Personal Sabbatical Competitors

We envision a world made better by travel and travel made richer by connection. Couchsurfers share their lives with the people they encounter, fostering cultural exchange and mutual respect. Couchsurfing is the world's premier social travel platform, with over 25 million members in nearly every country in the world. Couchsurfing changes people's lives. Hearing the stories of Couchsurfers whose lives have been transformed by travel is the greatest reward for doing what we do.

Workaway.info is a site set up to promote fair exchange and friendship as well as volunteering and work opportunities. Connecting culture seekers, budget travellers and language learners with families, individuals or organisations that are looking for help with a range of varied and interesting activities. Connect, help & stay with thousands of unique hosts from 180+ countries. Find and contact other like minded travellers across the globe.

After a trip to Thailand in 2005, Matt decided to quit his job, finish his MBA, and head off into the world. His original trip was supposed to last a year. Over a decade (and nearly 100 countries) later, he is still out roaming the world. He scuba dived in Fiji, was a poker player in Amsterdam, taught English in Thailand, got lost in a jungle in Central America, and broke down in the middle of Australia's outback. He’s the author of many books, most notably the New York Times bestseller, How to Travel the World on $50 a Day. His writings and advice have been featured in The New York Times, CNN, The Guardian UK, Lifehacker, Budget Travel, BBC, Time, Yahoo! Finance and countless other publications. He also regularly speaks at travel trade and consumer shows, led yearly group tours worldwide, and launched a non-profit called FLYTE, which sends students overseas to bring their classroom experience to life. He is also the founder of the travel media school, Superstar Blogging, and of the TravelCon travel media conference. When not traveling the world, he lives in Austin. Join our global platform: www.thenomadicnetwork.com Discover travel resources, guidebooks, budget travel tips, and more: www.nomadicmatt.com