More and more students are choosing to take a gap year between school and university. It gives them some experience in life before they take on the task of another three years or more of study. Traditionally many students went far afield and for many years backpacking in Asia or South America was extremely popular.
However, there are many different types of gap year that students undertake. Some choose to go and live in a European city for the chance to learn the culture and language, so Long term lets Spain are very popular for some.
Others prefer the rugged outdoors and take up some sort of sport instructor lifestyle, such as skiing, snowboarding or windsurfing, although these tend to be more seasonal. It is a great idea though to make money and stay fit.
Most gap year students do need to top up their savings with earning some money, so they often take different seasonal jobs in other countries such as fruit picking or sheep shearing in Australia or New Zealand.
Yet others are pulled by the vocational life and more and more students are turning to charitable work in their year abroad. There are many specialist organisations who can arrange this for a fee. Jobs such as teaching children in Africa or helping out in women's refuges or orphanages in the Far East.
