As a veteran of the gap year, I was very excited for my children to get to the age where they would have the opportunity to go and see the world and gain some essential life experience. It’s not easy for a parent to send their kids out into the unknown for the first time even though I did the same to my parents not so long ago. I might even be more worried than they were back then. I know that things have changed so much since I took a gap year in 2001, but the reasons behind it remain the same. This would be for my children what it was for me, an unforgettable, life-altering experience.
The gap year is a hallowed tradition of embarking on a grand adventure to find oneself, or, in my case, to escape the clutches of a hometown’s boredom. In a time when we weren’t nearly as connected as we are today it was even more isolating, it felt like I grew up on an island. My gap year was the greatest experience I had in my youth, it shaped me into who I am today as a human and a parent. As I look back on my own gap year adventure, and chuckle at the thought of my child following in my footsteps, I can’t help but marvel at the differences between then and now. Even though the term gap year hasn’t changed much over the years, the benefits now far outweigh the possible negatives.
Back in my day, the gap year was all about soul-searching and self-discovery. I remember when I was armed with nothing but a backpack, a map, and a sense of adventure. I set out to find myself amidst the chaos of foreign lands and questionable hostel accommodations. My goal was to find my true identity, or at least stumble upon a decent cup of coffee in the process, which before the dawn of the barista was a tall order to say the least, especially on my budget.
Fast forward to today, and it seems the gap year has undergone a radical makeover. No longer content with mere self-discovery, my child and her peers are on a mission to save the world; one community at a time. She is readily armed with lofty aspirations and an Instagram account. The voluntourism of today is all about finding a cause and making a difference while finding yourself and learning more about other communities and cultures. I find this beautiful, no longer is it such a selfish pursuit, but one that comes with responsibility to more than oneself.
In my day, a gap year meant surviving on a diet of instant noodles and questionable street food, all in the name of budget backpacking. A lovely host family and safe accommodation? These options didn’t exist for young travelers. I considered myself lucky if my hostel had hot water and a bed that didn’t double as a torture device. But who needs comfort when you’ve got adventure, right? These are things my parents feared, but could never actually know about because luckily for me, it was a bit harder to communicate from overseas in those days so they just had to take my word for it when I said everything was fantastic.
These days, it’s all about voluntourism and ethical eating. My child wouldn’t dream of going to a remote destination without first researching the environmental impact of her travel or the social responsibility practices of the chosen volunteer organization. Furthermore, dietary restrictions and requirements have changed the game in terms of food accessibility. Vegetarian market stalls, fresh fruit and vegetable vendors, and small businesses with handmade products are easily accessible to feed those looking to leave a smaller footprint on the environment. Who knew gap year cuisine could be so sustainably responsible? Not only this, but I have the peace of mind knowing that my child can reach out at any time should they encounter a problem.
The joys of navigating foreign lands without a clue how to ask for directions or order a decent meal. In my day, getting lost in translation was all part of the adventure. I might have landed myself in some precarious situations back then, but hey who needs Google Maps when you’ve got a paper map and a questionable sense of direction?
These days, my child and her peers are fluent in technology. Language classes and translation apps provide the basics needed to survive before they’ve even board the plane. Thanks to immersive language programs, they’re practically multilingual by the time they arrive back home. They can use Google maps to find their home for the night, the nearest hospital, police station or restaurant in seconds. Meanwhile, I’m still struggling to order a coffee in anything other than my mother tongue.
Thinking about the gap year tradition and how it has evolved; I am relieved that both my child and others can benefit from the evolution of the gap year. From budget backpacking to voluntourism and ethical eating, I can’t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia for the simpler days of self-discovery and questionable cuisine. If my child’s gap year journey is anything like mine, it’s bound to be an adventure worth remembering.