one year of freedom - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

RootBrewskies · 05-08-2006, 05:45 PM

so i had plans of going to law school, but with the option to defer for a year and get a scholarship increase i appear to be in a one year of freedom. similar to seinfeld's 'Summer of George' but instead its the 'Year of Parker'.

i'm currently working, but if i defer law school for a year, i'm quiting my job. i dont plan to put off school for another year just so i can sit around and do the same old job. if i do it i'm going to spend it doing something that i wont ever have the chance to do again.

i have no real experience but i've thought about the options of teaching english abroad. there is also the opportunity to just travel and work hostel to hostel to pay for some of the trip.

does anyone have any suggestions.

or given the same situation. a year of freedom, to do what you want. to volunteer, travel, etc. what would u do?

**freespiritz** · 05-08-2006, 08:18 PM

Taking time off is a fantabulous idea. :D

It kinda depends where your interests lie and if you intend to make money or spend money. It's obviously easier to spend if you have the moolah. :P

Also, if you just want to meander through as many places as possible, or live in one or just a few places and really get to know it. Both are rewarding, but give very different experiences.

I did 5 months of my gap year with a Christian organization doing a Bible school/cultural studies/missions in three different countries and it was an amazing experience - very different from just travelling through. If you aren't interested with something w/ religious affiliations, I'm sure there are plenty of volunteer and travel organizations that could hook you up with doing relief/volunteer work.

I think teaching is a good idea too. I'm intending to get certified to teach ESL at some point and perhaps use that as a passport to travel (the Middle East hopefully).

Besides teaching, you could learn a language, I'd like to learn French, Spanish and Arabic immersion style on an intensive program/school instead of at college where I won't be forced to utilize it, which is partly why I'm going to China for three months this year.

A friend and I also want to do the travelling performer thing around Europe at some point - she's gonna work on her juggling skillz. I'll stick to what I know - guitar, and we'll see how far that can take us.

There are also all sorts of programs around if you hunt for them. I'm looking at doing a program with STA travel that hooks people up with work on an Australian outback ranch. I'm not anticipating spending enough time there to make any money whatsoever - rather, it will cost me a fair bit, but the experience would be amazing.

You could also just straight up backpack and look for odd jobs on the way I guess. I'd love to do something like follow the Silk Road, the Trans-Siberian railway and all that jazz.

Other random things I'd like to do: hit up a bunch of top dive sites in the world, work with conservation i.e. at turtle rehab centers, catch as many festivals as possible.

I hope my ramble helps, but follow your passions whatever you do, and I'm sure you'll have an amazing time!

**Joker** · 05-08-2006, 08:29 PM

If you've got a Bachelor's there are a ton of English programs out there. FWIW, I hear Japanese and Korean programs pay the most, and you don't have to pay income taxes on it...

**expatben** · 05-08-2006, 11:41 PM

I've done the ESL thing as a certified TESOL teacher. It can be a blast or you can live to regret it. It really depends on where you go and stuff.

**bellelass** · 05-08-2006, 11:46 PM

Korea is paying the best for english teachers just now. I am considering it in the near future myself. A year or two from now. It seems like a really good way to provide knowledge to someone who wants it, and to snuggle down in a community and figure out what its all about. Thats why I like to travel. For the snuggling.

Its kind of time consuming but its just so very nice.

**bellelass** · 05-08-2006, 11:51 PM

A decent place to start for teaching english jobs.

Also, volunteer work

I love Escape Artist, sometimes you kind of have to wade through things, but on the whole its very informative and makes me consider options I never realized I had. Like Freighter Travel.

**Somnambulation** · 05-08-2006, 11:55 PM

I took a year off last year before law school, and did kind of the same thing. After beating Grand Theft Auto: SA I found myself in the middle of November with nothing to occupy my time, so I went to London to work and travel. Although being in law school will only make you pine for the times when you were travelling without a care in the world, its definitely something you should do beforehand.

**expatben** · 05-09-2006, 01:58 AM

Another cool site for ESL is Dave's Many people consider Dave's to be the place to go for getting started.
Timmy could probably be more of a help as he is currently teaching overseas. I have heard Korea pays the best but be careful about the tourist visa problems. Make sure your school offers you a proper visa. I have heard of people being deported.

**aliz** · 05-09-2006, 02:05 AM

I finished school last year, deferred my fashion design course and I'm currently in my 'year off'. the year was intended to be spent living at home and working in order to save money for when I have to live in sydney (the course i got into is there). so anyway after about two months of working I thought 'screw this I'm going to germany' (there's a guy there...) but not being able to afford the trip I got another job so now I'm working twice as hard and still have 5 months until I leave.... and also I'm going to be away for a long time so my year off will end up being more than one year... but anyway enough about me, what I'm trying to say is that a year off is a really good idea. I like your attitude of "if i do it i'm going to spend it doing something that i wont ever have the chance to do again" If you think of something you want to do, don't hold back. I started out the year with a plan and I'm glad that I've had the freedom to change that plan without worrying about having just started a degree - I think you need to time to figure out exactly what it is you want to do and give everything a go. by the end of this year I'll have done waitressing, retail work, housekeeping and office work - and who knows what else! I still don't know if I'm doing the right thing but thats the fun part I guess. to quote a great movie... climb every mountain

ahaha I just reread over that and it was so cliched. meh

**worldwidemike** · 05-09-2006, 02:16 AM

Some ideas...

Learn Spanish in an Immersion program and then spend the rest of the year traveling through Latin America / South America...

Volunteer on a Kibbutz in Israel and take your time off from there and see Israel, Jordan and Egypt (which I *think* are the only 2 Arab countries you'll be able to directly access from Israel...)...

Do a Round The World trip...

Plus, any of the other suggestions by other TPers above sound great, too!

Good luck!

worldwidemike

**LiveFreeorDie** · 05-09-2006, 02:49 AM

As I like to dive, I have always thought it would be great to take a year off and do a divemaster internship with a dive company in Asia, either Thailand or Malaysia. Of course, as you don't generally get paid, you need some cash to do this (though in Thailand you can get by on not a lot of money). Teaching english would also be cool. Good luck whatever you decide!