One of my favorite things to do is to travel. I love getting to explore the world, from China to Israel to France and beyond. It gives you a chance to learn new cultures, meet people you'd never have encountered in your every day life, and expand your horizons both personally and professionally, if you're so inclined.
The problem with traveling is that it's somewhat hard to do on a budget. Unless you're independently wealthy, you probably can't just hop on a plane and spend six months in a new country, living as you please without regret or responsibility.
So the key, then, is to have a steady income in order to become worldly. If you're an English speaker, then, you're in luck, because there's one profession that's in demand nearly worldwide: Teach English as a second language.
For as much as certain segments of the world hate the west and Americans in particular, a far greater portion of the world has admiration for American culture and wish to experience part of it themselves. So whether you're in Beijing or Tel Aviv or Marseilles, there will be people looking to learn English. And if you have the right mentality and command of the language, you can get a sustainable job almost anywhere to teach English as a second language.
Who's looking to learn English? It depends upon the region. In the area of Alsace-Lorraine on the France/Germany border, they are near a NATO military base, called Rammstein, in the city of Kaiserslautern. Most of the soldiers there are either American or English, which means that it's beneficial for the locals to know as much English as possible. Then there's also intermarrying between American or English soldiers and the Alsacian locals, which means there will be kids needing to learn English as well.
In Beijing, you're more likely to be teaching the kids of manufacturers, financiers and businessmen of all stripes. China is the world's fastest growing economy, and its ceiling is pretty much off the charts in terms of where it could end up. As English is the de facto international language of the business community, these Chinese men and women all want to lean English themselves, and want their families to learn as well.
Elsewhere - say Brussels, or Buenos Aires - you'll find the children of diplomats and politicians who want to learn language. Teach English as a second language to them, and you'll have access to some of the most fascinating people in the world.
