Planning a trip to Italy, France, and Spain

[grassroots159]

Next spring/summer I am planning a trip to Italy, France, and Spain. I cook for a living and my main purpose of this trip is to learn about food and cooking and to get the most genuine experience I can get. I am planning to go on this trip for 5 months. I have talked to many families on HelpX and I will definitely stay at someone's farm/bed and breakfast so that I can get food and a place to sleep for free in exchange for work. I would love to work in a restaurant over there for the best cooking experience but I doubt I will be able to get a work visa. I will get around by easyjet or ryanair and get to the smaller towns by train or bus. I also want to eat at a few great restaurants. I will have a budget of around $7000 for the entire 4 or 5 months.

Does this plan sound legit? What are some other ideas on places to stay and the best food cities to explore?

[ScoopKW]

Unemployment in those three countries is so high, that I doubt you'll be able to get anything other than free food or a free room in exchange for work. I would skip the air travel idea entirely. Rail isn't very expensive, and most rail stations are in the center of town. Besides, I'd rather see Europe from the ground.

Hitchhiking is still a viable means of transportation in Europe, although I haven't been in a position where I've needed to do that in a very long time.

I've done exactly what you're doing. Living on the cheap, working where I can, in order to spend more time abroad. But I did it in the 1990s and nobody worried about the economy back then. I found the ability to speak (and teach) English got me farther than any other skill. Although your mileage will certainly vary.

In general, you'll have more luck in mid-sized cities and towns that don't see a huge crush of tourists. Your French, Italian and Spanish will need to be to the point where you can walk into the back of a restaurant and ask if they're willing to give you work. There is also the option of cooking for upper middle class families, provided you're clean cut and personable.

Craigslist will likely do more for you than anything else. Go to the French, Spanish and Italian Craigslist sites and post under help wanted or gigs. Keep in mind, you'll be in violation of your tourist visa if you do this. This is why working for families usually works out better: everyone involved can use the "We're friends, he's visiting and he's just pitching in because he's a swell guy" excuse. It's hard for a restaurant to explain why a Yank on a tourist visa is dicing onions in their kitchen.

Finally, Italy and France are not cheap, and Spain is only slightly more reasonable. Most things cost more than they do here. From groceries to clothes to transportation, everything costs more. $7,000 may not be enough. Depends on how much work you can scrounge, and what kind of lifestyle you want to live.

Best case scenario, of course, is find a girlfriend or boyfriend. That could lead to considerably more than four or five months in country. I have more than one friend who went to Europe for two weeks and still living there with his wife.

[ScoopKW]

Also, three things to get here while you can:

1) An International Youth Hostel card. You'll need one of those. Hostels are great for the budget traveler. Pack sheets and a pillowcase. The hostel also provides information -- you'll meet people who have been there for months. They're a wealth of information. There's usually internet access as well, for planning the next leg of your journey.

2) An American Express card. Amex offices act like mailboxes, call centers and banks. They'll even forward your mail to the next Amex office. With an Amex card and a checkbook, you can cash checks so you don't have to bring ALL your money with you. Major banks like Barclays and Credit Suisse can also work for you. Open an account here, and withdraw there.

3) An International Student ID. If you're not a student, take a course at a community college and get the card before you leave. Student cards mean deep discounts at museums, cultural diversions and often for transportation.

[Pedroinspain]

Scoop gave good advice. I would emphasise his point about speaking French, Italian or Spanish. Since you are in all likelihood aiming at relatively menial jobs, you will need to receive instructions from people who do not necessarily speak English and/or to deal with the local public. If you cannot speak any of these then I would prepare myself for a few disappointments.

I would push my time to coincide with the peak summer tourism months, i.e. mid-May to Mid-September because out of season the employment options are radically reduced. Ryanair, Easyjet, Vuelling and Air Berlin are frequently cheaper than rail. Beware that Amex cards are not particularly favoured in Europe.

Instead, have you thought of working on a cruise liner? An example, chosen because it is rated top for food on CruiseCritic: http://www.celebritycareersatsea.com/ - Escargots à la Bourguignonne; Dover Sole Véronique; Baked French Onion Soup; Crispy Loup De Mer; Crème Brûlée;etc, with SOuth African Jacques Van Staaden at the helm. You can get a list of other cruise operators on the Med from here: http://www.cruisecompare.co.uk/mediterranean-cruises/ You get your board, meals, transport and a basic wage and can use your $7000 on your time-off to visit top restaurants, investigate local specialities across the Med, etc. Just a thought.

Best of luck in meeting your aspirations and in becoming a great chef.

Edited October 4, 2011 by Pedroinspain (log)

[grassroots159]

I heard you have zero free time working on a cruise ship cooking. I want to do a more Anthony Bourdain "No Reservations" type of trip. I want to see how foie gras is made, how scallop diving works, cheese making, truffle hunting, etc. I also want to see and try as many ingredients and dishes as I possibly can.

Or maybe I'm doing this the wrong way, has anyone else out there done anything like this before and could give me some advice. Thanks

[LindaK]

Have you considered WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms)? Volunteer labor in return for accommodations and food. Main site: Wwoof

You’d need to join each country’s organization in order to get the contact info for host farms, but you can scan the lists of opportunities in each country on their web sites to get a sense of what they offer. Each has a minimum time commitment (generally 1 week – 1 month).

WWOOF France (in French)

WWOOF Italy

WWOOF Spain

It won’t help you with restaurants or scallop diving, but if you choose carefully you could get some interesting farm experiences.

[ScoopKW]

I would push my time to coincide with the peak summer tourism months, i.e. mid-May to Mid-September because out of season the employment options are radically reduced. Ryanair, Easyjet, Vuelling and Air Berlin are frequently cheaper than rail. Beware that Amex cards are not particularly favoured in Europe.

Amex cards aren't welcome in Europe. But Amex Offices are an Americans home away from home as an expatriate. You need a card to receive services from the office.

And when you add the cost of getting from the airport to the center of town, rail isn't all that more expensive than Ryanair -- and you see Europe FROM THE GROUND, with a bottle of wine, a loaf of bread and some cheese. FAR better means of traveling. I'd go rail even if it was twice the cost.

[Mjx]

Have you considered WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms)? Volunteer labor in return for accommodations and food. Main site: Wwoof

You’d need to join each country’s organization in order to get the contact info for host farms, but you can scan the lists of opportunities in each country on their web sites to get a sense of what they offer. Each has a minimum time commitment (generally 1 week – 1 month).

WWOOF France (in French)

WWOOF Italy

WWOOF Spain

It won’t help you with restaurants or scallop diving, but if you choose carefully you could get some interesting farm experiences.

WWoOFing is something I highly recommend: It's the way I first visited Denmark, and the family I initially visited as a WWoOFer are now decade-long friends (it also meant I got a great inside view of the country, since the family I stayed with brought me along to various family and other social functions).

Get your request in early, though, because these countries are some of the most popular.

[grassroots159]

I will be going through HelpX.