I am US based. I intend to apply for sitting opportunities in various countries and am trying to think ahead as to what I should consider before accepting a sit. Here are a few things I have on my list:
Passport - I have that
International drivers license - if needed
Language - I speak English and bad English (Bruce Willis)
Vaccinations - I have all the Covid shots but what else should I get?
I welcome tips or mistakes you made that I can avoid
Rachel
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Great questions! You’ve got all the basics covered and now I would recommend applying for sits and seeing where you land. Each country has different visa requirements so if you get a longer sit you will need to consult that countries visa requirements.
Before my husband and I started to travel around the world we went a saw our general doctor and we discussed with him the places we would be traveling and he recommended any other vaccinations we would need or medications to deal with malaria, dengue…whatever else. So until you get a sit confirmed all those things aren’t necessary until you know where you’re going and for those questions it’s always best tot seek a professional.
Other things to consider:
Travel insurance
A phone provider with an international plan - or maybe you’ll just get a SIM card when you land. We decided to go with Tmobile because they have a really great international unlimited plan or 215+ countries, so we didn’t need to worry about getting SIM cards when we went abroad.
Have an estate plan or will prepared in case things go sideways.
If you want to go to Asia/SEA or get a sit there I would strongly recommend getting a motorcycle license if you plan on being there for awhile. I would only recommend this for someone that plans to be there awhile and will be going to a destination in SEA that isn’t super populated. Even though both my husband and I have our motorcycle license and we owned a scooter for years neither of us were confident enough in our skills to drive in Vietnam, China, Malaysia or Thailand…we did however rent and drive scooters on Bali, parts of Thailand, and the Phillipines. That way you can rent a scooter or motorcycle (which will be much more affordable and car rental or taxi). I should also mention in most parts of Asia they have their own Uber but for scooters/motorcycle and you can pay to have someone drive you around that way as most of the population gets by on scooters. Yes they have Tuks Tuks but they can often times be very slow, ask for more money, take you places you don’t want. Anyway it’s all part of the adventure and none of this would even be applicable until you know where you’d be going. Good luck on your sits and safe travels!
You’ll need to check at a travel clinic for the various vaccinations you might need wherever you may be going, and prophylactics might be needed.
Very important also to check what the visa requirements are for the countries you’ll visit which you can check online. In the UK we use www.gov.uk so you should have something similar.
You can sometimes get visas on arrival, or might have to get them in advance - either by sending off your passport or getting the visa online. Make sure you check regularly as advice changes.
Money! Nowadays I’d recommend a card you can load money onto. I’m using Starling and when I need money I transfer it from my current account to the Starling card and pay with that all the time (I’m travelling/housesitting in New Zealand atm).
Not sure I’d be recommending someone gets a motorcycle licence. As no doubt you know driving in SE Asia is appalling. I did however get on the back of a moped with a local chap in Cambodia as some places were impossible to get to otherwise.
@Smiley thank you for saying so. Maybe you misunderstood what I said - there are parts of SE Asia that would be nearly impossible to get by on foot and the only means of transportation are by moped or motorcycle - for example Bali and the surrounding islands…yes I have seen sits there, and having a motorcycle license is the only safe way to accomplish that. From my personal experience it can also be impossible to hire a scooter driver…in which case the only other option would be for one to drive a scooter themself. I don’t know much about this member other than what was written in the intro…perhaps she already has a motorcycle license and has even taken a scooter out around Europe and Asia.
Yes the driving style in parts of Asia is drastically different than most western countries but that hasn’t stopped everyone from getting a motorcycle license to safely get from A to B if needed when traveling. Again, as I said in my post none of this would be considered until this member knows where she’ll be going.
Thank you for your thoughts on this as I try to always give the best advice to our members and would never want to leave them astray. I hope you enjoyed Cambodia as much as I did! Some of the friendliest/kind people we have ever met.
@Kelly My husband and I loved our scooters in Bali. I tried to walk on foot or use taxis the first week I was there (hopeless) and then hired a scooter for the next four months and did not want to give it back! It allowed us to get to some really cool locations and although chaotic, once you learnt how the traffic worked the roads seemed to just flow.
What…did you say four months! oh how wonderful! I know exactly what you’re talking about…oh the waterfalls. Looks like we need need to talk travel sometime I LOVED Bali but enjoyed the Gillis and Nusa penida and nusa lembongan even more, I wish we had spent even more time there. As amazing as Bali was When we left we were ready to leave…but what I would give for another $10 Balinese spa day
@Kelly Yes, we must chat about our Bali travels. The same by the end I was ready to get off of the island as it was amazing but starting to feel small and I was missing home. But I would give anything for a Balinese Spa day!
oh how wonderful! I know exactly what you’re talking about…oh the waterfalls. Looks like we need need to talk travel sometime 
I LOVED Bali but enjoyed the Gillis and Nusa penida and nusa lembongan even more, I wish we had spent even more time there. As amazing as Bali was When we left we were ready to leave…but what I would give for another $10 Balinese spa day 