| For both students and people in work, the option | | | | news on a daily basis. In the vast majority of |
| for taking a gap year is proving to be a very | | | | cases, most countries are just as safe as your |
| popular life choice. Making the decision to take a | | | | home country. With the wealth of information |
| gap year and following it through can be difficult | | | | available on the internet and through travel guides, |
| to achieve. For a student taking a gap year | | | | there is no excuse not to plan a trip beforehand in |
| before or after taking a university degree, a gap | | | | order to make the most of it and to avoid |
| year can have a huge positive effect in terms of | | | | unnecessary risks and dangers. Many countries in |
| boosting confidence, increasing maturity, | | | | Europe, Asia, Africa and South America have well |
| developing social skills, gaining experience and | | | | laid out backpacker routes which are used by |
| knowledge of different cultures, helping the | | | | thousands of men and women travelling in groups |
| environment and feeling independent by taking the | | | | or on their own. The vast majority have amazing |
| opportunity of working in a different country. | | | | experiences and return home safely. You will be |
| For a student or individual with no financial or | | | | hard pressed to find an individual who has taken a |
| family commitments, a gap year can seem like | | | | gap year and regretted the decision. |
| the perfect way to experience life before joining | | | | For some, travelling solo may pose a major |
| or returning to the world of work. However, like | | | | problem if they have never tried it before. They |
| many things in life, there are major hurdles to | | | | may be worried about feeling lonely and unable to |
| overcome. Firstly there is the question of financing | | | | cope with situations by themselves in a strange |
| the gap year. If a person is lucky enough to have | | | | country far from home. Fortunately there are |
| funds available or will be working during their gap | | | | thousands of people in exactly the same situation |
| year, this poses very few problems. For many | | | | and travelling solo is the ideal way to meet people |
| people who are hoping to travel during their gap | | | | and build confidence. People often meet in hostels, |
| year, it may mean taking a temporary job or | | | | bars, trains, airports and the list goes on. It is |
| asking parents to help out financially. With student | | | | much easier to meet people while travelling than it |
| debts at an all time high, gaining the necessary | | | | is in your home country and in most cases, |
| funds can prove to be very difficult and delays | | | | people will only be alone if they choose to be. Also |
| may be inevitable. | | | | the ability to cope with new situations will improve |
| The second hurdle to overcome is the fear and | | | | over a short period of time as you gain |
| excitement of travelling to the far corners of the | | | | confidence through each experience. After a |
| world and surviving to tell the tale especially for | | | | while, you will be booking accommodation on the |
| those travelling solo for the first time. Parents, | | | | internet, travelling long distances and |
| friends and family will also be very worried with | | | | communicating with people in a different language |
| stories of crime, natural disasters, unstable | | | | without a second thought. |
| governments and disease ridden areas making the | | | | |