The 11 Best Jobs for People Who Love Traveling the World

By Talia Lakritz / Insider
October 11, 2016
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This story originally appeared on Thisisinsider.com 

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So you've been bitten by the travel bug. You've got a severe case of wanderlust. You, as artist Melody Truong once put it, are in love with cities you've never been to and people you've never met.

You don't have to confine your adventures to the standard two weeks of vacation time. Now more than ever, it's possible to make a living traveling the world. Whether it's being your own boss as a freelance photographer or working at different branches of an international hotel chain, here are 11 jobs where traveling actually pays off.
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Roadie

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From audio mixing to lighting design, roadies accompany bands on tour and run the shows behind the scenes. It’s not a job for the faint of heart, with long nights on the road and lots of heavy lifting, but you get the best seat in the house.

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Importer/exporter

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Cargo isn’t the only thing that can cross oceans in this field. Buying indigenous crafts directly from local artists and shipping them to eager customers means you get to travel and shop for a living.

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Archaeologist

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This one requires more of a commitment—namely, grad school. But if you like spending your days studying history, working outdoors, and uncovering ancient ruins, it doesn’t get much better than this.

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English teacher

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There's a worldwide demand for knowledge of the English language, so you can get a job just about anywhere, and spend around a year absorbing your new location and its culture. Did we mention summer vacations?

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Nurse

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People get sick and need good medical care no matter where they are. Nursing never goes out of style (and neither do scrubs).

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Freelance

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As Elaina Bird, one half of the successful travel blogging couple the Freedom Travelers, told INSIDER, “As long as you have your smartphone and Wi-Fi, you can work anywhere.” Whether you fancy yourself a writer, web designer, photographer, or marketing expert, the world is your client base. Being a digital nomad has never been easier.

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Volunteer farmer

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World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms places volunteers on organic farms around the globe. In exchange for their helping hands, volunteers receive food, accommodations, and a crash course in agriculture.

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Travel industry professional

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It’s an obvious choice for a reason. If you’re working at different branches of an international hotel chain, showing tourists around as a guide, or flying planes as a pilot, you’re bound to have some adventures of your own.

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Travel writer/blogger

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With tools like Google Adsense and brand deals, a blog with a substantial following can rake in enough cash to sustain its writer and finance even more travels to write about.

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Bartender

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The flexible hours—and if you’re lucky, generous tips—allow for equal periods of work and play. Just ask Michelle Miller, who traveled to all 7 continents before her 30th birthday when she wasn’t mixing cocktails.

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Au pair

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There are dozens of websites committed to matching au pairs with families the world over. You get to play with kids, and soak up a new culture by living with a local family.

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By Talia Lakritz / Insider