Gap year stories

My summer in the States on BUNAC's Work America programme was one of the most exciting summers I have ever had. Flying to New York JFK airport with a group of 27 like-minded students was an experience I will never forget. I will always remember sitting in a little pizza ... [ Read more... ]

Summer camps in the US do not run by themselves. In addition to the camp counsellors there is a team of workers that prepare the food, act as waiters and waitresses and keep the sites tidy. It may sound mundane but it is both rewarding and fun.I was interested ... [ Read more... ]

Greg Lewry has spent his last two summer holidays as a counsellor at a summer camp in the US organised through BUNAC.‘I'm getting paid to do this?!' was a thought that continuously ran through my head this summer. A beautiful shimmering lake for a workplace, young people from all ... [ Read more... ]

"The three months in Tanzania was some of the best months of my life, I will never forget Yamba and Milingano and all the villagers and children I met there! I cannot wait to go back at some point. It is so amazing to live in such a beautiful remote ... [ Read more... ]

Kim took her passion for photography to South Africa where she worked at PoD's pioneering Cheetah Reintroduction project."This project was amazing - certainly the most enjoyable/rewarding experience of my life so far. The cheetahs are beautiful and the staff are amazing - you get all the support you need and ... [ Read more... ]

Kathryn volunteered with elephants before starting college where she will study zoology with a hope to work with endangered species one day."The whole experience was beyond amazing; the most amazing experience of my life!I arrived after a long and tiring flight to George airport in the afternoon. As I walked ... [ Read more... ]

Abi was training to be a nurse and decided to do something completely different during her summer holiday. "I ABSOLUTELY loved my time working with elephants; I'm considering going back next year after uni to stay for much longer :) I don't really know how to put because it was all ... [ Read more... ]

Lewis Goodgers spent some of his gap year on a voluntary teaching placement in China arranged with Lattitude Global Volunteering. He found that China has got under his skin and believes that his time in the country is now firmly etched in his memory and is the best experience ... [ Read more... ]

During her gap year Laura took a teaching placement in Malawi.  She fell in love with her students and the country.  Her experience helped her to decide her career path and she is now at university training to become a teacher. In January 2011, I embarked on the adventure of ... [ Read more... ]

Katherine Price loves horses and chose to spend a month in Argentina on a placement where horses are used to help children with disabilities, the equivalent of Riding for the Disabled.  She was also able to travel in Argentina. When I arrived...I stepped off the plane in Cordoba and landed in ... [ Read more... ]

<Jennifer Byres spent a month as an intern journalist with the Madurai Messenger in the Tamil Nadu region of southern India. Her placement was arranged with Projects Abroad. She gained valuable experience on her placement as a journalist and not just about journalism. But she also learned much about the ... [ Read more... ]

Ishaq Mahmood is an undergraduate with a strong interest in Human Rights and inter-faith relationships.  In August 2011 he spent two weeks in Accra, Ghana on a human rights placement arranged with Year Out Group founder member Projects Abroad. "I decided to choose Projects Abroad after finding that they would be ... [ Read more... ]

Christina Coppola from America relates her experience working with female street children in Ethiopia on a gap year placement arranged with Projects Abroad.  Her time in Ethiopia certainly had an impact on her and she made a difference to the lives of the girls both inside and outside the classroom."I ... [ Read more... ]

I'm Rosanna Bartley and my gap year internship in Shanghai was arranged with Projects Abroad.Shangahi is just completely different to England - it takes a couple of days to get used to things, especially the amount of people, in all places, at all times. The supermarket on a weekend was ... [ Read more... ]

Rachel Savin spent four months of her gap year teaching ‘underachieving' children in Tanzania on a placement arranged by Africa & Asia Venture.  She found it a rewarding experience. Read her story.Teaching these kids is like nothing else. Of course, when people ask you at home "ohh, are they really ... [ Read more... ]

I've been to the most amazing places, seen the most amazing things, and met some of the most amazing people. From teaching Maths to eager eyes in classrooms in Kenya to reaching Machu Picchu after 4 days of trekking the fabulous Inca Trail in fancy dress, I have had some ... [ Read more... ]

  I had always wanted to take a year out between school and university, one of my main ambitions has always been to become a ski instructor. I started skiing at a very young age, so it is one of my favourite sports. I started looking at different companies to ... [ Read more... ]

Incident management section"A  whirlwind week of snake bites, parang wounds and drownings. The instructors played their roles to perfection, ridiculous though their injuries were.The idea was to push every ELT to his/her limit and test their resolve. Imaginary scenarios were thrown at us from all angles; at all times ... [ Read more... ]

"I just returned from Australia a couple weeks ago. I had an amazing time. Ashley and I had the opportunity to travel to the Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand and Hawaii before returning home. It took us a month but it was a great trip!I also wanted to provide ... [ Read more... ]

"My Fijian journey started about a year before I was due to go on my elective and when I finally got there it certainly did not disappoint! I feel that my elective consisted of three different sections so I will talk about each in turn and share my experience of ... [ Read more... ]

Well Tanzania... where to start! Arrived late at night, so in the morning Joe took me for a great walk around the area and introduced me to some locals and the adorable kids. Felt really welcomed by everyone in Uchira, and they really do appreciate the work we contributed to ... [ Read more... ]

"In 2011 I arrived at Stony Cove in the Bahamas. To even begin to tell you everything that happened while we were there would take up far too much space, so I'll try and keep it to the best bits.The first impressions of the place were breathtaking, a white ... [ Read more... ]

Taking dala dalas (public transit buses, similar to a VW bus in the States) in the initial days in Dar Es Salaam prepared me well for the month long Ultimate Tanzania trip. The strangers on the bus also didn't seem to mind as they quietly sat and my new ... [ Read more... ]

Well finally back from Nepal and had time to reflect on the 6 weeks I spent in this country. I had the good fortune to share my teaching experience with Ben one of the many wonderful volunteers I met while I was there. I wasn't sure if we would have a ... [ Read more... ]

Especially with like minded people who are doing wonderful things around the world.  One such friend is The Abraham Foundation - an inspiring organisation based in New York.  The Foundation's aim is to discover, develop and support grass root conservation initiatives.  They have successfully been doing so for years! ... [ Read more... ]

  For many of Africa & Asia Venture's (AV) volunteers their time on project is often the start of something much bigger, igniting a spark of inspiration to get involved further - whether it be returning to their school time and time again, starting their own charity or becoming involved with ... [ Read more... ]

First arriving in Ghana was incredible; I have done some travelling before but never for so long. Stepping off the plane and the first thing to greet me was a great gust of heat. I was slightly nervous and apprehensive because I have never been to Africa and I ... [ Read more... ]

When Lauren Queen completed an environmental law module during her degree course, she knew that this was the path she wished to follow.  She realised also that she needed practical experience and so took a voluntary work placement with Lattitude Global Volunteering and was also grateful for Lattiude's graduate ... [ Read more... ]

Before leaving for my project I had no plans to really be involved that much in the classroom as I probably had the same thoughts as many people - I'm not experienced enough to teach a large class of children in England, let alone in Kenya and would I ... [ Read more... ]

Geraldine Borg is a psychology graduate and psychotherapist who lives in Malta.  She recently completed a split placement in Madurai, India teaching in the morning and working in an orphanage in the afternoon. I'm not sure how my love for India began, but I do know that I had wanted ... [ Read more... ]