Hacking Your Way Around The World?

TheTraveller asks: "I'm a European system/software engineer, with 25 springs behind me. Recently, I've got a bit fed up with staying tens of hours in a row in front of a screen, so I've decided to quit my job and tour this small planet. I'll obviously have to work to live, and I'll probably pick fruit as well; but I can't deny being a nerd. Have any of you Slashdotters had any experience on traveling the world and hack to survive? Are there companies willing to hire you for just one or two months? Can you be a part-time hacker? Any juicy info or link welcome." Sounds like a cool idea, but what are the realities for technical companies (on a nation-by-nation basis) hiring temporary workers like this on short notice?

Temp Agencies

[ginsu]

There are loads of temp agencies out there (Manpower comes to mind) that are a) international and b) have a stock in trade of 3 week to 3 month jobs. You just show up there, they eval your skills, and give you some options of where to go (or call you when something comes up.)

I'll never forget when I was 17 getting a job at one of those places -- and putting floppies in computers and turning them on (as part of y2k testing for a whole building) and getting paid $25 an hour for it!!! And free pizza :) Anyway, very much worth looking at.

Parttime Hacker

[sysv]

Well, I used to be a parttime hacker. So it's posable. If you go to holland, post me a mail, Maybe I can give you a name or to.
Seems wise to me, to contact university LUGS before you travel to a certen place.

Travelling Hacker

[kzadot]

No, I don't think here would be a lot you can do unless you have very specialist skills. Generally companies want you to look at staying with them for at least 3 years. One to get into it, one to get some work started, and a third to actualy feel at home.

You could however look at being self employed and you may discover or purchase some business model that permits you to make money while travelling overseas.

Specialize.

[Snowfox]

If you can find some specialty service that you can drop in, deliver and move on, you may do well.

For example, I'll wager there are a million churches who could use web sites - dropping in to perform a few weeks of training and a bit of service and equipment selection before moving on may do you well, especially if you only ask a tiny sum and a place to stay for the duration.

Ditto, small specialty stores who could use an online web presence, or various types of service companies which still haven't moved to automated billing. I'll wager there's something similar out there that fits what you'd really like to be working on.

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My opinions are mine -- not those of my employer.

Consulting?

[malice95]

Well I am not sure if this is what you want, but
If you hook up with some of the large US consulting firms you can get an international traveler gig.. were you will work here and there for a few months at a time around the world. I havent done this myself but I have heard about others doing it. IMHO it wouldnt be an easy life.. Travel wears you out after a few months.

Perhaps you should save up a ton of cash
and take 6 months off to travel. It sounds like you dont have things like a mortguage so you could probably save up a ton.

Mike

This small planet.

[flikx]

I can think of better planets to tour. Why bother to run around this stupid rock??

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Why temp jobs?

[OlympicSponsor]

Why not telecommute? You are unlikely to know the local languages (human or computer) everywhere you go anyway. Just keep the same job but call in from a new location everyday.
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