What do guys who snowboard in Colorado have in common, those who enjoy kayaking in the south of France and those who explore Scandinavia in a hot air balloon? Choosing to follow your desire for adventure. But is it really possible to be a professional adventurer in a world where everything has already been discovered and mapped? Read this article, discover the meaning of "adventure" for you and learn what you need to live an adventurous life.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Part 1: Find your Adventure
Step 1. Find out what "adventure" means in your specific case
An adventurer is a person who lives constantly looking for the strangest and most particular situations. If you want to be an adventurer by profession, the meaning you give to the word "adventure" will be the key to defining your plans, your destinations, your methods and the purpose of your career.
Choosing to be an adventurer does not necessarily mean you want to devote your life to rock climbing or be interested in the Amazon toads. Make your interests the cornerstone of your career as an adventurer: focus on something that is rewarding and that has an important meaning for you
Step 2. Think about outdoor activities and games
Were you one of those kids who had to be dragged into the house at dinner time? One of those who collected daisies and dandelions, and who couldn't wait to play in the trees? Or maybe you love morning swims in the cool waters of a lake?
If the idea of a walk in the mountains, among the crystal clear waters of the streams, relaxes you, perhaps for you "adventure" means the struggle for the protection of nature, eco-tourism, or simply the contemplation of a spectacular landscape
Step 3. Count the scars on your body
Were you a reckless kid and a tree climber? One of those with always skinned knees? The number one volunteer in gym time and the last to give up? Do you want to be always on the go and maybe you feel trapped when you are forced to sit in class? And is the idea of working in front of a computer in the office an indescribable nightmare for you? Maybe you are one of those ready to jump into the traffic, at full speed, on a bicycle, a guy who thinks of diving in the ocean as a possible activity for a relaxing weekend. You may also find the rapids and waterfalls inviting.
For you, "adventure" could mean dedicating yourself to extreme sports, outdoor activities that test your stamina or exploration
Step 4. Do you enjoy exploring cultures other than yours?
Are you excited when you have the opportunity to listen to music other than the one you know? Do you like to taste unusual dishes? Do you love getting lost in unknown lands? Are you passionate about the stories related to the places you visit? Maybe you are one of those who want to learn Japanese or know what Siberia looks like from a train, or you like to spend a day sipping red wine and tasting artisan goat cheese.
For you, "adventure" could be a synonym for archeology or journalism. And if you are interested in research, consider the possibility of devoting yourself to anthropology or sociology
Step 5. Do you enjoy helping others?
If as a child you happened to find an injured rabbit in the yard, were you immediately ready to take care of it? Are you interested in news from around the world? Do you feel a sense of deep injustice when you think about poverty and wish you could do something to change things? Would you like to contribute your talent to make the world a better place?
Your way leads to humanitarian and philanthropic adventures. Have you ever thought about the legal field or medicine?
Step 6. Dust off your insect collection
Are you an animal lover, one of those who love to study the names and peculiarities of all species? Have you always had pets? Or maybe you have a passion for rocks and minerals that you can't explain? Volcanoes drive you crazy and when you were little you knew the names of all the dinosaurs. You have never had a problem touching a frog or a snake and, perhaps, being with animals has always made you feel comfortable.
Science related adventures are for you. Maybe you could go into biology, zoology, paleontology or geology
Method 2 of 3: Part 2: Experience
Step 1. Study
The life of an archaeologist looks beautiful if you watch Indiana Jones, too bad there are no scenes in the film that portray the protagonist correcting a 30-page article on religious ceremonies in ancient Mesopotamia for publication by an academic journal, thus guaranteeing him his place. of work. Before you can go on a search for African velociraptor fossils, you have to work hard. There is no "degree in adventure", but you can choose to study something that allows you to travel and gives you the foundation for what you really want to do.
- If you are interested in science-related adventures, study biology or a similar subject. Chemistry would force you to stay in a lab, in front of a computer, but a marine biology degree, for example, would allow you to spend a lot of time doing field research.
- If you like to travel, you may want to take courses that give you access to the tourism sector. Another useful thing you can do is learn a foreign language.
- If you are a sports or outdoor activity enthusiast, you can find degree courses in ecology. Talk to an academic advisor and find out what the best alternatives are available to you.
- Once you graduate, you can apply for a scholarship to do research or to teach abroad. There are all kinds of them, from those that finance trips to Russia to teach music to those that allow you to spend some time in South America teaching poetry.
- If university isn't your thing, don't worry. To prepare yourself in the field of your choice, you can safely use your library card and work on your own. Furthermore, there are many other things you can learn to do. For example, you can practice with the video camera and camera. You might need someone who knows how to use those high-definition cameras to use them on expeditions to the Arctic Circle, right? What if that someone is you?
Step 2. You can sign up for an international volunteer organization
In this way you could spend time in foreign countries, and perhaps repay the debts accumulated over the school years, gain a useful experience and cultivate friendships in distant places. Moreover, this is a nice way to give some of your time to others and participate in very important humanitarian missions.
