GAP YEAR

Hello everybody,

My name is Maria and I am very happy because I had a chance after the end of my medical studies to take a Gap year. Thank to Gap 360 I could finally realize my dream to discover India. It was an incredible experience, the best trip of my life!

I wanted to make a special trip where I would be in contact with people and especially to help the people who need it most. It is for it that I decided to leave to Goa to be voluntary. Arrived there low, I contacted an association to help the children to the school. When I began in worked, I felt useful because I saw around me children who needed help, and I saw over time children who trust me and become happy. I was becoming their best friend... So cool!

What I liked a lot there low, it is that there was no typical day, every day was different! Certain days, I helped the children with their alphabet and figures, then another day we leave to discover Goa, a city rich in history and in colour. Thus I had the occasion to visit places in India, I was pleasantly surprised, India is one of the most beautiful country of the world.

During one year, I put all my heart in this experience to help these children, even if at the beginning the language barrier was an obstacle, the children and I had difficulty in be understood but  It was a game for them to see a young student speaking about the language of the signs.

Today I realized my dream: I helped poor children, living in conditions difficult to find the smile. It was a very enriching journey for them but also for me.

So make as me, realize all your dreams and discover the world around you.

 See you soon, for new trip.

 (300 words)

Hi dear readers,

 I’m going to talk about my incredible journey in India during my gap year.First, i wasn’t sure, I had to choose between different plans on the website because one of my best friend had asked me to but i was not convinced by the idea of taking a gap year . Finally, I chose the plan « India Experience » and now i have no regret. During my journey of twenty height days, I did things that i had never been doing before like elephant rides, camel safaris and I discovered a new culture. I visited a lot of monuments including the Taj Mahal.

That was so cool. Phil and Peter, my best Friends, were with me. They were making me feel at home. I did volunteering too. I was helping poor people (I gave them food).

With this journey , i realized that I have a lot of chance to have my way of life because in India, I saw very poor children who lived in the streets and who ate dirty things from garbages … I had never been shocked like that. I saw strange things too : in India, there so many people , so when they took the car or the train, their were people on the roof of it.

So, i’m stopping to talk about India because i don’t want to spoil your envy to go in India. I recommend you to take a plan with « www.gap360.com. », you will be not disappointed.

Best Wishes, Leygon

Links to access the images :

http://api.ning.com/files/sGeqV*sT8d0V4e*2ztJk-jKapZUQ8NN6swNHLQxFGbl-ZqX*S6Vpgv00OgY07PTxh*hvcrDmkG0QysDh6xq501N86vOi292x/AmazingTajmahalPictures2.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Environment/Pix/columnists/2011/6/13/1307978576483/MDG--Generosity-help-poor-005.jpg

Hey dear readers,

Today, my article will be about my gap year in India in January. First, I would like to thank the organization Gap year 360, for which I worked, which helped me to plan my gap year and also to achieve my goals. During my gap year, I was in Goa, in India. I’ve always wanted to volunteer abroad, help other people and discover over cultures, in order to pass over the many stereotypes other people can have.

Start from the beginning, I didn’t know where I would have to volunteer, I wanted to work with children, so the organization found a primary school where I could work. I was pretty happy about it, but I wasn’t no less worried. I felt a little apprehensive but the kids made me feel comfortable quickly. I did this work for 2 weeks.

For the 2 weeks left, I had to participate to a community project, but this time the organization didn’t helped me, so I decided to walk in Goa’s streets, just in case… And I saw many homeless people, I learned that there was a local association which was helping them. So I wanted to join this association, to propose one more pair of hand for free… I fought that people wouldn’t be very comprehensive and kind with me, but in fact they were pretty open-minded and enjoyed the fact that I was helping them and contributing to their project.

When I think about it, my gap year was a good way to grow up and see something else, far from the stress of London where I’m from. I really, really … Advice you to take a gap year. To me, taking a gap year is only benefic, you keep only positive things of this kind of journey, you’ll grow up and get experience !!! And you’ll get good memories...

