We face some of our biggest trials in times of transition. For all seniors graduating this spring, this means answering the inevitable question: what’s next? Some plan to attend grad school right away, others plan to wait. Some have jobs lined up. Others — the great majority — seem to have no idea what lies ahead. Likely this means they’ll continue to work or else look for work. Of these, some may default to grad school or else another undergraduate degree in something “marketable.” None of these options sound incredible. I’m of the class of people who advocate the gap year, but I also can hardly think of anything worse than spending that year (or more) working to pay for rent, food, clothes or gadgets. Instead — and I hope you come to think this isn’t as radical as it sounds — I think if given the time, you should travel, regardless of how much money you happen to currently have.
Almost everybody says, if given enough money and time, they’d choose to use those resources traveling, making great memories, seeing great sights and meeting great people all across the world. This is an admirable goal. From what I’ve learned world-traveling, there is basically no way to replicate the kind of knowledge gained from experiencing first-hand other languages and cultures. This is to say, the expense is usually forgotten in light of the sights and sounds traveling can afford you. A lack of money should never be an excuse to put off the chance to see the world.
Saving money can be about the most difficult thing you do, and most of the time it’s harder to spend money the more of it you save. You may have it in your mind that you intend to travel with your accumulated moolah. Unfortunately, we often either are bad budgeters or we become unwilling to spend money we’ve earned on things like travel along the way. We tend to put money into things that anchor us to one place: cars, houses, leases. If you financed travel instead, you could make your way around the world for much less than you’d spend on a house while also having more life-changing or mind-expanding experiences where you’re likely to find the time and space to discover your passions and interests.
There are ways you can travel for free, or nearly free. The Peace Corps provides free travel to and from your host country, a living stipend, language and cultural training and even resettlement cash once you’ve finished service and returned to the United States. By giving two years of your time, you are able to live in another country, learn another language and provide service to in-need communities. Other programs provide opportunities similar to this. The World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) organization allows you to work on a farm abroad “with organic farmers and growers to promote cultural and educational experiences.” In exchange for your labor, you receive free room and board and the opportunity, according to WWOOF’s website, “to learn about organic lifestyles.” Beyond these free-in-exchange-for-service programs, many countries allow travel for up to one year simply to work abroad. Australia is one of the most popular destinations for those who choose this option. Stories abound of those who have gone abroad to work in Australia and made enough to more than pay the costs of exploring the continent.
You may be in the throes of anxiety worrying about what you’ll do once you graduate. The decision is by no means a simple one. If traveling has always been an ambition of yours, however, you needn’t worry about how much it costs.