Tuesday 22 September 2020

Dread-full



All three of my children took time off to travel the world between School and University; taking anything from one to nearly three years.

None of them needed to write home for money, each working their own ways around as they went.

Of course it wasn't all work. Youngest son (sporting his beloved dreads, above) probably experienced more that the other two, but that was because he was prepared to do things on the cheap, in discomfort, and with a bunch of like-minded friends. The two older children were more discerning. 

Above shows him in Oz about to wrangle with a Crock'. It's a good thing there was a fence between them.

With the world's current problems, our children will probably be staying home for their gap years; and, sadly, they will be lesser people for it. Another unmentioned aspect of the pandemic.

16 comments:

  1. Well pointed out Cro.... and not just the pandemic.... young Brits will unlikely be able to travel the world so easily post-Brexschitt anyway... they will have to find work down t'mines, or int'mills from the age of sixteen.... no time to play, no time to explore other cultures........
    the more "intelligentandsuccessful" ones will likely emmigrate again!!

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    Replies
    1. When each of my children returned from their extensive travels, they were noticeably more wise, self-confident, and determined. It'll be a shame if all that disappears.

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  2. Do you mean your grandchildren won't have a gap year? My nephew had dreads. R hated them but I thought they made him seem more interesting. There are so many repercussions from what has happened this year, some of which we probably can't even guess.

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    Replies
    1. The grandchildren possibly will have gap years, but I expect they'll be spent in Scotland or Wales; none of this hopping from country to country business that my children did. AS for his dreads, I loved them. They came right down to his backside!

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  3. It is dilemma for me whether to say it is a good thing or a bad thing. I am sure a few will still travel as they always did before gap years and cheap travel became the norm. I knew several people in the 1960s and 70s who had travelled to Kathmandu, India and Iran etc. and disappeared for a year when it was unheard of for most. I just have a feeling that some will still go. Perhaps the pandemic is a long over due correction of what matters and what doesn't matter. I don't think Brexit has anything to do with it. Brexit won't stop travellers to Europe any more than the Cold War or the Iron Curtain did us.

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    Replies
    1. I suppose it all depends on how the pandemic develops. I'm sure that when things calm, students will work their ways around the world again, but for the moment I expect they'll stay home. It'll be interesting to see the stats some time later.

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  4. Travel is life changing. My son also traveled extensively. Gap year traveling throughout Europe, then back to school to get a JD with focus on International law and IP. Another gap year in Asia. Like everyone else, he's now working from home. That said, he is still traveling and says, "to hell with COVID". His recent travel is all about COVID testing, masks, social distancing and bargain business class flights. He's living his life his way.

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    Replies
    1. Good for him, but I expect a lot of people are put-off by the idea of Covid. When I was at college we all did summer jobs at home, I expect that'll become popular again.

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  5. Daughter in middle of university degree doing art. How the hell are you supposed to do art remotely? And worse, her special interest is ceramics!

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    1. I could have worked from home during my degree course, but not if studying ceramics. The ceramics dep't at my college was probably the most 'kit heavy' of all.

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  6. Travel of any kind at any time in one's life is beneficial and the very best thing.

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  7. I suspect the gap year is going to be the least of the worries for the majority of students these days.

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    Replies
    1. With the HUGE cost, etc; I think more will give Uni a miss.

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  8. There are so many things that we all are missing out on but can be made up at another time. Now, the most important thing to do is stay healthy and alive.

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