• 最近刷朋友圈，发现以前的同学、老家亲戚接二连三地晒出异国定位。楼下修电动车的王叔跑去澳洲摘葡萄，隔壁985毕业的表姐突然去了新加坡当程序员，连小区门口卖煎饼的大姐都在打听日本的工作签证。这届年轻人和中年人，怎么突然集体扎堆出国打工了？

    一、被房贷或车贷逼出国的普通人

    上个月和老家发小吃饭，他刚从新西兰回来。以前在县城工厂月薪3500，房贷就要还2800，孩子上幼儿园的费用都得靠父母接济。后来通过中介去新西兰建筑工地，时薪折合人民币180块，包吃住，一年攒了25万。他说："在国内累死累活连奶粉钱都紧张，在那边刷盘子都能攒下首付。"

    这种情况太普遍了。我在某海外劳务论坛潜水发现，很多人就是被现实压得喘不过气才出国。有位大姐在日本做育儿嫂工作，虽然要24小时护理宝宝，每个月到手能有2万多，而在国内做育儿保姆，每个月只能拿到8000元。还有就是去美国洛杉矶做月嫂，基本工资是6000-7000美金一个月。月工资是指连续工作26天，中间不休息。另外，月嫂走的时候封一个红包，一般是工资的10%。如果是其他州的雇主请月嫂（比如纽约的雇主请洛杉矶的月嫂）需要给月嫂买纽约至洛杉矶往返的机票，雇主如果通过中介找月嫂，要给中介月工资的30%作为中介费。出国做月嫂保姆工作，虽然很幸苦，收入还是比较高的。

    Recently, while browsing my social media feed, I noticed that former classmates and relatives from my hometown were posting pictures with foreign locations. Uncle Wang, who repairs electric bikes downstairs, went to Australia to pick grapes; my cousin, a graduate of a prestigious 985 university, suddenly went to Singapore to work as a programmer; even the woman who sells pancakes at the entrance of our community is inquiring about work visas for Japan. Why are so many young and middle-aged people suddenly flocking abroad to work?

    I. Ordinary People Driven Abroad by Mortgage or Car Loans

    Last month, I had dinner with a childhood friend from my hometown who had just returned from New Zealand. He used to earn 3500 yuan a month at a factory in our county, but his mortgage payment was 2800 yuan, and he had to rely on his parents to help with his child's kindergarten expenses. Later, he went to a construction site in New Zealand through an agency, earning the equivalent of 180 yuan per hour, with food and accommodation provided. He saved 250,000 yuan in a year. He said, "In China, I worked myself to death and still struggled to afford milk powder for my child, but over there, I could save enough for a down payment just by washing dishes."

    This situation is all too common. While lurking on an overseas labor forum, I found that many people are driven abroad because they are overwhelmed by the pressures of life. One woman works as a nanny in Japan, providing 24-hour care for a baby, earning over 20,000 yuan a month. In China, a nanny only earns about 8,000 yuan a month. Another example is working as a postpartum caregiver in Los Angeles, USA, where the basic salary is $6,000-$7,000 per month. This monthly salary is for working 26 consecutive days without rest. Additionally, the caregiver receives a bonus, usually 10% of their salary, when they leave. If the employer is from another state (e.g., an employer in New York hiring a caregiver from Los Angeles), they need to pay for the caregiver's round-trip airfare between New York and Los Angeles. If the employer uses an agency, they have to pay the agency 30% of the monthly salary as a commission. Although working as a nanny or postpartum caregiver abroad is very hard work, the income is relatively high.

    二、职场老鸟的破局之路

    我的前同事张哥，在国内互联网公司做到35岁遭遇裁员，面试了半年都没找到合适工作。后来通过内推去了迪拜的中资企业，薪资涨了50%，更重要的是避开了国内残酷的职场竞争。他说："在国外，年龄歧视没那么严重，只要技术过硬，机会反而更多。"

    这种情况在职场技术岗特别明显。做机械设计的表姐告诉我，她在德国企业工作这两年，接触到了全球最前沿的工业4.0技术，回国后直接被猎头挖到头部企业当技术总监。很多人把海外工作当成职业跳板，用国外的工作经验为回国发展镀金。

