Avoiding Gaps on Your Gap Year

Your need for a so-called ‘gap year’ may arrive at any time or age. Some people may decide they need a break between the completion of their ‘A’ levels and starting university. For others that have just graduated, the thought of going directly into either a job or post-graduate education is just too terrifying a prospect to contemplate, and a gap year break may seem the solution.

However, it’s not just those in education that can be affected. Maybe you have already invested a number of years and lots of emotional energy in your career and now are just a little jaded and tired. Perhaps you find yourself thinking more and more that you’ve seen it all and done it all before. If so, that’s probably a powerful indication that you need some time off and possibly a lengthy sabbatical. Whatever the cause, anyone may be inclined to think that it’s time to do something entirely different for a while – and that’s a pretty good definition of a gap year, whatever your age!

Your options

You could, of course, do absolutely nothing other than dream about a break while carrying on as normal. You could, perhaps, just take some time off and head for a few conventional holiday resorts to spend time by the pool or lazing on a beach. Maybe just spending extra time at home doing a few odd jobs is something you’d find attractive. These may all be laudable, in their own individual ways, however, you could also do something really different.

Working with wildlife

You can use some of your precious gap year (or whatever you choose to call it) to go and work on some wildlife conservation projects in countries such as South Africa or India. The actual work you’ll be doing will vary immensely – depending upon the environmental needs of a given area at a given time. Some of these may be sea-based, for example charting the effects of pollution on the eco-system of coral reefs, or working with tiger sharks to estimate their population numbers and feeding patterns. If the water is not your thing, there are even more opportunities on land.
Perhaps you will be helping to feed abandoned or orphaned young animals. Another assignment may see you following a herd of animals to estimate the numbers being lost to predators or disease etc. You may also find yourself working with local people to help define ways to help the peaceful co-existence of Man and the natural wildlife of the area.That is really a different way to spend your time!

What’s involved

Typically you’ll be staying in good standard, comfortable accommodation and being well fed on your gap year adventure. Nobody is going to ask you to re-create the hardships of the intrepid explorers of centuries past! You’ll also be operating in the company of expert activity leaders that know exactly what they’re doing. You’ll be fully briefed and, where appropriate, tuition will be provided in the basic skills required (e.g. snorkelling). The duration of your stay and work can be as long or short as you wish – there will be a package to suit all needs.

Life changing experiences

If you have ever visited countries overseas, you’ll know how frustrating it can be sometimes to see things “whiz past” the windows of a typical tourist coach as you’re rushed from one stop to another. That’s not what you’ll experience on a gap year holiday working with wildlife! You’ll be seeing the animals, peoples and countryside, exactly as those that live there see them. That’s not something you can do on a typical holiday and the experience just might change your entire world-view.
A gap year well spent! Unless, of course, you really would prefer all that extra time to be spent lying around on your couch watching those endless TV repeats......