I might be looking for a needle in a haystack but hoping someone here might have some ideas for me to explore. My daughter is a sophomore at a small LAC. She has anxiety and depression which have gotten worse since she started college. She has finally decided to transfer to our state flagship which is close to home but wants to take a break and start in Fall 2020.
The original plan when she first thought seriously about transferring was she might take a study abroad semester in the Spring of sophomore year before transferring but she really wants a break from school work and doesn’t want the pressure of having to settle in at a study abroad school then again at her new college. I thought I found the perfect solution with a Gap semester program because it’s a small cohort group and two leaders who travel for 3 months but the particular one that initially sounded perfect for her interests seems like it may actually be too ambitious in terms of adventure activities and moving from place to place.
She needs something where you’re not packing and unpacking every few days, where the activities aren’t scaling mountains and where the focus is on service or working in schools. She needs to be with a built in group preferably with leaders and not on her own. I’ve looked at several programs but they all seem to have either too much movement, too much adventure or are focused on topics that are of little interest to her.
It doesn’t have to be for credit. She has AP credits and with a summer class or two should be able to graduate on time. Of course she can always live at home and work while she’s off but I was looking for something that might help change her surroundings and give her a broader perspective during the time she would have been at school.
Appreciate any and all thoughts.
Anxiety and depression? I am afraid living abroad would make those conditions worse. Even my very social, outgoing kid struggled with being away from home country when she worked abroad right after graduating from college.
Does your D have an interest in art? If so, I have an amazing recommendation for an art restoration program in Firenze. It’s not a Gap Program per se; your D would have to fend for herself with food & accommodation, but it is right in the heart of the city, near the Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio
If your daughter’s LAC is a high intensity school, a study abroad program might be much easier. My daughter did one her junior year, and it was much more low-key than her normal courses. She went to France, drank all the wine, ate all the food, had a great group of friends, and did retreats at a convent. She had the time of her life. Although anxiety and depression are going to be lifelong struggles for her, I really think her time in France allowed her to complete her degree. It was a year away from the competition and stress, and gave her a new perspective.
She might want to look at DIS (Copenhagen or Stockholm). They are academic programs but she might find one that has a focus on child development or social justice. It’s not associated with any U.S college, but she may be late for spring applications.
My daughter when a junior did a study abroad to southeast Asia while at her small lac. She decided (we knew it was coming) to apply to another lac which was more aligned with her interests and got accepted with great merit. So she decided to stay 2 months longer and back packed through 3 more countries.
So it ended up being a gap semester per se and one of the best decisions.
She applied and got into https://exchanges.state.gov/cls
This is an language intensive for 2 months through the state department. It was an amazing experience.
https://www.workaway.info/en/destination/asia
There are programs like this through out the USA and world. My daughter did one in Vietnam.
Many programs for teaching English etc.
https://www.goabroad.com/articles/gap-year/gap-semester-programs
Could you tell us more about what her interests are? Any particular geographic areas? What type of people does she connect well with/like to hang out with? It would stink if she didn’t click with a small, somewhat insular group while abroad and sometimes these types of programs can attract a certain type which can be good or not so good depending how you mesh with them.
Thanks all - I appreciate all the responses. To answer @doschicos questions and add some more color. She is primarily interested in volunteering with children. Working in schools or teaching English. The trip she thought was her dream trip was in Southeast Asia. She is less worried about not clicking with a small group vs. being lonely and having to find a group. I know it sounds crazy, but she will need a “group” to be with even if it’s because they are forced to be together. I’m looking for something organized and structured. She does have anxiety and depression so I know this idea sounds crazy but she knows and I agree that she will be fine if she’s on an organized program vs. left to fend for herself.
Two of mine have done programs through IES, which have many centers around the world. I was trying to find the program my S attended in Quito, Ecuador, which was academics in the morning, and then volunteer work in the afternoon. S was placed in a position teaching English to street kids. As a quiet kid, I didn’t think it was the best placement for him, but he thrived, grew, and then taught English in China post college. It was a fascinating program with interesting kids. I ended up going on a trip with the group, to the Amazon basin and had a memorable time. All these programs had a good orientation, and formed cohesive groups over the course of the semester while doing interesting things.
Is your D studying any certain language? Many programs have language requirements, or at least the ones mine used. I would also avoid capitol cities if you are looking for group cohesion, as a smaller place with fewer foreigners tends to help a group bind together better.
If she does Southeast Asia and you have questions PM me. My daughter backpacked through Indonesia, Cambodia, Loas and Vietnam. Extremely safe. Stayed in Youth Hostels and met many from Europe that were on their gap year. Avg age was like 19-21 and yes, lots of single female travelers. They all sorta looked out for each other. Great food and extremely cheap. Arbnb was like $8.00 with breakfast off an ocean at a nice place! Food was like a few dollars for a meal.
She worked teaching English to children and high schoolers.
Check out the universities/schools. There might be a program that can use her.
FYI… Beautiful culture and people. Extremely friendly.
https://www.sheinvestments.com/#home
This is an interesting non profit in Cambodia. I know someone that volunteered. Great cause. They would probably help in finding housing which could most likely be in someone’s house that is part of this program. It’s just the way it’s done there… They would take good care of her. Many other program all over Southeast Asia.
My daughter was sent back to Indonesia on a school grant and worked on the Island of Borneo and stayed with the organizer of the group. Everyone was like college age. They worked to educate people through a film series on the indigenous people. She worked daily with children also.
Only negative was the heat but it didn’t really bother her.
OK, sorry. But there are programs all over South East Asia especially if wanting to teach English. Vietnam is a popular place for this also.
If she happens to be on any antidepressants or stimulants, be sure that she would have access to them or even be allowed to bring them into the country.
Would an organized package tour work for her instead of an academic/volunteer experience? A quick Google search for “youth tour COUNTRYNAME” should pull up some initial options. Granted, this kind of trip might be shorter than she’s thinking of right now, but it would be lower stress for her as she wouldn’t have to fend for herself at all.
If she’s interested in teaching English, she can investigate CELTA certificate programs in countries she’d like to visit. The course usually is about one month long and results in a well-recognized certificate that she can use to find work all around the world. Most places that offer CELTA training also have work opportunities for their recent graduates. https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/teaching-qualifications/celta/ Follow the links for details about programs at specific locations.