Is the nine-to-five getting you down? Are you sick of early alarm clocks and the rigmarole of the Rat Race life? Do you pine for something different, somewhere else? Well, why not make this summer the season of change? These three jobs are just a small selection of what's on offer out there in the big wide continent of Europe. And guess what, they will all let you travel and party from May until October (and possibly just a little longer, if you're lucky!). Check them out…
Pub Crawling in Krakow, Poland
Aside from the soaring Gothic spires and mighty Wawel Castle, Poland’s second-city of Krakow is famed for something else entirely: its endless party nights that come fuelled with streams of potent Żubrówka (bison grass vodka – whatever that is!). I discovered this side of the city while working as a “drunk guide” on the acclaimed Krawl through Krakow for a summer. The job entailed hopping between the smoky shot bars and cavernous subterranean clubs that hide beneath the cobbles of the Old Town, sometimes in control of more than 100 revellers, who’d follow your neon-pink sign with a certain inebriated fervour. Of course, you’ll have to enjoy a drink or two and be willing to spend your night chatting with strangers, but you’re also in store for one of the best parties in Eastern Europe!
Tour leading for various companies
Calling all outgoing types and lovers of European history, the job of a tour guide might just be the perfect thing for you. Essentially, you'll be responsible for managing large coaches of travellers as they flit between the famous cities of the continent. You'll need to have a passion for virtually everywhere and everything that entails, whether it's the cobbled Latin Quarter of Paris, the ancient monuments of the Eternal City in Rome, the smorgasbord of Scandinavian treats that awaits closer to the Arctic Circle, or the sun-kissed isles of the Greek Aegean (come on, who doesn’t like that?). The pay for tour guiding can be pretty decent, and it's also possible to latch onto some companies that run trips tailor-made to young partiers. Yes, before you ask, that will entail employee-sanctioned hedonism!
HelpX or exchange work
The rise of HelpX-style websites and portals in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal. The idea: people across the world (yep, this one's not limited to Europe any more) post details of jobs they need doing, and budding travellers deign to do said jobs in return for board and lodging. Granted, this option is never going to make you rich, but search for the right jobs and you could find yourself in for a summer of gardening under the Alpine peaks of the Austrian Tyrol, or building cabanas on the Costa del Sol. It's also possible to nail positions in hostels, which often entail partying the nights away on pub crawls or with guests. Nice.
