Work Hostel Jobs Abroad

Almost all long-term backpackers experience it at some point - the need to slow down, hang in one spot for longer than usual, do some maintenance, and build better than just fleeting friendships with other travelers.

Unfortunately, being on the road costs money, and it does not feel good to be burning funds and not wandering new places.

Staying and working in one place is the greatest way to go deeper into the local culture and to be accepted as more than someone who is just "passing through".

Hostel Jobs offer the perfect harmony between traveling and staying in one town for a while. The pay may be terrible, but you receive a cheap home to eat and sleep.

Hostel jobs in developing countries are typically very informal and you might be rewarded with a free place to sleep, free food, and maybe even a small income.

Types of jobs in hostels vary greatly, from landscaping to cleaning rooms to complex computer work.

If you have special talents such as building, bartending, playing an instrument, or making art you will probably have a better chance of finding work.

Many times simply offering to wash dishes will make your dinner free - very useful if you have a tight budget!

There are a few forums and websites for finding work in hostels, but usually work is not advertised outside of posting a flier in the main area of the place.

You will have a tough time turning up informal hostel work in businesses that are affiliates of a big chain. Branded logos on signs and association memberships are never a good bet! Opportunities in hostels are best discovered in independent family owned guesthouses, bungalows, and budget hostels in developing countries such as China, Southeast Asia, and South America.

Almost all budget travelers never realize the number of times that they could have stayed for free had they just offered up their services !

Beyond all the usual things like cleaning and laundry, there are some good opportunities to earn your free room (and maybe board) by doing hostel work.

The owners are usually too busy with daily operations so they don’t have the time or energy to think about adding the following touches:

Musician

If you travel with a guiter, you may be able to arrange to play in the evenings for the bar crowd in exchange for a free stay or dinner.  I met a guitarist in Asia doing exactly that and every evening he would play in the hostel bar in exchange for free drinks and a bed!

Entertainer

Good if you know how to juggle or spin a fire torch.  Offer to do a show in the evenings or to teach classes and workshops in exchange for a free bed.

Artist

Hostels are always looking to add character to differentiate them to backpackers. Offer to paint a mural on the walls, do trim, or even create new graphic works such as signs or fliers on the computer.  Perhaps offer to re-design the menus.

Computer Work in hostels

If you have IT experience, you may be able to earn a few free nights by fixing up a hostel’s slow internet cafe,PCs, network, and ancient webpage.  Offer to do internet marketing for their webpage using  Facebook or StumbleUpon.

Yoga

Yoga is popular with budget traveler types and will be a big hit at beach bungalows.  Make arrangements with the hostel management to teach a yoga workshop or class in the mornings in exchange for a free stay (plus you get to do your yoga!)

Translation

You have a huge advantage if you can speak enough of the local language to translate documents into English for the hostel management.  Even if you don’t speak the local language, you might be able to correct bad English on menus and signs around the place.

Teaching English

The staff in some hostels and guesthouses in Asia are always wanting to improve their English to help make daily interactions with customers better.  Offer to teach private English lessons in echange for board.

These ideas wont earn you a lot of money, but by giving time and skills to save money, you will be able to travel longer and strech funds futher.

When I was traveling in Chengdu, China I met a nice English guy named James that had been working at the same hostel for several weeks.

He was just a traveler like myself that needed a short break from the road but did not want to go home yet. He decided to look around for hostel jobs and came across a friendly hostel in Chengdu where the owner needed some help with random tasks.

James didn't want to do work such as cleaning room, besides they already had staff for doing that. Instead, he worked just a few hours a day at the front desk, touching up the hostel's website, promoting it with social sites like StumbleUpon, and he even corrected the English in the hostel's publications and signs.

For payment James received a free room, free food from the hostel, and two free beers a day. Not bad for just a few hours of easy work close to home! Sure, you won't make a lot of money to save, but at the same time you will not be burning travel funds during your break in one place.

By taking a hostel job James was able to get a better feel for life in China and got to know one place quite well, making lots of local friends and entirely changing his travel experience.

The author Greg Rodgers escaped his cubicle back in 2005 and has been living from a rucksack ever since!  He sustains his vagabonding by working abroad and travel writing.