Taking a gap year after college to spend time in a different country is the most enticing, educational, and scary thing I’ve ever decided to do. I want to share some information in hopes of getting others to consider doing the same. It is definitely risky, especially right after graduating college, but if you save money and work hard beforehand, anyone can do it.
Why it’s enticing:
OPPORTUNITIES. For me, the train station in the city I live near can pretty much take me anywhere in Italy. I’m able to travel to Venice, Florence, Milan, Verona, Siena, Rome, Bologna, and more within a few hours. It’s so easy! I have the opportunity to roam around a bunch of different cities, try their food, and see their way of living. Even plane rides are easier, faster, and much cheaper when you aren’t in America. If you are in a different country for more than a few weeks, there is plenty of time to travel to even more countries.
BEAUTY. There is so much to see. Landmarks and landscapes are a must, but there’s so much more to see than the famous landmarks. Making your own route when you travel is so important. Get off the train, and wander down roads with no map. I promise you will see even more than you can imagine and it will be so worth it.
Why it’s educational:
CULTURE. Living in a different country is entirely different than where you live right now. With day to day routines, food, celebrations, language, and more, you are going to learn more than you ever did in any class you took at school. You’re learning without even trying.
PEOPLE. You meet people who will share their stories with you. You will even learn from people you don’t even speak to. The people that you can’t speak to because they don’t speak your language and you don’t speak theirs- you can still learn about them by their actions.
INDEPENDENCE. Going to a new place alone is a way to test your independence. For me, I’m living with a family, but I still have responsibilities. I’m away from my own family which makes my way of living much different. If I need something, I have to figure it out on my own, or find a way by asking the people I’m living with. When I travel alone, I have to be in charge of everything.
Why it’s scary:
INDEPENDENCE! This can be a positive and a negative. Moving to a new country all by yourself, with no one you know is kind of terrifying. Not necessarily a negative, though. Just- scary. You just have to make sure you have an open mind, and if you hate it, you can go home. It’s up to you.
I can’t really say much more about why it’s scary, because, well, look at the rest of my blog.
