What to do?
There are a wealth of opportunities available to you as a gap year traveller. Here are just some of the activities gap year students choose to do:
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Conservation projects e.g. working on wildlife reserves; planting trees.
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Field research e.g. as a field assistant on a research project, independent research or on a course at a Field Study Centre
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Expeditions in remote or challenging environments
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Caring e.g. working with street children, or in an orphanage.
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Teaching e.g. being a teaching assistant or Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).
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Outdoor education and camps e.g. working in outward bound centres or summer camps.
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Learning a new outdoor skill e.g. climbing, sailing, canoeing, trekking, skiing, desert travel.
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Courses and cultural exchanges e.g. languages, university summer courses.
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Worke.g. paid work, work experience, internships.
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Independent travel.
To help you decide:
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Think about what experiences would fit in with your aims and objectives.
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Speak to people who have been on or are knowledgeable about gap years.
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When you find something which sounds attractive, search for other similar opportunities and compare what is on offer.
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Look at books and gap year websites. Some you may wish to look at include: