u/Admirable_Candle4724 — reddlx

Hi everyone, I could really use some advice.

I’m graduating college this May and had been planning for the past year to move to Spain as a language assistant through NALCAP, but I just found out the program was canceled due to legal issues. So now I’m basically starting over and trying to figure out my post-grad plan.

My goal has always been to spend about a year abroad before starting a corporate job. I’m especially interested in Europe, but I’m open to other options if they make more sense.

Right now I’m debating between:

au pairing in Spain
backpacking around Europe for a few months
or finding some way to work while traveling

I’m planning to work and save money until around November, then leave.

What I really want is a balance of:

freedom to travel
the ability to support myself financially
and a good overall experience living abroad

If you were in my position:

would you recommend backpacking Europe for a few months?
how realistic is it to work while traveling in Europe?
are there better options I should be considering?

I’d really appreciate any advice, especially from people who have done something similar.