L’ÉCOLE DU LOUVRE
Palais du Louvre, porte Jaujard, Paris, France
+33 1 55 35 18 35 www.ecoledulouvre.fr
Installed in the Louvre in 1882, the École du Louvre, dedicated to “making the Louvre into a living center of study,” offers degree-granting undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate classes in art history and museum studies, as well as evening and summer classes and an art auctioneer training program. Looking for less of a commitment? Every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 6:30-7:45pm, the École organizes free lectures by academics, curators, and other museum professionals.
MOSAIC ART SCHOOL
Ravenna, Italy
+39 349 601 4566 www.sira.it/mosaic/studio.htm
Want a little mo’ saic in your life? Then consider taking a five-day class (open to all levels, who knew there were advanced mosaicists these days?) in Ravenna. You’ll walk away having completed two original pieces of your own design.
TALLER FLAMENCO SCHOOL
C. Peral, 49, 1st floor, Sevilla, Spain
+34 954 56 42 34 www.tallerflamenco.com
If you want to brush up on those sexy Spanish dances, the Flamenco School in Sevilla teaches you the moves to impress your future lovers.
volunteering
Got an itch to save the world? We at Let’s Goget all types of itches, so we can commiserate. Most people who volunteer abroad do so on a short-term basis at organizations that make use of drop-in or once-a-week volunteers. Local or national volunteer centers are where you want to go for this: they’ll marry your ideal interests to your ideal schedule to send you on a honeymoon to your ideal destination. Websites like www.volunteerabroad.com, www.servenet.org, www.worldvolunteerweb.org, and www.idealist.org also allow you to search for volunteer openings abroad. Just make sure you do your own research, too: for example, a six-week trip to the Galapagos to spot wild boobies may not be what you think it is.
Those looking for longer, more intensive volunteer opportunities usually choose to go through a parent organization that takes care of logistical details and often provides a group environment and support system—for a fee. There are twvo main types of organizations—religious and secular—although heathens are usually allowed to work for the former, and vice versa. Pay-to-volunteer programs might be a good idea for young travelers who are looking for more support and structure (such as pre-arranged transportation and housing) or anyone who would rather not deal with the uncertainty of creating a volunteer experience from scratch.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW, UK
+44 20 74 13 55 00 www.amnesty.org
One of the world’s foremost human rights organizations. Contact the office in the country you want to volunteer in for info about paid positions and volunteer work. Internships are available, too.
EARTHWATCH
256 Banbury Rd., Oxford OX2 7DE, UK
+44 1865 318 838 www.earthwatch.org
This nonprofit takes on volunteers to help with fieldwork and data collection, helping to preserve Europe’s cultural and archaeological heritage. Think summer camp meets service work, with volunteer opportunities like digging up ancient Roman artifacts in Tuscany and conducting wildlife research in the coastal waters of southwest Scotland.
Programs range 3-21 days.
GEOVISIONS
63 Whitfield St., Guilford, CT 06437
203-453-5838 www.geovisions.org
The fine folks at Geovisions let you volunteer in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. An example of one program, in Munich, is a homestay with a German family while teaching them English for 15hr. per week.
GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS
375 E. Little Canada Rd., St. Paul, MN 55117
800-487-1074 www.globalvolunteers.org
This American organization connects volunteers to multiple organizations in Europe, including in Budapest and Italy. Sometimes an initial fee must be paid to cover costs like food, housing, orientation, and medical insurance.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
121 Habitat St., Americus, GA 31209
800-422-4828 www.habitat.org
The grandaddy of them all, Habitat for Humanity keeps its international acclaim and name-brand appeal with destinations around the world. Volunteers build houses in over 83 countries, including Britain, Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Hungary.
Periods of involvement range from 2 weeks to 3 years.
INVOLVEMENT VOLUNTEERS
+61 3 9646 9392 www.volunteering.org.au
Get down and dirty working in this global volunteering company’s archaeological workcamp in Sicily or help the disabled community in Austria while living with a host family. More programs cut from the same cloth are available in Britain, France, Spain, Germany, Greece, and Turkey.
OXFAM INTERNATIONAL
226 Causeway St., 5th fl., Boston, MA 02114
800-77-OXFAM www.oxfam.org
Oxfam is dedicated to reducing poverty and injustice around the world, focusing in particular on basic human rights, income inequality, and arms reduction. They’ve got offices in Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain.
SERVICE CIVIL INTERNATIONAL
5474 Walnut Level Rd., Crozet, VA 22932
434-336-3545 www.sci-ivs.org
Legal residents of Canada and the US are assigned to workcamps in countries like Germany and Spain with tasks ranging from teaching English to farming. Sometimes, though, the assignments get kookier, like staffing an environmentally friendly youth festival near Bologna, Italy. 18+. Programs last 2 weeks-1 year.
