I spent two months working on a farm in South Korea for free lodging and food. It was hard work, but I saved at least $2,000.

It was a nice working atmosphere and there was no pressure to finish tasks by a certain time. We went out to do some weeding between the chestnut trees.

I was fortunate to form a strong relationship with my host and his family. It wasn’t like he’d just give orders; we were really living together.

I lived in his house, and the accommodation was basic. It consisted of a room with a bunk bed and another room with two air mattresses for two other volunteers to stay in.

On the farm, we had rice for every meal, every day. At first, I was worried that after a week, I’d think, “I’ve had enough rice. I can’t see rice anymore.” But that wasn’t the case, and I enjoyed every meal.

There was no set schedule on the farm

The village I lived in was very small, with less than 100 villagers, most of whom were in their 60s. I wasn’t able to make any local friends my age.

However, I enjoyed working outdoors and having variety in my tasks. Also, working with animals was fun.

I appreciate that I got to know the locals much better by living with them. I experienced their day-to-day life, which was much more valuable to me than just visiting a country as a tourist.

As I continue on my yearlong trip to places like Spain and Scandinavia, I intend to find projects that will also help me to save costs.

I saved at least $2,100 by working on the farm

That amount was about the same as how much I had spent during my month in Japan.

After my trip ends in April next year, I’ll return to Germany and become a full-time teacher.

As a teacher, I plan to prepare my students for life in this increasingly globalized world. I hope to transfer the knowledge gained from my experiences in other countries to my future students.