subject: Gap Year Africa - All Work And No Play? [print this page] For more and more students deciding what to do with their gap year, Africa is becoming the destination of choice - for at least part of the time. It's not just the stunning scenery and the unique wildlife. As people become more aware of the environment and the world's less fortunate people, it is volunteering in Africa which gap year students have become heavily involved in.
Far from being all work and no play it is, in fact, an opportunity to give a little of your own time to make a huge difference to people's lives, and then go lie on the beach soaking up the Cape sun, or bungee jumping at Victoria Falls!
The opportunities for the gap year student volunteering in Africa are tremendous. Is working with wildlife something that turns you on? How about walking through the bush with a few lions at your side? Does that sound like hard work? To be fair, you will probably be asked to clean out pens sometimes, you won't be laying in bed half the day, and you will find it challenging and tiring occasionally, but this is the real Africa, not an extract from the Lion King!
Are people more your thing? How about volunteering to help in local medical centers and hospitals? What about assisting in orphanages or with community projects that help people cope with the effects of HIV and AIDS? Want to get your hands dirty? What about decorating or building homes and schools? Into sports? There are volunteer opportunities in Africa for you, too.
In exchange for a month or two of your gap year, Africa will reward you not only with the thanks of its people but with new friendships and experiences that will last a lifetime. All work and no play? Not at all. There's some hard work to be done, for sure, but you'll probably never do anything more satisfying. Then there's the "tourism" part of what many are calling "voluntourism", the bit you do when the work is finished. That bungee jumping we mentioned for example, or white-water rafting, or a safari across the maasi mara, or an elephant ride, or snorkeling, whale watching... sounds tough, doesn't it!
by: Jeff Seams
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