Gypsy Vet Nurse

Veterinary nursing is one of those incredibly rare jobs that can combine a love for animals with a passion for travelling! There are few jobs in which you can decide your own schedule, take as much time off as you like and STILL have an exciting and impressive looking CV. As anyone in the industry knows, veterinary nursing is one of those perfect roles that has just enough responsibility to make the job exciting and interesting, but not too mucho allow our qualification to be valid in other countries without issues. Whether it is volunteering in exchange for food and accommodation, or actually finding paid employment, usually all you should be considering is which type of visa you need and how long you can get away for!

My background

Being a veterinary nurse and embracing the ‘locum lifestyle’ has been my life ever since I qualified in 2011 and it has been a fantastic ride. Initially I enjoyed travelling part of the year and working the rest in various clinics across London. After several years of back and forth I decided I no longer wanted to visit countries, but actually live in them. This encouraged me to explore my options for work in each country and soon found there was no need to go home at all. I left Europe with approximately £1500 in 2015 and since then have been able to entirely support myself with a combination of volunteer and paid work as I move from one country to the next. It may sound daunting to someone used to knowing where the next pay check is coming from, but I can honestly tell you that something always comes up! If you are proactive, motivated, flexible, friendly and open minded, you will find a way. It is most often the case that the best experiences are not planned, if you allow plenty of time and can go with the flow, then something will find its way into your lap. For example…

My love for elephants brought me to Thailand… my lack of funds brought me to a volunteer placement elsewhere offering me free accommodation… in my days off from this clinic I discovered my passion for diving… this passion deepened and I obtained my dive master qualification so that I could earn money whilst diving and learning about marine conservation…a moped accident put me in a hospital bed next to a stranger who worked in marine conservation… 6 months later this stranger contacted me about a dream job running a sea turtle hatchery in Malaysia… my dive master and veterinary qualifications gave what I needed to qualify and I moved to Malaysia….etc.

I could never have known 6 years ago when I visited my first elephant sanctuary the road it would lead me down. It was only when I left London and focussed on enjoying life right now, instead of always trying to plan for the future, that life started throwing me such unexpected and wonderful opportunities. Whether you are considering working abroad as part of a trip, or filling in time as you move around, my one recommendation above all else is to appreciate each day, the good and the bad! No experience can ever be repeated as it is based on your life at that time and who you share it with. Enjoy it then and there, and then move on to the next …

Blog aim

When I first wanted to head out and find worthwhile organisations to join, I found there were so many options but with that came a lot of uncertainty as to which really were legitimate. There were some ‘agency sites’ who market volunteer placements abroad however the fees they charged were, in my opinion, unjust. I don’t feel it is fair to charge a person thousands of pounds to volunteer, their time and skills should be payment enough. I therefore set out to find places that perhaps were less well known, and more in need of the help. I try to always work in exchange for accommodation, and food if possible, and if upon further research an organisation seems very worthwhile but they are asking for a very small contribution to cover these costs then I would pay this as I do not wish to cost the charity money (but this amount must be proportional to these costs in the country). Costs aside, I also wanted to ensure the organisation really was a worthwhile place to visit, both in terms of ethics and animal welfare, and also in the experience I would take from it.

Choosing an organisation yourself and venturing away from these ‘agency sites’ can be daunting. There are so many to choose from that it can be easier to not go, rather than take the risk it won’t work out. I can’t promise every experience will be equal in reward, but my aim is to highlight some opportunities that I, or others close to me, have found so you can be a little more confident in deciding if and where to go. My greatest aim in starting this blog is to get more people out there, instead of wishing they had.

This blog is aimed at veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons, both qualified and in training, and also animal lovers in general. Although some positions may only be applicable to one or two of these roles, there may be other roles within the organisation to suit you so it is always worth asking! It will highlight the organisations I have either volunteered or worked in myself, but will also venture out with research into other organisations due to direct recommendations. So if you know of a place that you think ticks all of the above boxes, feel free to contact me as I always love to hear of and write about new projects! If you have any questions or queries about any posts, any recommendations of organisations or would like some further information, feel free to contact me at gypsyvetnurse@gmail.com.