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The Most Common Questions I Face as a Traveler

By Cheyenne Reyes posted 03-26-2021 12:21

  
The Most Common Questions I Face as a Traveler
Cheyenne Reyes, MLS(ASCP)cm

 

“How is the travel life? I have always thought about it but can’t commit.”

I have to be honest, my answer changes based on my mood at the time, but the answer is never bad. The pros have always outweighed the cons thus far, but I won’t act like traveling is never stressful. Overall, I love the freedom and control it gives me. I am not stuck to any place, and I can choose where I want to go next so long as I am willing to put in the work for any state licensure/requirements I may need. Generally, I can choose what shift I want to work and prioritize a department over others. The key is having a great recruiter who is easy to communicate with and prioritizes what you want out of a contract. However, the more requirements you have, the more difficult it is to find a contract that fits. I tend to prioritize location and shift because I am open to learning more about any department, but I know others who refuse to work certain departments and will travel anywhere that the contract takes them. The main con for me while traveling alone is getting lonely, but I am quick to make friends at new places. It’s also possible to bring a pet along! Obi-Wan Kenobi was a traveling kitten for about 6 months, but he wanted to sit this one out. If traveling has been something you have always wanted to try, there’s no harm in giving it a shot for a contract or two and deciding from there. That’s the advice a friend gave me and traveling turned out to be the best thing for me at this point in my life.

 

“How does insurance work?”

I have health insurance through my agency including vision, dental, and other benefits. I am sure there are other methods, but I do not know much about those.

 

“How many contracts have you done?”

I am a pretty new traveler. I was in Illinois for my first contract and extended there for a total of 6 months. Everyone loved my Southern accent (which I refused to believe existed before that point). Now I am in Florida! I had to get back to the humidity, as much as I complained about it while living in Louisiana, my skin does not like dry air or the cold. I told my recruiter that I needed to get back to the heat after being up North for the winter.

 

“How do you find housing for only 13 weeks?”

There are different options for housing as a traveler. You can either have the agency find your housing or you can find it yourself and they will give you a stipend to pay for temporary housing. However, if you have a pet with you, the pet deposit/rent is always your responsibility. So far, I have found my own housing each time. There are different websites and apps that have short-term rentals. My personal favorite has been Furnished Finder, but you can filter AirBnB and VRBO for monthly stays. The hardest part about finding housing is finding a fully furnished place.

 

“Do you think you will travel the rest of your career?”

I love being a travel Medical Laboratory Scientist, and if I didn’t think I wanted to continue my education in some way, then I would probably say yes. However, I know that I will want to go back to school soon. I am currently trying to decide between a few different paths, so when I decipher through what I want out of my career, then I will settle down somewhere and focus on that. However, I’m in no rush. I have plenty of time to figure out what I want my next step to be and until then, I’ll be on the road!

 

If there is anything else you might want to know about traveling, feel free to email me at cheyrey_@outlook.com.

 


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