<p>I will be looking for a job this summer (entering college next year). In this economy I know I should be happy working at a car wash, ice cream shop, etc. But I can't help dreaming. Working on sailboat in the Caribbean, doing something in Alaska... Are there any far-away unusual jobs that might be open to someone like me? Hardworking, not skilled and free for the summer? I speak Spanish and understand a little french.</p>
<p>Use your career office and the Internet. A few years ago when they were in high school, someone I know found a summer job working in a resort in France. He had excellent French skills that got even better during his summer abroad.</p>
<p>Northstarmom, do you think those employers provide a work visa? (As I write this I’m not sure one is required.)</p>
<p>Getting to that “far away job” and providing your own housing may end up eating much of your earnings.</p>
<p>However, Disney does hire interns for the summer who are multi-lingual. I don’t know how they handle transportation and housing/food for these kids.</p>
<p>Is the main purpose of having a summer job to earn spending money for school and pay for some college costs? If so, it would seem to be better to minimize any personal costs, so that all your earnings can be directed towards the school year.</p>
<p>I don’t know whether the employers provide a work visa.</p>
<p>The main purpose of the job: my mom says I have to have one. That being said, I don’t think the main purpose is money (although I would like to clear $2000). I have never had a job before, so I’d like to get a new skill set and REALLY want to know a new area.</p>
<p>For instance, I would love to work off a fishing boat (but here these are not good times for those guys); drill an oil well. Do you get my drift? I’ve been hunched over a desk for 4 years now.</p>
<p>Talk to everyone you know. That’s the best way to find leads. Someone’s dentist’s father has a neighbor who’s looking for someone like you.</p>
<p>Actually, whiteagle, maybe there is work available on a fishing boat if you follow up on that. But definitely don’t romanticize that one. My nephew worked on one in the summer a few years ago, and it was very long days, dirty, hard, non-stop work. He made alot of money, but got very little sleep and worked more than most of us are used to working! Rather dangerous, too. Think gutting fish all day long and it takes the appeal out of it.</p>
<p>Our ATV tour guides on Maui were college students from Oregon…</p>
<p>I worked a summer job radio collaring wild grouse. It was very long, hard work, but so interesting. I was outdoors all day in harsh but beautiful country. Also, group housing was provided, so no money spent on housing, and it was in the middle of nowhere so there was nowhere to squander my money, LOL. But be sure to check into the fine details before you look for a job like that . . . I was working at least twelve hours days and since it was a salaried job, I made the same amount each month no matter how long I worked. (Which I knew going in, so I didn’t mind.)</p>
<p>Also, how old are you? I don’t think most jobs like that will take anyone who hasn’t graduated from high school.</p>
<p>National parks hire people for the summer for all sorts of things from trail maintenance crew to housekeeping. Lots of foreigners work these jobs so might be a cultural experience as well. The natural settings are not bad either.</p>
<p>In the summer I’ll be 18. It would be great to be outside and I’m not afraid of hard work but I thought all the parks, governmental places were laying people off.</p>
<p>OP: During our visit to Alaska, while visiting Denali National Park on Denali Star, we came across lots of college/High School students working on the rail as well as in the DNP office, tour guide, and all over the small town of DNP.
All the jobs are seasonal during the summer month and lot of the students were from outside Alaska.
So if you are adventurous one then that should be a wonderful summer experience.</p>
<p>See if you can get ahold of a copy of the book “Delaying the Real World.” It was written with 20 something year old’s in mind, but some of the opportunities in the book may be for people your age as well.</p>
<p>Assume nothing about the availability of jobs. When you think of an interesting target, call or e-mail. I actually prefer telephone calls, provides for faster back-and-forth.</p>
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<p>I hear that working for Disney is pretty much slave labor - I wouldn’t look into their program too much, if I were you, especially since they take housing out of your paycheck and you have to provide all of your own food.</p>
<p>When we were in Alaska this summer, our guide on a whitewater trip was a high school teammate of our college son. It was quite a surprise! </p>
<p>I’m not sure how you find these jobs, but the kids working the Alaska tourist business were from all over the US. They are very seasonal jobs and they hire a lot of kids.</p>
<p>There are camps all over the country who look for counselors – in places like Arizona, Maine, scenic places. I’m sure some Internet searching would give you a list.</p>
<p>I typed in “summer jobs outdoors” into google and got
[Short-Term</a> Job Adventures : Summer Jobs : Seasonal Jobs : Internships : Volunteer Travel : Work Abroad : Life-Changing Experiences](<a href=“http://www.backdoorjobs.com/]Short-Term”>http://www.backdoorjobs.com/)
[CoolWorks.com</a> - Summer Jobs and Seasonal Jobs in Great Places](<a href=“http://www.coolworks.com/]CoolWorks.com”>http://www.coolworks.com/)
[Cool</a> Summer Jobs, Seasonal Jobs, and Interesting Careers in the U.S. and Abroad - JobMonkey](<a href=“http://www.jobmonkey.com/]Cool”>http://www.jobmonkey.com/)</p>
<p>But I don’t know if these sites will lead to legit work.</p>
<p>Thanks, I’m researching now.</p>