My lecturer had today a bit of a rant about Gap years where tired teenagers decide to go to Thailand or some other excotic place to have fun for a while. This inspired me to write about my gap year which was exotic in one way but not always about having fun.
I can't deny that I went on a gap year because I was tired of school. I also can't deny that my gap year was fun. It was one of the best decisions I've made so far. So to start from the beginning, my Gap year was a year in Israel with a jewish youth organisation called Bnei Akiva. It involved different parts like 2 months of leadership training, 2 months of volonteering on a kibbutz, a month of volonteering in schools, 2 months of intense studies about judaism, a month of hikng and fun activities and 2 months of volonteering in ambulance.
As you might have understood already my gap year was filled with volonteering and did therefore not involve having fun all the time. I, however, did enjoy the volonteering. Helping out has always been something I've enjoyed and that was my reason to take time off for a gap year. I knew that during my time in university I wouldn't have time for helping out as much as I wanted to so instead I took a year when I could do things for other people.
My favourite part of the year was volonteering in ambulances, Magen David Adom. We had to do a medics course and after that do shifts in ambulances. I liked it so much that I decided to stay 2 extra months during the summer which led to me spending almost 800 hours volonteering in ambulances. I have therefore seen many different things which many people haven't and I don't regret anything even though this meant me transporting dead people, seeing a 8 year old boy die and having many people throwing up on me.
I know many people think a gap year has to be about drinking, partying and having fun all the time. For me my gap year was about learning about myself and having fun but I quickly realised that fun can be something different. By working in ambulances I got friends I will have for life because we learned how to trust each other in a different way other people do. We had to work together and it was most of the time a question about life and death. I also got the experience of having a succesful CPR and the feeling of making someone's heart beat, literally, is amazing. My gap year was fun and amazing but not even the funniest moments from it will win against the feeling knowing someone is alive because of me and my friends, colleagues.
A gap year is suppose to be fun because we all need a break sometimes but it is a question about what we do with our time. I know from experience that there is nothing better than helping others and enjoy it with other people. So instead of going to party in Thailand, maybe go volonteering. You will definitely get more friends you'll keep in touch with by doing that than getting drunk. At least I did.
I can't deny that I went on a gap year because I was tired of school. I also can't deny that my gap year was fun. It was one of the best decisions I've made so far. So to start from the beginning, my Gap year was a year in Israel with a jewish youth organisation called Bnei Akiva. It involved different parts like 2 months of leadership training, 2 months of volonteering on a kibbutz, a month of volonteering in schools, 2 months of intense studies about judaism, a month of hikng and fun activities and 2 months of volonteering in ambulance.
As you might have understood already my gap year was filled with volonteering and did therefore not involve having fun all the time. I, however, did enjoy the volonteering. Helping out has always been something I've enjoyed and that was my reason to take time off for a gap year. I knew that during my time in university I wouldn't have time for helping out as much as I wanted to so instead I took a year when I could do things for other people.
My favourite part of the year was volonteering in ambulances, Magen David Adom. We had to do a medics course and after that do shifts in ambulances. I liked it so much that I decided to stay 2 extra months during the summer which led to me spending almost 800 hours volonteering in ambulances. I have therefore seen many different things which many people haven't and I don't regret anything even though this meant me transporting dead people, seeing a 8 year old boy die and having many people throwing up on me.
I know many people think a gap year has to be about drinking, partying and having fun all the time. For me my gap year was about learning about myself and having fun but I quickly realised that fun can be something different. By working in ambulances I got friends I will have for life because we learned how to trust each other in a different way other people do. We had to work together and it was most of the time a question about life and death. I also got the experience of having a succesful CPR and the feeling of making someone's heart beat, literally, is amazing. My gap year was fun and amazing but not even the funniest moments from it will win against the feeling knowing someone is alive because of me and my friends, colleagues.
A gap year is suppose to be fun because we all need a break sometimes but it is a question about what we do with our time. I know from experience that there is nothing better than helping others and enjoy it with other people. So instead of going to party in Thailand, maybe go volonteering. You will definitely get more friends you'll keep in touch with by doing that than getting drunk. At least I did.
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