While I listen to the fireworks going on. And on.
And when its going dark at 4.30pm everyday, and windy and rainy for most of the year, as summer seems to last about 2 minutes.
I've decided i would love to work abroad when I'm a bit older, i'm nearly 18 now so I'm probably too young for most job positions.

I only know a little bits of greek, spanish, french and german . And by little, I mean hello and goodbye.
I'm studying Italian now.

I have 9 GCSE's, almost a years admin experience in a busy city centre Solicitors, and about 3 months sales experience.

What will I be able to do over there?
If you have worked abroad, what have you done?

Try V.S.O.
You only get expenses [but a lot of indirect help , too ]doing work abroad for V.S.O. but you're likely to have a , 'life -changing' experience !
Also , you 'll probably meet people , en route , who can point you in other job directions .
If you feel you're a bit young for V.S.O , it might be worth 'phoning them anyway and asking their advice about your general situation .
In some countries you can get a job teaching English , even with no experience or qualifications but just be a bit careful . I believe there's a thread advertising jobs in China on S.F where you don't necessarily need teaching qualifications and that agent is definitely genuine and I've seen the occasional advert for jobs , teaching in Japan , on the same basis .[www.tes.co.uk.----then chase up , 'jobs' , 'other' and ,'overseas jobs ']
I guess , though , the best thing to do is to get some sort of qualification first and then your choices are much wider .
I first went abroad , teaching , at age 46 and wish I'd gone at 22 years of age . I've really enjoyed it -----well , still am enjoying it ! You soon begin to realise how grey , narrow ,cold and joyless the U.K. is , in comparison to a lot of places . Yet , paradoxically , you are thankfull for ,'home comforts ' when you do come home for any reason . The sheer joy of being able to buy a decent newspaper , on the spot -------or your first visit to a real pub after 3 years ! Bliss !

Well I wish I'd taken different courses at night school now, something like lesiure and tourism.
Cos i'm doing Italian and my OCR (RCA) Typing course and I don't know if they will be useful as i'd rather go to Spain or Greece.

I moved abroad at the age of 19. Before I went I wrote to a company in french with the aid of an A level french book. The job required you to speak 6 languages fluently, so naturally I blagged it! Anyway i was given the job, packed up my things, said goodbye and left.

When i arrived my first week was awful, I didn't understand my job as it was explained to me in french. When I had arrived I made friends with some french guys and each evening I would go to them in tears. Their advice was so stay another day each evening. By the end of the first week I was feeling more comfortable. Luckily my boss had taken a shine to me and thought I had guts so kept me going. After 2 months I was fluent in french and knew enough of the other languages to do my job.

I ended up doing really well and making loads of good friends. I switched employers at one stage but my boss travelled 4 hours in the night to come and fetch me back.

This was 14 years ago now and I still stay in touch with my boss and his family. When I had my first child, I hopped on a plane and turned up on their doorstep and they welcomed me and my family in. It was great to see them all again. We also email each other now.

My advice would be to go for it. It taught me a lot about myself.
I wouldn't exactly do it the way I did unless you have loads of confidence. I wouldn't go abroad and work for an english company as a rep as the ones I met were overworked and underpaid and never had time to enjoy the place they were in. Write a letter to a company. Also do it early in the year, about Jan/Feb to miss the rush.

Good Luck

A couple of years ago I went to ibiza on holiday and ended up staying !
On my first night there, I walked into a bar in the west end of San Antonio and found that an old friend of mine was the dj.

We exchanged numbers, planning to meet up for a few beers (as you do)

The very next day, he calls me to say he had an accident on his scooter on his way back from work and could i meet him at the bar in 30 minutes.
So, off I go....gets to the bar and he is sat there with the owner, by now im a little confused !!!

Upshot of all this is that he couldnt work with a broken leg and had suggested me as his replacement till his leg had healed :D

Ended up being there for 6 weeks, accomodation provided plus 200 euros a week and all food and beer thrown in.

Best 6 weeks of my life - went back last year, my mate no longer there but the owner asked me to do a guest slot on a couple of nights (the wife was with me this time and was well impressed - always told her i was famous :D)


If you get the chance - take it.
There are always places looking for english staff that can speak spanish and in certain jobs you can easily make enough cash to support yourself.

Worth it just for the experience.

I worked in France for a year in the middle of my degree - it was fab - chalet maiding in a ski resort.

I just rang up a number in the star anda bus collected me from a service station and dropped me off at one in france! My new employer picked me up and I didn't much care for being trapped halfway up a mountain with noone to talk to so when another chalet girl arrived we legged it and asked around in the village and both got new jobs which were fantastic!

I wouldn't recommend my way of doing it but if you want the contact details of a good chalet to work for then do PM me x

P.S. I've never been sporty and had never tried skiing before I went there but you get free lessons and the apres ski is wonderful!

Friend of mine went to be a nanny over there for a year...although left the family when the mother threw a chicken at her. You could always combine it with a degree where you get to spend a year abroad! Some of the most unexpected subjects permit a year abroad in the second year.

Dont worry too much about languages. THIS (http://www.tormedia.info/two%20fingers%20blaen.jpg) Is pretty universal :thumbsup:

If you have some qualifications write or phone the cruise companies and find out what you need to work on a ship. That way you get to travel and have the option if you don't like it that it isn't for ever. You have to be very tenacious though to get through to the right person in the right comapny who can give you the right information. The same applies to working for an airline.

I worked in a branch of the Merchant Navy for 10 years and had an utter hoot for most of it. 6 months on, 3 and a bit months off. While I was there I had a few interviews with BA for cabin crew but by the time I got to the final 3 for the job I was in charge of my own department on the ship and it would have been a very backward career move.

Start looking now as it get's harder the older you are. It's very hard to get through to the right people, particularly the airlines I found as everyone and his dog want to work for them.

The other option could be working as a tour rep but I don't know anything about that apart from it being a bit of a seasonal type of job. I knew someone who did a few years at it, summers in the sun then doing skiing holidays in the winter.

Another friend had a whale of a time Nannying in New York for some millionaires kid for 2 years. Really enjoyed it.

Make getting an application form from BA a goal for the week, you don't have to do anything with it but it might get you in the mood! Good luck!