Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work in a foreign country, travel, and experience a different culture? For many of us in Asian countries, this is just a dream. We’re used to a different way of life, where we work, build a home, and live with our families. But my life changed when I started my small business at a beautiful waterfall near my home. I built a cabana for tourists, and it quickly became popular. The beautiful scenery and good reviews drew many visitors, especially from European countries.
By talking to them, I learned about their culture of working for six months and using that money to travel. This lifestyle fascinated me because, in our country, even if we work hard and save, it’s not enough to travel abroad. It’s also difficult for us to get visas to many countries. I realized that if I could get a job in Europe, I could earn double what I make here and have the freedom to travel. That’s how my dream of working in Europe began.
I quickly learned that it’s not easy for people from Asian countries to get jobs everywhere in Europe. Most of the time, the best opportunities for us are in countries like Romania. Getting an unskilled job in countries like Germany is almost impossible. So, for me, Romania was the only real option to start my European journey.
There were a few things that made Romania an attractive choice. Unlike many other European countries, Romania often provides free accommodation and food as part of the job. This is a huge benefit because living costs in other European countries can be very high. So, working in Romania while traveling was the most practical and affordable option. The only drawback is the cost of getting there. After Romania became a Schengen country, the cost of the entire process, including travel and paperwork, went up to around $6000—twice what it used to be.