I can tell what you’re thinking, no more learning for me. A gap year is a break between college and university or between university and a career. A gap year is a time in your life when you are able to leave all your worries behind and relax. But what you might not realise is, you’ll be learning the whole time you’re away. When you volunteer in Africa you are in fact signing up for a lifetime of experiences all in one trip.

Speaking the Lingo

The chances of you leaving Europe or the USA and travelling to a far flung destination, English will not be the mother tongue. Whether you end up doing work as a volunteer in Malawi you will more than likely be learning a few words of the local language whether that’s Swahili or Chichewa. It’s great to learn new languages and the locals really appreciate the effort you put in.

Calculating The Numbers

Not all of us are mathematicians and in fact many of us were glad the day the calculator appeared on the mobile phone. The reality is if you are travelling to another country you have to get used to the currency and also the ever changing exchange rate. You will know how much money you have in your account when you leave home but the real question is do you know how much that converts to in Tanzanian Shillings or Malawi Kwacha? Even more important do you know the currency well enough to do quick calculations in their head while battering at a local market?

Learning Life Lessons

We all leave school thinking that we know it all, in fact when we were teenagers we thought we knew it all. An experience like this away from home is a very steep learning curve and you will end up learning more overseas than you ever would have at home. A gap year participating in volunteer opportunities abroad is likely to be the first time away for many people, doing their own laundry, making their own food. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity

Technorati Tags: , , ,