There is so much to see and explore in this world and so little time to travel once you are working full time. So why not go on a GAP year to travel around the world? Lost time, some might think but you can actually use your gap year to get that career boost, widen your horizon and create a unique advantage for getting future positions. There are some great opportunities to travel and also get work experience abroad at the same time.
After searching through the great number of programmes there seem to be three main options: Charity/volunteer work, internships, & foreign language programs.
Option 1: Volunteer Abroad
One option is to get involved in a charitable organization or volunteer work. This could be anything from helping to immunize children in Africa to performing scientific SCUBA diving in the Caribbean.
Most experiences are fairly adventurous and involve going to interesting and often disadvantaged countries. The trick with who to go with can really be down to how much effort you take to find the little guys vs how much you are willing to pay, as it appears to have become quite an industry.
Large companies like GVI offer many varied packages to interesting places all over the & can be a great option if you want an easy way to get on board a program. Nevertheless you will often pay your fair share for the placement. Going through such large organizations can mean the money does not always stay with the project entirely and you can end up spending large amounts of money to live in a place that should be super cheap.
A great solution would be to try to look for small grassroots projects in which the dollars remain with the project. One other way could be to go through universities or community internet sites to see exactly what projects are happening or join projects through small organizations. A lot of these frequently end up being fantastic value.
Watch out for great projects at a webpage called www.volunteermatch.org. This allows you to be matched (without any cost to you or the organization) to the right volunteer experience based on your skills and knowledge.
Option 2: Internships Abroad
Another option is to try and do an internship abroad. Its a great option to enhance your CV while going on a holiday.
Also be aware of the foreign language requirements that can sometimes restrict your choice of destination. There are a lot of placement agencies that will find internship opportunities for you all over the world in nearly anything you like. Mostly these agencies charge quite a large placement fee but they will organize accommodation and the placement if you can't be bothered too.
Going directly to the organization, while it could take a little bit more time is generally more affordable because you cut out the middle man. Frequently providers also appreciate this because it shows you have initiative. A good place to look for both agencies and individual companies who have internship opportunities are websites such as goabroad.com
Option 3: Language Courses Abroad
Our 3rd option, which is usually quite good value for money, is doing a foreign language course abroad. It looks excellent to prospective employers when you can communicate in another language and when you choose a great school it can be a really fun time.
A good idea is to choose schools with great activity programs & an emphasis on fun as well as education.
A good place to start your search is with a site like www.traveledventures.com. They specialize in language schools that have a great social and cultural activities programs and are a super helpful & friendly bunch when it comes to organizing your trip from start to finish including organizing accommodation & courses as well as solving any problems you have while your away on your big adventure.
Actually the organization also run internships overseas with GAP year students by combining an internship with a language program. So it's a double winner for your CV! This is a wonderful way to be able to stay over the visa free period or get course credit if you need to.
Take a gap year to discover the planet, find what you really want to do and gain experience in an area you have love for. So what are you waiting for? Get on the road and enjoy!
After searching through the great number of programmes there seem to be three main options: Charity/volunteer work, internships, & foreign language programs.
Option 1: Volunteer Abroad
One option is to get involved in a charitable organization or volunteer work. This could be anything from helping to immunize children in Africa to performing scientific SCUBA diving in the Caribbean.
Most experiences are fairly adventurous and involve going to interesting and often disadvantaged countries. The trick with who to go with can really be down to how much effort you take to find the little guys vs how much you are willing to pay, as it appears to have become quite an industry.
Large companies like GVI offer many varied packages to interesting places all over the & can be a great option if you want an easy way to get on board a program. Nevertheless you will often pay your fair share for the placement. Going through such large organizations can mean the money does not always stay with the project entirely and you can end up spending large amounts of money to live in a place that should be super cheap.
A great solution would be to try to look for small grassroots projects in which the dollars remain with the project. One other way could be to go through universities or community internet sites to see exactly what projects are happening or join projects through small organizations. A lot of these frequently end up being fantastic value.
Watch out for great projects at a webpage called www.volunteermatch.org. This allows you to be matched (without any cost to you or the organization) to the right volunteer experience based on your skills and knowledge.
Option 2: Internships Abroad
Another option is to try and do an internship abroad. Its a great option to enhance your CV while going on a holiday.
Also be aware of the foreign language requirements that can sometimes restrict your choice of destination. There are a lot of placement agencies that will find internship opportunities for you all over the world in nearly anything you like. Mostly these agencies charge quite a large placement fee but they will organize accommodation and the placement if you can't be bothered too.
Going directly to the organization, while it could take a little bit more time is generally more affordable because you cut out the middle man. Frequently providers also appreciate this because it shows you have initiative. A good place to look for both agencies and individual companies who have internship opportunities are websites such as goabroad.com
Option 3: Language Courses Abroad
Our 3rd option, which is usually quite good value for money, is doing a foreign language course abroad. It looks excellent to prospective employers when you can communicate in another language and when you choose a great school it can be a really fun time.
A good idea is to choose schools with great activity programs & an emphasis on fun as well as education.
A good place to start your search is with a site like www.traveledventures.com. They specialize in language schools that have a great social and cultural activities programs and are a super helpful & friendly bunch when it comes to organizing your trip from start to finish including organizing accommodation & courses as well as solving any problems you have while your away on your big adventure.
Actually the organization also run internships overseas with GAP year students by combining an internship with a language program. So it's a double winner for your CV! This is a wonderful way to be able to stay over the visa free period or get course credit if you need to.
Take a gap year to discover the planet, find what you really want to do and gain experience in an area you have love for. So what are you waiting for? Get on the road and enjoy!
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For more information about language travel programs or internship possibilities please visit www.traveledventures.com
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