Chronicles and Insights from a Family Gap Year
Who are we?
We’re a small family who left the safety of home to embark on a journey through several countries. Our goals were to learn about other ways of living, build new skills, re-prioritize family time, discover new places, cultures and people, and to reflect on ourselves as individuals and members of communities.
What is Hello Gap Year?
A gap year is a time to take a step back from our routines and reconsider what it means to live and thrive as individuals and families. Hello Gap Year compiles our stories and resources for anyone seeking inspiration for their own gap year adventures.
Featured Posts
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Gap Years: Life Design Laboratories
A gap year can be a powerful laboratory for applying a life design approach to finding purpose.
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Letting Yourself Dream: An Interview with J2Guides Gap Counselors
Hello Gap Year and J2 Guides discuss opening yourself to the possibility of gap time, flexing the mental muscles needed to get out of your comfort zone, and more.
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WWOOFing in Wöhle, Germany
Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) was a fun, educational, and inexpensive way for our family to experience a small corner of Germany for three weeks.
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Planning a Fulfilling Family Gap Year
If you’re considering taking a gap year as a family, then you’re probably seeking something deeper or more extensive than a vacation. Whatever that means for you, the following actions could help you in planning a fulfilling family gap year. These are not logistical tips (visas, packing and the like) but rather insights for having…
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Gap Year with Kids: Making the Most of Your Travels
There are a few things we knew right off the bat would make our family gap year travels more enjoyable, and others we learned along the way. If you’re planning extended travels with one or more kids, here are a few ways to make the most of your experience. 1. Prioritize kids’ needs when choosing…
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Beyond Havana Vieja: Our Family’s Experience in Cuba’s Most Famous City
During our month in Cuba we stayed in Havana three separate times for a total of about two weeks. You could cover our tracks in half that time but we took a slow approach. We prefer to take our time and let everything sink in — plus we were traveling with our toddler! Here are…
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Why We’re Taking a Family Gap Year
It might have been exciting to suddenly quit our jobs one day, break our lease, and “travel the world” but that’s not how it happened. We were looking for something more goal-focused, not strictly revolving around the idea of travel. Plus, taking a year away from the security of work doesn’t neatly align with our…
A few things about each of us
James
Daddy
James is from the US. He worked in cultural exchange programs for over 15 years prior to our gap year, and has led youth programs in India, Nepal, Cambodia and Costa Rica. James is a musician and a fan of absurd humor.
Johana
Mommy
Johana was born and raised in Colombia, and moved to the US at the age of 30. Johana has worked as a project manager with consulting firms for over 10 years. Although she likes numbers, her heart is filled with pottery, family time and travels.
V.
Toddler
V was almost 3 years old when these travels started. She likes all kinds of playgrounds, horse rides, hikes, museums and such. She also likes to try different food, and to discover new rooms in new places.