PLANNING - Europe On a Budget - page 23

Language assistant program. France and Spain (maybe other countries, too) have English
language assistant programs that are run by the government. You normally do need to have
some knowledge of the local language, but this is a good way to stay in Europe for a long peri-
od of time. I personally know a lot of people who've done a seven to nine-month language as-
sistant program in France. Most language assistants work approximately twelve hours in class
each week and get paid around $1,100/month after taxes. Some assistants get lucky and don't
have any classes on Monday and Friday—which allow them to travel around Europe on the
weekends.
Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) jobs. I know some people who were able
to get TEFL jobs in Prague and they were granted six-month visas (which could be renewed).
You'll need some type of TEFL training, but this could be a good way to stay in Europe for an
extended period of time. This is also common in Spain. However, you're on your own to find
clients and there is no guarantee that you'll find work.
Self-employment or freelance visa . If you're self-employed and have the ability to work
from anywhere in the world then you might be eligible for a self-employment visa. France has
a version of this that can be pretty complicated, and I believe you have to get the visa before
you arrive in France.
Germany is another country that issues this type of visa for foreigners but you don't apply
for it until you get to Germany. Registering as a freelancer is surprisingly simple if you meet all
the requirements. You just need to fill out a few forms, prove that you have a decent amount
of savings, and you'll get a one-year visa. One of the most popular places to be a freelancer is
Berlin since it is cheap (by European standards) and it has a strong start-up culture. Visit this
site for information about working in Berlin— http://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305249/
en/ .
European passport. Do your parents (or grandparents/great grandparents in some cases)
have citizenship to a European country? If so, you might be able to apply for a passport for
that country. Visit the country's immigration website to see their citizenship requirements.
Once you have a passport from an EU country you can live and work in any EU country,
without any paperwork or restrictions. This process can take a very long time but it is worth
looking into.
Stay illegally. While I certainly don't recommend it, many people just overstay the ninety-
day limit and continue to travel. This is mainly possible because there are no border checks
between Schengen member countries. For example, if you travel from France to Italy, there is
a very minimal chance that anyone will look at your passport—whether you're European or
not. There will sometimes be immigration officials on trains but they usually won't look too
closely at your passport if you look like an average Western tourist. However, sometimes they
do look closely, so do this at your own risk.