Gap Travel, or Gap Year Travel is something I’ve never done, and hence, have no idea about. Actually, I think taking any time off to go travelling is great.
But I’ve got a guest post here from Sasha Peakall from On UR Way Travel (@onurwaytravel on Twitter) which gives plenty of reasons why you should go travelling through your Gap Year – that is, after you finish school but before you go onto further education.
Sasha’s site is dedicated to young first time & seasoned travellers, especially Gap Year Travel.
So here it is!
Many would say that a Gap Year is a lazy person’s excuse not to get a life. I would say that a Gap Year is a damn good excuse to escape your country, see the world and do all those crazy things you had always dreamed of doing like riding a bicycle across Siberia or simply holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. And lets face it that building needs all the support it can get!
If right now you’re sitting in your cubicle staring at that tropical island wallpaper tempting you like a sirens call to a tropical bongo beat then get off your seat, quit your job and book a flight. Stop making excuses! Stop day dreaming and get out there and experience the real thing! Do that Gap Year Travel!
Common Unconvincing Excuses not to undertake Gap Year Travel
#1 How on earth can I take a Gap Year, I have too many responsibilities, I couldn’t possibly pack up my life in a backpack for a year!
Reply: First things first stop being so dramatic, your life will not fall to pieces, you will adapt and realise that you have been missing out on freedom for all these years. Secondly if you are one of those people who strangely crave responsibility then Gap Travel can feed this crave, just getting to the airport in time to check in and buy up the whole duty free lounge is a huge responsibility!
#2 I’m too poor, what’s the point of Gap Travel if I can’t afford to fund my nights of partying mayhem so that I have enough money leftover for somewhere to sleep that doesn’t resemble an alleyway!
Reply: Having money is a good start so maybe actually get a job! Do what ever you can to save up as much as possible, work two jobs, stop renting movies and download them illegally instead (or maybe not because that would be illegal). If you’re a talented juggler get a busking licence and make a few coins on the side, if you can’t juggle to save your life and end up injuring yourself in the process then maybe you should look for a new talent or a legit job.
#3 But I have to go to Uni. I can’t take a Gap Year.
Reply: No you don’t. Uni can be deferred for a year and they will keep your place for the next year. Do you really want to spend another few years committed to having no life and studying when you could have a break exploring the world. Plus when you start uni everyone else will be jealous because you went to Oktoberfest!
#4 I’m afraid if I leave my job I won’t be able to get as good a job when I get back from Gap Travel.
Reply: Don’t be stupid, if you’re good at what you do you will be able to pick up another job after one, two or five years travelling. What employer wouldn’t want someone as worldly as you!
Gap Year Travel Tips
Decisions Decisions
So, you have thrown your crap excuses out the window and decided to take the Gap Year plunge but you don’t have enough money to see you through the year. A great option to fund your Gap Travel is to do a working holiday.
Who ever thought of putting working and holiday together must have been mad right? It seems to defeat the purpose if you have to work. However there are a lot of advantages of working in another country and earning money in the local currency. Much of the expenses of Gap Travel is not getting much bang for your buck because the exchange rates put simply are crap! If you earn and spend in the local currency then your money will stretch a lot further.
If you don’t find working and holiday in the same sentence distasteful then there are many Working Holiday Maker Visa Schemes which allow you stay and work between one and two years depending on the country. All you need is a small pool of cash behind you and a skeleton free closet.
Big 4 Working Holiday Jobs for Gap Travel
Work in a UK Pub
Working in a UK Pub is extremely popular among Gap Yearers. The allure of getting fat off free pub meals and enjoying the endless supply of free joyful drinks bought for you by your regular customers is too much to resist. Although the pay is quite low, averaging ₤6 an hour, often your accommodation will be free or quite cheap leaving you enough money to jet set across the pond and explore the magnificence of Europe.
Teaching English
Teaching English is fast becoming a very lucrative working holiday option for a Gap Travel Year. With English becoming the world language (as if the English need another ego boost) English Teachers are highly sought after and well paid. You don’t need a degree in teaching to get an English teaching job although a TEFL Certificate (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is often preferred. As long as you’re a fluent English speaker and willing to be the funny foreign teacher dancing around in front of the class like a circus monkey then you will find of lots of jobs, particularly in Asia during your Gap Travel Year.
Seasonal Work
Seasonal Work is the perfect job for someone with chronic itchy feet with most jobs being short-term, lasting no more than 3 months. Most seasonal work is found at ski resorts and summer resorts in major tourist areas. For the common Gap Year Traveller, most of this work involves serving overpriced food to people with more money than you could ever dream of and scrubbing toilets or changing sheets with those ‘I don’t want to know what that is’ stain. If you have some kind of sporting talent like skiing or rock-climbing then you may be spared of such dodgy (that’s Australian Slang for ‘bad’) Gap Year jobs.
Volunteering
Volunteering is not well paid. In fact it’s not paid at all. Volunteering is all about giving your time for free and really getting to know a culture by helping its people. It’s also a great way to pick up some local dance moves to take to the international club scene and learn some new vocabulary that can be used in all sorts of heated situations.
So what are you waiting for? Stop staring at your tropical wallpaper and go to the real beach! Don’t forget to check out my best travel insurance tips your backpackers travel insurance!
For more info, you can also read The Complete Guide to the Gap Year: The Best Things to Do Between High School and College.
I think I can’t join it because only one reason : my job and I can’t make a trip if I don’t have permit from my boss hohohoho 😀
I completely agree. BUNAC is a great option too. They helped me get a work visa to work abroad in London for 6 months. I have more info on my site if anyone is interested.
Definately a good case for gap year travel. If you love to travel then just do it. We went away for a fe months last year and are now heading off for a year in Oz. I think fear is the biggest hurdle, but conquer that and you’ll have a great time.
.-= Tom at Hotels Fairy´s last blog ..The World’s Cheapest Hotels Worth Staying In =-.
I took a gap year to Fiji for a year of volunteering and seriously the best decision ever. Sometimes you just need to break from the norm, pack your bags and head off into the unknown. You’ll never regret a gap year adventure. You’ll only regret the adventures you missed!
I took a gap year half way through uni and it was the best choice ever – I came back actually caring more about doing well for some reason! I spent it mostly in Berlin, worked in hostels and travelled through Europe on my time off. It was the best!
I now work at a cultural exchange company – AIFS Australia and we offer some awesome gap year programs – if you want seasonal work Camp America http://www.campamerica.com.au is a great 9 week program where you work in a summer camp in the USA. Then if you want a full year in the US you can work as a live in nanny in the USA http://www.aupairinamerica.com.au
“simply holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. And lets face it that building needs all the support it can get!”
Hilarious. You are incredible!