Stereotypical 'Gap Year' is a Waste of Time. Discuss.

Agree. There's so much culture and so many incredible sights and experiences our world has to offer, I truly can't fathom how anyone can think going to Australia can help you gain perspective or make you a well-rounded person. I can't wait to do some ACTUAL travelling someday.

whilst i'll grant you that the standard route of Thailand, Australia and New Zealand has become somewhat of a cliche so what? Its not every day you go to, quite litterally, the furthest away places imaginable now is it? I fail to seethe problem with it... theyre great countries with great cultures [ill impolitelyexclude thailand from this as we all know exactly why peoplego there] and more over its easy to fund since the WHV is easy to get for you lot over there.
I find it hard to imagine your bog standard gappys who are what 19-22 or so immediately jumping at the idea to travel to countries like namibia, madagascar, Iran etc. etc. can you?
The fact youve almost certainly not travelled anywhere outside of Europe gives you little right to slate other peoples traveling plans.
Although i must say i do find this whole clap trap about it 'changing you' and making one a 'better person' absolute tosh.

I'd say Australia did change my life. I know that if I hadn't gone to Australia, I wouldn't have been as prepared as I was for University, for being away from my parents for several months, for learning to survive by myself, making new friends, visiting new places etc

And yet you learned these things did you not? With or without Australia you would have learned them. Can you disagree? If you can learn it in Australia, can you not learn it here?

I am not attacking people who go abroad per se. I am attacking people who go to the usual places (as referred to throughout this thread). I like your response but I do not think you are grasping my precise argument. It is a specific niche I am targeting.

Now where exactly did I initiate a conversation about my own experiences? I specifically wanted to keep my own experiences out of this.

I have repeated this ad nauseum, I am discussing a specific niche of people. I hope you will get an opportunity to travel.

Pretty sure no one in the UK goes to work in a cucumber greenhouse farm at that time in 40 degree heats plus and finishes work at 1 to drive to the beach straight after

Shall we start with the fact that for a lone traveler the majority of these places are inherently dangerous especially for somone barely out of high school or would you care to provide your, and i can only assume here, inherently well thought out reason why Australasia is such a god awful place to go?

They may be the usual places in terms of being common for students to go to Australia for example, but it shouldn't stop other people for seeing for themselves, regardless of how "easy" or not this is. I don't see the problem with going to a country which is a popular destination, even if I do understand the appeal of seeing other parts of the world too.

Is this some kind of hipster argument of rejecting places that are too mainstream or something?


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You did not have to describe just how well travelled you are - 99 countries is a lot, and you could easily have avoided specifying a number.
Yes, we get it, you detest people who find visiting Australia, Thailand and other tourist-focused countries fulfilling. Some people are genuinely interested by these countries for other reasons than just the culture (natural phenomena/geography, for example) and looking down your nose upon others who feel that travelling to Australia was a worthwhile experience is just plain rude.
Where did I specify that I haven't travelled? Just because I didn't specify 99 countries does not mean I'm not just as well travelled as you. I just haven't had the opportunity to visit Australia and I feel the need to defend it because it is a beautiful place.


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Shall we start with the fact that for a lone traveler the majority of these places are inherently dangerous especially for somone barely out of high school or would you care to provide your, and i can only assume here, inherently well thought out reason why Australasia is such a god awful place to go?

Life is short.

/thread

I never said it was god awful, I may even go myself one day and I'm sure it would be a lovely holiday. I'm just saying it isn't the cultural experience that gap years should be. When people go to America, it's a holiday, yet Australia is somehow seen an amazing and life changing simply because of the whole Australia gap year stereotype. I can't believe the 18/19 year olds who go genuinely think they've experienced the world and become well traveled people. That's just bizarre to me when it's an English speaking first world country who live almost identically to us with the exception of hot weather and interesting animals.

Hahahaha, hipster; Looking back, it does seem a bit. But I assure you it is nothing of the kind.

All I am saying is, there so many opportunities in the world, and seeing people repeating the same bog-standard process makes genuinely sad. There is more to heaven and Earth, you typical gap year loiterers, than is dreamt of in your philosophy.

It seems very hipster haha! But after reading your other posts I think I see what you're driving at with people thinking they are well travelled after going to Australia.

However, I think some people do just want to go there and have fun, even if they are doing what countless others have done, and that's fine.

I didn't take a gap year but if I had the chance, I would LOVE to go to Australia or other commonly travelled countries as to me - someone who is not very well travelled - these are still quite foreign despite the fact that yes, there are hundreds of other less travelled journeys to take, but man, I would love to do it all. The well travelled AND the not so well travelled.




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I never said it was god awful, I may even go myself one day and I'm sure it would be a lovely holiday. I'm just saying it isn't the cultural experience that gap years should be. When people go to America, it's a holiday, yet Australia is somehow seen an amazing and life changing simply because of the whole Australia gap year stereotype. I can't believe the 18/19 year olds who go genuinely think they've experienced the world and become well traveled people. That's just bizarre to me when it's an English speaking first world country who live almost identically to us with the exception of hot weather and interesting animals.

