We'll examine each of the planning points in a little more detail and bring them together to provide an overview.
Whatever it may be, don't fill your whole trip with all the same stuff! Leave yourself open to explore things that take your fancy along the way.
Allocate time so that you get to know something about the places that you're about to visit; before you depart. Your reasons for the trip pretty much determine how long you'll be staying in a particular place.
If you don't already speak the languages, try to learn a few key phrases. Start with the ones that express courtesy and gratitude. Guide books and web sites abound. You don't have to become fluent in a language to be able to enjoy your trip. But it does take you accepting that not everbody can (or wants) to speak one of your languages.
Travelling alone provides the greatest flexibility. Travelling in a large group provides the greatest security.
Draw up and maintain a schedule. Time is of the essence. But don't try to squeeze too many things into your schedule.
Time is the most consistent constraint on travel. Nobody can buy more time.
Money is another major constraint. It costs money to travel around; usually quite a bit more than what it does to simply stay at home. Estimate how much it's all going to cost and figure out how you're going to pay for it.
Foreign money is more expensive than the domestic. Everybody charges for converting currency; some by exchange fees, others by a wide margin between sell and buy prices, and others by doing both. Study exchange rates (in the papers or e.g. web links) noting their seasonal trends.
Working in a foreign country is often possible, but is usually restricted by visa conditions. Even seeking gainful employment may get you arrested and deported in some countries, unless you have the right kind of visa. If you plan to supplement your income by working abroad, make sure that you can do so legally.
Sight-seeing around a country can be done by back-packing; suitable for the young and sweaty. Or by base-hopping by the civilized. Either method has the potential to provide sight-seeing access to large areas, with different degrees of convenience and costs.
Staying with friends and relatives seems to be the cheapest option while away from home. If you don't want to just see friends and relatives, then you can use their generosity for base-hopping. Out-staying your welcome should be avoided. Free-loading for weeks on end may result in retaliatory visits.
Once you're in the region, how will you get around? In towns and between towns?