Hi, I am a junior in HS and I cannot for the life of me make up my mind on a college major or career path. I am considering taking a gap year before college and want to go out of the country, preferably Europe. I do not have the money to just relax for a year abroad so I would obviously have to get a job there. Can someone tell me how that would work, can it work? Also are there programs where I could live abroad by volunteering and not have to pay to live there? Just wondering how difficult it is to do this sort of thing. Any help is appreciated!
It is not easy, as US citizens generally need a work visa all over Europe, not easy to get. I don’t think it is realistic without some kind of connection/internship.
Search for gap year programs where you work while abroad. It may be hard to find Europe though. They tend to look for people where they need work!
Peace corps maybe too?
I can’t advise on programs, but I would encourage you to try. Do not necessarily try to do it all legally, you can probably make do without a work visa, doing it one job at a time.
I did that after college, just moved to France (I had arranged a free room in exchange for walking dogs in Paris with a friend), and got jobs tutoring English, even doing manual labor. No visa, no program, no plan. It was the best thing I ever did and completely changed my life. I learned the language, embraced the culture, made friends then a girlfirend, and even got a MA at an elite school for free. I am now a legal permanent resident and have raised 2 kids in the French school system.
You might want to read Le Divorce, it is all about discovering the culture without a real plan.
Have you looked into Au Pairing? I don’t know how Visas would work for a US citizen, but it’s a great way if you don’t have the money to pay for somewhere to live, plus you could learn a language
If in doubt, do take a gap year. The chances of you regretting it are much less than the chances of you regretting not taking one.
Thanks. How would I find a job if I can’t speak the language and I didn’t have a work visa? Are there many jobs that I could just work “under the table”?
Quite apart from the morality of it, I would advise against this on practical terms, if you ever want to go back. Across the world, and certainly in most European countries, countries are cracking down on illegal working and overstays (Alcibiade’s successful experience was many years ago and things have changed), and if you get caught you’re likely to face being banned from the country in future, possible deportation, and potential issues applying for visas elsewhere too.
Get a job in the US instead. If you fancy somewhere more exotic than your home town try somewhere like Alaska or Hawaii, or an American possession like Puerto Rico or the Caymans. South America and south east Asia may also be easier to work in on a casual basis than Europe.
Another manageable option could be Australia, which has a working holdiay visa for young people: http://www.jobaroo.com/australia-united-states-work-holiday-visa
So is it now impossible to move and work in Europe? There has to be a way!
Because EU countries have a system allowing all citizens of those countries to travel and work freely in any of them (one of the main factors influencing Brexit) there isn’t as much need for casual/unskilled abour, and if an empoyer is faced with heavy fines for employing an illegal (which is what you would be without a work permit/visa) why would they do so when they can employ an eastern European with no repercussions? Some people might suggest WWOOF, but that is technically illegal in most countries without a work visa, and because of the potential impact on your future travel plans, I would definitely steer clear. TBH, if you even show up at immigration with no return flight, or a return flight more than 90 days away, you could get refused entry right at the start because the officials would suspect your intention to work and/or overstay, and apart from the distressing experience, having been refused entry to a country, ever, is a permament black mark on your ability to get visas or travel internationally later on.
Students are generally allowed to work part time (usually a restriction on the number of hours), but you would need to be enrolled on a course and get a student visa (the visa is what allows you to work, but you’d need to pay for course fees, and probably provide evidence you can afford living costs to get that visa). Why did you want to go to Europe specifically? What languages do you speak? What working skills do you have? Could you maybe save up some money working in the US for part of your gap year, then travel on the proceeds?
I am studying French in HS right now. I’ve heard that French universities are pretty cheap, I’d don’t know about the room and board? Would I be able to go there and just study language/culture for a year during my gap year? Thanks for all the advice!
@HRSMom , Peace Corps rarely takes applicants without a post-high school degree (and even then it is competitive to get in.) Most non-degreed people who are accepted have some kind of considerable, useful life experience, such as growing up on a working farm, or tangible work skills of an older applicant. Volunteers have to have a high degree of personal maturity to succeed, sometimes working in very remote places far from any other Westerners. It’s not the kind of service where a group of young people go out in supervised groups together to complete a project, as on a mission trip. Also, the peace Corps is almost always a 27-month commitment ( two years plus three months of pre-service training.) Not a gap-year sort of thing.
@drew44, I’m pretty sure that AFS (student exchange) now offers gap years/semesters abroad, but I’m sure they’re expensive. Maybe look on their website just to check it out, or see if there are scholarships? If you did a spring semester abroad, could you spend the months prior in your gap year living at home/working to earn the money to go?
@drew44, It’s not impossible to move and work in Europe – but it IS hard. (It’s also hard for Europeans to move and work in the US.) You do have to have connections, a visa (if you want to do it legally) and money for initial rent, travel expenses, food, etc. Don’t forget that many European countries – France included – are facing major unemployment problems. Ask yourself, if even locals have a hard time finding work, how easy would it be for an American teenager with weak language skills, no connections, and no legal right to work?
As for studying in France – lots info online. Just google ‘how to study at a French university’ and start reading.
It’s also possible to sign up just for language/civilization courses in France through the Alliance Francaise, or various university programs. Most of the inexpensive ones require you to find your own housing – so clearly, it still ends up an expensive little adventure.
Thanks for the help! I’ll find a way somehow!
I’ve been looking into au pairing and have a question, is this something that is competitive or hard to get into? Also, is prior experience necessary?
Yes, prior experience is mandatory, some countries even require a certified number of hours, as are the recommendations of parents whom you’ve babysat/nannied for. A community education certificate in first aid and/or baby care also helps.
You need to increase your proficiency in French quickly if you want to do anything there. (AP would be basic proficiency but wouldn’t suffice for university studies). With a student visa you’re allowed to work 20 hours a week but jobs are rare and poorly paid. You’d need to speak French obviously to function in most capacities (by which I mean reaching a level similar to AP) unless you’re willing to work on construction sites. Youth unemployment is about twice what it is in the US and that’s counting as ‘employed’ students with a college degree getting paid €564 a month.
If you can bring your French level to basic proficiency, you could enroll in a French lycee either as Terminale (ever dreamed of studying philosophy and art history in French? Or of becoming a certified baker or cook? Learning sales and marketing in French?.. ) or a BTS student (half practical/lab classes, half lectures, internships/work experience included.)
If you can’t bring your French level up to speed you can enroll in language institutes. The ones I know are in Montpellier (south of France) and La Rochelle (Atlantic Ocean).
Thank you @MYOS1634 . You’ve been very helpful! I’ll look into the things you mentioned and I definitely need to improve my French fast.
Consider YES Abroad for your gap year. It is a year in a foreign school in one of 13 different countries . It is a full scholarship that covers all travel, room and board, school and I believe a tiny stipend for your expenses overseas.
@baxter Thank you!
I am taking a gap year too, and also moving to Europe! Maybe you could work as an AU Pair, that’s what I’m going to do.
Look into workaday, helpx and WWOOF. All offer room and board in exchange for for, usually 20-30 hours per week.