Flights & Round The World Trips
Apart from accommodation costs, one of the major expenses when travelling is the cost of flights. If you want to save money on worldwide flights, there are a variety of things you can do to avoid breaking the bank. Carry out research before booking your flights and book early – this can potentially save you a lot of money. There tends to be cheaper flights online and thorough research can end up saving you hundreds of pounds. Dont just book the first convenient flight you find.
There are so many options from return tickets to round the world stop offs, a popular gap year route includes London > Bangkok > Sydney > LA > London. All prices differ so please research options before booking. Consider smaller airports – if you are willing to fly into smaller airports which are typically further away from city centres, then your flight costs could be significantly reduced. These airports normally offer transport from the airports to the nearest city centres, where the only issue is the transfer time.
Try to avoid major school holidays and bank holidays – flights dramatically increase during school holidays, so try and avoid these dates completely if possible. Fly mid-week – if you are flexible on the days of the week you can travel, then avoiding the peak rush hour flight times like early Monday morning can save you a lot of money. If you can fly off-peak hours and days you can sometimes half the flight costs.
Reasons To Take A Gap Year
A gap year can be good way to develop yourself and your skills while deciding your next step. A well-planned gap year is not just a break from study or getting into work. It can help you to:
- improve your CV with work experience
- have time to think about your long-term career plans
- learn something new to support your future goal
- travel and experience other cultures
- mature and focus an advantage in career areas like healthcare and teaching
- earn money to support yourself in future study
You may have had a sudden change of plan. Exam results and changes in your circumstances sometimes mean that you have to rethink your next steps. Taking a gap year could give you time to pause and reflect.
During a gap year you can focus on exploring all of your options, without rushing into anything. You can take time to get get advice. If you’re a school leaver and want to improve your awarded grades you can also schedule in autumn or summer exams during your year out.
Extra Tip: Meet Other Volunteers And Interns From Each Part Of The Globe
If youd prefer to travel with others, youre welcome to join one of our group trips that run over set dates. On our Team Trips you can expect to:
- Team up with people your age to work toward the same goal
- Get 24/7 support from our in-country staff.
- Receive a full and exciting itinerary of cultural and social events.
If you want to take part in project work that spans the entire year, consider joining our Global Gap program. Youll work in places like Ghana, South Africa, Thailand, Peru and Nepal. Expect to work with the youth, ride the waves on our Surfing Project, or help preserve coral reefs in warm waters.
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Explore Tongariro National Park
The oldest national park in New Zealand, Tongariro has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, and can be found in the centre of the North Island.
At a remarkable 796 square kilometres, youre not going to be seeing your way round the whole park, so a tip of ours is to head to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a highly recommended venture which brings in some stunning scenery from volcanic paths to plains and rock pools. A guaranteed success for your gap year Instragram.
Veterinary Internships In South Africa
A great place to gain veterinary work experience is South Africa due to the interesting mix of animals one day you could be shadowing a vet in big game reserves, the next you could be called out to examine livestock on farms, and the next you could be dealing with a domestic animal emergency. Your experience will be incredibly varied and you will work with every type of animal from rhinos and lions to small cats and house pets. Veterinary internships are suitable for students in the veterinary field as well as qualified vets and veterinary nurses looking to expand their knowledge.
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Train As A Boxing Coach In Ghana
Take part in a boxing coaching programme in Ghana and push your physical strength to the limit. In order to become a serious boxing coach, you need to have dedication, determination and you need to be physically fit. The job is demanding but extremely rewarding at the same time and you can hone your people skills by assisting as a coach for junior boxers in Africa.
Adventure And Cultural Travel
Choose a destination or route and set off on a journey of discovery. Whether its your thing to dive off bridges with a bungee cord attached to your ankles, or youd rather sip an espresso in the Piazza, international travel can expand your understanding of the world and the people in it, shifting paradigms and helping you to become a more well-rounded, cosmopolitan person.
Yes, this can cost you. Even a low-budget trip will entail hostel bills and train or air tickets, and of course a luxury tour in five-star ease can set you back tens of thousands but if you have it to spend, youll get great value from a year exploring other locales and cultures.
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What Type Of Gap Year Is Right For Me
Ask yourself: what am I hoping to get from this gap year? How do you want to spend this time, and what are your priorities or goals?
