I need some advice for a gap year?

Question

i'm an italian girl here in italy the idea of a gap year it isn't very common. what's it for english people? what's the best age to do it?i would talk with someone who did it...

please reply me

ps sorry for my mistakes..

Answer 1

I took a gap year after high school and before univerisity. I worked in America as an Au Pair (like a nanny) for the year. I had the best experience of my life. It wasn't very expensive because you are earning money, but you are also getting the chance to travel and see different cultures. If you like children, and have ever done any babysitting (even if it's just for cousins or siblings) then you can be an au pair. See www.agentaupair.com for information. It's also a great way to improve your English (which already seems very good!).

Whatever you do, I think taking a gap year is one of the best things you could do.

Answer 2

It might be a good idea right after high school, before uni. I'm planning to get a Working Holiday pass and go to New Zealand for a year.

Answer 3

Most young people take a year off, to wind down, after completing tertiary education, before taking on University. Many are now waiting until after University, to take that sabbatical.

The problem for young women on gap years is personal protection, which can limit options.

However, there are a variety of International Voluntary Organisations, which provide an opportunity for the adventurous to practise their skills, while travelling and so achieve positive results during their year off.

Alternatively:

My surrogate daughter has just completed a leisurely gap year, travelling down from the Baltic to the Balkans. She started in Lithuania, teamed up with like monded girls, when she got there and they worked their way South.

Others try similar expeditions down the Central American Isthmus. However, this is a dangerous area, especially for women, travelling alone!

Answer 4

Hey- I didn't take a gap year but my sister did, and quiet a few of my friends. I totally believe that taking a gap year before going to uni is the way to go. You can either, try full time work, and relax for a year before starting uni, and save some money, or you can travel (this costs a lot!) It's not uncommon to do this before uni in the UK. Good luck!

P.S Visit www.bunac.com for year out info. I did work America for 3 months after I graduated.

Answer 5

You need to self-appraise your life-skills. Pick 6 or 7 crucial skills you'll need for later on and then find situations in which you can practise them. Working with other people is always a good idea but do you have the patience to work in a child's nursery? A lot of uni students act like kids so it may be worth your while to attempt that. How good are you at balancing a budget? Cooking meals? Doing the housework? Once you have mastered all these skills you can spend your time at university, knowing that it's going to be a doddle.

Answer 6

i haven't taken a gap year jet but i have a cousin who has and she always says it was a bad idea for her to do her gap year after UNI. She says that she would liked to have done a Gap year before uni so she could see what was out there.

Another cousin of mine did 2 years of Gap year before going to university. He went to England for a year and got a job in a school and then went to Hawaii for a year.

i am planning to have a gap year in New Zealand: Plan is to get  a job in NZ get some money and then travel around New Zealand.

hope it helps!!!

Answer 7

most people do it when theve just left school or 6form, usaly about 18 some earlyer some later, but for many its a pit stop inbetween collage and university. some people go to one country for a long time to do teaching or charity work others do multi stop round the world trips. im 18 and am leaving in a week to spend about 3 mounths in cambodia, vietnam and laos.

it depend what you want. i chose this becuse i hope to do some charity work while im out there but i also wanted the freedon to travel about. i was originaly going to do a muliti-stop trip around the world but decided against it firstly becuse it costs quite a bit (but dont let that put you off) and ive got hardy any money and secondly as i wanted to spend longer in each country but not take a whole year of just traveling. i think about 18 a good age but it doesnt realy matter cos you'll just do differt things.

the fist thing to do is to decide what countries you want to visit or what type of trip you want what experences you want.

then orgaise it . i didnt realy orgaise mine propably and so had mad rushes trying to get my jabs sorted out at the last minute and making sure i had enought money to live off

i defently think before uni is the best option, you get a realy good experiance of living in the 'real' world as it were, working crappy jobs and the like. but its a good experience personaly i think ive grown a lot by doing it.