Looking to chat more with Sojourner? Book a 1:1 call!
How to Afford Travel ✈️
Prior to 2015, I never traveled internationally. I traveled domestically with family and studied Spanish so I was interested in the global world, but like many others I did not have the money to do so.
Since then I’ve studied, lived, interned, and worked remotely abroad! And I enjoy finding ways to incorporate travel opportunities into my career to make it more feasible for me to travel.
From solo traveling to train traveling, now I’m sharing all my tips and recommendations from my experiences to now help you.
Get Your Flexible Career Lifestyle Resources Guide!
Not everyone can quit their job to travel the world – and that is okay!!!
But, do you want to have the freedom or opportunity to travel a bit more? Or experience a new country or culture longer-term?
Would you like to work abroad? Or do you want to work remotely so you can make money as you go?
This guide can kickstart you to find a remote or international fellowship, internship, or job opportunity to begin creating that flexible lifestyle you’ve always wanted!
How I Afford to Travel the World FAQs
How did you travel as an undergrad student?
I studied abroad for a semester in Spain in order to travel as an undergrad student. I majored in Spanish which made it easier to study abroad for five months and traveled to Italy, Portugal, England, etc. during that semester. If you can, save up money and travel over breaks too. However, there are many other ways to travel more as a college student.
How did you travel as a graduate student?
Choosing an internationally-focused graduate degree, such as my Masters in International Social Work, helped me travel as a graduate student. I also interned abroad in Berlin as part of my social work practicum for three months. You can also pursue a short-term fellowship abroad, which is similar to an internship. Check out this blog post to learn about what you need to know before pursuing an internship abroad.
How do you travel with a full-time 9-5?
You have to maximize your PTO and vacation time! Already have a long weekend? See if you can take the day before off. For more tips, read this blog post on how to travel with a full-time job to get started on your own adventure.
How do you balance working and traveling?
Traveling for work or for leisure requires a lot of balance to avoid burnout. Working out, rest, taking time off to not travel, hobbies outside of traveling, etc. are all ways to find that balance. Also having boundaries with (remote) work by closing my laptop at 5pm, screen breaks, and using my lunch breaks to eat and not do work. When I’m actively traveling as a digital nomad I try to continue my routine and build in downtime between cities/countries.
What are other ways you have traveled and worked?
International fellowships are another great way to work and travel. The one fellowship I did was teaching English in Spain through the Fulbright Program. To apply for a Fulbright is a pretty competitive process so there are also other overseas fellowships and career programs you can apply to where you can live abroad, work, and travel.
Map Out Your Career Path 💻
Let's Get You Traveling More and Efficiently!
Looking for some expert travel tips? Want to start planning that trip of your dreams without the hassle of Googling every little thing?
Travel planning can be a headache if you don’t know where to look and how to plan. Which is why this travel planning guide is what you need!
With this five step planning guide you can plan that bucket list adventure of your dreams!
You deserve it – so let’s get planning!
Start Travel Planning 🧳
My Travel Essentials & Must-Haves
I may not be the lightest packer, but I don’t believe if having stuff for the sake of having it!
If you are on the hunt for a portable charger, a new set of packing cubes, a foldable waterbottle, and more travel goodies, check out my recommendations!
Every traveler’s toolbox can use a little refresh every now and again! And you don’t have to break the bank to do it.
Sojourner White is the social worker turned award-winning travel storyteller, entrepreneur, and filmmaker behind Sojournies.
Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sojourner uses her journey of being a study abroad student, English teacher, and remote social worker to help others fulfill their career goals and bucket list dreams to bask in freedom and flexibility outside the office.
Her work unpacks the nuances of travel as leisure, learning, and life-changing. And those sojournies have captivated her audience of over 200K+ across platforms, which also garnered her the title “Train Travel Queen.”
Sojourner has been featured in Tripadvisor, The Matador Network, HuffPost, Thrillist, Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Fodor’s, Insider, Lonely Planet, and more.