Projects Abroad Going Beyond Gap Semesters

Projects Abroad is an amazing organization that has helped me achieve my goals, help others, make lifelong friends across the globe, and learn so many things. I was just getting ready to graduate high school and I knew I wanted to travel the world and help others while I am young and able. Projects Abroad made that possible with their Global Gap Year program, which took me to Ghana, South Africa, Peru, Nepal, and Thailand.

From the beginning, Claudia, a project coordinator at Projects Abroad, answered all my questions and provided me with all the information I needed to make the decision to go on the journey of a lifetime. The staff at Projects Abroad are friendly, knowledgeable, and dependable, at home and in country.

There are set projects in some countries and options in others, including; care, teaching, medicine, animal care, building, marine conservation, and others. We really got to experience and do so many incredible things. During the week we worked hard and on the weekends we had time to explore and reflect. Each country we volunteered in came with unique cultures and different volunteer opportunities. Yet the one thing they all had in common was great staff, amazing host families, and friendly people. I am so thankful for the opportunities Projects Abroad provided me with and if you are thinking of taking a gap year, Projects Abroad is the organization for you. You get to help others, see the world, and make lifelong friends. Seeing the smiles on others and the impact you can make, well, there is no better feeling in the world.

This program is for anyone with an adventurous spirit, compassion, and a good sense of humor! Since there are so many countries included in the Global Gap program, I will focus on stories from my ten week experience in South Africa. The projects offered are challenging and rewarding, and I have learned a lot about myself during them. In Cape Town while we worked at the Human Rights Office, I spent most of my time visiting three juvenile detention centers. I have never been so humbled and happy to work with people before, from playing games to creating constructive workshops to giving informative presentations. You are given a lot of freedom and responsibility in the project, and I appreciated that.

You can have the rare combination of being both a tourist and a volunteer on this trip. The projects give you lots of time to explore and even connect you to activities outside of the project. Two of my favorite things I did on this trip were shark cage diving with great whites and jumping off the tallest commercial bungee jumping bridge in South Africa! These are two completely optional weekend activities that are priced separately, but well worth doing. The wonderful balance between enjoying what the country has to offer and giving back to the community is what makes this program superb.

My favorite moments in South Africa are centered on my fellow Global Gaps. During Halloween our whole global gap group dressed up in hilarious costumes and took a bus into Cape Town’s downtown, and I remember when we climbed Table Mountain together and celebrated at the top. Never underestimate the friends you will make on this trip. Project’s Abroad was exactly what I wanted when I was searching for a gap year program. I did not want to travel without an organization, but I also wanted an organization that gave me freedom to tailor this trip to what I would get most out of it. I found both in Projects Abroad.

I can assure you the other countries have equally impressive stories that you can experience as well. I would highly recommend this program, and it can be made your own. This trip is what you make it!