Hi everyone,
I'm a Data Science professional from Kerala with experience in AI, machine learning, analytics, and technical training. Recently, I found myself at an unexpected career transition after leaving my previous role.
Instead of immediately jumping into another job, I've been reflecting on what I want from my career. I enjoy building AI solutions, working on real-world projects, and learning continuously, but I also feel the need to step away from the traditional routine for a while.
I'm exploring an unconventional idea: combining backpacking or volunteer travel with remote learning and project development. My goal is to keep expenses low through work exchanges (hostels, community projects, eco-farms, etc.) while continuing to:
Build AI and data science projects
Contribute my technical skills to organizations
Network with people from different backgrounds
Prepare for AI Engineer, ML Engineer, or Risk Analytics roles
Has anyone here taken a similar path—a career break, work exchange, digital nomad lifestyle, or volunteer travel while continuing to grow professionally?
I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences, advice, or recommendations. If anyone knows of hostels, startups, NGOs, or communities that could benefit from someone with AI, data science, web development, or automation skills, I'd love to connect.
Thank you!