For my first long-term international solo trip, Global Work & Travel has been such a reassuring asset that provided excellent support throughout the entire travel process. Without them, I would've hesitated at every step while planning my trip, questioning whether I checked every box I would need to or found the most suitable options. Their coordinators really streamlined the entire thing and set me up for success!
Not only did they ensure that I followed a good time-frame to acquire all the necessary documentation, they would even arrange some of the transactions on my behalf after going over the service details and price with me, much of which I would have been poorly informed on otherwise. If you would prefer to obtain any of these things yourself, then they are more than willing to work with you. For example, you may want to secure a job and a place to stay way ahead of finalizing your trip as it was a bit nerve-racking having to wait until I was only a couple weeks out from my departure before they set up an interview.
However, for me the most intimidating aspect of living abroad for an extended period is finding a reliable source of income. So I really appreciated how they work as liaisons for various businesses, though of course they can't work miracles as you'll still have to compete with other applicants. Many employers are looking to hire rather quickly and expect you to already have all that's required for you to begin working including your visa, bank account, and tax number. So GW&T gives you the best chance of landing a gig by ensuring you've covered all your bases, that you apply to opportunities relative to your experience and to companies that are familiar with hiring foreigners, and do so all on a timeline that's feasible for them to meet their workforce demands. Having put my complete trust in GW&T, it all worked out as they helped me find a real sweet position that fit my interests and came with accommodations!
The initial hostel arrangement for when I first landed was also great and very convenient! They chose a clean, reputable place in a prime location and booked it alongside plenty of other travelers using their program so it was easy to make a lot of friends. Now that I've been through the planning procedure once myself, I could likely book another trip of this duration again on my own, but all the resources they provided and activities included were well worth it! I was able to learn about the culture and get a taste of what it has to offer while engaging in enjoyable experiences I likely wouldn't have bothered to organize personally. Although I can't guarantee you'll get as much as I did out of their services, I would definitely recommend them and would certainly work with them again myself!
