It took me quite some time to decide how to start the blog about my gap year and yet I have no idea how to do it.

Maybe I begin with how it all started……

When I went to the Secondary school I had the big wish to spend one year abroad as an exchange student. My desired destination: New Zealand. Living in Germany there are not many places in the world which are as far away as New Zealand is.

I spent a lot of time trying to convince my parents to let me go for one year, then I tried it with half a year – but they didn’t allow it either way.

Even though it’s been some years already since I wanted to spend the year abroad, my interest in the country has never faded. I feel as excited as the first day I got to know a view things about New Zealand and the Kiwi’s living down there. So I kept this country on top of all those I want to travel to in my life.

The thinking about a gap year started right after the final “no” of my parents to the exchange year. But I got certain about it last summer.

Spending my summer vacation with an International travelling group (consisting of 5 Kiwis, 2 Aussies and one Londoner as well as our Mexican travel guide) travelling in Guatemala, Belize and Mexico, I started to plan my route for the time after my graduation from school. Back then it was just a nice idea I had and to be honest, I didn’t think that it was going to be my real plan in the future.

But here I am…leaving Germany at the beginning of August for Costa Rica. – Wait, Costa Rica?

Yes, being a communicative person I talked to a lovely German women on the long distance flight to Santo Domingo and San José. While talking to her for about 10 hours we got to know each other and she told me that she was living in Costa Rica. Having a good time together she invited me to come and stay over at hers for a while to learn some Spanish and experience the beautiful country she is living in.

Well, what should I say…I will follow that wonderful invitation and experience a country I have not known much about for the major part of my life.

After that I will fly on to New Zealand where I will stay a while longer because I would like to do some work and travel there.

What happens after that is not completely planned. A wish of mine is travelling the Australian East coast before heading back to Europe. But I haven’t booked anything for that yet because I don’t know how my time in New Zealand will develop.

The last four weeks……

It is strange to see that the last month being in your hometown which you haven’t been absent from for longer than 3 weeks in a row for your entire life.

Yet I don’t exactly know how to feel about it. Of course I am totally looking forward to my year off. It will definitely be a lifetime experience which will be one of the most special ones in my life.

But I also feel a bit sad of course because now time is running short till I will wave to my parents for the last time, before going to the security control at the airport and be away for the longest time I’ve ever been abroad. I will start saying “goodbye” to people I like in a way I have never done before.

It’s a strange feeling to know that even though you will be away, everything else will be like it’s been before. People will just go on with their lives while you won’t be part of it for the next year. And it can happen so much in that time – couples split up, people change their university subjects, people move in cities far away from home, your sister will grow into a real teenager and won’t be a child any more, when you come back. You won’t be part of traditional things such as Christmas at grandma’s, New Year’s Eve at a friend’s, 18th or other milestone birthdays…

The thought of being apart is a strange one, for sure. I have never expected that my feelings would be that mixed shortly before I head off. But I believe that it is part of the experience which is called “gap year”.

During my journey I will keep you up to date with all that will be happening. I hope you can enjoy the nice moments, laugh about the funny scenes that will occur and take part in my travel-life. Feel free to comment or share and contact me if you like!