Neat on Suite: The New Trend in Adults Taking a "Gap" Year

Posted by Marci Hotsenpiller Jul 16, 2008

Claire Bolton thinks adults should take a “gap” year from their careers.

"Gap year has developed into more of a concept that a set amount of time. It could mean six months of just backpacking with your partner and not working, or it could involve a five year stint living in a new country with your family. There are also house swap opportunities that keep costs down."

Claire is an Education & Career writer on Suite101, and an experienced speech pathologist/speech-language therapist who has travelled and worked in Australia and the UK. Her first gap year was as a student ten years ago and involved working as an assistant music teacher at a prestigious girls' boarding school just out of London:

“It was the sister school to Eton College (where Prince William was) so it was a world away from what I was used to. I assisted on a music tour to Italy, a history trip to France (D-Day Landings) and supervised students on excursions to London theatres and museums. It was life-changing.”

Now, ten years later, Claire is on a “gap” again, this time working in the UK and catching up with the friends she made ten years ago. This time her year involves working as a speech and language therapist (between travelling).

I first heard the term "gap year" used by young Australians working at British Columbia ski resorts. Claire mentioned the tradition came from when British private boarding schools would offer accommodation/food in exchange for cheap labour from students in Australia and New Zealand:

"Upon recommendation from the Headmasters, the schools would swap one or two students, traditionally school captains or prefects. It used to be an "elite" thing to do and was associated with British students visiting "the colonies", and students from the colonies visiting Britain. These days however it's not as exclusive.”

Great for students but I like Claire’s twist on the concept: even adults in mid career can take a year off to travel the world and learn while they do. Read more here on Suite101.

--Marci