7 Questions to Ask When Considering a Gap Year

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Hi everyone, Im strongly considering gap year after i graduate form high school. No matter where i go, I konw i want to teach english. After graduation i will have studied 5 years of spanish. I cant decide if it would be better for me to go to a country where they speak spanish or a different language(becuase i do want to learn arabic in the future). If i went to a country where i dont know the language, would i even be able to communicate with them enough to help them learn english? HELP!!

Lauren of MI 2:05PM July 11, 2011

I know many HS grads who have taken a gap year for one or more of the reasons mentioned above. None has regretted the decision! One thing on the minds of many: "After sitting in a Spanish/French/Chinese class for the last 4 years, I still can't carry on a simple conversation in the language without sounding like a 5-year old!" Honing language skills, then, is a big reason for taking some time out before college. Just "travelling around" a Spanish-speaking country (for example) won't get you where you want to go, however. You need some further instruction, a homestay and, probably, a program with enough structure in order to make sure that you are immersed in the language 24/7.
John

John Rosen 11:42AM June 09, 2010

I agree with Zack - I spent 4 months in Northern India teaching English to a community called the Lepchas. It was a huge challenge and definitely out of my confort zone - no running water or electricity! But living with a host family gave me the chance to really immerse myself in their culture and traditions - it was actually life changing! I now look forward to starting College in the Fall. I volunteered with a UK based company called Africa & Asia Venture (www.aventure.co.uk).

Sarah of CA 10:07AM May 19, 2010