1) RELAXING
You have
just finished a big part of your life. Many years of hard work at school, many months
full of stressful exams, several hours studying without sleeping. Now it’s over, but… Don’t you think you need
to do something pleasant now? Your mind has been working for so long! A gap year
is the perfect way to relax after working so hard, don’t you think?
2) BREAKING
OUT YOUR ROUTINE
Every day
is the same thing: you wake up early (earlier than you want, of course), you go
to school and you come back home to keep studying. You see your family, your
friends, and your teachers. It’s always the same. This monotonous life may be slightly
boring… Becoming a gapper will make this change: you’ll enjoy a brand new routine
and meet new people every day.
3) HUMAN
CONTACT
Because we
live under pressure, we’re not able to take the time to exchange ideas and
share opinions with different people. We always socialize with the same few
friends, which is not as rewarding as talking about important things with
people from different cultures. Crossing cultures might help you improving
human contact in your life.
4)
SOLIDARITY
Being a
volunteer overseas will make you aware of all the problems (such as poverty,
hunger, etc.) people in other countries may have. Getting involved and trying
to help someone else is something very meaningful, not only for the people you
will help, also for you. This will make you more mature.
5) OPENING
YOUR MIND
Somebody
said “the world is you oyster”, but you know only a few things of it. Maybe you’re
prejudiced against something because you don’t really know it. As now you have
time to discover this oyster, I impel you to travel the world, have new
experiences and to learn as much as possible. This will make you become a much
more open-minded person.
6) LANGUAGE
Spending
time abroad, in countries where the mother tongue is not yours is something
very useful. For example, if you don’t understand a single word of German,
going to Germany may be the perfect solution for you. Maybe what you want is to
reinforce a language you already know. It’s impossible not to improve your English
level (for example) if you spend time in an English speaking country!
7) BEING
READY FOR UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS
As you won’t
be in your country, which you know very well, you don’t always know what may
happen. You’ll probably be surprised more than once in different situations. This
will make you search the way to solve any problem you face. You’ll be more
self-assured, and you’ll get prepared for hard situations that may appear when
you grow up.
8)
INDPENDENCE
As you’re
young, you are used to being helped by your family, your teachers and your
friends. But…what happens when you’re on your own? As a gapper, you’ll spend more
time alone than as usual, and you’ll have to deal with it. It may be hard at
the beginning but then you’ll get used to it. You’ll feel very well by being
able to decide what to do on your own, you’ll feel independent!
9) KNOWING DIFFERENT
PLACES AND CULTURES
As a normal
trip, you’ll probably go sightseeing. You will have the opportunity to stare at
breathtaking landscapes, visit many places you don’t know, listen to different
music, and taste new dishes. We all know this is always enjoyable. And by
spending some time overseas, you’ll be living in different societies and
knowing different cultures and its customs. Some gappers say that when you
start travelling, you get addicted to it and you never want to stop making those
discoveries.
10) GETTING TO KNOW YOURSELF DEEPER
You’ll have
time to relax, to do new things, to have more human contact, to help people, to
be on your own, to open your mind, to learn lots of things, to become more independent
and… just to travel. That’s why I believe this gap year will give you the
chance to lose your mind and find your soul. You’ll discover who you are and
who you want to be while you discover the world.
