Hey everyone. I just wrote out a super long essay answer to someone's questions about getting by in developing countries and thought this might be helpful here too. Sorry for the novel
How do I get by?
I've spent most of the past 7 years living overseas and running my own creative media projects. I crowdfund them, apply for grants, and have had the odd sponsor here and there... but never much. I tend to save money and stay put for a month or two and travel locally from a "base" in a big city, and then move on to a new country, often to do another set of projects. I find places to stay through friends of friends who either hook me up with a free short term couch or room, or I sublet a cheap room in a place with roommates. I also use various online forums (facebook pages for expats, travelers, etc) to find places... but that's more to pay for like a few weeks or months, to sublet. Wish I had known about STP years ago, but want to do what I can to help connect my personal network to this one, to give back and expose people I've met to this community.
Eating?
Food is super cheap in most developing places I've been, especially it you cook at home and eat mostly vegetarian, and the latter is really easy in India for example. When I see Westerners rolling into McDonalds 'to save money', I roll my eyes. I once heard a "cheap travel expert" suggesting this on a podcast as a way to save money. Noooooo!!!
1. It's garbage food and it's not cheap compared to most local street food (a lot of times you're paying nearly the same as US prices to eat US fast food overseas) 2. Buying some beans, rice, lentils, veggies, and spices, and cooking at home/camp/wherever and saving your leftovers is way way cheaper and healthier... and staying healthy also saves you money. If you're buying food on the street or in a local restaurant, look for places with the long lines. Then you know it's probably good and less likely to make you sick. Avoid places with long menus offering tons of different kinds of food, or non-local food options. Places with pictures of the food on the outside of the restaurant are generally bad... don't know why that is... it just seems like a weirdly consistent thing, everywhere. Go to places that are really good at one local dish and you'll probably have a good meal... no matter how primitive their kitchen is. One of the most famous food spots in Cairo is basically an alley with some lightbulbs strung across it and some plastic chairs. Egyptian movie stars eat there.
And never insult a community's food. No matter what you really think of it. Food is an expression of cultural identity. Show respect, even if you don't like it. And recognize that meat is often a luxury in developing countries, so if someone is serving it to you in their home they may have dropped a lot of coin on you.
Once you start traveling overseas you meet people from all over. Connect to them on social media, and when you wind up in their countries (or in countries where they have friends) they often help you out personally, or spread the word to their friends. That word of mouth help from others I've met traveling has been a massive factor in finding places to stay. I got across the Balkans that way in 2015... with friends in the Middle East connecting me to Europeans they had met while traveling in Europe, or Europeans they had met in their own countries. It's wild how one relationship can create so many more... in completely different places. I try to return the favor when I can. One dude who hosted me in Vienna went traveling in New Mexico, where I used to live, so a friend of mine in Santa Fe hosted him for me to return the favor when he passed through town. Often people are excited to host you and to learn about their old friend and how you met them. I'm sure a lot of this will resonate with people in here. It's pretty true everywhere.
Do something useful for the world or the local community and the community will give back.
Also, probably much like this community, if you plug into a network, and are a generally helpful and agreeable person with the first local people you stay with, and are contributing something useful to the world, then they will connect you to their friends in the next town. If you're just a taker, then don't expect to get much. It's common sense really. People tend to like the idea of my projects, in part because I listened to a lot of local people and incorporate their ideas into my videos. As a result I've been fortunate to surf on the good will of a lot of people who want to keep me going with my work, and rather than giving me money to support me, they hook me up with a place to sleep for a few nights, until I get to a place I want to settle for a while, and they pick my brain about the US or places I've traveled. 'Try to put something good out in the world without an agenda, and the world gives back' has actually been really true in my case. There is a big element of faith involved in traveling this way. I've gone across Europe with barely enough for bus tickets and a backpack full of bread and PB&J to get from Amsterdam to Belgrade... posting on FB along the way that I needed places to crash, and that I was setting up my projects. People took me in all over the place, total strangers, just on the word of a mutual friend.
It's a different approach than hustling for work or selling stuff, or busking. I honestly don't have any experience with that stuff... aside from the odd jobs part, e.g. teaching English or tutoring people here and there. Nothing against those things, depending on the context (I'll get to that). I've just figured this out as I've gone along, and over time it just changes your relationship to the communities you visit and to money. It's created strong connections to the places I've visited, because I tend to stay for a while and develop relationships with local people. And I've built up a network of people from all over... not by being pushy and trying to use people, but naturally, just making friends with other travelers and locals. It took time (but not as much as you might think... word spreads fast if people want to help you). Because I've met and made friends with other travelers, I also have connections in many places I've still never been to, so word spreads fast when I put out a request on FB. I've been really fortunate, and my experiences with so many generous people are a big part of why I still have faith in humanity.
