Gap year travel
Photo: Remi Jouan, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A gap year is an extended break that some people take at a life transition, such as between studies, between study and work, or between careers. It's most common for people after high school to use the year as a transition to adulthood. It's their chance to finally be independent.
There's no need for such a trip to be precisely a year, of course, but a year is a typical length of time for people who have just finished secondary school: they typically have to delay university entrance for a year to take the time off. Some of the same principles can be applied to just a summer between school and college, or any extended break "between jobs".
In some countries, recruiting managers may view gap years negatively during job applications, either as a lack of ambition, a sign of incompetence or a tendency of resignation. When applying for jobs after returning from a gap year, make sure you provide a plausible explanation to the recruiting manager. If applicable, you may want to summarize what you learnt and experienced throughout your journey.
This article discusses options for low budget long-term travel of the type that a gap year traveller might be interested in. See Volunteer travel and Working abroad for more general but related discussion.
PreparePre-departure planning is important. No matter how much you plan for the trip there may be instances where you have to throw all the planning out the window.
Get in and aroundIf your gap year is going to involve several stops in several different countries and continents, you should look into the many budget tickets designed for long term travel.
WorkA long trip may be impossible to save for in advance. Often gap year travelers want to support their journey by taking work, often of a low-skilled and/or intermittent nature.
LearnAn increasingly popular option for those planning a gap year is to travel and learn.
CopeIt is every traveler's dream to take an extended trip - whether it's three months in Europe or a year of around-the-world adventures.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Gap year travel" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Remi Jouan, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons