The concept of taking a Gap Year from Academic and vocational training in the US is a non-starter for most kids here. Many families are in survival mode and must work survive. When you lose student status you also lose health care coverage for the most part. If the parents are wealthy enough to foot the bill for the lifestyle, fine. But for many staying in school is the best way to finance their lifestyle. And just as important is the need to stay in school to keep the society and identity that the students wants and needs.

And there is also the danger that educational paths for many once interrupted are harder to resume.

I would have loved to do a Gap Year in Europe or some other garden spot. However I think doing so would have threatened my chances to become an attorney. The opportunity to go forward was there at the time. I couldn’t have counted on that opportunity to be so available later. For one thing, parents would have been closer to retirement later, other siblings would have been in greater need later. Nobody went to Europe until a younger cousin went off on a college exchange program and remained permanently.

To each his own. I’m quite sure you are doing the right thing. Opportunites like this are uncommon. Most of the Gap year kids I see stayed in their bedrooms smoking pot, playing video games and being in a band. And the parents let them.

You are quite inspiring and I would love to hear from you during the year about your experiences.