Here are some questions to consider:
- Do you want to travel outside the US or stay domestic?
- Are you looking to visit many different countries or put down roots in one place?
- Are you interested in volunteering, interning, or working during this time?
- Do you speak another language that could be useful? Do you want to learn one?
- How independent of a traveler are you? Or do you prefer to be with a group/community the whole time?
- Are you interested in taking classes or earning college credit during this time?
- How do you want to challenge yourself, or what skills do you want to develop?
- What is your financial situation? Do you need some form of income during this time?
Next, well go into the most common type of gap year experiences you can choose from.
Is It Harder To Get Into College If You Take A Gap Year
Knight says Gap Year graduates tend to have higher college GPAs than non Gap Year students. Many students decide to take a year off to travel abroad but some choose to work either as an intern or part- or full-time employee. Those who take this route, can put their paychecks towards their college education.
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How To Fill A Gap Year
Taking time out after you graduate will broaden your horizons and can help with job hunting on your return.
Taking time out after your studies doesnât mean putting your feet up after all your hard work. There are many great opportunities to boost your confidence and experience and improve your CV. Most tend to fall into one of the following areas.
Working Abroad Gap Year Ideas
You could also travel to a country with a Working Holiday Visa available for your nationality. Working abroad, in a sector relevant to your career interests or not, could be a very beneficial way to spend a gap year.
You could meet locals and immerse in their true culture. You could find a community in a completely different corner of the world, and you just might even make money while doing it.
I personally have worked as an au pair in New Zealand, allowing me to live in a beautiful location and spend time with a true Kiwi family.
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Reasons To Do A Gap Year In Australia
If one of your biggest questions is Why should I do a gap year? weve got a few answers to convince you to take the plunge. Your future self will thank you.
Taking a gap year is a big decision. For many, it can seem like youre pausing your life or career progression for an extended holiday. The fear is that, upon returning home, youll be left behind your peers in terms of some of lifes major milestones. Fortunately, thats really not the case. A gap year is a great time for gaining experience, self-discovery and learning new skills that can help you in your studies or your career – making it a truly worthwhile experience. Plus, you will have the time of your life.
A gap year can come in many forms – you can take a year off after high school and before college, in the middle of your studies, or after you graduate university and before you start working. In Australia, as long as youre between the ages of 18 and 30 when you apply, theres no wrong time to come Down Under on a Working Holiday visa.
So whats in it for you? Weve compiled a list of the top reasons to do a gap year in Australia:
Gain Work Experience: Complete A Gap Year Internship In South Africa
Take another leaf out of Malia Obamas book and complete an internship in a vocational field youd like to explore. There are many benefits to this choice.
Youll find out if this is really the type of work for you before you commit fully to it and youll gain some work experience thatll serve you well wherever you might end up. And, you can even have some fun while working.
Taking your internship abroad allows you to balance your need to keep your career on track while still having the opportunity to see and experience lots of new things at the same time.
We offer a womens empowerment program in Cape Town, South Africa. You can join the program along with a group of volunteers from all around the world.
Youll support women to access equal opportunities such as education, jobs and public health. These empowerment initiatives are achieved through skills development workshops to improve employability, and through teaching women about preventive health and prenatal care.
We also offer internships for students looking to gain experience in international development, wildlife or , education, and public health.
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Get A College Credit Or Two Out Of The Way
If youâre Ânot burned out on academics, consider taking a course or two at your local community college during your gap year. Doing so will allow you to get accustomed to the more rigorous, self-directed nature of college classes, without having to take on a full course load all at once. Youâll also get to start your freshman year a few credits ahead, which will give you a bit of extra wiggle room as you plan out your course schedules in the future.
Tips For A Successful Break
- Talk to your careers adviser about the options.
- Research your options carefully.
- Clarify your motivations and what you hope to get out of your time out.
- Check government websites for destinations to avoid and ones that are safe.
- Keep a record of your experiences and the skills you have gained.
- Consider combining your options â you can travel and work, for example.
- Check out graduate recruitment and postgraduate study application cycles to ensure you donât miss out on anything when you return.
- Keep in touch with your university careers service.
