Does a Gap Year have to be costly?
Posted by Jennifer MacKenzie - 12:49 on 26 October 2009
Going abroad for that first gap year doesn’t need to cost the Earth. Only a couple of years ago students and even 'career breakers' (voluntary at that time!) were shelling out thousands of pounds to go on ‘volunteer trips’ where you paid to work for free; teaching in orphanages in South America or Southern Asia that received little or none of the funds that were paid out to get there, whilst hoping that mum, dad or your friendly credit card provider would be able to sustain you as any money saved up for the experience beforehand had gone the way of the global company who had sent you out there.
Times have changed and there is a dawning realisation that while teaching English as a Foreign Language abroad may not make you a millionaire it will provide you with a decent income in which to enjoy, learn and participate in another culture.
And the outlay beforehand to get you there? A TEFL training course and, of course, your flight (did I forget to mention that had to be paid for too when you holiday volunteering). From as little as £150 people are changing their lives and doing something positive to enable them to work through the current recession.
As stated, TEFL training courses in Scotland range from £150 upwards. This is for an initial qualification in TEFL which is sufficient for finding work in many areas of the world, though it’s always advisable to see what level of qualification is most suitable for the country you intend travelling to. TEFL Scotland offer advice on all aspects of TEFL training and teaching abroad with all staff ex-TEFL teachers and experienced travellers. Joe Hallwood, Managing Director and long time advocate of the benefits of TEFL states that ‘independent travel and living abroad really helps a person to gain in confidence, learn great diplomatic skills, tolerance, gives the opportunity to pick up new languages and gives you the opportunity of a lifetime. It is not just something open to the well-off or the parent-funded gap year student. TEFL opens up travel and the chance to experience life outside your own comfort zone in the way a traditional gap year never could.’
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