Many people, including myself, have a life plan ingrained in their brains from a young age that
after high school you must go to college; and after college, one will get a good job because you will be educated. That is just how life goes. While going to college is not completely out of my life plan, it is just not something I want to do right after high school if I had the choice. This plan is not a reality for me, but a dream if I had no restrictions.

If I had no restrictions for my plans after high school, I would not want to go to school right away. I would like to take a gap year after high school instead. During this time I would travel, but also fulfill a dream of mine of spending time volunteering in Africa. Although I have been thinking about this for some time, it has never been a reality. Helping kids in Africa and putting a smile on their faces is something that would make me happy, and is something that I want to do in my life. And what better time than when I am young and full of enthusiasm?

During my gap year, I would like to travel to some of my dream destinations such as Bali, the Maldives, and Iceland. Although my travel aspirations are more than the few places just listed and consist of places I will probably never visit during my lifetime, being a tourist in these countries is a dream. Traveling, touring, and trekking through other parts of the world and seeing new incredible sights is a way to see other cultures. Through my travels so far, I have been able to see different customs and cultures in different countries. For example, the wild pigs on the beaches of Costa Rica were normal to the locals. The everyday normalities that were different from America are what makes traveling so interesting and educational. Although during this time, I would not be in school, I would still be learning and gaining experiences that would help me in the future.

Traveling is how I would spend about six months of my gap year; but for the rest of the year, I would be volunteering in Africa, teaching young kids how to read, write, and play games. As I have done more research about volunteering, I have found that many people teach English to children, as well as teach them sports such as soccer. Seeing the smiles that volunteers can put on kids' faces and the bond they build with them is something that I want to experience, plus, I want to make them happy.

While my ideal path for my future is a bit out of the ordinary, it is still not a reality for me. This plan is hopefully something that I will be fortunate enough to complete later in my life. Although I have a different plan than many, it is something that I am passionate about and would do if I was given the opportunity.