💰 Want to move abroad? These countries will pay you!

Get paid to move to your dream country. Plus: Mosquito-free countries, Matatu's, & Idaho beagles

Welcome back, my friend.

You’re tuned into another edition of Itchy Feet. As always, thanks for supporting my newsletter.

Before we get rolling, here’s last week’s post in case you missed it:

🌅 Create a life full of experiences, not 'almosts'

This week let’s talk about getting paid to move abroad.

Reading time: 4 minutes

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Moving abroad is the equivalent of traveling on steroids.

You invest more in time, energy, and money than in normal traveling.

But what if countries actually invested in YOU?

It sounds crazy to think a foreign country would give you money to live there, but it’s true!

For instance, native English speakers can get a job in Spain, France, Italy, South Korea, Japan, or Brazil working as an ESL teacher or teacher assistant.

So, in essence, these countries are investing in you to live and work there.

Pretty cool!

The same is true for native Spanish, French, or German speakers.

Let’s go another step further.

These countries will let you buy cheap property and qualify you for special grants to help pay for upkeep.

• Ireland: Under the “Our Living Islands" project, foreigners can buy a vacant house on one of Ireland’s remote islands. They’ll even give you up to $92,000 to renovate it! There's a catch: the house must be vacant for two years and be built before 1993 to qualify. If you're eligible and find a house meeting the guidelines, you can also begin the process for permanent residency.

Spain: Many small towns throughout Spain face an aging population and an exodus of younger people to larger cities like Madrid. For example, the remote village of Griegos in the Aragón region is offering new residents work and three months of free rent. If you’re from the US, you may qualify for a Spain digital nomad visa to extend your stay while living there.

New Zealand: Some of the more rugged regions of New Zealand offer incentives for foreigners to buy land and work there. For example, Kaitangata offers $165,000-worth of land and housing to foreigners who take jobs in town. The offer does not include access to residency. However, you may find an employer willing to sponsor you there.

Greece: The small island Antikythera only has 50 inhabitants (according to North American Moving Services). The Greek Orthodox Church has a 500-euro stipend to anyone willing to live there for three years.

🚀 Travelish Quote of the Week

“The path from dreams to success does exist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get on to it, and the perseverance to follow it.

-Kalpana Chawla

🤲 Did You Know?

Iceland is one of the few countries on earth that doesn’t have a single mosquito species. The exact reason Iceland is mosquito-free remains unclear. However, Iceland’s erratic weather patterns play a big role. Iceland also has cold water temperatures, which prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

Thanks to my wife, Yesi, for finding this!

🎏 Culture Corner

Each is privately owned are is famous for its vibrant exterior. You’ll see flashy paint jobs, portraits of famous people, marvelous graffiti art, and hear music blasting when they roll by.

Each matatu follows the unique creative expression of its owner. They look more like moving art exhibits than public transit.

According to the Daily Nation, the matatus embody Nairobi’s identity of diversity, resilience, and community. Akatunka says “matatu" means “three cents” in Kikuya, which was the original fare when they were first seen in the 1960s.

🌆 A random thing to do in Idaho..

You can see the world’s biggest beagle in Cottonwood, Idaho. Silly Willy is 30 feet tall and is the name of the building for the Dog Bark Park Inn.

This bed & breakfast only has one room, and the building is shaped like a large beagle. It’s part of a sculpture park (Dog Bark Park) filled with wooden carvings of animals.

Even if you don’t stay the night, it’s maybe the best roadside attraction for dog lovers.

For more trip ideas, trip coaching, and fun travel chats, get in touch here. 🤝

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That’s it for this week! If you’ve read this far, I’m truly grateful for you.

Have a great start to your week. More travel-inspiration is coming next week!

Much love,

-Daniel

Instagram / Bluesky / Travel Coaching / LinkedIn / Buy me a Coffee

P.S. Sign up for more travel tips, cultural insights, and inspiration for your next vacation!

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Related posts:

• 🔹 Four life lessons from a missing passport
• ✍️ What I learned reading my 10-year-old travel journal
• 🌍 My mom traveled solo abroad for the first time

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