Juliana Marques is about to visit her 15th city without paying for her accommodation thanks to her work as a pet sitter.
Juliana, from Curitiba, Brazil, has stayed in London, as well as Cyprus, Canada, France, Croatia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Mexico, USA, and Spain – all while working remotely as an executive assistant as she travels.
The 34-year-old first started working as a pet sitter in 2019.
She said: ‘I was looking into ways to travel on a budget because I wanted to take a gap year and travel while working remotely.
“‘When I found out about pet sitting, it almost seemed too good to be true.
‘I started closer to home, in the USA and Mexico, and then when the pandemic hit I did pet sits in Brazil, where I’m from.
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‘Now that restrictions are lifting again, I have more options, and I’ve just travelled to the UK for the first time.’
At first, Juliana was worried that people wouldn’t trust her with their pets and their homes, but it turns out she needn’t have worried.
‘Now,’ she said, ‘I’m going to my 15th city in my ninth country, and I haven’t had any accommodation costs.
‘I would say that if anyone thinks this lifestyle is for them, then they should go for it.’
When she pet sits, she’s responsible for walking, feeding, and caring for the animals while the owners are away. In exchange, she stays in their home for free.
Juliana’s favourite place to visit so far has been Canada, where she looked after a dog called Bowie.
She recalled: ‘I got attached to her very quickly, but I always get attached to the pets immediately.
‘She was a Mexican rescue dog, and they named her Bowie because her eyes were two different colours like David Bowie.
‘She was just so funny, and it’s the best part of house sitting, getting to spend time with the pets.’
Juliana says she loves to hear stories of others who get to work and travel as pet sitters like her.
She said: ‘I know pet sitting is much more popular in the UK than it is in other countries.
‘I get very inspired when I hear stories of retired couples who pet sit together.
‘Hearing stories from them and other people who live this lifestyle is so rewarding.’
At least once a year, Juliana returns home to Brazil.
She said: ‘I try to go back at least once a year, but I am travelling full time.
‘It is nice to go back to see my family, but I love going to new places and discovering new things there.’
In total, the cities she’s been to so far amount to: Calgary, Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Mexico City, Florianópolis, Salvador, Montpellier, Chives, Limalonges, Paphos, London, Reading, and Marlow.
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