FOR LEAVERS AND VITH FORM
......whether taking a gap year or simply taking time out for a breather (to recover from those brain numbing exams) or to reassess your future, the period just after you leave school has the potential to be the best year of your life. Grab the opportunity with both hands...
This is the Great Adventure-in particular I'm talking about Gap Year travel...A year may seem a bit daunting, but at least 3 months is enough to be away properly and to get a flavour of independence and to enjoy the challenge of using your initiative and increasing your self confidence - you'll probably never be quite so able to take the time to do so again. I know Uni fees may be a problem, but there are many Gap year opportunities to work , play, and to combine business with pleasure - one of the Secrets of Life, during this wonderful time.
"You seriously blew my mind-your talk was visionary, full of practical advice and encouragement...I can't wait for my gap year...". email from Matthew Singmin. Tonbridge.
"It's the only talk I can remember!!" Thomas Gibbs. Oundle, met at the Grange cookery school doing a course before an overseas placement
Remember that one hour's work-which pays you a minimum of over £5/hr as a school leaver, can get you a couple of night's b/b and a base in paradise out of season, in the Far East especially. You will learn how to make the most of your money - to get your money's worth - a great asset later in life, particularly at Uni. Remember too, that you'll be getting huge summer holidays - a great opportunity to use your Student Card for discounts on travel and accommodation and do a Cook's tour of galleries and hysterical monuments on the Continent and into eastern Europe, and perhaps work in a gap year job over the tourist season and polish up your foreign languages for Uni or commerce.
Raising funds for Gap year organisations can be daunting. Given the right information, the more adventurous of you can prepare, work, save, and realise your own gap year dream that will give you huge satisfaction and enhance your self-esteem and confidence forever, and at much less cost. There are loads of very practical and user friendly guide books available, and many on the subject of taking a Gap Year and working abroad, and don't forget, Googlegooglegoogle your questions!
For over 20 years I've been giving these gap year talks at all kinds of schools and have had such wonderful responses from people just like you who have had the most amazing experiences in their gap years all over the world-be one of them! I have many practical ideas for safe gap year travel and suggest safe and easy countries from over 30 years of personal travel experience in which to travel and sometimes work (getting a gap year job). See if you can get your school to book me for a startling, unforgettable, and motivating talk. I usually talk to the Lower VI, which gives you plenty of time to plan ahead, to do some enjoyable but vital research, and think about working for the funds.
You could also get your ever loving parents to book me for an intensely fun, informative, and entertaining talk in the comfort of your own home!
This is all not about loads of money, if the best things in life are not necessarily free, they needn't cost an arm and a leg! - and it's certainly not about going out and buying loads of new equipment. I took a Gap Year from the grey skies of the City in 1972-I'm still on it!!-I've never been back to an office since, and have had so many outrageous adventures with absolutely no regrets. I continually travel to update, meeting school leavers, like you, travelling independently from the West Indies to the East.
Essential points to encourage you to plan for your own Gap.....
The thought of a whole year puts many off...a few months is enough for you to learn so much about yourself and your potential. Think about travelling in the Tropics. It's far cheaper, you don't need to take so much kit, and most importantly local people are far more up for unstructured ad hoc volunteering in schools and local projects.
Motorbike rental is cheap but extremely dodgy. So many monkeys, bad drivers, bad roads, and if you came off with only flip flops and beach clothes, you can seriously damage yourself AND most indurance policies only cover you for up to 50 cc's. Most biokes are 100cc or more, so you're NOT covered for medical expenses. PLEASE BE SO CAREFUL!
One hour working during the summer hols earns approx £5...enough for 5 days' b&b and a base in the tropics with local schools and projects just down the road.
Before you hit the fond parents with the bombshell, do some research and draft out a few ideas of where you'd like to travel, or what you'd like to do, who you'd like to visit, (friends or relatives in Oz?) and about how long for.
Check out the guide books at the library, check out political uncertainties, possible problems, health risks, get an idea of a budget, insurance quotes etc. Your parents should at least respect and approve of your efforts to think ahead in a mature and sensible fashion...any wavering, and get them to buy you decent insurance. If they're still not convinced suggest they fork out thousands of pounds for a gap year nanny to put it on a plate.
Almost any school/project will be delighted to have you assist. for two reasons- 1 kudos. 2 the opportunity to practice their English.
Take a "pocket portfolio " of photos of people and places back home, your family, home, friends, etc, to show and tell in the classroom and the many occasions you have for a chat with interested and friendly locals.
Take a camera to document the wonderful time you'll have with the friendly and appreciative locals.
When you get back and go for interviews for jobs/uni, take your "gap" pocket portfolio to show the interviewer.
You'll have loads to say about the great time you've had, with photos showing some of the peoples, places and projects you've been part of. At the end of the day you will be remembered and probably short listed for having stood out for taking responsibility for yourself and showing independence, initiative, adaptability and the ability to make choices.
Also, and importantly, you haven't relied on the fond parents to present it to you on a plate with a Gap year organisation!
I was in the Himalalas in May where I met a Gapper who'd (or his parents!) had paid over £3000 to a Gap organisation to work in a nearby school. My ticket had cost £600 return, and for a month I bussed, hitched, walked and talked and did ad hoc show and tells in 17 schools along the mind boggling rocky road that led to Ladakh.
I also helped a village prepare for the visit of the Dalai Lama, and happily lived and enjoyed for sometimes as little as a £1 a day, say £100 for the month. So for around £400 inclusive, I flew to India and back and made the days of hundreds of incredibly excited and appreciative children who had never had the chance to have a tourist to themselves to ask questions and look and discuss pictures of places and things they had not even imagined.
Quite a lot of change from £3000 there, and far more scope for initiative and taking responsibility for oneself, learning to adapt and budget.
Later, going to Uni and being away from home seems a bit of a doddle.
ONE IMPORTANT THING IS OBVIOUS, ESPECIALLY WHILST TRAVELLING.... YOU CAN HAVE A LOUSY TIME IN PARADISE OR A FANTASTIC TIME IN A HELLHOLE IT'S ALL DOWN TO......ATTITUDE!!....... (...and this goes for Life, too!)
CARPE DIEM !!
SPECIAL NOTE FOR GIRLS!!...
"I never thought I'd do anything BIG in my gap year.......but here I am travelling independently in outer Mongolia. Thanks!" from Sarah Etherington. St. Catherines
FEAR NOT THAT YOU'RE A GODDESS!! LOADS OF GIRLS ARE SAFELY TRAVELLING INDEPENDENTLY THE WORLD OVER AND HAVING THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES.
GOOGLE "SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAVELLING WOMEN" etc...loads of good advice. GIRLS THINK "YES, I CAN DO THAT"...AND DO IT. BOYS THINK "YES, I CAN DO THAT.. ANYTIME".. AND MANY NEVER QUITE GET AROUND TO IT. HERE ARE SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU WHO'VE GORN BEFORE!
"I can't thank you enough for how much help and advice you have given me and my friends, many of whom are abroad taking an independent Gap year at the moment thanks to you, having the time of their lives and absolutely loving it. " Charlie Chalkly-Maber. Canford .
"Your talk last week was absolutely fantastic! Everyone enjoyed it so much, and since then so many girls have told me how much your advice and amazing pictures have inspired them to take an independent Gap year." Julia Glasson. Head Girl. Guildford HSG.
"With a speaker like Hektor Krome, you cannot but end up exploding with enthusiasm and excited planning for an independent Gap year." Julia Flint, Head Girl, Downe House.
