What is a gap year?

Gap Year from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gap_year
"The British English term gap year (or 'Year Out') is given to a prolonged period (often, but not always, a year) taken off full-time education by a student leaving high school and (ideally) before matriculating in college or university . It is generally a practice undertaken by young people from anglophone nations with a great proportion of gap year students from one country effectively swapping with gap year students from another. For example, the majority of Australian gap year students spend most of their time living and working in Britain (especially in London), whilst the majority of British gap year students spend their time in Australia (especially in Sydney).

Some students spend the time travelling, others working, and many combine these into an international Working Holilday. A popular option for gap year students, also known as "gappers", is international volunteering. In the wake of the 2004/5 Tsunami disaster a great deal of volunteers that helped in Asia were on a Gap Year. Also, many gap year students earn money whilst overseas by working cash in hand often in the hospitality industry.

Gap years, which became prevalent in the 1990s, could be considered a modern equivalent of the Grand Tour.

A growing trend is what is becoming known as the Career Gap which is for those aged 25+. This career sabbatical is usually undertaken by those either wanting a career change, nearing retirement or have seen the benefits gained from their own children taking a gap year.

In New Zealand it is known as OE or The Big OE meaning Overseas Experience but is more commonly undertaken after completing University."

Why are Americans so U.S.-centric? A common reason given is that we have everything we need within our borders - we are self-sustaining and have no need to go beyond our country. Everything is so nice in the U.S., why go elsewhere?

Because we are part of a global community. Because there are many things other lands and cultures can teach us.

In the U.S., we have no equivalent for the phrase gap year. The closest we have is study abroad. But the key to a gap year is "taken off full-time education;" and for obvious reasons, study abroad does not fit that criteria. Australia is also self-sustaining, and yet many of its students (post high school or college) take a year off to live in a different country. Granted, many of them are eager to leave home and establish their independence. But the benefits of these tours are evident - no Australian are accused of being Australia-centric. By going abroad, they learn about how other cultures functions, they gain a new perspective into global issues and they make friendships that can last a life-time.

In my search for travel insurance, I found a number of websites dedicated to backpackers in preparation for their gap year (See Links). The best ones and most comprehensive ones are all U.K. or Australia based. Most of the travel insurance websites also cater to those groups of travelers. When I found the U.S. website, http://www.thebackpacker.com/, I thought to myself "finally! Something that caters to me." And yet, that was not the case. The site is literally about backpacks and how to pack your bags! (Ok, fine, there's some info about hiking and trails too.) But seriously! Am I really that mistaken to think that backpacking connotes the idea of roughing it in foreign countries? (According to Wikipedia, I am. And did you know that there's a type of hip hop called backpacker? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backpacker)

So why am I posting this commentary/rant when most of you, my readers, are globetrotters? Per a conversation with J-mama last week, the question that we, as Americans globetrotters, need to ask is "how can we affect change?" A change in American attitude towards travel abroad. A change in the close-mindedness that we arrogantly hold. A change in how our kids are educated. A change in our approach as global citizens.