See you soon, for another trip,

Crayzyx

Links to access the images :

http://indiattitude.canalblog.com/albums/goa/photos/21106855-old_goa_basilique_du_bom_jesus.html

http://indiattitude.canalblog.com/albums/goa/photos/21131604-panaji_quartier_d_altinho.html

http://indiattitude.canalblog.com/albums/goa/photos/21130860-panaji_marche_aux_fleurs.html

Hello everyone,

I would like to present you my gap year.
I went to India in the community in Gorgeous Goa.  During two months, I teached to children many things. My job is a volunteer job.

The first day, I arrived in Goa and I was immediately kindly welcomed. The population was very sympatic. I saw that it was very interesant to teach them, sometimes, on the beach. It was sunny. I observed that it was a very poor community and who live in very difficult condition. I wanted the children to be happier.

The next day, I teached mathematics and differents sports as football, competition of swim, handball … and manuals activities. The childrens were very happy. They had a smile. Theirs parents were also happy by seeing childrens like that.

I appreciated the fact bring good mood around me and see people from poor social classes, smile again. It was a great experience that I lived for two months. I advise you, student who reads this may be, to live an experience of a gap year some parts in the world.

Live your dreams and discover the world around you.

Kindness

(Words 193)

Volunteer in Goa

Good morning everyone

Today, I will speak about my gap year. I went in India during one year and it was very fantastic. It was the best year of my life it was really a good experience because I was with people and I helped them. I chose to be a volunteer in Goa because It’s a really beautiful town. I was very happy to go in Goa and very exciting. I was a volunteer with kids and in local communities. I had to help other people for example I had to teach, take care of children, and participle to women’s empowerment, healthcare or community project.

In Goa I made different things for example I spoke with children in an association. I made some fun activities with children and it was very very funny because I laughed a lot with children. I took up a teaching challenge at an Indian school. I assisted children to improve their knowledge and encouraged them in a range of creative activities.  I helped them with all aspects of learning. I’ll write a typical volunteering day. All those thing were very interesting. I love the job that I have to do in Goa. Every day, when I woke up I was always smiling.Now I explain a Typical Volunteering Day.Every morning, I took my breakfast at 8 am, after my breakfast I taught in school to help children to have a good education. Because I think they can have a good education even if there are in a poor country. 10 am until 12.30 pm I made volunteering at morning project. 1 pm: I had Lunch. At 2pm: I made the same thing like this morning. 3.30pm until 5.30 pm, It was afternoon volunteer project. At 7pm it was the dinner and at 8pm it was my free time. It was very a good time, a good day with children.

Go in India, was a chance to discover the real India. Goa is rich in culture and history. With culture, climate, fabulous food and breathtaking beaches, Goa offers gap year inspiration in India.

Poupina_72

Hello everybody,

It had been a long time since I had been planning to take a gap year to India: I wanted to take a break from my work routine. Thank to Gap 360, I spent 3 months there and it was such a wonderful trip.

When I arrived, I felt lost and lonely because I realized all the difficulties I would have to face to. I didn't know a word of Indian and neither a person in this town that was Goa. Mommy had told me many times that it was a dangerous idea to go there because I would have to be with strangers with different ways of thinking than mine, or in telling me that I could be sick or be kidnapped. Although she had tried to discourage me, I went there. One of the first and big difficulties was the cultural differences: for example I could not even eat my first Indian plates because they are spicy and the way Indians cooked foods, was totally different that ours.

However one of the benefits was that the organization had taken all the dispositions to prepare my trip: this was a real help and they responded to all my needs. I thank them all for this. I found wonderful and incredible that people welcomed me like I was part of their family or they had always knew me. Finally, it was a beautiful experiment to work in the city with Indians but even help children in their learning of English. Moreover, as I was graduated as a doctor, I could give my help to cure people in the village, but even visit and learn a new culture.

Therefore, I recommend to anyone to go there because a solitary trip in India would teach you a new language and allow you to acquire more maturity and capacity to face all new situations that you would have to face in your life. Then it would be a good opportunity to discover a new way of living, different that the one you had always lived in.