    三、年轻人的另类成长计划

    00后小王的经历特别有意思。他大学学的是旅游管理，毕业后没找对口工作，而是跑去澳洲打工度假。白天在农场摘水果，晚上去酒吧当调酒师，认识了来自世界各地的朋友。他说："这段经历比读万卷书都管用，现在跟老外聊天再也不怯场了。"

    II. The Breakthrough Path for Experienced Professionals

    My former colleague, Zhang, was laid off at the age of 35 from a Chinese internet company and couldn't find a suitable job for six months despite numerous interviews. He later got a job through an internal referral at a Chinese company in Dubai, where his salary increased by 50%. More importantly, he avoided the fierce competition in the domestic job market. He said, "Age discrimination isn't as serious abroad; as long as you have strong technical skills, there are more opportunities."

    This situation is particularly evident in technical positions. My cousin, who works in mechanical design, told me that during her two years working at a German company, she was exposed to the world's most cutting-edge Industry 4.0 technology. After returning to China, she was directly headhunted by a leading company to become a technical director. Many people use overseas work as a career stepping stone, using their international work experience to enhance their career prospects upon returning to China.

    III. An Alternative Growth Plan for Young People

    The experience of Wang, a young man born in the 2000s, is particularly interesting. He studied tourism management in university, but after graduation, he didn't find a job in his field. Instead, he went to Australia on a working holiday visa. During the day, he picked fruit on a farm, and at night, he worked as a bartender in a bar, meeting friends from all over the world. He said, "This experience was more valuable than reading countless books; now I'm no longer intimidated when talking to foreigners."

    现在很多年轻人把出国打工当成Gap Year（间隔年）的一部分。在东南亚教中文、在欧洲当互惠生、在新西兰做咖啡师，通过工作深度体验当地文化。虽然收入不算高，但这种跨文化交流带来的视野提升，是国内生活很难给予的。

    四、不得不说的现实挑战

    当然，出国打工绝不是轻松的事。我认识的一个女生在日本居酒屋打工，因为语言不通经常被客人投诉，晚上躲在宿舍偷偷哭。还有朋友在中东工作，当地气候炎热，饮食也不习惯，经常生病。

    Many young people now consider working abroad as part of their gap year. They teach Chinese in Southeast Asia, work as au pairs in Europe, or become baristas in New Zealand, experiencing local culture in depth through their work. Although the income isn't high, the broadened perspective gained through this cross-cultural exchange is something that's difficult to achieve through life at home.

    IV. The Inevitable Real-World Challenges

    Of course, working abroad is by no means easy. I know a girl who worked in a Japanese izakaya (pub), and because of the language barrier, she was often complained about by customers and would cry secretly in her dorm room at night. Another friend worked in the Middle East, where the climate was hot and the food unfamiliar, causing her to frequently fall ill.

    更要警惕黑心中介的套路。之前新闻报道过，有人花了10万中介费去美国，结果到了才发现是非法劳务，工作环境恶劣还拿不到工资。所以找靠谱中介、了解当地法律、提前学语言，都是必不可少的准备工作。

    写在最后

    身边这些出国打工的故事让我感慨：这个时代，普通人想要改变命运的途径越来越多。有人为了生存，有人为了发展，也有人单纯为了看看更大的世界。但无论出于什么目的，出国打工都不是逃避现实的捷径，而是另一种形式的奋斗。

    你身边有出国打工的故事吗？欢迎在评论区分享，说不定能给正在犹豫的人一点启发！

    It's even more important to be wary of unscrupulous agencies and their scams. Previous news reports have shown that some people paid 100,000 yuan in agency fees to go to the United States, only to find upon arrival that it was illegal labor, with terrible working conditions and no pay. Therefore, finding a reliable agency, understanding local laws, and learning the language in advance are all essential preparations.

    In conclusion,

    These stories of people working abroad have made me realize that in this era, ordinary people have more and more ways to change their destiny. Some do it for survival, some for development, and others simply to see a bigger world. But no matter the reason, working abroad is not a shortcut to escaping reality, but rather another form of struggle.

    Do you have any stories about people working abroad? Feel free to share them in the comments section; perhaps they can inspire those who are still hesitating!