After repeated discussions with my Australian friends about their high school and uni experiences, I've come to realize that many students here take a gap year in between graduating high school and going to uni. In the U.S., where going to college right out of high school is normal, the opposite goes for Australia. Almost all young adults here take a year off to travel and work. Many work for 6 or 9 months and travel the remaining months of the year. Some work in Australia, in the town they grew up in, and some go as far away as Europe to work. If Australian students work for 19 months, 30 hours a week, the government will give them $500 every two weeks after they enroll uni. So, essentially, they're getting paid to go to uni! Also, school here costs about $5,000 per session (or semester as we say).
About two weeks ago, I was trying to think of ways to make my blog more interesting. What would make people want to read my blog? What do people want to read about/know? Also, what am I interested in? What do I want to learn about?
This past Christmas, I received a video camera for Christmas... to "document my time spent in Australia, as well as all the other countries I'm going to visit." In light of all this information, I've decided to start a video project documenting Australian students' experiences during their gap year. I have a good idea of questions I'll ask each student, but I don't know exact questions yet. Almost daily, I plan on updating my blog with a new story about what a student has done during their gap year. I get to learn about this "gap year phenomena" and you get to listen to Aussie's and learn about Australian culture!
I wish there was more incentive, or it was more "normal" for American students to take a gap year. Many of the Australian students I've spoken to are so cultured because they've been all over the world (not only does the upper class do this, but the middle class as well). Are Australians better suited to become global leaders in this age of globalization? To quote Thomas Friedman (you should look into his books and NY Times articles), more people than ever before can "connect and collaborate." Connection and collaboration between people of different countries and cultures is contributing to an ever-increasing globalized society, a society in which cross-cultural connection and understanding is made easy and is encouraged.
I have to go to class but remember to check back for upcoming videos!
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