What All Work & Travel Experiences Have in Common: A Look at Our Candidates’ Journeys

Every story is different. Every person is different.
And there’s no single reason why someone decides to work and travel abroad.

• Some people want to grow professionally.
• Some want to earn money while discovering new places.
• Some want to improve their English.
• Some feel it’s simply now or never.
• And for others, the reason isn’t fully clear yet, they just know they need to go and figure things out along the way.

That’s the beauty of what we see every day.

At Roast Jobs, candidates arrive with their own stories, their own timing, and their own personal “why.”

Different paths, different expectations, different goals, but often the same feeling underneath it all. Today, we want to share a small glimpse of those journeys through a few real experiences from our candidates.

Take Thais, for example. She moved to the Netherlands to work at a 3-star hotel in Zeeland. For her, the experience was about learning new skills, adapting to a new culture, and building confidence far from home, while feeling supported by her host team. She even brought a piece of Brazil with her, cooking coxinha for her colleagues and sharing her culture through food.

Alice was looking for a new challenge and found it in Ireland, working at a 4-star hotel in Sligo. During her time abroad, she met people from all over the world, explored beautiful places, and learned more about herself along the way. Her advice says it best: follow what feels right.

For Gabriela, one experience wasn’t enough. She joined our Multi-Trip Program and worked first in Greece, then in Ireland, two countries with completely different cultures and rhythms. Her time in Greece wasn’t always easy, but she faced every challenge with resilience and continued to grow. Her journey shows that once you take the first step, sometimes you discover you’re not ready to stop yet.

We’ve also seen hospitality students from France take their first steps abroad through internships in Ireland and Spain. Many started with only a basic level of English. The beginning wasn’t always easy, strong accents, fast conversations, new routines, but they adapted. They learned. And they returned home stronger, more confident, and proud of what they had achieved.

Then there are candidates like Inga, Mario, Valentino, and Natalia. Different countries, different roles, different goals. Some were searching for stability, others for adventure. What they all discovered, though, was the same thing: living, working, and traveling abroad teaches you lessons you simply can’t learn at home.

So yes, every experience is different.

Everyone steps outside their comfort zone.
Everyone faces moments of doubt.
And sometimes, life surprises us, and we realize an experience isn’t for us and that’s okay.

But everyone grows. And giving it a try is the most important part.

That’s what work & travel is really about. More than just a job with accommodation or a single destination, it’s about mindset, the decision to try, adapt, and handle both challenges and opportunities along the way.

You have the power to decide how your experience unfolds. Stepping outside your comfort zone helps you build confidence, gain new perspectives, meet people from all over the world, and discover a new version of yourself, one you take back home with you.