Working abroad during the summer

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15-02-2010, 01:56 PM
Rory89

Working abroad during the summer

Hi,

I was just thinking about the fact that in a few months I'll need to leave my halls in Glasgow and come back to Edinburgh to spend what will feel like an eternity living in a cramped flat with my mother having 3 arguments a day, whilst working round the clock doing some shoity job to try and pay off all the debts I've already gotten into, and this got me a bit depressed.

So, I was thinking about the idea of working abroad over the summer, which sounds like the perfect solution to my summer blues. It doesn't matter too much what kind of work it is, to get away from my mums flat and go somewhere hot whilst making cash sounds amazing. I'm quite sure some of you have done this, so if any of you have had a summer job abroad recently I was wondering:

What's it like? By the time it was time to go home were you happy to leave or could you have stayed longer?

Did you manage to save money whilst working abroad, or did your wages just cover the expenses of being away from home?

What's the easiest way of going about it, and where's the best places to try and go to? I only speak English fluently so probs one of these resorts in Spain.

Any advice any of you have would be greatly appreciated, cheers.
15-02-2010, 02:50 PM
steakbake

If you can get out and do it, go for it!!

I lived abroad for a few years and I miss it very much. I don't think I have ever got over having to come back to the UK and its still very much in my plans to escape once again.

Some folks I know have gone out to do a summer season here or there, have saved up money and just turned up in Spain, Greece etc and ended up doing bar work, hotel work etc after a search of a few weeks or so.

There's also visas for Australia, Canada and New Zealand which would permit you to work there, like gap year visas or such like. You don't need a job ahead of going, just that its a visa which allows you to look for and take up employment. That's well worth a look. http://www.seasonworkers.com/workper...isacanada.aspx - general info on canada with links to other sites. Also happened to notice there is a job advert on the top right of this link for campsite jobs in Europe.

Other places you could think of is contacting the big travel companies who do package holidays - Thomas Cook etc, because they can quite often do with folks on the ground in the resorts etc - worth having a look anyway. Also, if you go to the JobCentre here, there is a European employment list which has jobs within the EU, normally in the tourist and hotel industries and sometimes in agriculture/fishing/manufacturing stuff as well.

Hope you manage to find something to do but there is everything to be gained from doing it. Good luck!!
15-02-2010, 03:58 PM
Andy74

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rory89

Hi,

I was just thinking about the fact that in a few months I'll need to leave my halls in Glasgow and come back to Edinburgh to spend what will feel like an eternity living in a cramped flat with my mother having 3 arguments a day, whilst working round the clock doing some shoity job to try and pay off all the debts I've already gotten into, and this got me a bit depressed.

So, I was thinking about the idea of working abroad over the summer, which sounds like the perfect solution to my summer blues. It doesn't matter too much what kind of work it is, to get away from my mums flat and go somewhere hot whilst making cash sounds amazing. I'm quite sure some of you have done this, so if any of you have had a summer job abroad recently I was wondering:

What's it like? By the time it was time to go home were you happy to leave or could you have stayed longer?

Did you manage to save money whilst working abroad, or did your wages just cover the expenses of being away from home?

What's the easiest way of going about it, and where's the best places to try and go to? I only speak English fluently so probs one of these resorts in Spain.

Any advice any of you have would be greatly appreciated, cheers.

I did the Camp America thing for two summers. Best time of my life, not a day goes by when I don't wish I was still back there in that time!

Didn't make a bean but didn't have to pay for a thing over there other than some weekend spending money. So, not a way to make cash but a brilliant experience.
15-02-2010, 04:06 PM
steakbake

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy74

I did the Camp America thing for two summers. Best time of my life, not a day goes by when I don't wish I was still back there in that time!

Didn't make a bean but didn't have to pay for a thing over there other than some weekend spending money. So, not a way to make cash but a brilliant experience.

That's a good point. If you break even, you'll be doing well. I wouldn't expect that you'll make your fortune. Work to live is fine!
15-02-2010, 04:12 PM
Rory89

Thanks guys.

I've looked into it and keep reading that it is hard to get summer jobs abroad arranged beforehand, and that the best way to do it is to find somewhere to stay and fly over and go round to places yourself and ask for jobs. Unfortunately for me this isn't really an option as by the summer time I won't have a dime to my name, so just flying off and hoping for the best isn't too realistic as I'll need to earn cash straight away.

Andy74, a girl upstairs from me did the Camp America thing and like you she absolutely loved it, but unfortunately I really must make some cash this summer.

I keep reading job adverts for places in Spain that may as well say "Previous experience not important, but must be attractive 19 year old girl". Female inequalities my arse.
15-02-2010, 04:15 PM
Rory89

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacksaltire

That's a good point. If you break even, you'll be doing well. I wouldn't expect that you'll make your fortune. Work to live is fine!

Just noticed this post.

If you are right then it'll have to be working in Edinburgh, unless I can find work here in the next couple of weeks. :boo hoo:

Unless the bank are happy for me to ask for an overdraft extension every 6 months for 4 years I'll need money pronto.
15-02-2010, 04:19 PM
Andy74

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rory89

Just noticed this post.

If you are right then it'll have to be working in Edinburgh, unless I can find work here in the next couple of weeks. :boo hoo:

Unless the bank are happy for me to ask for an overdraft extension every 6 months for 4 years I'll need money pronto.

I'd be very tempted to say leave the cash worries for later and accept that as a student you will be in overdraft, jeez, I'm still in overdraft earning good money some years later so maybe getting used to it now is a good thing!

This may be the only time you get to do something like this just for the experience, as I said, it was the best time I've ever had or probably will have. I'd pay a small fortune to have that same experience now that I'm working for a living with a mortgage and kid! My time for that sort of thing has passed though, so you should take advantage of yours if you can.
15-02-2010, 05:01 PM
Rory89

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy74

I'd be very tempted to say leave the cash worries for later and accept that as a student you will be in overdraft, jeez, I'm still in overdraft earning good money some years later so maybe getting used to it now is a good thing!

This may be the only time you get to do something like this just for the experience, as I said, it was the best time I've ever had or probably will have. I'd pay a small fortune to have that same experience now that I'm working for a living with a mortgage and kid! My time for that sort of thing has passed though, so you should take advantage of yours if you can.

Absolutely, but I'm in £900 to my 1k limit, and that really is my lot as I get no money from home. I'm going to try and get that extended but as my loan and bursary just cover rent my overdraft is my only source of cash right now and I can't keep extending it as they'll tell me to **** off.

Basically if I can work and get some cash between now and then and go abroad and break even over the summer that would be a massive result.
15-02-2010, 05:38 PM
Speedy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rory89

Absolutely, but I'm in £900 to my 1k limit, and that really is my lot as I get no money from home. I'm going to try and get that extended but as my loan and bursary just cover rent my overdraft is my only source of cash right now and I can't keep extending it as they'll tell me to **** off.

Basically if I can work and get some cash between now and then and go abroad and break even over the summer that would be a massive result.

Does you uni have a hardship fund? Try that for a start, there's nothing to lose.
15-02-2010, 06:25 PM
Rory89

Quote:

Originally Posted by deano88

Does you uni have a hardship fund? Try that for a start, there's nothing to lose.

If my uni didn't have a hardship fund my £900 debt would be £1300.

Christ what a government scrounge I am.
15-02-2010, 06:43 PM
lapsedhibee

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rory89

in a few months I'll need to leave my halls in Glasgow and come back to Edinburgh to spend what will feel like an eternity living in a cramped flat with my mother having 3 arguments a day, whilst working round the clock doing some shoity job to try and pay off all the debts I've already gotten into, and this got me a bit depressed.

Any advice any of you have would be greatly appreciated.

I tried working round the clock one summer. Didn't cause any arguments, but also didn't make a blind bit of difference to my income or debts, so at the end of three months I just stuck the thing back on the wall and out of the way again.

HTH.
15-02-2010, 09:24 PM
Speedy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rory89

If my uni didn't have a hardship fund my £900 debt would be £1300.

Christ what a government scrounge I am.

In that case I'd probably try and get a job in Edinburgh and then get a job in Glasgow when you are back at uni
16-02-2010, 01:51 PM
heretoday

Try working in Paphos on Cyprus. There are loads of UK students behind the bars. Bar St is in fact the big area for boozers. It should be possible to get a list of all the pubs there.
18-02-2010, 10:08 PM
Rory89

I have decided to take on this very good advice....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy74

I'd be very tempted to say leave the cash worries for later and accept that as a student you will be in overdraft,

..and apply for this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy74

I did the Camp America thing.

Andy, you say you didn't make any money, but did you lose a lot of cash? I've looked at the costs and the wages but still don't really know if I'll need to get my hands on some money before I go (should I be accepted, although I can't see why I wouldn't as I'm a pretty flawless and amazing guy).

Cheers.