Sunday, February 19, 2012

How I Pay For Travels

One of my subscribers recently asked me a question:

"How do you get the money for all your trips???"

The simple answer is that I save my money.

But there is a more complex answer which involves the way I have chosen to live my life. I want to live a life full of travel, full of experience, full of exploration.

My mother has a small Mary Engelbreit drawing in the kitchen which reads "Bloom where you're planted". Even as a little kid I thought it was weird. Why would I want to stay in my hometown when the whole world is waiting?

In high school, I decided to work a part time job and save all my money in order to "backpack Europe" after university. I actually ended up working 3 part time jobs, (at Dairy Queen, a local stationery store, and a local hotel), and I saved almost all the money that I earned. By the time I graduated high school, I had saved quite a bit.

I also had part time jobs throughout university as well in order to keep saving for my proverbial Europe trip. Lucky enough to have parents who graciously paid for my tuition, the money I earned during university paid for my rent, textbooks, food, and the occasional flight home. I was still completely set on saving for my trip though, so I rarely went shopping, and went out for dinner only as a treat.

As graduation came closer and closer, so did the trip. I got scared, wondering if I could really backpack alone in Europe for a few months. I hesitated to book my ticket.

One fateful night, with graduation only weeks away, my first-year roommate came over for a celebratory dinner. We laughed, we remembered, we ate, and we drank. After a bottle of red wine and too much cheese to mention, she leaned in close and asked me "Kerri, what do you want?" I answered straight back: "I want to go to Europe." I booked a one-way flight to London England that night, under the influence of wine and my own desire.

Once I booked my ticket, everything started aligning. I became friends with Brenna, who was also planning a solo trip around Europe. We sat in coffee shops together with maps and guidebooks, trying to navigate a new world of train rides and dorm beds.

Those four months I spent traveling Europe alone will always be some of my most precious travel memories. I did it. And I did it all by myself - with my own money, at my own pace, with my own will.

In my final year of university, I had dreamed of living and working in South Korea, and made it a reality when I moved there in September 2006. I saved most of the money I earned there and spent it on trips through China and Vietnam.

After that job, I realized living in Asia and working as an English teacher would be the best way to make enough money to continuously explore the world. And that's truthfully what I've been doing ever since. 2012 marks my fourth year living and working in South Korea.

So, to answer the original question, it's not just trying to get money for trips. Rather, the need for travel is so deep within me, I can't help but put the money I earn towards plane tickets to new destinations. Where else would my money be as well spent?

You don't have to have the money to travel, you just need the will.

15 comments:

  1. "You don't have to have the money to travel, you just need the will." Ahhhh! How very true. I'm so excited for your new blog!! I absolutely loved this article.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks so much!! i have lots and lots of travel-y blogs in mind :)

      Delete
  2. Nice blog. Yeah my college friend is doing the same thing...Moved to Korea 8 years ago as a English teacher, saved a lot of money and now travels to different countries. I seem to know a lot of Canadian bloggers in Korea...You guys travel a lot LOL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you're right, there are a lot of us Canadians here in Korea :) thanks for commenting.

      Delete
  3. "Why would I want to stay in my hometown when the whole world is waiting?" <-- my sentiments exactly!
    My friends are constantly confused by my plan to leave this country for the foreseeable future and travel; they seem to think that going on holiday for a couple of weeks would be sufficient and then I can just come home and ~build my career. That would make me completely miserable. I'm sure they'll be happy staying in Ottawa, but I have places to go!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wish there are more people like you. Not enough people who are open minded and willing to explore the world. Most people just want to stay home forever. O_o

    Thank you for your videos and blog. Can't wait for more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you for the comment! home is a wonderful place, but i think any place can become our home if we are open to finding it.

      Delete
  5. That was so helpful, thanks! I am in my final year of university and plan to go to South Korea after graduating in this coming June. I want to stay and work there. Could you please tell me how you start working as an English teacher in Korea? I'm doing degree in arabic language and literature, is there any chance for me to be an arabic teacher?

    ReplyDelete
  6. How true this is!!!! I'm saving all the money I earn for travel!!! I'm going to korea in may for one month (yayyyyy!!) to study korean...I wish I could stay longer but...well...I haven't saved enough money for more than 1 month...eheh...It would be so great if I could meet you when I'll be there...you're like a role model for me...I'm stalking your youtube channel and all your super interesting videos!! ^_^ Keep it up!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a great saver;) i couldnt do that cause i love to drink with my friends. but someday in the future i will start to trip like u~ 잘자용 ㅋㅋ

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow. :) This was nice! I also have the wish to travel deep inside me but I haven't had the guts yet. Maybe after I graduate I will. I thought a nice way would be to get another degree in something in another country. Maybe S. Korea or Japan. ^-^; Thats so great that you had the guts because the world needs more open minded people and not more couch potatoes. "Why would I want to stay in my hometown when the whole world is waiting?" and "You don't have to have the money to travel, you just need the will." are really inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for this post! :) I totally agree with you. Most people consider travelling a luxury, but for others it's a necessity. And you're right - you don't have to be born rich in order to travel, you just have to want it more than anything. Reading people who feel the same way is inspiring, so thanks again for this post!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have the will to travel, I really want to travel and see what the world can offer but Im too freaking afraid to travel alone. And also I dont have enough money to book a flight and accomodation. I wish I was like you, just book a flight and travel

    I would really like to go to Korea, actually Im saving money to go there. But its quite expensive so I need to work some more, even if its not easy to find a job here, like anywhere in the world I guess.
    Anyway, I really like your blog so keep up with it ;)

    ReplyDelete
  11. "So, to answer the original question, it's not just trying to get money for trips. Rather, the need for travel is so deep within me, I can't help but put the money I earn towards plane tickets to new destinations. Where else would my money be as well spent?"

    I can't even begin to tell you how much I resonate with this. :D

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yes i have made real good money and it keeps on growing with this free system which is the best way to make cash in comparison to other programs out there just visit my channel.

    Part Time Jobs From Home

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...