About work and travel opportunities during a gap year..

During my stay abroad, I learned a lot about different cultures and how they are just so different from the Philippines. While I was singing in a hotel’s restaurant in The Netherlands, I met an American who asked if there were any job opportunities in the hotel. He was actually my age and was in college, but decided to take a break from school because he wanted to work and travel during the gap year.

It was the first time I heard the phrase “gap year” so I had him explain to me what it was. It turns out that a “gap year” is when a person takes a break off from school to work and travel, which was what he was doing. Most students in the United States experience this when they think they need a break from school or when they have financial issues and look for earning opportunities while saving up for that degree. Some just want to feel free and see the world so they use what they earn to fund the travel and vacation expenses.

Before I forget, the name of the gentleman I met is Derek and he’s from Vallejo, California. His main reason for traveling to The Netherlands is to build job experiences. He was taking up Hotel and Restaurant Management in University of California-Berkeley which was why he chose to work at a hotel. He heard what a wonderful place Amsterdam was, which was the main reason why he wanted to work and travel there.

I helped Derek get a job in the hotel, but during his first four months, he was all over the place doing different things. He was a very flexible person and he could work at any department that needed assistance. He’s been a receptionist, bellhop, bar tender and pastry chef. The most amazing thing about it is that he’s good at almost everything he does! He eventually moved to a place near the house I lived in and we turned out to be good friends, keeping in touch to this very day, constantly visiting my blog http://www.jombag.com.

There are countries aside from The Netherlands that offer work and travel visas for gap packers. Australia, Japan, Belgium and New Zealand offer visas from 6 to 12 months. Australia is one of the top listed destinations for travelers because of all the opportunities available for part-time workers. Also, the scope of work is vast in volume.

 Find a country that has a government which encourages students to visit during gap year for work and travel opportunities. Countries like that have lots of part-time jobs available and this can definitely make the vacation more lavish and generous. Of course, with a vacation that long, finances would be needed. Opportunities like customer care services, restaurants, hotels, teaching, consulting and fruit picking are avenues for gap packers. Befriending colleagues like what Derek did can also help you find a good job and make that a memorable gap year.