UNITED PLANET
11 Arlington St., Boston, MA 02116
800-292-2316 www.unitedplanet.org
This international non-profit organizes “volunteer quests” in partnership with local programs in need of volunteers. Several such projects in Italy, Germany, and other European nations offer the opportunity to experience a high level of cultural immersion while doing community service.
VOLUNTEERS FOR PEACE
1034 Tiffany Rd., Belmont VT 05730
802-259-2759 www.vfp.org
VFP hosts project directories for individuals, teenagers, and families that want to volunteer in various areas. It lists more than 70 volunteer opportunities in Italy alone. Accommodations are, mercifully, provided.
WORLD WIDE OPPORTUNITIES ON ORGANIC FARMS
www.wwoof.org
“WWOOF-ing” involves an international network devoted to helping people create more sustainable lifestyles and has become increasingly popular in recent years. Volunteers work on a farm in exchange for free food, accommodation, and opportunities to learn first-hand about sustainable agriculture and organic farming techniques. In order to WWOOF, you must join the local WWOOF organization, which involves a small fee.
Volunteers 18+. Membership fees vary by country; membership for WWOOF Independents (countries without national organizations) £15 per year, joint membership for 2 £25.Duration and min. stay varies by project.
working
Nowhere does money grow on trees (though Let’s Go Researcher-Writers aren’t done looking), but there are still some pretty good opportunities to earn a living and travel at the same time. As with volunteering, work opportunities tend to fall into two categories. Some travelers want long-term jobs that allow them to integrate into a community, while others want short-term jobs to finance the next leg of their travels. (Really ambitious people want both.) Transitions Abroad (www.transitionsabroad.com) helps potential worker-travelers of all persuasions with its up-to-date online listings for work over any time period. Those who might be skeptical about using this new-fangled “World Wide Web” can also seek out classified ads in local newspapers (no joke), federally run employment offices, and American Chambers of Commerce.
more visa information
To work legally in any country as a non-citizen, more often than not you need a work permit or a work visa. Citizens of the EU may live and w
ork in any EU country. For everyone else, a visit to your local consulate, a passport, and an official transcript of a job offer is a good start. Again, fees may apply, and they may be anywhere from $30 to $300. Make sure to start your visa application the moment you know you are working in Europe, as the process is long and arduous. First check with your employer or any contacts abroad about permits—usually they are easier to obtain from government organizations within the country in which you plan to work.
LONG-TERM WORK
If you’re planning on spending a substantial amount of time (more than three months) working abroad, search for a job well in advance—they go like hotcakes at a dangerously understocked IHOP.
Teaching English
In almost all cases, you must have at least a bachelor’s degree to be a full-fledged teacher, although college undergrads can often get summer positions teaching or tutoring. Many schools require teachers to have a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate, or the regional equivalent. You may still be able to find a teaching job without one, but certified teachers often rake in more dough. However, the foreign-language-challenged don’t have to give up their dream of teaching. Private schools usually hire native English speakers for English-immersion classrooms where the native language is not spoken. (Teachers in public schools will more likely work in both English and the local language.) Placement agencies or university fellowship programs are the best resources for finding teaching jobs. The alternatives are to contact schools directly or try your luck once you arrive at your destination. In the latter case, the best time to look is several weeks before the start of the school year (when no one else can stomach the thought of going back).
DAVE’S ESL CAFE
9018 Balboa Blvd. #512, Northridge, CA
www.eslcafe.com
A two-sided marketplace for ESL teachers and employers, Dave’s ESL Cafe has listings around the globe. It’s free for teachers, but there are fees for schools and recruiters. The “Job Links” link will lead you to help-wanted ads all over Europe. Plus, Dave is just a good-looking guy.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS SERVICES
15 Roszel Rd., P.O. Box 5910, Princeton, NJ
609-452-0990 www.iss.edu
ISS hires teachers and administrators for more than 200 overseas schools. Candidates should have teaching experience and a bachelor’s degree. Its American-school job openings are great if you don’t speak the local language.
$185 application fee.
I-TO-I TEACH ENGLISH ABROAD
240 Commercial St., Suite 4A, Boston, MA
800-352-1793 www.onlinetefl.com
I-to-I sets you up with the proper TEFL courses you need and has job listings for after certification, including programs for academic purposes and business English.
Salary ranges $20-35 per hr., depending on qualifications and experience.
