How to travel for work...literally!
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel for work? Especially when that work wouldn't involve spending countless wasted hours stuck in traffic jams or waiting for transportation that seems to rarely come on time. Well, you can! There is a huge global market that is still largely untapped, which is enabling people of all descriptions around the world, and yes, in the Caribbean too, to travel for work, and make it leisurable. I call it 'travel work'.
Mind you, being a 'travel worker' doesn't necessarily mean that you get to sit back and rest on your laurels while you enjoy the good life. Rather, it means that you are being paid to visit other countries, with a mission to observe, analyse and objectively critique a specific country.
Your analysis is generally expected to be multi-faceted. It might mean giving an overview of the attractions within a country or highlighting a specific location within that country, such as a restaurant or hotel. It might include sharing your experiences (and photos of) a specific event or occasion that generally corresponds with that country's identity (or maybe even something completely new and unheard of) --for the benefit of better informing and educating prospective visitors who are searching for ways and means to enjoy themselves--either alone or with company, while being relatively safe and secure.
If you think that such a profession sounds like it might be up your alley, good for you! Be reminded however, that there are certain considerations you should soberly contemplate before committing at any level.
Firstly, there is your knowledge of and innate curiousity for different places and cultures. If you're very provincial (for whatever reason) and generally prefer to remain in familiar home territory (or borders), this is unfortunately not the job for you.
However, if you relish seeking out different locations, learning more about the people, towns, cities and other locations in a country, experimenting with the public and private transportation, sampling the local cuisine, engaging in local social activities, and maybe even trying to learn the local slang or the official language/s, then, this is a profession you should consider, if you're able!
Why? Travel allows your perspective on people and the world in general to expand exponentially. You gain so much more awareness of the world's interconnectivity, while at the same time celebrating the variety and abundance of life in other places--and you get to share that knowledge with others along the way!
Secondly, you have to have the time, although this should be a no-brainer. There's unfortunately no room (just yet) for part-time travel workers. You either put both feet into it, or, you don't. There's no room for having one foot in and one foot out. If you believe that you have other commitments e.g., young children, elder parents, other co-dependents, etc., that would reasonably occupy your time, effort and energies, then, it's probably best to either defer your plans to become a travel worker or abandon them entirely.
Remember, this is a job, and like any other [paying] job on the planet, it requires you to be disciplined and focused on the execution of your duties. Yes, you can have fun, but still be businesslike about it. At the end of the day, you are essentially an ambassador for your organisation and an indirect ambassador for any country that you visit. Therefore, you cannot afford to be ambiguous in your efforts.
Finally, you have to consider your physical health and your appetite (or lack thereof) for travelling by airplane (in most cases), as well as other forms of public transportation such as a coach bus, an omnibus, cars, boats, rickshaws, etc. Like other travelling members of the public, you would experience long lines, delayed, missed or cancelled flights, some unfriendly people, unsavoury food, and arranging your travel documents, including getting nay required visas, immunization shots, etc. Are you prepared for that?
There's a wide, wonderful world out there. Travel for work, and let your travels work for you!
Keywords:
LinkedIn Local Caribbean, travel, work, ambassador, opportunity