Learn a language

If you fancy doing something constructive while you travel on a gap year or career break then an excellent option is to learn a language. When you learn a language abroad you get so much more out of the experience than if you learn a language at college or in an evening class. When you learn a language abroad you get to practice what you have been taught on a daily basis whilst at the same time totally immersing yourself in the local culture of the language you are studying. If you learn a language on a gap year or career break, particularly in far flung places like South America or China, your newly acquired linguistic skills can also be incredibly useful when you are travelling - being able to communicate with the local people in their own language makes things much easier, and if you make the effort to speak in the local language your efforts are normally greatly appreciated.

If you learn a language abroad it is also an excellent opportunity to meet other like-minded backpackers who are studying at the same language school. If you learn a language on a gap year or career break it is a great thing to be able to put on your CV when you return home as well - and shows that you didn't just spend the entire year lying on a beach somewhere! If you want to learn a language while you are away Real Gap can help to arrange tuition in Mandarin, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. Many of Real Gap's ‘Learn a Language' programmes incorporate another activity, such as paid work abroad or a volunteer project, whilst others are purely language courses.

If you want to learn a language on your gap year it is well worth spending some time reading through all of the various gap year language programmes by clicking on the ‘Learn a Language' link on the Real Gap website's home page.

The following list provides a brief summary of what's possible if you want to learn a language on you gap year:

Learn a Language - Chinese/Mandarin

If you really want to set yourself a challenge when you learn a language then why not consider the opportunity to learn Mandarin in China with Real Gap's ‘Paid Teaching English Programme China'? Travellers on this programme receive four weeks comprehensive training learning how to become an English teaching assistant in China and they receive lessons in Mandarin at the same time. The teaching jobs in China are fully paid and the programme also includes meals and accommodation. Working as a teaching assistant is an ideal way to learn a language as it provides the perfect opportunity to put your linguistic skills to the test on a daily basis - and you will probably end up learning as much from the pupils as they do from you. An interesting fact about Mandarin is that it is the world's most spoken language and, if you want a bit of adventure off the usual beaten tourist track when you learn a language, then China is an excellent option.

Learn a language - Japanese

Another fascinating Asian country in which to learn a language on your gap year or career break is Japan. With Real Gap's ‘Paid Work in Japan' you can acquire well-paid work in a wide variety of jobs whilst you are in the Land of the Rising Sun. With this flexible programme it's not compulsory to learn a language, but it is strongly encouraged and you will definitely enjoy your time in Japan more if you learn some Japanese. Real Gap has support offices throughout Japan and they can give you all the help you need in order to find a suitable language school.

Learn a language - Learn Portuguese

A really fun country in which to learn a language on a gap year or career break is Brazil. The national language of Brazil is Portuguese, (unlike the rest of South America where Spanish is spoken). If you are going to be spending a large part of your year out in Brazil then it is highly recommended you learn some Portuguese. As with most of Real Gap's ‘Learn a Language' programmes in Latin America you can choose either to just learn a language while you are in Brazil or, alternatively, combine your language studies with work on one of several extremely worthwhile volunteer projects.

Learn a language - Learn Spanish

If you want to learn a language that is incredibly versatile when you are away, then learning how to speak Spanish in Latin America is an ideal option. Real Gap has programmes incorporating Spanish tuition in several countries throughout Latin America. If you prefer you can just learn a language or you can choose to combine your lessons with another activity. If you are planning to travel extensively in this region then learning Spanish is highly recommended.

If you want to learn a language on a year out and have any specific questions you would like to ask about any of our ‘Learn a language' programmes then get in touch with one of Real Gap's team of expert travel advisers.

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