A gap year, sometimes called a year out, is a year spent traveling and seeing the globe either before or after college and before starting a career. That is the year you decide to embark on an adventure, experience amazing things, and try things you have never done before. It’s the pause in your life when you do something entirely unusual and deviate from your usual pattern!
Your gap year might be spent doing anything from learning Spanish and kitesurfing in Ecuador to helping on a wildlife reserve in Africa! For people with limited finances, working overseas helps cover expenses. Thousands of international internships are available if you’re more focused on your profession. They’ll provide you practical experience in your field of study, look fantastic on your CV, and provide you with a fantastic reason to travel. It is also possible to study abroad for a year at a foreign institution and receive credit toward your degree while doing so. Or perhaps you would rather work on an environmental conservation initiative while studying to become a scuba diver in Fiji.
Though there are countless alternatives, here’s a small sampling of some of the most well-liked ways to spend an amazing gap year:
Participate in Volunteering Abroad
During their gap year, volunteers might be placed on projects all around the world by countless organizations and charities. Community and environmental initiatives are the two primary types of volunteer work. Among other things, community initiatives include working in health care facilities, teaching English and other topics in nearby schools, and building projects like wells or houses in little towns with limited resources. On the other side, environmental programs emphasize spending time in nature, either doing research on extinct animals or trying to save threatened forests. Organizations that organize volunteer work typically send out groups of volunteers so that you may get to know the individuals you are working with. Food and lodging are often included in the package price, and the group’s schedule frequently includes side trips and excursions. Engaging in volunteer work may provide significant benefits and serve as an excellent means of integrating yourself deeply into the community you are visiting. You’ll not only help others, but when you come home, you’ll have incredible tales to share.
Adventure Vacation
Although the term “adventure travel” is a little misleading, this category contains the exhilarating types of gap-year travel! Have you ever considered giving scuba diving a try? Hang Gliding? boarding a kite? Going surfing? Snowboarding or skiing? Would it make sense to attend a climbing school in Patagonia? This is your opportunity, then! If you have an intense interest in scuba diving, why not take a dive in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef? Take a few months to hone your abilities, earn your PADI certifications, and become an expert. Perhaps you were born in New York but have always been a surfer. In that case, learn from the top surfers in Costa Rica and pick up some Spanish in the process. Alternatively, if you don’t mind the cold, you may spend some time in Switzerland being a ski instructor in the majestic Alps! Adventure travel offers you the chance to discover something deep about the world and yourself, as well as to put your skills and weaknesses to the test. Numerous adventure travel firms provide packages that include lodging, meals, instruction, and the gear you’ll need for your travels.
Programs for Work Experience and Internships
It’s time to get a job now that you’ve graduated from college, but your résumé is blank! A gap year internship is such a great way to gain experience which will prepare you for the work force, and why not enhance your experience by doing it abroad! Europe is a particularly popular place for doing internships these days, but its best to go where your industry shines, for example an interest in Fashion can be nurtured with a fashion internship in Italy, home of the great designers. Or a business internship can be conducted in China, what a great asset to have behind you when you later apply for a corporate executive position. From engineering to graphic design, there are all sorts of great companies out there looking for eager young people wanting to get their feet wet. Internship programs usually include room and board, and often include language lessons to help you get by in your new culture.
Learn Abroad
Study abroad during your gap year if you plan to complete your career studies without taking a break from your education! Speak to your own school or university and ask for the guidelines regarding transferring your credits, educational institutions tend to respect the value of travel and almost always grant credit for such programs. Consider studying for a semester in Italy or Spain! Learn a bit of the language, live with the people, enjoy the cuisine and continue your studies, it will only enhance your employability later. There are lots of study abroad programs to choose from, some are focused on a certain area of study while others are focused on relationships with particular institutions. See your school for details about credit.
Jobs Abroad
A lack of money is a poor excuse not to travel and take a gap year. If you can do it at home you can do it abroad. No matter where you go in the world every restaurant needs waiters, and every office needs someone to answer the phone. And what better way to see how the average person lives in a foreign country than by joining them for the 9 to 5! Find a job that is similar to what you might do at home, this will help you to surround yourself with people you would normally hang out with. But don’t work too hard! Make sure you find some time to spend that money on sights and side trips. There are lots of jobs available to travelers, you can easily apply before you go and secure your position before you get there. Jobs may or may not include your room and board, and weather they do or not will be reflected in your salary earned.
As you can see, the gap year opportunities are endless and there is definitely something for every type of person. A gap year provides a way to see the world, to experience other cultures, meet different people, and also to learn new skills. A gap year can be personally enriching, and at the same time gives you great experience to enhance your resume when you return home.
