So it's not new news: this ongoing recession, crisis, whatever you want to call it is not giving us a lot of hope. Perhaps you've lost a job or feel the threat of a job loss, or maybe you're brand new to the 9-to-5 world and just haven't looked whole-heartedly because you are assuming depressing results. Wouldn't you like to escape for a while? No, it's not impossible. Once you really start researching and brainstorming, you will find yourself becoming convinced that traveling is a fantastic option!

Now's the best time. Jobs come an go; you can look for a job later. Or look for one in your new destination! Where do you want to go? Which places have you only dreamed of seeing? It doesn't have to be a daydream! Chances are there are numerous opportunities waiting for you that can make travel much less expensive than you had originally thought. One of those opportunities would most definitely be a homestay. There are tons of people out there ready to offer you their home in exchange for many options: English tutoring, babysitting, pet sitting, or even a home exchange. You might not even think your place to be all that great, but for someone in your dream destination it's a chance to get away for him/her too!

I received an email just the other day from a friend back home who is a recent college graduate. He, too, believes that this is the best time to take advantage of the slumping job market, and he is getting ready to travel to Patagonia in Chile in a few months. Where is he staying? With a host family! He will be teaching English and living with free room and board while being immersed in another culture and language that he has never experienced. It's an incredibly exciting opportunity. Not only is this the chance of a lifetime, but it will open him up mentally and surely make him more marketable in his future job hunt.

Speaking from personal experience, I can say that host homes are such an amazing way to take in a different culture. You can find yourself with some of the most generous, loving people on earth. When I first arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina two years ago I knocked on the door of a 60 year old yoga professor. She was to be my host family during my volunteering time in the city. And what an amazing family she was! The first order of the day was to give me a tour of the neighborhood and in time I received random tours of the city from her first hand perspective. We shared our meals together, taught each other vocabulary and phrases from our languages, and learned many things about each other's cultures. To this day, she has continued to be a wonderful companion and I will always think of her as my first friend in this big city abroad.

So go for it. There are many options out there for you. Find what suits you best and go enjoy.