So I want to move to Bali. How do I, as a North American make a living in a foreign country?
At first glance, it seems obvious- you try to get a working visa and get a job. Ha! No such luck, western job seeker! In Indonesia (and I'm assuming it's a similar story for other Asian countries) you cannot legally be employed unless you are sought out by a company for a specific skill that is lacking in the local job seekers pool. Not to mention, the average sallary in Indonesia sits around $200- $300 Canadian, resulting in a large disparity in income even for those who are not very highly paid at home.
Indonesia is, however, a lot more afforable in terms of living costs. To give you an idea, a months stay at my favourite hostel in Canggu sits around $300. I've seen advertisements for 4 bedroom villas with a pool, by the beach, for $11,000 for the year. You can also rent a guesthouse for around the $200- $300 mark per month. For feeding yourself, if you're smart with your money, you can get a large meal out (local) for $2. If you go for more westernized/ fancy food, your meal will sit around $6 to $7, which is still incredibly affordable compared to eating out in Canada.
So what are your options to support yourself when living abroad?
Find a remote job
If you google remote work, there are actually loads of job boards for remote or telecommuting jobs. The "digital nomad" scene is growing at a very steady pace, which is great news for aspiring expats. As technology continues to grow in the professional world, more and more companies are converting their positions to be distance accessible. Not only does it allow employees more flexibility, it saves the company big bucks on paying rent for office space if the entire company oportates online.
Teach English
There are many courses you can take, either online or in person at your local university, college, or teaching academy. These courses will provide you with your TEOFL certification, which allows you to teach english in foreign countries. In order to sign up, you must posses a bacheolors degree (the subject doesn't matter.) This isn't a way to make a ton of money, but it can support your living or travel in Asian coutnries. There are also many opportunities to teach online through skype, giving you ultimate nomadic freedom.
Freelancing
If you have a skill or talent that is in demand online, this is a great option. This is applicable for skills like graphic design, web design, coding, and writing. Check out Upwork or Fiverr as an easy way to get started as a freelancer. A lot of these are skills that you can learn (to a degree) at home, with a lot of time and effort. In order to land your first job, you will however need to have a portfolio of some sort.
Start your own online business
I am addicted to listening to business/ travel podcasts (check out Travel Like a Boss). I don't know if you've heard of drop shipping, but digital nomads worldwide are making thousands of dollars a month running these online stores from their laptops, without ever having to touch the physical products.
Start a business in Bali
This is something that I haven't done as much research on, as I personally don't have the ressources to create a physical business. However, many businesses (restaurants, bars, clothing stores) are owned by foreigners (mostly Australians).
Land an internship
This option is actually less financially reliable, because Indonesian companies legally cannot employ you. They can, and do, however provide accomodation, monthly allowance, and sometimes even food to their international interns. Generally, the monthly allowance is somewhere between $200- $300, which although may not seem very high, will go quite far in Indonesia especially considering your accomodation is taken care of. The company that I've been speaking with is called Internship Indonesia, and they have been excellent in this process so far. As the process and my relationship with them continues, I'll make a more detailed and dedicated post about what they do and my personal experience!
I hope that these tips inspire and inform you on your journey towards becoming an expat or digital nomad in Bali. I know I'm inspired to find a way to make it work, and you all will be the first one's to hear of my progress.
We got this, y'all. Let me know if you have any more ideas for makin' dat cash.
C
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