Thanks @doschicos I’ll look into it.
@lenkab are you going through a provider? Have you found it competitive?
Just saw my post above autocorrected. Should be workaway not workaday.
here’s the others:
https://www.helpx.net
http://wwoof.net
You’d still need the correct visa even if you found an opportunity through one of these agencies. If you check the small print they usually deny all responsibility for that side.
Adding: a student visa would be more doable, but there are various implications.
Actually, you can get around the visa thing if you’re willing to move around. There are 26 countries that make up the Schengen zone. As an American, you can stay in the Schengen zone for 90 days out of a 180 day period. But, you can leave, go to a non-Schengen zone country like the UK or Ireland or Croatia and then come back after 3 months. For example, you could go to France for 3 months, leave and go to England or Ireland for 3 months, come back and go to another country or countries in the Schengen zone for another 3 months. Also, although it does have some risk, some countries are more strict than others. If you went to Italy and stayed a month or two longer before going back to the USA, it is highly unlikely anything would happen. France and Spain are also known to be less firm. Don’t chance anything in Switzerland, the Scandinavian countries or the Netherlands which are known for being very strict. That’s just how it is.
Yes, but working on visa-free Schengein or UK admission sn’t allowed, and OP needs to be able to work to finance his trip.
Do it! I studied abroad several times and one time I had an amazing classmate - she was just 17 years old, had already spent a year abroad and was spending a second year in Spain.
I spent time in Italy and Spain - loved both. But just to give you an idea of how many thousands of dollars you will save on study abroad if you go before (or even after) college have a look at … let me pick a city in Spain … Salamanca! It´s an awsome place. Let me get a link …
http://www.studyabroadinspain.com/academic-year-in-spain-university-of-salamanca/
Just to give you an idea - here you have an program at the university of Salamanca for around $3,000. If you go through a US university or study abroad provider you will pay around $25,000 - depending on what your school charges you.
In terms of working - if you cannot work legally, well, you can´t work. Therefore, I can´t tell you that the demand for private Engish classes is tremendous. And I can´t tell you that you could definitely get enough classes to pay your way in (in this case) Spain.
I have met people who lived for free with families that had kids. They worked kinda half au pair, half english teacher. Lived for free - well, lived for free in exchange for teaching the families kids English.
My recommendation - do it. Take advantage of your youth, live abroad, experience, learn. It will help you immeasurably over the future.
Au pair programs can be ok.
As for Europe, avoid volunteer programs that you have to pay for. With the fees you are paying, you could pay your own rent and food (which is what many of the volunteer programs use your money for anyway.)
Go for it!
Sorry - forgot to mention - that´s $3,000 for the entire academic year of study abroad in Salmanca! Not too shabby, if you ask me!
Wow so many comments! Thank you, this is really helpful!!