Top 10 reasons to take and adult gap year
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Top 10 reasons to take and adult gap year

Do you think a Gap Year is just for kids? Do you want to escape your humdrum job and do something worthwhile? Do you need encouragement to make a change? The ‘Adult Gap Year’ is becoming increasingly popular. In the latest World Travel Blogger article, Caroline Revell, of Original Volunteers, shares some great reasons to take time out and make a difference.

10 reasons to take an Adult Gap Year

Volunteering and travelling is often marketed at the twenty-somethings finding themselves in the world. This is no longer true. More mature volunteers are taking the leap and planning an Adult Gap Year’. Here are 10 really good reasons you should go for it!

 1.  Meet New People

10 great reasons to take an adult gap year

You don’t need someone to set off with. Solo Travel is a great way to go. You will find like-minded people, all keen to meet others to enjoy their experience with. It is likely you will meet someone and plan a second trip with! You’ll know you already get on well and are suitable travelling companions.

2.  Use Your Home As Income

Students, the typical gappers are known for being poor. It makes sense taking a gap year when you’re older, naturally, you will have more money to do more stuff! Travelling without financial reins is liberating. For mortgage-free travellers heading to low-cost destinations, rental income could cover all your monthly travel expenses and more.

3.  You Have A Lot To Offer

Top 10 reasons to take an adult gap year

We think we know everything in our teens, how wrong we were. You can be more appreciative of things and understand other people more when you have lived a bit, whether you are using your skill to volunteer abroad in an underdeveloped country or just offering words of wisdom to others.

4.  Take a Deserved Break

Wanting to escape the 9-5 to travel doesn’t mean you have to change your job. People usually associate taking a gap year with a career change. Howeveer, many businesses offer long-term sabbaticals for people to go travelling, so have a chat with your HR department or career adviser.

5.  Change Career

Realising you’re in the wrong career is daunting, but remember – you’re not imprisoned, no one is forcing you to continue the career path you are on. Volunteering can be a great way to try out different things and get a better sense of what career you want when you return home. Affordable volunteering programmes can also make your gap year cheaper.

6.  Learn A New Language

Top 10 reasons to take an adult gap year

Language classes and online tools are ‘two a penny’ but can still take up valuable time before you depart. There is no easier way to learn a new language than throwing yourself in the deep end, surrounded by locals. By speaking with locals you will learn the everyday language needed, rather than stuffy grammar and out of date phrases. You don’t want to arrive in Morocco to find you learnt the wrong type of Arabic!

7.  Get To Know Yourself

10 great reasons to take an adult gap year

Stripping away daily distractions at work and home gives you time to get to know yourself on a more personal level. Long journeys with strangers can teach us a lot about ourselves. You will discover your strengths and weaknesses, maybe you’re better in a crisis and more helpful to others than you realised.

8.  Experience a Different Culture

Top 10 reasons to take an adult gap year

Seek out opportunities to spend time with local people in a relaxed, informal way. You will learn far more about the culture than from large organised tours. A great way to do this is via personal tour guides, you may a bit extra but you will have the freedom to discuss all aspects of the country, its people and practise the language.

9.  Time to Reflect

Visiting underdeveloped countries can put the value of money and material possessions into perspective. It is too easy to slip into the mentality of wanting the perfect life; the perfect house, garden and constantly working hard to live the life you think you should be living. An adult gap year gives you time to reflect on what’s really important in your life.

10. Tick off your Bucket List

Top 10 reasons to take an adult gap year

Waiting for the perfect time to go travelling is pointless as it will never come! There is no right or wrong time to take an adult gap year. You just need to pluck up the courage and go. Go with your gut instinct and follow where you are feeling you are being drawn towards. Falling in love with new places is a heartwarming feeling.

Caroline Revell Original Volunteers

ORIGINAL VOLUNTEERS

Caroline Revell has worked for the affordable break-through British based volunteer-sending organisation Original Volunteers (www.originalvolunteers.co.uk) in the UK since its inception in 2006. She has recently seen an increase in the number of enquiries from maturer career-breakers and early retirees embarking on their own adult gap year adventure.

Read more: Top 10 really useful Solo Travel Tips for 50+ Traveller