Real experiences from living and working abroad
matt cowley's Page
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- How did you hear about LiveWorkAnywhere?
- met libby in suite hostel, budapest
- Please share at least one experience where you lived/worked in another country. The more specifc details you have, the better you'll help everyone else.
- last year i got sick of all of the rain in barcelona where i was staying.
i'd heard from people i knew in spain about how some guys went to this island in denmark to pick strawberries, and came back with enough money to survive all summer.
so i booked a flight for the next day. the airline lost me bag and tent for a few days, so that was a bummer. however the farmers let me stay in their old caravan, and borrow a set of clothes for work.
the island is very small, with a permanent population of around 4000. but it's a beautiful peaceful place. the locals very friendly, and speak good english.
we worked 6 days a week from 5am until midday, because the strawberries need to be picked when cold. and cold it was so9me mornings, picking strawberries with hands numb from the wrist. it was crap when it rained, and we had to stop working a couple of times due to the rain. but it was great to eat lots of the freshest, juiciest strawberries that i have ever tried. i haven't even eaten a strawberry since, because i know it wont be as good!
the pay is great in denmark, and for an eu citizen there is no problem with work permits or anything.
the bulk of the guys working on the island were french, then spanish, so great for practicing your languages.
every afternoon we had off, so could chill on the beach. it's great hitch-hiking around the island. the other option is to travel like all northern europeans, by bike.
we got a lot of fresh food straight from the farms, and the beer was the cheapest ever.
once in a while people from all of the farms got together to have a big party.
the season is just june and july, but after that it is the season for other fruit and vegs.
i know that it's possible to do this elsewhere in the country.
but with the great wages and a lot of hard work, i was able to live out the remainder of summer without working and lay on the beach!!!
- What other websites or resources do you recommend?
- i would highly recommend the book 'work your way around the world': http://www.amazon.com/Work-Your-Around-World-Date/dp/1854584561/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243603822&sr=8-1
- What factors do you consider when you want to live abroad? Consider - weather, quality of life, etc.
- i would think about work permit issues, languages that i would like to learn, and pay
- What kind of work do you do, or what would you like to do? Example - I am a software developer by day, but I'd love to blog about scuba diving in Belize.
- i try my hand at everything, i believe that everything in the world should be tried once.
- If you had a plane ticket in your hand right now, what would be the destination?
- indonesia
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