How I’m planning my gap year

Planning a gap year can be daunting. Especially given that gap year travel most often entails living abroad for several months at a time and leaving your life behind.

When I initially started planning out my gap year, I felt flustered and didn’t really feel like I knew where to begin. How could I? There are countless countries I wanted to visit and adventures I couldn’t wait to have. That said, after a few months of gap year preparations and planning, I’m finally starting to get the hang of it. Here’s how you can also start planning for one of the most exciting years of your life.

Research, research, research.

In addition to thinking about how long you want to go on your gap year for, it’s a good idea to research various travel companies. For example, if you’re looking for organized, group travel, you might want to look into G Adventures, Intrepid, or Contiki. Someone looking for a volunteer placement abroad might find companies like Global Work & Travel, IVHQ, or Go Eco helpful in planning their trip. Taking a look at the various travel styles available can help you choose what direction you want to take during your gap year.

Write out your travel bucket list.

Grab a pen and paper and brain dump all the countries you want to visit and activities you’d like to do. Your travel bucket list might look something like this:

  1. Philippines

  2. Indonesia

  3. Kenya

  4. Namibia

  5. Nepal

  6. Sri Lanka

  7. Laos

  8. Vietnam

  9. Cambodia

  10. Thailand

  11. Colombia

  12. Hawaii

  13. Alaska

  14. Horseback ride

  15. Everest Base Camp trek

  16. Stay in a capsule hotel

  17. African safari

    In writing all the places you’d like to go, you might start to notice certain themes. For example, my bucket list consists primarily of countries situated in Southeast Asia. After jotting everything down, you can begin to narrow down your list. By looking at mine, it becomes clear that maybe backpacking Southeast Asia and then heading halfway across the world just to visit Colombia would be a little unrealistic.

Create a realistic budget.

Take into consideration how long you’ll be travelling and what countries you’d like to visit. Someone visiting Southeast Asia will definitely have a different budget from someone inter-railing Europe. Make sure to think about what travel style you see yourself doing most. Are you more of a budget traveller who likes to stay in hostels and occasionally cook your own meal, or would you prefer staying in luxury hotels and taking part in many excursions. Take a look at what typical meals might cost in your countries of choice and do some quick maths to put together a budget based on how long you’ll be gone. Don’t forget to take into account just how much you’re willing and capable of saving. Ask yourself if you’re willing to get a second job, sacrifice eating out, and if your savings plan is actually feasible for your lifestyle.

Put together an itinerary.

Now that you’ve done some research and have a clearer idea of what you’d like to do during your gap year, it’s time to put together your itinerary based on your budget and time frame. Don’t forget to take into account any holidays, celebrations, and festivals that might be happening while you’re away, such as Ramadan, Oktoberfest, and Holi.

Familiarize yourself with entry requirements.

Certain countries require visas or immunizations to enter. Reach out to the local consulate of the countries you want to visit, and take a look at your government’s travel advisories to find out whether you need to apply in advance for a visa or visit a travel nurse for vaccinations.

Finishing touches.

Make an appointment with a travel nurse for any necessary immunizations or medications you might need while abroad. For example, travelling at high altitudes might require you to obtain altitude-sickness medication. In addition, now is a good time to consider when your visas might be ready and finalize your itinerary and decide when you’ll be ready to leave. Final preparations might include you getting a travel credit card, cancelling any unnecessary subscriptions, getting travel insurance, purchasing a a VPN, getting a new backpack, and calling your local bank to let them know you’ll be abroad for a while.

Get ready to leave.

Well, the time has come. You’ve saved everything, booked your first few flights, and are ready to get going. Don’t forget to download offline maps on Google, local transport apps such as Lyft, Uber, or Grab, and a translation app. Most of all, don’t forget your camera so you can document all the memories you’re about to make.

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10 Ways to Spend Your Gap Year Abroad