Gap Year abroad: main content and contributions bundle
Gap Year, Time out and Sabbatical - Theme
Gap Year, Time out and Sabbatical - Theme
Take a Gap Year, use a time out or go for a sabbatical
Gap year abroad: what is it, why do it, and where is the best place to go?
Gap year abroad: what is it, why do it, and where is the best place to go?
Gap year abroad: what is it, why do it, and where is the best place to go?
What is a gap year abroad?
- A gap year is a longer period between two courses, between a course and a job or between two jobs. Where you more or less consciously choose not to switch directly from one to the other.
- A gap year is generally not literally a year but can vary from a few months to a year.
- The international term for a gap year is 'gap year', although gap year is more often used when it comes to a less serious way of spending the period.
How can you fill a gap year abroad?
- You can perfect your language skills and you can take classes in subjects of your choice, from art and history to media studies.
- You can also gain work experience and improve your skills by doing an internship at a local company.
- You can help yourself and someone else by doing volunteer work.
- You can fill your backpack with experiences by making a long or world trip.
- You can also do it all and not make it a gap year, but the starting year of the rest of your (meaningful) life.
Why should you take a gap year abroad?
- work or study experience in those areas that may be important for your study choice or career. Before you choose a direction, it is nice to know a little about what you are getting into.
- experience with immersing yourself in another culture, without being bothered by your friends, family or other limitations.
- a mountain of self-knowledge that you will continue to benefit from your whole life.
- a lot of new friends or acquaintances.
What do you need for a gap year abroad?
- A sufficient budget to last as long as you want, or enough work ethic to earn money there.
- The realization that when you return, you may want to leave again immediately.. so take enough time to acclimatize at home.
- The realization that after the period that you have been away, you may think very differently about your future.
- The realization that after the period that you have been away, you might think exactly the same about your future.
What is the best place to go during your gap year?
- Become an au pair: Argentina, Australia, China, England, France, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Austria, Spain and the United States.
- Backpacking and earning money: Australia, Canada, Curacao, Europe, New Zealand.
- Learn Chinese in China: for example in Beijing.
- Become a divemaster and teach diving: Greece, Egypt, Indonesia.
- Learn German: (Berlin), Austria or Switzerland.
- Learn English abroad: Australia (Sydney), England (Brighton, Cambridge, London), Canada (Toronto), Ireland (Dublin), the United States (New York, San Francisco), Malta, South Africa (Cape Town).
- Learn French: Biarritz; Nice, Paris, Switzerland.
- Learn Italian in Italy: Florence, Rome, Siena, Venice.
- Learn Spanish in Spain: Barcelona, Granada, Malaga, Madrid, San Sebastian, Seville, Tenerife, Valencia.
- Learn Spanish in the Caribbean: Cuba, Dominican Republic.
- Learn Spanish in Central America: Costa Rica (Turrialba), Guatemala (Antigua), Panama (Bocas del Toro).
- Learn Spanish in South America: Argentina (Bariloche, Buenos Aires), Ecuador, Peru.
- Learn Swahili in Africa: Kenya (Kilifi), Tanzania (Zanzibar).
- Volunteering with children or the elderly: you can do volunteer work in almost any country in the world. Check the JoHo country pages for an indication of the work or projects.
- Volunteering as an animal caretaker: Australia (koalas, kangaroos, horses), Curacao (dolphins, dogs, cats), Indonesia (orangutans, street dogs), South Africa (monkeys, cheetahs, sharks, penguins, rhinos, elephants).
- Volunteering: protecting turtles: Sri Lanka, Costa Rica. Traveling around the world: South-East Asia, Latin America or Australia.
- Travel the world: Southeast Asia, Latin America or Australia.
What are the risks of a gap year abroad?
- Your health insurance coverage may lapse if, for example, you go and will work abroad.
- You may suffer from homesickness and want to go home earlier (but there is a lot you can do about it, and prepare for it!).
- You may have problems with the organization with which you are going abroad (read more about solving problems abroad).
- What are the consequences if, for example, you end up in a hospital?
- If you end up in a hospital, you may have to pay the costs yourself if you have not taken out insurance that covers your activities.
- Are you insured for a gap year abroad? A gap year abroad can be covered by your current travel and health insurance if you do not go abroad for too long, do not undertake paid work or special activities. In most cases, special insurance is recommended or really necessary.
- Read more: Travel insurances and insurances for long term abroad - Theme
- Read more: Vezekeren van een tussenjaar het buitenland (NL)
Gap year: what does it get you?
Gap year: what does it get you?
I read an article in my regional newspaper about young adults who consciously choose to take a gap year. “The coolest thing I have ever done”, “I really stepped out of my comfort zone”, “Good to do something where you get to know yourself better.”
A gap year has all kinds of manifestations. One person goes on a longer trip, another takes a language course, chooses volunteer work in their own country or abroad, another goes to work somewhere paid.
But what can a gap year -in your own country or especially abroad- get you? Whether you are young, young adult or already adult?
Some examples:
- of course: new experiences and new adventure
- self-understanding of what happens to you when you (literally or figuratively) cross boundaries
- new or improved skills to make (social, study or work) contacts with others
- self-understanding that you can manage well for a period 'alone' abroad; also consider, for example, being able to deal with (temporary) 'loneliness'
- you can make good or better independent choices
- peace, time and space to think (better) about your next step: in your studies, in your first job or in your current career
- a network of contacts all over the world, through the people you meet along the way or with whom you contact online
- new or improved language skills: by traveling anyway, but especially if you make a language course part of your gap year
- more interest or insight into other countries, cultures and customs
- more or renewed appreciation of the country and culture you come from ('we don't have it that bad' - that feeling)
- more self-insight and self-development: who are you, what drives you, what are important values for you, what gets you out of bed, what are your talents and what else do you want to develop yourself in: in any case by 'hitting the road', but especially if you follow workshops in this direction during your gap year
- come closer to yourself (again), because when abroad you don't have to 'comply' as much with an image that people already knew about you. The opportunity to partly reposition or even 'reinvent' yourself.
- (re)finding new motivation to pick up where you left off or to make changes and move on, once home
Of course this is personal and (slightly) different for everyone.
Therefore my question: What drives you to choose a gap year? Or - if you have already had the year - what has the gap year given you?
Related content on WorldSupporter:
Sector: organizations for gap year activities abroad and sabbaticals
Sector: organizations for gap year activities abroad and sabbaticals
Organizations to fill and organize a gap year, gap year or sabbatical: coaches , consulting organizations, program providers and mediators
The Activities Abroad Bundle
The Activities Abroad Bundle
Activities and vacancies abroad
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