In the Aid of the People by Janna

In the Aid of the People by Janna - August 2019 Scholarship Essay

A gap year is something I have long considered as graduating high school with my associates would provide a perfect opportunity to take such a pause before continuing on to my major, but with this consideration, there has been a great amount of thought given as to what exactly I would do. At first, the question seemed rather daunting, it was after all the way I would be spending an entire year of my life and for a seventeen-year-old, that 6% of my life seemed huge. This eventually led me to break it down more simply by asking myself not what would you do, but what do you love. My mother had always told me to "do what I loved" and personally two things I'm passionate about are the Spanish language as well as Service.

I believe that learning a new language can unlock an entirely new world of both culture and understanding. This is exactly why I have been so passionate about learning Spanish. I am relatively adept when it comes to learning languages but the difference between good and fluent is nothing more than a leap into immersion, something that could be easily provided through a gap year. With a gap year somewhere Spanish-speaking I would have the opportunity to expand my skills through daily use which would be able to benefit me greatly even beyond just my gap year.

Another way that I would be able to create a lasting impact during a gap-year is through service. Service is particularly great because not only does it physically help those being served but it allows the one doing the service to branch out beyond just themselves and better themselves all at the same time. Though there are many ways to serve the main method I have considered is English Education within poorer communities. In struggling countries often times the key to success lies within the language. By learning English people are given the chance to expand beyond their home towns by entering new worlds like business and tourism, opportunities less likely available to those that cant communicate so fluidly.

I think that overall the entire reasoning behind a gap year is to find joy and that is exactly why I think it is important to make the most of it by doing things that can bring true happiness to yourself and others as well as leave a lasting impact. For me, this means bettering myself and others though both learning and teaching a language.