Considering the chiefly cited reasons of travelling to Australia, for example culture, it would appear that one does not have to travel to the other side of the Earth. You can get on the ferry at Dover and go to Calais - France is drastically more different than Australia.

So, by means of your statement, it would appear that only Thailand and Australia are safe? What about countless countries in Europe? Africa? South America? Oh right - One can pretend one is adventurous by flying all the way to Oz, whilst maintaining the comfort of everyday life in the subconscious.

I have travelled extensively beyond Europe; but this is not about me. Where do you gauge this idea that I have not been outside of Europe?

Who said they should be cultural? Theyre about independance and [im going to retch for saying this] 'finding yourself' if you want to go see a different culture like say India go ahead and do it thats your look out, i fail to see why every youth should be reprimanded by this blaissez post for not sticking their headinto some malnourished african familys door or the joys of SE Asia.
You did not just say that... For a start they live substantially better than the Brits..
Its pretty well travelled for someone whos 18 and is more than likely on a rather tight budget, what do you expect them to do treck the Amazon? You people need to get a reality check on that one... this is of course leaving aside the small issue that compared to the vast majority of Britons who think an Oxygen thieving island like crete of zante is a trip abroad is well... you know where this is going.


Youve never been to Australia have you? There culture is about as similar to ours as Americas is. And i feel it my duty to point out that one of the chief reasons people travel there is for that exact reason; its English speaking, not a giant toilette and its very easy to fund since you can work there... id like to see any old backpacker easily pick up a job in some backwater in south america.
Of course France is different to Australia? What an utterly ludicrous comparison. I also feel we should bare in mind that the what 50klick gap between france and England is just a tad shorter than the several thousand klick flight to Australia... unless you do want the ferry of course?
I never said Thailand or Australia were safe? There far less chance of being kidnapped and either ransomed, raped or beheaded on TV there though. Whilst in South America and Africa [thank you for opening this gold mine for me] there is a very real chance of something untoward happening to you... especially in Africa where half ofthe continent is constantly exploding.
Oh dont be so naive, if youre 18 and probably never left home before flying to the other side of the world for a year on your own is adventurous and a damn sight more than a quick skip and a hop to the monotone of France.


Mmhmmm im sure you have.. mainly from the ignorance of your original post.

Who said they should be cultural? Theyre about independance and [im going to retch for saying this] 'finding yourself' if you want to go see a different culture like say India go ahead and do it thats your look out, i fail to see why every youth should be reprimanded by this blaissez post for not sticking their headinto some malnourished african familys door or the joys of SE Asia.
You did not just say that... For a start they live substantially better than the Brits..
Its pretty well travelled for someone whos 18 and is more than likely on a rather tight budget, what do you expect them to do treck the Amazon? You people need to get a reality check on that one... this is of course leaving aside the small issue that compared to the vast majority of Britons who think an Oxygen thieving island like crete of zante is a trip abroad is well... you know where this is going.


Youve never been to Australia have you? There culture is about as similar to ours as Americas is. And i feel it my duty to point out that one of the chief reasons people travel there is for that exact reason; its English speaking, not a giant toilette and its very easy to fund since you can work there... id like to see any old backpacker easily pick up a job in some backwater in south america.
Of course France is different to Australia? What an utterly ludicrous comparison. I also feel we should bare in mind that the what 50klick gap between france and England is just a tad shorter than the several thousand klick flight to Australia... unless you do want the ferry of course?
I never said Thailand or Australia were safe? There far less chance of being kidnapped and either ransomed, raped or beheaded on TV there though. Whilst in South America and Africa [thank you for opening this gold mine for me] there is a very real chance of something untoward happening to you... especially in Africa where half ofthe continent is constantly exploding.
Oh dont be so naive, if youre 18 and probably never left home before flying to the other side of the world for a year on your own is adventurous and a damn sight more than a quick skip and a hop to the monotone of France.


Mmhmmm im sure you have.. mainly from the ignorance of your original post.

meh, time enjoyed wasting is not wasted time

I never said Thailand or Australia were safe? There far less chance of being kidnapped and either ransomed, raped or beheaded on TV there though. Whilst in South America and Africa [thank you for opening this gold mine for me] there is a very real chance of something untoward happening to you... especially in Africa where half ofthe continent is constantly exploding

Sorry but this part of your post really jumped out at me. While I agree that Australia is safer than Peru (where I come from), I would like to make it clear that being kidnapped and raped are DEFINITELY not common in South America and there are thousands of foreign travellers that visit with no troubles every year.

Being beheaded live on TV - I don't know where you have pulled this gem from. I seem to remember hearing something like this about Iraq but I can't remember. Chances of this happening to you anywhere in the world are virtually nil though.

I can't speak for Africa personally but I also feel it should be defended from your claim that half the continent is constantly exploding. This is clearly not true. Yes, there are war zones but it is obvious that someone travelling to Africa should avoid these.

I know this doesn't add to the general thread but I hate to see whole continents being brushed over by demeaning generalisations.




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