While you are on a mission, you can also take some small trips and make the experience even more complete. Depending on where you are, take a weekend off to discover the Mediterranean and its famous culinary traditions, or take a walk through the magical landscapes of Scandinavia. They will be regenerating experiences that will give you the energy to continue the hard work you are dedicating yourself to
Step 3. Look for a job abroad as an au pair, nanny or babysitter
In Europe, it is not uncommon for unemployed women to decide to enter the childcare sector. Plus, it can be a good way to earn some quick cash and to fully immerse yourself in the local culture.
Staying in close contact with your host family can be the perfect way to learn the culture and language, but it is also an opportunity to cultivate relationships that could prove invaluable later in your career as an adventurer. For example, if you work a year for a family in Germany, those people could become an important point of contact when you are backpacking and need a warm place to stay
Step 4. Teach English
English is a very popular language. In Southeast Asia, in particular, there is a strong demand for English language teachers. A degree is usually required to access this type of agency work, but not always. You may also find work by offering to give private lessons, but it is safer to turn to specialized agencies.
Step 5. Go on a trip with the parish or enroll in a study program abroad
If you have the time and the necessary resources, take part in the trips that schools and parishes organize annually and which have a bit of an adventure flavor. Even if it's just a couple of weeks of hard work, sometimes spent doing tasks like building a house in Guatemala or Peru, you can have some very important experiences. Furthermore, these types of travel are always frowned upon when submitting the resume for an adventurous job.
This could be a great opportunity, especially for those interested in humanitarian work. Often, however, the stages of the trip are decided by the group that organizes it, which could turn the experience into a simple tourist trip. If this happens, organize small personalized excursions when you arrive on site
Step 6. Take a "year off" and plan the adventure yourself
Simply go for it. There are agencies you can contact to find a bed in the most diverse places. Or you can find work on a farm that practices organic farming, all you need is enough time to dedicate to the adventure you choose. You will gain experience while traveling, immerse yourself in other cultures and create a network of contacts that will open the doors to a world of opportunities that you never imagined. Even if it's just a couple of weeks to take a bike ride from Minnesota to New Orleans, you're still learning to step out of your shell and take action, two indispensable tools for building the foundation for your future.
When you return from your adventure, the field experience you have accumulated will work in your favor in your job search. In fact, you will be able to write a more complete curriculum
Method 3 of 3: Part 3: Becoming a Professional Adventurer
Step 1. Find a job to do what you want
With the proper experience and the right qualifications, it is not difficult to find a job as an entertainer, tour guide or diving teacher. The experience accumulated during your adventures and the knowledge that comes from your studies will open the doors to all types of work. Find a job at the national park of your choice, or open a school for those who want to learn how to use kayaking.
If you are paid to teach others what you love, every day is an adventure. Become a snowboard teacher, or work in an aquarium. It is not necessary to be a marine biologist to work with animals
Step 2. Find the funds you need to finance your shipments
Your goal is to get paid to do something you love. If adventure is what you love, it would be a real dream to find someone to finance your expedition to France to collect mushrooms or to cover the expenses for a snowboarding trip to Switzerland.
National Geographic offers a range of funding for expeditions of all kinds, from documentaries to field research. Be sure to check the funds you could access each time you organize a new trip and, once back, post or sell the results of your expedition. It would be great if you published a best-seller about your train journey, possibly financed by a sponsor, from one coast to the other in the United States
Step 3. Document your adventures
Write a travel diary, update everyone by opening a blog dedicated to your adventures, or maybe use social networks like Facebook or Twitter. Making your talent known to the world is the best way to get others to care and it's also a good way to advertise your need for funding.
Working as a freelancer selling your photographs or videos is the best way to take the first step towards a job in the media industry. Have you taken some great photos of a scops owl during one of your walks? Try sending them to a magazine. Do you have a great story to tell about your trip to Istanbul? Try to publish it. If your material is interesting, you might even get a job offer
Step 4. Find work where adventure takes you
If "adventure" for you means living in Australia, whatever you do there will be synonymous with adventure and give you the chance to explore a place you love. Find a manual job or become a tour guide in the place of your dreams.
Many rural areas need seasonal workers to pick fruit, prune vineyards, or to do other outdoor jobs. These activities are strenuous and the salary is not the best, but you can move regularly and satisfy your desire for adventure
Step 5. Find a job that you need to travel for
You can become a salesman, organizer or musician, you will always be on the go and every day will be a new, exciting, adventure.
Find something you can do anywhere. Maybe you can work in the telecommunications sector, become a publisher or programmer, or do other online jobs that give you the opportunity to work from home, abroad or anywhere you want to live. Don't miss any opportunity and organize your time as you see fit
Step 6. Stay in the academic field
Even if you will have to spend most of the year teaching or studying at university, there are many opportunities to do research in the field and get paid, not to mention the gap years and the support you would have to work on what you prefer. For example, if you have decided to write a historical novel and you need to visit the Tower of London, the academy is certainly one of the most reliable channels through which to reach your goal.
Advice
- There are many tips online on what to take with you while traveling. There are sites that publish real lists that help you pack your suitcase.
- Ask about the places to visit and the locals, it will be a great opportunity to discover the most unexpected things. Remember that guides and magazines are useful up to a point and are still written from a subjective point of view.
- Don't carry too many things with you, your backpack should always be light enough not to be uncomfortable.
- There are many ways to travel without spending a penny, perhaps through "couch-surfing", or by working as a teacher or driver for an agency.
