its not something that is really "needed" in someones life. Also, if you look at the prime traveling population, it is largely citizens from wealthy, first world nations who embark on such journeys. I think that if you are to travel to another country (especially to countries poorer than your native country) you should be contributing to that country. Thus, taking a job in that country is a double whamy, you are, at the same time, indulging yourself by the travel and taking from the citizens of that country. If you want to "work" while abroad, volunteer. Nothing disturbs me more than seeing Euro trash begging in New Zealand, or working hostel kitchens in Thailand in order to indulge their travel desires. But, at the same time, I do see the flip side of the coin in that not everyone is in a position to finance a long journey, but that begs the question about the personality and dedication of the person desiring to travel. Bit I agree with your adivce to the thread starter, unless she, or her boyfriend, have something lined up that can meet their expenses before they arrive, it will probably be a short trip.
littlemisstiny Member AUSTRALIA!!!!	# Posted: 20 Sep 2005 14:36:55 Hey sorry if i took awhile to reply that 4000 Au is just for me and we plan to start work prety much straight away and since eating out for a whole year would mean alot of $$ and also weight gain haha i think we'll be cooking most meals ourselfs, most likely surviving on bare essentails ha. If thats what it takes to see the world im more than happy to do so. I think working will be a nice way to pass Some time considering we'll be traveling for a year and the $$$ will help as i definatly cannot afford a year long holiday... Um. if anyone has travelled this way id love to hear your advice considering i have heard of friends who have had thier visas, return tix and 900AU in thier wallet and had the best time ever. But then again us aussies are a strange bunch hah
Anonymous Guest	# Posted: 30 Sep 2005 07:44:25 Where in Europe? The costs in Romania or Slovakia are completely different from the costs in the UK or Germany.