HELLO
There's a lot to look forward to at the moment - the World Cup, festival season, Wimbledon, and hopefully the sun will put in another appearance before too long.
In case you need something else to look forward to, we bring you a lovely round-up of career break stuff in this newsletter, so you can start planning your trip. There's new career breaks, a load of freebies, volunteering with VSO, and the usual round up of advice, inspiration and fun stuff. Plus, if you're fed up of the rat race, there's a competition to win £10,000 and become a farmer!
So get yourself a snack from the vending machine, close that boring spreadsheet you were working on, and enjoy a nice read until it's time to go home.
SPONSORED FEATURE - VSO
If you have a degree and at least 2 years' experience, you can use your professional skills to make a huge impact on some of the world's poorest communities.
VSO has a wide range of overseas volunteer placements in health, education, engineering and business. You'll be sharing skills with local staff, exchanging knowledge and promoting international understanding. In return, you’ll gain unforgettable experiences to carry throughout your life and career.
Placements are from 6 - 24 months, and you get an allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more.
Search for your perfect volunteer role here.
Under 25? You can do volunteering with VSO under the International Citizen Service programme. Find out more here.
FREE AND DISCOUNTED STUFF
Free browser extension to remind you to use QuidCo to get cashback
Loads of free travel audiobooks - not guides, just writing about travel, including some classics
Get £5 worth of credit for £1 from Vyke - a low-cost international mobile provider.
If you spot a freebie or offer that you think other career breakers would be interested in, tell us!
NEW AND UPDATED CAREER BREAKS
Here are all our new and updated career breaks - we add and update our career breaks every month so there's always something new here!
PHOTO CORNER - YOUR MONTHLY DOSE OF INSPIRATION
The latest top entries in the National Geographic Travel Photo contest from the Travel Portraits category [contains one instance of non-sexual boobs].
VIDEO CORNER
How to build your own career [17 minutes]
ON THE BLOG
Win £10,000 and a complete career change! This post promoting the Farmer's Apprentice competition (which you might remember from last year) also features the photo and story from last year's winner.
4 highlights and lowlights of a career break in South-East Asia. This guest post from a career breaker has tips for other grown-up gappers, plus some surprising insights!
There's tons of stuff on work, travel and money on our blog. Read it here: http://www.thecareerbreaksite.com/blog.
If you want to write us a guest post and get your name out there, read the guidelines then email info@thecareerbreaksite.com.
ELSEWHERE ON THE INTERWEB
How to avoid travel scams in Thailand - a guest post on Traveldudes.
If you'd like a post about career breaks, long term travel, volunteering or anything else to do with sabbaticals, email info@thecareerbreaksite.com.
TIP OF THE MONTH
If you're travelling in Europe and you're not an idiot, you'll already know that you need an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). But did you know you need one for every member of your family, even the kids? They're free, and will get you free or cheap medical treatment in Europe, should the worst happen. Get yours here.
If you have a tip for us, email info@thecareerbreaksite.com - we will credit you unless you want to stay anonymous.
USEFUL THINGS OF THE MONTH
Bitlit - an app that lets you get a free or discounted ebook when you already own the hard copy - great idea for those who like reading while they travel but are already pushing the luggage weight limits!
FUN THING
http://www.globalbreakfastradio.com/ - a site that constantly streams radio from wherever they're having breakfast right now. The music sucks but it's a fascinating way of finding out about other countries!
JOKE
I've only had my time machine a month and I'm already bored with it.
Probably won't bother getting it.
FINALLY
The more astute of you will have noticed that we change the format of this newsletter quite a lot - adding new sections and dropping ones we get bored of. If there's something you'd like to see in this newsletter, whether it's a new section or simply a better joke, drop us a line and let us know! It's written for you, after all.
Until next time,
The Career Break Site
xxx