The Caretaking Lifestyle

One way to explore a different country or region at minimal cost is to become a caretaker or housesitter for a time. These jobs are all different, but there are a lot of people looking for responsible caretakers for their vacation home/ranch/inn/other property. Sometimes the job also includes looking after children or animals.
These are not generally jobs where you will get rich, and many of them are located in remote areas, so you have to be pretty self-sufficient. Still, it could be an interesting opportunity for the right person.
For listings of job openings in this field, you can subscribe at a newsletter published every two months called the Caretaker Gazette. It is put out by people in Texas who run a Website called www.caretaker.org. There is a charge of at least $29.95 U.S. for the listings online for a year,
but you can glean a lot about the opportunities available and the kind of folks who enjoy these jobs from the Website itself.
I read the profiles of two sample caretakers, one a writer and the other a former forest ranger, so they seemed to be people who are comfortable with a lot of solitude. It's not just for loners, though--there are a lot of openings for couples and some for families or groups. Usually lodging is supplied, along with a small stipend if much work in involved.
Many of the jobs are in the U.S., so ability to work legally in the U.S. is an asset. But there are openings worldwide, if you want to venture abroad.