Gap Years: Can You Do It As An Adult?

Happy Sunday! It's been a busy weekend and I'm wrapping it up doing some stuff around the house and blogs for the week, including the fifth anniversary of Show Us Your Books on Tuesday with prizes and all. Just popping on to share a post from my friend Jessie across the pond - hope you enjoy! Also hope you're following Steph & Justin on The Tumbling Nomads (that's their blog, follow on Instagram too) and their year off to travel the world. 

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Aah, gap years. We’ve all heard about them, but let’s be real here, when you’re over the age of 30 (ish) it can seem like the general gap year experience is manufactured with soul-searching early 20-year-olds in mind. Putting on a pair of elephant yoga pants and telling everybody how cool the Full Moon Party was does, admittedly, only appeal to certain people.

However, you can go on a gap year when you’re kissing your 20s goodbye, and still have a great time seeing the world. There’s a lot out there to experience, you know? Here’s how.

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Think about your commitments
The older you get, the more commitments you seem to have weighing you down. As a hedonistic 20-something year old you can bum around more easily without worrying about bills or feeding the dog twice a day, but there are ways that you can manage all of this stuff when you want to travel.

Renting your house out - or giving up the lease on a property - is easy, and you can put your belongings into storage. Perhaps your parents or friends can help you with certain things. It's absolutely a massive upheaval of your life, but it's easier when you remember the world and its delights await!

Sort out your income
Working while traveling is always difficult, but it is possible. If you’re not sure that you can fund a gap year without working in the process then look at jobs in the countries that you’re visiting, and see whether you can pick up some temporary hours to get some cash.

If you are a freelance writer, editor, or do any type of job that can be done remotely, check into those options as well. Because the best thing to do is to go freelance, so get writing (or photographing, or whatever) and don’t forget to put your laptop in your suitcase. Sites like https://physicaladdress.com can be greatly useful if you need to stay in touch with contacts back home, so look into your options here.

Look for upmarket options
OK, so one of the main things that post-20s potential travelers have an issue with is feeling like they've aged out of staying in hostel dorm rooms. And that’s totally understandable (it’s also totally understandable if you see doing this as part of the traveling experience) so try to make your trip a little more upmarket.

Opt for hotels instead of hostels, or book private rooms in hostels if you want to have the same communal experience and meet fellow travelers. Again, this is all down to personal preference, but it can help to get rid of that gap year fear if you don’t have issues with cohabitation during travel.

Stop the mental block
There are many things that could stop you from going out and living your life if you really sat there and thought about them. However, the world is at your doorstep, bursting with brilliant experiences and interesting people. Why worry too much about these things when you could be using your energy to enjoy them instead?

Enjoy your gap year, and all of the great ways in which it will change your life.

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Wishing you all a Sunday well spent - and the possibility of being open to a life beyond what you've imagined.