OXFORD SEMINARS
244 5th Ave., Ste. J262, New York City, NY 10001 800-779-1779 www.oxfordseminars.com If you want to teach English abroad but don’t know “their” from “there” from “they’re,” Oxford might be the place to start. (Or middle school—zing.) Oxford offers TESOL/TESL/TEFL certification courses in the US and Canada and then helps to place its graduates at ESL teaching jobs around the world—as long as you’ve got a bachelor’s degree to go along with your Oxford certification. The helpful website provides a ton of helpful information, including detailed explanations of how to obtain work visas for citizens of all different countries hoping to teach abroad.
TESOL/TESL/TEFL Teacher Training Certification Course $1095. Courses generally take up 6 days over the course of 3 weeks. Check website for local course info.
US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
2201 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20520
202-261-8200 www.state.gov/m/a/os
Leave it to Uncle Sam to monitor your every twitch and inhalation as you flirt naively with a freedom you’ll never know. Er, that is, to link you to teaching opportunities in Europe. State’s Office of Overseas Schools maintains a directory of international schools abroad and offers helpful info on how to pursue teaching jobs. Just try to act normal when the suits come knocking.
Au Pair Work
Au pairs are typically women (although sometimes men) aged 18-26 who work as live-in nannies, caring for children and doing light housework in exchange for room, board, and a meager spending allowance or stipend. (Well, “meager” isn’t completely fair—sometimes it’s just small.) One perk of the job is that it allows you to get to know a new country without large travel expenses. Drawbacks, however, can include long hours and, well, a meager spending allowance. Be warned: much of the au pair experience depends on the family with which you are placed.
AU PAIR CONNECT
www.aupairconnect.com
Your basic pairing service. Au pairs can search for families by nationality as well as by country, so if you want to au pair in Belgium but only get along with Luxembourgers, you’re in luck.
Free to register and search, $45 for 3 months for access to contact info.
CHILDCARE INTERNATIONAL
+44 20 89 06 31 16 www.childint.co.uk
More of the same: an au pair and family dating service, essentially. France and the Netherlands are two big destinations.
GREAT AU PAIR
1329 Hwy. 395, Gardnerville, NV 89410
775-215-5770 www.greataupair.com
An easy-to-use, US-based organization that matches au pairs with families across the world. Make a profile and search for jobs. Also offers information on visas and immigration.
You can search for jobs without a membership, but must register to access contact info. Free registration offers functional access to site. For full access, 30-day membership $60, 90-day membership $120. Criminal background checks $45-75.
SUNNY AU PAIRS
503-616-3026 www.sunnyaupairs.com
This simple, convenient UK-based service connecting au pairs with families also provides testimonials from previous users.
Free to register as an au pair; membership for host families starts at £70 for 6 months.
Internships And Other Long-Term Work
CA EDUCATION PROGRAMS
112 E. Lincoln Ave., Fergus Falls, MN 56538
218 739 3241
www.communicatingforamerica.org/caep.html
Coordinates paid internships and other educational experiences with agricultural organizations. Jobs range from farming to wine-making and span the continent from France to the UK to Germany. College credit is also available.
EXPAT EXCHANGE
P.O. Box 67, Bernardsville, NJ 07924
908-766-2733 www.expatexchange.com
Expat Exchange is more of a discussion board for expats across the globe than a job site, but it does have job listings.
GLOBAL EXPERIENCES
www.globalexperiences.com
Global Experiences arranges internships with companies in major cities like Milan, Dublin, and Sevilla. Programs include intensive language training, accommodation, emergency medical travel insurance, and full-time on-site support.
$6890-8990, depending on location and length of internship.
IAESTE
+44 20 73 89 4771 www.iaeste.org
The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience provides paid overseas internships to full-time university students studying in technical fields. If you’re unsure whether you’re studying in a “technical field,” see the website for a detailed list of eligible disciplines. Most placements for 8-12 weeks during the summer, but some longer-term placements are also available. Apply through your home country’s IAESTE branch.
$1000 program fee for placement.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
15 Spiros Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025
650-323-4944 www.icemenlo.com
Provides full-time paid internships (summer and semester) to US college students in a number of countries. Type-A workers rejoice: in addition to studying
job-related vocabulary and current events, accepted students must write a five-page “paper of intent,” a letter of introduction, a 10-page pre-departure paper, and a 15-page final report. So, uh, get to work.
Applicants must be 18-30 years old. Application fee $250. Placement fee $900; includes some housing, work authorization, and visa application fees. Salaries $300-2300 per month. $100 extra for students with non-US passports or students outside the US at the time of application. See website for details. Internships run 2-3 months in the summer or for 1-2 college semesters.
WORKAWAY
www.workaway.info
Workaway connects travelers with host families and organizations who offer room and board in exchange for a few hours of work per day (generally 5hr. per day, 5 days per week). Lots of options to turn your man- or woman-power into a “vacation” of sorts at bed and breakfasts and farms in Europe.
€18 for 2-year membership, €24 to sign up as a couple. No min. stay.
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