Gap Year

[gwod]

Lordship Lovely - I think the original poster was enquiring about these Gap Year managing Companies and they do exist - I only explained what they did an provided (current) links.

Please dont think I'm bitter - just jealous - as I said, I'd love to take 6 months or a year to travel - it would be a blast...and I hope my kids get the chance to do it.

[Brendan]

Well I am. Bloody kids don?t know they?re born these days.

[LordshipLovely]

Final post!

Brendan - that's the point isn't it? Dicking about with a rucksack can't really go on your CV but doing some sort of project can.

Also, some people don't have the confidence, when they're 18, to go off on their own to a strange place. This is simply a bit of a compromise. It also gives parents peace of mind.

gwod - I get the point. Some gap year companies are crap. You've just got to do a bit of research.

[Brendan]

I actually have mentioned it on mine before just to prove that I wasn't in gaol for those 2 years that went otherwise unaccounted for.

[Ladymuck]

Brendan Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I actually have mentioned it on mine before just

> to prove that I wasn't in gaol for those 2 years

> that went otherwise unaccounted for.

ha ha ha - must remember that one!

[womanofdulwich]

Lordship Lovely, did you form a bond with the project you worked on? is it long lasting or more a tick box move on thing ( sorry, I don't mean it quite as cruelly as that- but is it just an eye opener, or more of a long term involvement? raising awareness etc? Did you feel you were being exploited at all - or even that you were exploiting others? or maybe one can't tell?

I cannot help thinking my own children have a bit of an easy life here, whilst there is poverty a few miles away that they are not really exposed to and/or dismissive of. I would prefer them to spend time here understanding how our society does not work and appreciate what they have, but that is not the sexy travel to Africa etc. In these days of green lifestyles/ airmiles etc I am confused as to what message we are giving out.

[louisiana]

WOD, many year ago I took a year out, saved from a holiday job for several months, travelled to the Middle East, lost my passport/ticket/all paperwork, got incredibly ill with dystentery, ended up in a war zone...

Yes, I sent a telegram (remember them?) to my mum who happened to be working in Gstaad at the time, and she wired me thirty quid eventually, and some archaelogists found all my papers a few weeks later, and I was whisked away to the Dead Sea by some people I met, and the police took me out for dinner too, and I got to know the local British consul, plus I slept on a few beaches. All rather splendid at the age of 18. Apart from the being really ill and thinking I was going to die bit. And the war bit when there were lots of tanks around firing missiles and the ground was shaking a lot. And it cost my mum the grand total of thirty quid and she ended up with me buying her a carpet, so she wasn't exactly out of pocket.

[omniprescient]

WoD there is no real poverty in this country. Everyone has access to clean running water and sanitation. Everyone has access to enough food and shelter to sustain them. Everyone has access to free education and health care. Real poverty is something that happens abroad. That's why there's people queueing at Sangatte to come here. Compared with third world countries we are all living in a paradise. In general our society does work and it works because people like you and me pay our taxes thus ensuring that those who are unable or unwilling to look after themselves do not go without. There's really no need for you to wring your hands in anguish.

[womanofdulwich]

That is economic poverty. I am not talking just economic poverty.

[LordshipLovely]

WOD - I have been, until very recently, in touch with the coordinators and the local family I lived with for a while. I have also got good friends over here off the back of it. The coordinators have now been living in the country for 30 years so are very much part of the community and are therefore sensitive to the opinions and feelings of the locals. The scheme has been running for well over a decade now. I think it was an eye-opener and has had a long-term affect on my attitude.

However, there are people who wouldn't have got the same out of it, and probably weren't really that fussed either. All depends on the person I suppose. I also think the company could have been more transparent about where our money was going and I did have certain issues over this.

I think the whole selling point of the GAP businesses is to incorporate some community work with travel (well it was, not sure any more) so carrying out beneficial work in the UK during a GY would be aimed at a different market? For example, I know plenty of people that can't think of anything worse than what I did (can't stand roughing it/creepy crawlies etc) but may have chosen something on home turf if there had been options available. And when I mean available, I know anyone can sort out doing charity/voluntary work themselves, but I think the idea of doing it was never really promoted as an option when we were in sixth form.

[AcedOut]

?2k, bargain. Where do I book?

[SteveT]

According to my youngest you are allowed 30,000 miles for two grand, on top of that is living costs of around 1000 per month if you include a visit to Oz.

Her four and a half month trip was ?6,500 including insurance.