GAP YEAR...anyone?

[liger]

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I'm going on gap year to england at a boarding school...anyone else doing something similar? I rekkon taking a year off will be soo worthwhile, i couldnt stand going from school straight to uni, i would probably die of frustration.

[coolioes]

oh thats great! boarding school will be heaps of fun. are you going "year 13" there or are you doing volunteer work ie. tutoring? do you know which school your going to yet?

yeah im thinking of a kind-of GAP year. Im thinking of going on exchange to Chile in Sth America to learn some Spanish and then after i would like to go to France to work and see my family there- i love the idea of travelling. but im just not 100% sure its a good idea to take a GAP year, everyone including my parents are trying to convince me not to go!!

so has anyone done a GAP year on exchange and have any feed back or advice?

[liger]

yeh im going to a school near london which is awesome and i think ill just be a student tutor or sporting coach and supervisor that kind of thing. As it's just a primary school i doubt ill have to do much hard yakka.
Don't listen to what ur parents say! Have they actually spoekn to anyone who's done gap? everyone i've spoken to have said they totally don't regret taking a gap year, i think it really helps you mature and become more independent. Plus you're not just going straight from school to uni to full time job..coz you get a rest. And you get time to fully think about what you want to do the year after, what courses etc etc. I think what you're planning to do sounds great! I'll definately be going to France during the summer break, it sounds beautiful, plus i know i tiny bit of French so that's gotta help.
Haha, have i persuaded you yet?

[jusdorange]

me!
posting this from helsinki

i agree re: frustration.. i would be doing so badly if i was at uni now, hsc drained all my ability to memorise pointless stuff

hopefully by next year i'll be refreshed and ready to actually get up in the morning and go to lectures

[stephanieb8]

hey im only in yr11 but im thinking of doing a gap year when i finish. I was thinkin of going to a boarding school too.. wot company or organization did u use??

thanks

[ladyknight]

Yeah, here's to writing from Turkey!

İnstead of taking a full year off, İ left at the start of January for 4 months İtalıan lessons in Firenze (my family joining me there in March), a month with them in a campervan touring around Europe (8300km!), and İm here alternating between İstanbul and İzmir untill a week before the second semester of MQ Uni at the end of July...

İ stil cant believe we packed in so much into such a short time, but the language school, famıly İ stayed with for the 2 months, tour- İt was all amazing, and it sounds corny but İ learned heaps about myself and how to cope. İ wouldnt really recommend a year off though- far too long.

[liger]

ummm i didn't go through a program, i just organised it myself. I emailed various schools in england with a letter explaining what i could bring to the school and then i attatched my cv. This way is definately cheaper than going through a program like GAP, but u have to persevere with it. I sent out at least 35 letter and only got about 10 replies (8 of which said no) so you have be patient. I would organise it probly in the summer holidays at the latest. If you need to find some schools, google 'good schools guide uk' and go to the website. Follow the links and search for the type of school you'd like to work in. hope that helps!

[goldengirl]

next year im going on a gap year...with GAPaustralia. im going to the uk in a caring position, so ill be assisting disabled people essentially. i think itll probably be extremely emotionally challenging, but really, really good for me. i cant wait to be honest. the thought of going to uni straight after school...well if i had that knowledge, i dont think id be coping well with hsc right now. the only thing thats keeping me sane and on track is the knowledge that while this year is painful, at least next yera ill get to RELAX!!!
wow that word is foreign to me atm...

[stevemc]

Liger,
I live in London (Wimbledon) hope it work out for you over here!

For anyone else thinking about organising their own gap-year, these sites list
free/grass-roots volunteer programs in developing countries:

www.volunteersouthamerica.net (South and Central America)
www.truetravellers.org (Worldwide)
www.independentvolunteer.org (Worldwide)

HTH
Steve

[velox]

Cool, I went to wimbledon when I was over there. Got lost taking the wrong bus from the train station

[liger]

ohh wimbledon nice! I'm so excited about leaving, but I'll be devo having to leave my friends! I know someone who did caring in England goldengirl, she had the best time in her life. She said that she didn't get as must holidays as other people doing tching and stuff, but she really enjoyed the challenge!

[emilyadam]

Hi my name is Emily Adamczyk.
I am currently studying my last year at high school in Australia, but I am looking to take a gap year, as a student teacher at a boarding school in England 2010. Just wondering if anyone has any info I.e schools, what I have to do etc


TA xx

[Luba91]

I also am looking to take a year gap, but not sure what to do :S
My parents don't really want me to, plus i dont have the money...
So i'm trying to figure out a good way to make it all work out...
Any one with good ideas?

Thnx

[amol]

Originally Posted by ladyknight

Yeah, here's to writing from Turkey!

İnstead of taking a full year off, İ left at the start of January for 4 months İtalıan lessons in Firenze (my family joining me there in March), a month with them in a campervan touring around Europe (8300km!), and İm here alternating between İstanbul and İzmir untill a week before the second semester of MQ Uni at the end of July...

İ stil cant believe we packed in so much into such a short time, but the language school, famıly İ stayed with for the 2 months, tour- İt was all amazing, and it sounds corny but İ learned heaps about myself and how to cope. İ wouldnt really recommend a year off though- far too long.

I'd love to take some time off after Year 12 but agree that a year seems way too long... so what u did was complete the equivalent of first semester at MQ uni but during the actual second semester? how does this fit in w everyone elses degrees and is it difficutl to arrange?

[iNerd]

it's fun.
but srs. big waste of time and money
got to uni, finish your degree
then go do whatever
or go make money =]
i was going to take a gap year...