|
|
Work abroad (legally!)Apr 18 '00 (Updated Apr 22 '00) Write an essay on this topic.One of the best things I did while in college was to participate in a summer work abroad program. I liked it so much that I postponed medical school for a year and went on a second work abroad experience. I would recommend this experience to anyone who wants to travel but who is also interested in living in a particular country for an extended amount of time. Working abroad is an affordable alternative to simply traveling. It requires a moderate amount of startup money (airfare plus about $1000, or that much available on your credit card) but by the end of the trip it is likely that you will come out even, since you will have been working. In this review I'll relate some of my personal experiences, then I'll answer some common questions at the end. On my first work abroad experience, I chose to work in London, England for 3 months because my university sponsored a work program there, jointly with BUNAC. They arranged 2 weeks of housing and some orientation programs for all students interested in working in London. I also wanted to go with friends, since I was a little apprehensive about going alone. Note: You definitely don't need any extra help, BUNAC gives you enough information and can set you up with temporary housing as well. I had an amazing time. Because I can type and have good computer knowledge, I went to a temp agency and landed a job at AT&T. It paid pretty well, enough to pay for my rent, food, and weekend trips around England. I was also able to save and travel through Europe for 3 weeks at the end of the summer. I made lasting friendships with people from my university and with my British coworkers and flatmates. I learned quite a bit about myself and my abilities that summer. And while my work abroad experience had nothing to do with medicine, it was probably the issue that raised the most interest during my medical school interviews. It is definitely a big plus on your resume no matter what work you choose to do while you are there, or what type of work you intend to do when you graduate. It's also fun - I still remember celebrating the 4th of July in London (it's safe, they're not bitter any more <grin>!), taking road trips each weekend, eating new and different foods (London has some of the best food from all over the world), and just being amazed at how, at the age of 19, I was able to land in a foreign country, find a place to live and work and support myself without anyone else's help. I liked my experience so much that I deferred my admission to medical school for a year and went to work in Ireland for 3 months, and returned to London for an additional 3 months. This time I went alone, and while the experience was different, it was still excellent. Again, I was able to save enough over the 6 months I was working to travel for 2 weeks in Ireland and one month in Europe. When I returned to the US, I still had 7 months before school started; I got a job and again, the work abroad experiences were the most discussed parts of my job interview. Where can I work? American students can work in many places legally throughout the world. An organization called BUNAC (British Universities North America Club) offers 3 programs: Work in Britain (covering England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), Work New Zealand, and Work Australia. Another organization, called CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) sponsors programs in France, Ireland, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Costa Rica and Australia. They also offer a "Teach in China" Program. How long can I stay and when can I go? This varies from country to country. Stays are generally permitted from 3 months to a year. From personal experience, I can tell you that you are allowed to work in Britain for up to six months, and in Ireland for up to four months. For other countries, I would suggest you visit either BUNAC's or CIEE's websites (www.bunac.org or www.councilexchanges.org) for more information. In many countries (such as Britain and Ireland) you can go at any time during the year, but some countries, such as Germany, limit your eligibility to work to certain seasons. Is this really legal? Yes, it sure is. Both BUNAC and CIEE are non-profit organizations and work with governments of the countries in which they offer programs. They collect a fee (ranging from $200 - $400 depending on where you are going) from you, then ensure that you have legal permission to work in the particular country you select. They are able to do this because they also secure work permission for students from other countries to work in the US. This must be really expensive. Actually it's not! Both times I went, I did have to have some money available up front. You have to pay a fee to get your work permit, and you also have to pay for airfare. You must also have enough funds available to support yourself for awhile when you arrive at your destination - immigration officers don't like to admit people who might need government assistance! However, once you start working you will likely make more than you need, and can recoup what you spent to get to your destination. I was able to save up enough to pay for 3 weeks of traveling throughout Europe, and still come out even. This is easy in the two countries I went to as they offer a tax break - you pay no income tax as long as you earn under a certain amount. What if I need help when I get there? Staff at BUNAC and CIEE's affiliates are there to help you. Your fee pays not only for your work permit but for assistance from program staff any time you need it. BUNAC also sponsors weekend trips in England and pub nights in London every other week. CIEE's affiliate in Ireland only offered an orientation; I don't feel their program was as well organized as BUNAC's. Both sponsors that I dealt with offered referrals for employment and housing (they had bulletin boards full of notices from people who normally rented rooms to work-abroad participants and big notebooks of information about employers who have employed American students in the past) but they don't actually find work or long-term housing for you. They will give you advice on the job search and will tell you about alternative methods of finding housing (i.e. which newspapers have the best classified ads, etc.). They will also point you towards hostels that you can stay in for a short period of time. What kinds of jobs are available? I think it depends on where you go, but in England and Ireland you can work in any job, ranging from pub bartender to secretary to wait staff, etc. You aren't allowed, however, to set up your own business. Can I participate if I'm not a student? Probably not, but it depends on where you go. In most cases, you have to be a student to easily get special documents which will result in work permission. If you're not a student, it is nearly impossible to just show up in England or Ireland and work (I'm not sure about other countries, but I'd imagine it is very difficult). In certain countries (Australia & New Zealand, maybe others) age is used as a standard instead, so you might be able to work abroad on this type of program if you are young but already out of school, or if you haven't ever been to college. It's important to note that you must arrange all your paperwork before you travel to your destination - you can't fly over and decide later that you want to begin working through these programs. If you have any more questions check out the websites: www.bunac.org or www.councilexchanges.org or post a comment for me here. I would definitely recommend this opportunity to anyone who is willing to take the chance.  |
| Read all comments (4)|Write your own comment |
|
Ads by Google
|
