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You can leave the shores of Blighty pale, mono-lingual and with two left feet and return a few weeks later looking healthy, talking the lingo whilst showing the cast of Dirty Dancing - The Musical how its done.

Web Watch: 29 January 2008

You're never too old

by Jacqueline Alexander

In recent years, the 'gap year' has become firmly established as a rite of passage for many teenagers. Nestled neatly between hours of cramming for A level exams and hours of watching daytime television at university is the opportunity to take time out to experience a different culture, to raise money for charity, to take on a new sporting challenge or to navigate a path from Paris to New Delhi with only a compass and a box of matches for company.

I am reliably informed that the gap year phenomena started in the 60s, gathered interest in the 70s, experienced increasing popularity in the 80s and became the norm in the 90s. Whilst I don't doubt that this is true, I am quite sure that I am not alone in feeling the 'gap year' phenomena passed me by simply because I was born too early. The pioneers left me in their wake and I can't help feeling a bit cheated. Or, at least, I did before I discovered gapyearforgrownups.com.

Although the site's name suggests otherwise, these trips are not all designed for a year or over. In fact, many of them are of the bijou variety. I mention this first because there are few people who can up sticks and wave a cheery goodbye to the responsibilities that come with being a grown-up. It's so simple when you're an 18-year-old gapper. No mortgage, no children, no job, no fear. It's a no brainer. Unfortunately, however much the most determined 'adultescent' claims to be free from the shackles of adulthood, it is almost impossible to go through life without gathering any responsibilities at all - in fact it would be quite a feat. Whether yours are to your children, your pets, your parents or the mortgage company, taking a year out may not be an option - no matter how attractive the proposition sounds.

It seems that the creators of gapyearforgrownups.com have taken this on board and allow you to choose a period of time that suits you. If you can only spare a couple of weeks, you can choose from an array of trips that you may have thought should already be filed under 'missed opportunities'. The idea of a trip to a far off land to learn about the migration habits of pygmy elephants in Borneo is now a real and somewhat tantalising option.

If Borneo does not fill you with excitement, you may be more attracted to the thought of Peru, China, Japan, Mozambique, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Siberia or Nepal. The list goes on as do the options of activities. The thought of experiencing the all too rare pygmy elephants caught my eye but you may be more drawn to helping Giant Turtles navigate their way to the sea in Costa Rica, teaching orphaned children in Peru, supporting the rehabilitation of blind people in Brazil or helping to protect the Black Rhino from becoming extinct in Zimbabwe. The choice really is yours.

It's a well known fact that the best way to learn a new language is to immerse yourself in it. Here, you have the opportunity to stay with a host family, attend lessons in Spanish in the mornings and Salsa classes in the afternoon. You can leave the shores of Blighty pale, mono-lingual and with two left feet and return a few weeks later looking healthy, talking the lingo whilst showing the cast of Dirty Dancing - The Musical how its done.

The prices vary from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds depending on the location, duration and activity you choose. Each option is accompanied by a full breakdown of what the cost includes and, possibly even more importantly, what it excludes. Flight costs are down to you but food, accommodation and transfers are usually covered.

When it comes to selecting the location, although most seem exotic and alluring, you probably need to exercise some caution. Kenya, which last year was a favourite holiday destination for many, is not looking quite so appealing in its current volatile state. I ventured across to the Foreign Office to glean information on some of the locations and, to be honest, if I spent too long on this site I would struggle to go out of the front door. The world is apparently a scary place. On the other hand, once you acclimatise to the terminology, you realise that some of the more culturally-familiar countries sound more dangerous than the nations that have been associated with danger and violence in the not-too-distant past.

So, once you have checked your budget, assessed the risk and extricated yourself from your duties, you can decide whether you want to get cosy with a cougar or learn a new lingo. Whatever you want to do, you can. Just go along to gapyearforgrownups.co.uk and click your way to a little sabbatical. I have to go now, I have an appointment with an orangutan.

www.gapyearforgrownups.co.uk

Jacqueline Alexander presents Web Watch every Tuesday at 5.45pm on BBC Radio Berkshire on 104.1FM, 104.4FM, 95.4FM, 94.6FM and DAB Digital Radio. To listen in, just visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire.

What is Web Watch?

Web Watch is broadcast on BBC Radio Berkshire, published in the Henley and South Oxon Standard and published online right here at web-watch.info.

As a cross-media project, Web Watch is designed to help you find the best sites here on the Internet.

You can catch Web Watch on air every Tuesday at 5.45pm when Jacqueline Alexander sits down with Phil Kennedy during the Drivetime show on BBC Radio Berkshire to chew the virtual fat.