Before kids I just generally packed up & left. All else fails, I can always cook in a restaurant. High turnover even in good kitchens.
Some random thoughts. Some of these I've done, all of them I've been around. Cough. A lot of these are travel related, because I believe very strongly in other people paying for my adventures whenever possible. Either local or international. ;) :
- It's still summertime so there are RennFaires / that circuit to teach belly dance in, and they travel several different circuits into the late fall.
- Circus Arts is a helluva lot harder to break into, but worth looking into if you dance & do martial arts. Even a concession job is foot in the door, and most circuses have people working several jobs unless they're headlining.
- Crewing ... Either old school sailing ship (first 3mo is usually as a volunteer, lol most people don't last past 3mo, but it's room & board for 3mo free! After 3mo? Paid to do it. Putting on "Pirate" shows, and schlepping people about)... Or on one of the cargo ships / major shipping lines. I've done both. Cruise ships are a third option. Can be wicked hard to break into those, though, but multiple skills help, and you have bartending/dance/martial arts.
- Courrier... Nowhere near as much call for them these days since electronic signatures are accepted, but there are still things that need schlepping overseas that the value is intrinsic enough to need an escort, but not be worth an armed escort (several security companies specialize in those).
- Driver. Haven't looked lately, but there are usually several companies around that schlep cars to people cross country (or even Canada to Mexico) by driver instead of by truck. Aka, you drive someone's car from New York to LA, or Chicago to Aspen, or Toronto to Cozumel. Counts as being a professional driver, so that opens up the showers & bunk rooms at truck stops :)
- Archeology Dig ... These are "paying" volunteers, usually, not paid staff... And are usually several thousand dollars (3k-10k) but there are also scholarships & grants out there specifically to fund those paid slots. Especially in the Jewish community for digs in Israel. Love love love the Israeli coastline :D!!! Several of the ongoing digs are housed in resorts. But there are all kinds of quirky & very specific grants out there.
- Retreats & Kibbutz & Communes. I'm lumping these 3 together just because the concept is similar; you go as staff instead of as a paying guest.
- NGOs. Huge, wide, crazy range of work available in very niche areas. LOL. I usually went as armed security on medical missions... But I've seen everything from female ceramics instructors needed in Kabul Afghanistan (turquoise mountain a few years back), to it would be nice if you know what a hammer is, but not required! (Habitat for Humanity always ongoing, but they don't pay you; you fundraise the cost of the trip under their banner), to serious hikers/mountaineers only (unarmed med transport). All kinds of things. NGOs are quirky. Do your research in spades before signing.