See you in a next post,

Mud.

Volunteers in himalayas

Hello everybody! I’m back from my gab year in india! My name is Chuck, Chuck Berry for those in the know.
And really, I want to share with member of that website my travel, and I recommend to every student to take a gap year! This is beautiful experience you know.

Land of the Taj Mahal, the Khajuraho Temples and the Royal Bengal tigers, India is a country of contrasts and diversity, making it a fascinating destination for gap year travel! With a population of over one billion people and one of the fastest growing economies in the world, India is also a nation facing wide-ranging developmental challenges. So, I went to the Himalayas : the biggest mountains all over the world.

Four weeks ago, I do more task in this trip like:

-Volunteers with kids and in local communities in India
-One week’s, for cultural immersion and orientation in Delhi
-See the stunning scenery of Himachal Pradesh
-Helping children, with teaching.
-Add in amazing cultural excursions to the taj Mahal and Dharamshala.

Of course, I visited the Taj Mahal and Dharamshala and other monuments. And I told them, to kids and all people, Europe culture thanks to gapyear360.

This was awesome. But also in this trip there was risks. In fact, about hygiene, food poisoning, wild animals, etc. And the medecine is really different there. In fact, and there we had to be careful of mosquitoes and made vaccins against a lot of diseases.

But at the end, this was incredible trip. And when I come back to my home, I feel like a new man, I was changed, my friend and my family were seen the changment, and this is amazing!

So, I want to thank all the people who help me during this trip and the organization of gap360. This was the best time of my life.

See you soon for new experience!

ChuckB.                                                                                                                                                                    

Words: 314.

Hello everybody,

I wanted to go to India since a long time. I decided to take a Gap year to realize my dream. I was looking the different destinations in India and I was crazy about visit the Taj Mahal. However, I was going in India. In this country, I was keen on the population, the landscapes. When I saw the Taj Mahal, I was amazed because it is an amazing and beautiful monument. When, I was visiting this monument, I understood it is the best proof of love of the world. After this visit, I decided to see others things of this country so I was travelling around the India to visit ancient forts, temples and palaces of Amber, Fatephur Sikri, Agra, Khajuraho and Orchha, sailing the Ganges in venerable Varanasi.After these visits, I wanted to help Indian children to have a better life. That's why, I decided to be a volunteer in Goa. I was taking care children, I was teaching them, I was helping in the project of health. I was feeling very important when I was helping Indian population and I could say I preferred to help people than visit the Indian monuments. It was more enriching help people than to think only has my personal happiness. I went out increased by this adventure, I became fond of this country. When I was waiting my plane at the airport of New Delhi, I understood I didn’t forget this trip, I was little nostalgic to leave this country because I passed six months amazing in this country. I wanted to come back in this part of the world because I was crazy about help poor people.

If you have questions, i'm here to answer you !

Nombre de mots: 277

After graduating from university with a bachelor in Europe Studies, I decided to take a gap year and pursue my interest in India. I spent 28 weeks in the Himalayas; while I was a volunteer English teacher. I told them Europe culture and lending activities at an organization called Gap year360.

At the beginning, I thought that teaching English is a big challenge when you didn’t know the reaction of children. But also I thought that each day was a new opportunity to teach the children something new that they will need in the future. Above everything else the best part of it was just being helpful for the organization and saw smiles on the faces of children everyday.

 After teaching, I also explored with the local coordinators Sam and John The Taj Mahal and Dhramshala, in the Himalayan area of Himachal Pradesh. By the way, I took a lot of photos of the view, elephants, foods … you can see it after my written.  My favorite food was the curry rice. I advised you to eat it. It is so delicious.

I really enjoyed my project because I loved teaching and I loved this country.  But sometimes when I was alone, I missed my family.

Thanks to the local coordinators Sam and John who made me feel at home and considered me as a member of their family. They taught me everything about the culture, the way of life in India. I advised anyone to sign up to do a programme with Gap year360 as it’ll be a good experiences for you.

Lyne _

271 Words