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Lugging a backpack round dingy hostels in the world's
backwaters is no longer all there is to taking a gap year. Tom Griffiths outlines
some of the best and more adventurous reasons for taking off.
What is a gap year? If you think it's all about fresh-faced,
newly-dreadlocked, double- barrelled 18 year olds squandering their trust funds
on the beaches of Thailand, you've got some catching up to do. Once seen
as the preserve of the young and posh, it now seems that everyone is getting
in on this gap year thing.
While increasing numbers of people are taking a year out after A levels or
highers to see the world, this is only one sort of gap year. The modern gap trip
needs a bit of redefining. It doesn't need to be a whole year, it doesn't
have to be taken between school and university, and it's not just about
travel.
You can take a gap year at any stage of life, and spend it doingÉ well,
anything really.
The modern 'gapper' is just as likely to be a teacher taking
a sabbatical to learn Spanish in Barcelona, an engineer spending six months passing
on his skills in Tanzania or a graduate picking up some work experience in Munich
as a backpack-wielding adolescent named Tarquin.
So, could a gap year be for you? Well, if you fancy taking some constructive
time out from the conveyor belt of modern life (education, career, family or
retirement), the answer is yes. Need more persuading? Check out these unusual
gap year ideasÉ
1
Take an art history tour of Italy
See the world's most beautiful and iconic works of art for yourself, from
Michelangelo's David, to Botticelli's Birth of Venus, to that rather
famous ceiling. As you go, learn more about the artists and movements that shaped
western civilisation in the company of like-minded arty types.
Where: easyJet has cheap flights to Italy's most culture-packed cities:
Rome, Venice, Naples, Pisa, Turin, Bologna and Milan.
How: Art History Abroad offers cultural tours of Italy for gap year students,
lasting from two to six weeks. They promise inspiring young tutors, fun nights
out and more masterpieces than you can shake a stick at. Disclaimer: we do not
recommend the shaking of sticks at masterpieces if you want to avoid arrest.
www.arthistoryabroad.com
2
Learn to speak Spanish in Spain
Not just sexy but useful too, Spanish is the third most commonly spoken language
in the world. A grasp of the language will help you to explore Spain, most of
Central and South America and much of the Caribbean.
Where: Barcelona is the perfect place to learn Spanish. One of the coolest
cities on the planet, it's home to Gaudi's weird and wonderful
architecture, a pulsing nightlife and tapas galore. Or, if you're a sun-worshipper,
take a course in Malaga and spend your weekends on the golden beaches of the
Costa Del Sol.
How: EF runs Spanish courses in Barcelona and Malaga for people of all ages
and levels. They'll sort you out with local accommodation, so you can
really immerse yourself in Spanish life. www.ef.com.
3
Train as a ski or snowboard instructor Mind the Gap easyJet
If you prefer the slopes to the office and would rather travel to work by
chair-lift than by tube, why not take some time out to train for one of the gnarliest
careers there is? That's snowboard speak, in case you wondered. Don't
worry, you can probably take a course in that too.
Where: Winter sports hotspots include France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany.
easyJet flies to Geneva, Lyon, Turin and Munich, making the slopes more accessible
than ever before.
How: Instructor courses are run all over Europe. They'll improve your
technique and teach you coaching, first-aid and mountain-awareness skills. At
the end, you'll need to pass instructor exams, and then the world—at
least the snow-covered, pointy bits of it—will be your oyster. www.natives.co.uk/instructor
4
Work in an orphanage in Eastern Europe
Home to fairytale cities and lush, little-explored scenery, Eastern Europe
is also plagued by poverty and social problems. By working as a volunteer in
an orphanage here, you can help to provide the attention, affection and fun that
orphaned kids need.
Where: easyJet runs flights to loads of Eastern European destinations: Estonia,
Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Rep and Slovenia.
How: Volunteer organisation Changing Worlds arranges placements in Eastern
European orphanages. This is demanding work—you won't need any
qualifications, but you will need bags of energy, the patience of a saint and
a big heart. www.changingworlds.co.uk
5
Work as a children s activity instructor
Every year thousands of kids visit activity camps in Europe, on school trips,
with their families or solo. A job as an activity instructor (teaching soccer,
water-sports, climbing, horse- riding and loads more) is a fun way to spend a
summer, earn money and meet people. Camps also recruit domestic and admin staff.
Where: There are thousands of job opportunities on camps in France and Spain.
Fly to one of easyJet's 16 destinations in these countries, including
Marseilles, Nice and Barcelona.
How: PGL recruits over 2,500 staff a year to work on their camps. The PGL
season lasts from February to November, but you can work for as little as eight
weeks of this if you want. www.pgl.co.uk
6
Train as a windsurfing or sailing instructor
If you fancy quitting your office job for a life on the ocean wave, piracy
is not your only option. Before you invest in a parrot, consider training as
a watersports instructor. This will set you up for a dream career in seaside
resorts around the world.
Where: Greece is the best place for water-sports in Europe—fly into
Athens.
How: Flying Fish runs instructor courses for windsurfers, kite-surfers
and sailors in Greece. Some courses are suitable for beginners while others are
fast-track courses aimed at people with more experience. Once you've qualified, they'll
help you to find a water-sports job. www.flyingfishonline.com
PADI's Open Water Diver course consists of classes, pool dives and open
water dives. When qualified, you'll have the freedom to dive where you
like with a buddy.
Where: Portugal is a great place to learn to dive. Visitors to Portugal's
seas include shoals of colourful fish, whales, dolphins, sharks, seals, turtles
and the world's highest density of seahorses. Fly to Faro to start your
underwater adventure.
How: Make sure you choose a PADI dive school, certified by the Professional
Association of Diving Instructors. There are lots in Portugal. www.padi.com
8
Learn to make movies at the Czech Film School
The PCFE Film School in Prague provides hands-on instruction in the fundamentals
of filmmaking, concentrating on screenwriting, directing, editing and cinematography.
It boasts state-of-the-art equipment and top teachers including Oscar and Cannes
award- winning directors.
Where: Beautiful Prague in the Czech Republic.
How: The film school offers year-long filmmaking courses, three-month long
filmmaking 'semesters', or three-week long summer workshops. Check
out the various scholarships on offer. www.filmstudies.cz
9
Work on organic farms around Europe
The World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms scheme (WWOOF) enables volunteers
to help on farms all over the world, in exchange for bed, board and practical
experience. You'll get to know the most beautiful, rustic and tourist-free
areas of a country while meeting like-minded folks.
Where: WWOOFing is big in France, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Denmark,
Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland, all of which are served by easyJet.
How: You'll need to join the national WWOOF organization based in the
country where you want to help. The organization will put you in touch with all
the host farms in that country, and it'll be up to you to contact the
farms. www.wwoof.org
10
... or do an easyJet grand tour!
Nowadays, with easyJet offering low-price flights between 56 European destinations,
you can plan your own modern-day Grand Tour.
Where: Start at one of 12 airports in the UK, and work your way around Europe.
How: Book all your tickets in advance, or use Internet cafes to book online
as you go along. All easyJet tickets are flexible—for an administrative
fee plus any difference in fare, you can change your flight—meaning you
can adapt your route if you want. Easy peasy! www.easyjet.comFor
more ideas like these visit www.gapyear.com.
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