Wahooo GAPYEAR! (Gap Years in general)

Member Name: mizzy

Product:	Gap Years in general
Date:	22/02/09 (109 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great experiences

Disadvantages: costs a lot of money

I am planning a gapyear after university! I already have a job lined up in Italy for the summer as a kids courier on a campsite. We are leaving for our round the world trip at the beginning of October this year!

I really didnt want to go straight into working after my degree, my boyfriend did this 2 years ago, and he has been really bored and wanting to go travelling ever since, so I decided I would go with him! My degree finishes this year so I thought it would be a good time to go, especially with the credit crunch I couldnt face staying in boring britain, and I really didnt want to move home after 3 years of independance.

So, we have been saving our socks off to buy the ticket, which we are buying this week! WOW how weird it will be to hand over £1500 for the trip of a lifetime.
To save this money I have been working in a bar, trying to live off my student loan and save my wages. I also have had a bit of help from my gran. Ive also been writing on here and slice the pie to save the pennies.

We are planning to go to New York, LA, San fransisco, Las Vegas and the grand canyon, for 3 weeks! Then New Zealand for 3-4 weeks. Then we are planning on doing an OZ intro week in Sydney, staying in Sydney for xmas and NY then trying to get jobs in OZ anywhere we can. I will do anything, including fruit picking, bar work, childcare. If we find somewhere really nice we will stay there for a bit longer and try and get into the aussie way of life.

After 12 months, which is when the oz visa runs out, we will return via Thailand, for as long as we can afford, and then I have no idea what I want to do after that. Probably flute teaching until I can go travelling again if I like it!

I am so excited about getting the ticket this week, its also made me go into manic money mode so thats why there are a few more reviews from me this week than usual.

I think that a gapyear can give you so many experiences rather than just working 9-5. I dont have any kids so its a great time to go before I have to get a proper full time job and be an adult. I will be 22 by the time I get back and my boyfriend will be 26!

I also hope future employers see that Ive done useful things on my gapyear and not just gone around getting drunk which is not what I want to do. I want to see some amazing things, try skidiving/snorkel on great barrier reef/sail whitsunday islands/full moon party/temples in vietnam/grand canyon. etc etc. I wil try and do as many things as money and time allows!

Summary: I cant wait!