Intro

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Six

PAYING JOBS
Hospitality

Finding work in restaurants and hotels is again a matter of being at the right place at the right time. Mountain regions hire extra staff for the bustling winter ski holiday season, primarily in Switzerland and Austria, maybe a bit in France and Germany, or even Italy. Most areas have workers who return each year. Conversely, beach areas need plenty of staff in the summer, particulary along the French Riviera.

Remember, there is lots of competition for these hard work, low pay jobs. Apply in person as far in advance as possible.

The book "Summer Jobs Abroad" mentioned in the next chapter is a good place to find hotel positions. Where and how you get a job will depend mostly on your own appearance, initiative and talents. Sometimes British resort camps along the Riviera, for example, hire English-speakers to run recreational activities, games, etc., for their guests. In the winter you may get freelance work as a ski instructor in the alpine countries.

If you are talented in some type of creative art or music, you can busk your way around the continent. Your fellow travelers will be the key resource in finding out where to apply your trade. Musicians are the most common, but jugglers, artists, and other acts are all found. Typical areas to try your hand (lungs, brain, feet...) are in front of train stations, certain parks, museums or other central areas. Buskers are found in most subway systems on the Continent. I was once picked up hitchhiking by two Swiss guys who had an act on the Riviera; one was on a bike, the other on a skateboard, and they were making a ton of money with an act timed to their boombox music.

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