One suggestion for giving back, instead of making your way by trying to earn money?
Perhaps if you made your trip about a Vlog that focused on raising awareness of some local issue or raising funds for a local organization, you will find that people will help you with places to stay along the way. Make your travels about giving something back and helping local communities and you'll find that doors tend to open up, literally. But you need to be sincere. People spot someone looking to exploit their poverty to subsidize their own travel expenses a mile away. Don't be that person. I've seen it with people coming to "volun-tour" with refugees for a few days, and asking for people to pay for their airfare and expenses. Not cool. That money should just go to the refugees and to honest aid organizations. And if you say you are raising money for an organization then you need to give all of it to that organization. But you may find that they help you to find places to stay along the way. Instead of earning money you can find ways to save a lot of money if you offer something of value to the world. Most of my support has not come in the form of money. My wife and I paid for our travel to get to Lesbos in 2015 to help with the refugee crisis. I know some basic Arabic and medical skills, and can cut videos, so an aid organization hooked us up with a room to stay in for a month and with a rental car, while we worked in the camp and while I made videos. We didn't make any money... but our needs were met because we showed up with something to offer in return.
But money is needed. My projects never pay much, but if I live in cheap places I can make it last. I moved back and forth across the Middle East and South Asia for years before I could afford to go to Europe (and even then I was super broke and crashing in someone's basement, and had to leave after 3 months because a US tourist visa only lasts 90 days, and a work permit is not easy to get in many places in the EU). I went there just to incorporate my nonprofit in Amsterdam and then got outta there... to Turkey where it was cheaper, and where I could teach English under the table until I landed another grant.
I've never been in a situation where I had to busk (sadly, I have no musical talent... but I want to change this) or dumpster dive. The latter wouldn't be advisable in a lot of the developing countries where I've been, for a variety of reasons, one being that this is often how poor people make their living or find their food, and you may get yourself into a conflict as there are whole informal economies based on trash collection. For example, there's a whole informal recycling industry in Egypt that you would never guess exists when you see all of the trash in the streets. But dumpster diving for food? If you see the conditions people are living in in a lot of places you'll understand instantly why going through the garbage for your food is probably not a good idea. And we tend to waste more in the US. People tend to use the stuff they buy for meals in poor places. But it's sorta hard to generalize. The Middle East is a big place, and each country has its own character, and urban areas are different from the countryside. Same with S Asia. India is many many countries packed into one.
Generally speaking I find people in developing countries to be more hospitable. Guests are literally revered as gods in Hindu culture. And in Arab communities hospitality is a source of cultural pride. It's amazing to witness. Just don't abuse it. And look for ways to give back. Be a good guest. Wash everyone's dishes, quietly leave something behind when you go, etc. Travel with small kitchy items from the US (or wherever your from, or that you've picked up along the way, or made yourself) that you can leave with hosts along the way. And in some places simply being an American grants you a quasi-celebrity status... which can feel sorta weird, but I try to be humble and roll with it, and just answer their questions about the US.
Busking, hustling for work, selling goods, and panhandling...
I would advise against setting up shop to earn money busking or selling stuff in developing countries because 1. you may be taking food out of the mouths of many other people who are literally begging in order to eat and to feed their kids on that same street, which I personally take A BIG issue with, since it's your choice to be there under-funded, and it's not their choice to be poor where they live 2. a lot of those begging on the streets are actually controlled by a mafia in many places, and if you encroach on their territory and revenue stream you can get yourself in trouble with some rough people. Hustling for odd jobs? First, you'll have to deal with the language barrier. Second, there is often high unemployment in these places with lots of local competition, so good luck. Third, you'll be getting paid local wages... if that's enough for you, then go for it, but also consider that your failure to come prepared or have your own revenue stream may be costing an earner for a local family a day's wages.
Don't show up looking to take in places where most people are really struggling to get by already. I see people doing it. And some will disagree with me, or point out exceptions (e.g. it seems popular on Istiklal St. in Istanbul), but I generally think we take enough from the developing world. I raise funds from Western countries, live cheap, and spend my money in developing countries. That's just my approach.
In Europe it's very common to see people in the streets, busking, panhandling, selling stuff, etc. Maybe more than in the US. But you've got Europeans here who can speak to their local situations better than I can. Hope this helps!
