Focus on Youth: Gap Years and Social Media
We were inspired to start Briefcase to Backpack after encountering the lack of Americans doing the same thing on our own career breaks. We did, however, run into many Brits, Aussies, and Europeans embracing the experience – cultures where gap years are very common.
We’ve read reports that the concept of the gap year is starting to become more common in America, and now there is even a national movement behind it. Much like Briefcase to Backpack, Let’s Get Global wants to create a new mindset in the country, but this one focused on youth.
[singlepic=1509,125,,,right]Founded by author and experienced traveler, Rita Golden Gelman, Let’s Get Global’s mission is to encourage and assist youth in the United States to have international experiences - particularly during the year between high school and the next phase of their lives.
Their public relation efforts will include a campaign to educate the American public about the benefits of taking a gap year, creating a comprehensive website full of gap year-related resources, and providing funding sources for potential “gappers.”
We look forward to seeing the progress of this movement! For more information and to make a donation, visit:
Let's Get Global Blog
Ethical Traveler Article
[singlepic=1510,225,,,left]Another youth movement comes from our travel geek friends at Sosauce. Sosauce’s interactive website invites travelers who are passionate about writing, photography, exploration, and culture to share their experiences with other like-minded people.
[singlepic=1512,250,,,right]They know all about how effective new media can be to communicate and create social change, and they want to share what they know at their New Media & Youth Action Conference. This free all-day community youth forum will touch on progressive issues such as health, environment, global & local development and cultural diplomacy. Alongside other local organizations, they will be providing an open platform for young people to learn about how to use new media sites and social entrepreneurship to create effective change.
The event will be held on Tuesday, September 1st from 10am – 3pm at the Interchurch Center in New York City. If you know of any youth who would benefit from this great opportunity, please visit the New Media & Youth Action Conference website.
5 Responses to “Focus on Youth: Gap Years and Social Media”
Other comments
9 Comments on "A Year in Paris"-
Leah on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:12 am
I really enjoyed reading your post. I am thirty-two soon and have itchy feet that are ready to try out foreign soils.
It is a fear of leaving the security of the day to day grind of paying the bills and living a safe and non-challenging way of life that has put me on hold for some time.
I hope (as it has I) your post will inspire others to go and follow their bliss – Leah 🙂 -
Patricia GW on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:54 am
Travel and experiencing a new culture really has put it into perspective, and filled that void with purpose (and joy).
In three weeks I’ll be moving to Paris myself for one month. I have the same feeling – the incredible surreal realization that I’m going to be living there…. it’s thrilling!!
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Abby on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 2:11 pm
Oh, Jenny! Escargot isn’t palatable — it’s delicious! I love your writing style; it’s so fun and energetic. Can you believe how far we’ve come? Everyone, Jenny and I were in the exact same industry and have known each other online and via work emails for years and years. But we’ve only met once, many, many years ago. And one of those jobs she was sleeping next to her BlackBerry for was one I’d just left. And now she’s 33 and living abroad, just like I was last year. Kindred spirits. Jenny, you’re a true inspiration — I can’t wait to see how your adventure unfolds!
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Debbie Beardsley on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 3:22 pm
Your life in Paris sounds ideal. It is nice to read about people who follow their dreams instead of wishing they had! Enjoy the rest of your journey.
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Terriaw on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 1:40 pm
Wow, fabulous and well said! I love your new outlook on like. After experiencing career burnout and feeling a little lost and purposeless lately, you have encouraged me. I look forward to seeing Paris someday!
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Jenny on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 6:50 pm
merci for all the sweet comments! @abby we are soooo kindred spirits! well except when it comes to our differing feelings on escargot…;) and congrats patricia on the move! thrilling indeed!
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shawna on Thu, 9th Jun 2011 1:32 am
you’ve reawakened my travel bug. must. return. to. france. (someday.) eat a croissant for me!
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Weekly Travel Blog Links — LandingStanding on Mon, 13th Jun 2011 6:16 am
[…] how badly I want to go to Paris… If only we could afford living there for an extended period of time during our travels! Any […]
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G. Michael Schneider on Sun, 19th Jun 2011 3:36 pm
I am a firm believer in living and working overseas, just as you described. However, many of us actually like our jobs and our homes and are simply looking to renew and refresh our lives, not change it. However, you can have the same type of cultural experience without having to reach into your own wallet and without having to quit your day job–by taking what I call a “working vacation.” My wife and I have done this 15 separate times, from Australia to Zimbabwe, Turket to Tibet, Mauritius to Mongolia. I describe how to do it in my blog otherguysdime.wordpress.com and via Twitter at @otherguysdime. Learn how to have fun without having to have burn any of your bridges behind you.
2009-08-24 16:19
I think that rise of the "gap year" among Americans is a great thing! I did one and I've built my own blog on the idea of encouraging others to do the same. It's such a rewarding experience that often gets overlooked in our very result-oriented culture.
2009-08-24 22:04
I'm so happy you've featured Let's Get Global. It is a fantastic cause, as are the others, and definitely worth supporting. I love Rita Golden Gelman and know she puts her heart and soul into everything she does.
2009-08-25 16:04
I just learned of the Let's Get Global movement too, and I immediately wrote Rita to see if I could be of any help.
I wonder what the effect of these movements would be if they are successful in driving more people to take longer career braeks?
Injecting a lot more people into the same big backpacker circuits and tourist destinations could possibly drive up prices everywhere from hostels to restaurants/bars to tour companies. And that's not necessarily good for the locals.
2009-08-26 05:04
Very cool idea. The world is getting smaller every year. It is great to see someone working towards making it happen faster.
We are all global citizens now. The idea of living, working and dying in only one country needs to change. We are all interconnected. Everything we do affects everyone on the planet. It is important to see that everyone in the world is all in this together.
2009-09-04 12:46
I really wish I had taken a gap year between high school and college. My college required that I start in the summer (they were doing staggered admission since it's a huge public school with too many students), so I graduated high school and started college two weeks later. It was so rushed and I wasn't ready. Looking back, a gap year is the one thing I really should have done. Because I didn't and I'm now two years in the professional workforce, I'm strongly contemplating a career break before I get too invested in my career.