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Au Pair Gap Years On Cruise Ships
If you are a childcare graduate, an au pair gap year could be a fantastic way to boost your CV. Cruiser ship au pair / nanny work often runs anywhere between 3 months to 12 months and you will have the opportunity to travel around the world whilst earning cash. Famous cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise and Carnival Cruise often need young, energetic people with childcare qualifications to help run their specialist Kids Clubs and Childrens Programmes. You will be in charge of organising fun activities and sports sessions to keep the ships youngest members entertained at all times.
Start A Business Or Work On A Major Project
Remember those annoying independent projects that school forced you to do? This isnt that. This is taking that idea you had and testing it out. It is a great time to try these things out call it a risk free trial on things that have always interested you but you havent been able to prioritize.
What does this look like? Here are some ideas:
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Are you passionate about kids access to arts programming? See about developing a campaign to raise money to purchase instruments for your local public school
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Have you been working on your coding skills? Take some time to see what you can program you have time to test your skills!
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Started making your own jewelry? Whip up an Instagram account to sell your creations
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Have a home project that has been staring you down? Tackle that!
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Work With Animals: Join A Turtle Conservation Gap Year Program In Greece
These little hatchlings are waddling down to the safety of the ocean via a mini highway dug by GVI volunteers in Greece. Too cute!
Learning about animals in a lecture hall just isnt the same as being around them every day. If youre passionate about caring for animals then you might want to do a conservation program.
Taking time during your gap year to work with animals is not only food for the soul, but if youre interested in pursuing veterinary science as a career, itll also help you work on your bedside manner.
Further reading:Ten of the best organisations to follow that help endangered animals
If youd like to tour Europe on your gap year, why not join our turtle conservation project in Greece? Youll get to sleep and wake up on a Mediterranean beach with other volunteers during the warm summer months, conducting sunset and night-time surveys to find, measure and tag mother sea turtles.
In the mornings, youll walk the beach again to record the number of nests that appeared overnight and put barriers in place to protect the eggs from predators. The highlight of this project is, of course, seeing little turtle hatchlings making it to the sea.
Further reading:Six animal species and how they are affected by climate change
If you want to go somewhere else, you can join one of our other sea turtle conservation programs around the world, in Costa Rica, or along the coastlines of Thailand or Seychelles.
The Worst Types Of Med School Gap Years
The Latecomer
Every year, I encounter students who do not plan ahead accordingly.
Often, they will fall behind in one aspect of the application â perhaps their AMCAS submission, MCAT prep, or secondary essays â which then causes a rippling effect on each sequential step. Pretty soon, itâs the end of the summer and theyâre scrambling to figure out their gap year plans.
Many gap year plans require networking, certifications, job interviews, etc., so itâs paramount to think and plan ahead. They might spend August, September, and maybe even October determining their plans. This means they will have little to say about themselves in their interviews and update letters. At best, they will have just started the activities. They might even still in the training phases.
The gap year essentially starts in August, so you should prewrite your primary and secondary essays well in advance so that you can spend a decent portion of your summer securing these plans.
The Splurge
Donât get me wrong, when August comes around, youâll deserve a break! As Iâll say later on, itâs definitely okay to do some self-indulging during your gap year.
But Iâve seen some gap years turn into extended vacations. If you were an admissions officer, imagine reading something like this in an update letter:
You SHOULD enjoy your gap year and take some time for yourself, but make sure there is some substance and altruism behind what youâre doing.
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How To Choose Your Premed Gap Year Jobs
When choosing your premed gap year job, its essential to select a position based on your interests, passions, and weak areas in your medical school application. For example, perhaps you struggled filling out your AMCAS work and activities section, medical school secondary essays, or even had a hard time constructing your medical school personal statement all because you were lacking critical experiences.
Its not about picking a job that your family and friends think would be great, nor is it about picking a job based on what you think the admissions committees want to see. It can be counterproductive to keep plugging away at something that youre just not motivated to do because its not your strength. Obviously, do not avoid challenges, but know when to work with what youve got. Remember, this time is about self-development which holds a different meaning for every individual. Admissions committees will want to understand why you do the things you do and why you find them significant.
When considering which environment you should choose for your premed job, its important to think about what type of patient population you hope to work with in the future. For example, if you have an interest in geriatrics, then consider working or volunteering in a nursing home, hospice or palliative care center. If, on the other hand, youre interested in emergency medicine, then working in the back of an ambulance or in the emergency department is most suitable.
