Gap Year

lucysdeals

Hey guys,

I know a lot of you (like me), are thinking about a gap year next year, and what with the sun we are having here at the moment I can't help but want it 24/7, but I just thought i'd let you know, I’ve been working with i to i which is a company that is fantastic at providing life-long gap year experiences, and I just thought I’d let you know that there are some really fantastic gap years opportunities coming up that I thought you guys ought to know about; I’ll let you know nearer the time – but until then take a look at their website, and don’t hesitate to hit me back if you have any questions:
www.mygapexperience.com

FreheitOverture

Smells like :spam:

lucysdeals

Haha, no no, just a genuine heads up.
I've been as honest as I can. I'm not employed by them, but I have done some work on their behalf which is how I found out about them.

Minxy_Bella

I've just had a look at the site as I've got a teenager who's thinking about her gap year and I'm a bit surprised tbh.

Is it normal for volunteers to have to pay hundreds of ££s in order to have the privilege of working at an orphanage, for example? I don't know - maybe I'm very old-fashioned but I'd expect to have to pay for flights/accommodation/food but £600 odd for two weeks on top of that seems a bit steep to me.

Am I just out of touch?

lynzpower

No Minxy you are not out of touch but this isVOLUNTOURISM, not volunterring and there is a world of difference.

i-to-i have a terrible repuitation for "voluntourism"

The profit they make is astounding, from the back of poverty stricken communities in need.

My freind went on one, and it was NOTHING like she expected, NOTHING like what she had paid for she of course expected and paid for a homestay to learn language and become involved in the community, she and another girl were given a hammock in a garage miles away from the village- and the meals she paid for was a basket of bread and hard boiled eggs and THAT WAS IT. all day!!!

I-to-i charged her a few thousand to visit this place the sanctuary she was supposed to be supporting recieved $5usd for each volunteer. there was no shortage of vounteers in the community, but they needed some level of monies to keep functioning

If you are looking - I would asuggest a search on i-to-i on the Lonely planet message board, the thorn tree. Where you will have your eyes openedto this company and others like them.

If your daughter wants to work in an orphanagfe, then she should ask on the lonely planet message board, or search on there as there are thousands of legitimate opportunities. Additionally idealist.org is a great resource. She might need to package it herself, but the money will go directly to those in need and not to the managers of I-to-i who i read once are all millionaires.

AVOID THIS COMPANY IF YOU REALLY CARE

Minxy_Bella

lynzpower wrote: »

No Minxy you are not out of touch but this isVOLUNTOURISM, not volunterring and there is a world of difference.

i-to-i have a terrible repuitation for "voluntourism"

The profit they make is astounding, from the back of poverty stricken communities in need.

My freind went on one, and it was NOTHING like she expected, NOTHING like what she had paid for she of course expected and paid for a homestay to learn language and become involved in the community, she and another girl were given a hammock in a garage miles away from the village- and the meals she paid for was a basket of bread and hard boiled eggs and THAT WAS IT. all day!!!

I-to-i charged her a few thousand to visit this place the sanctuary she was supposed to be supporting recieved $5usd for each volunteer. there was no shortage of vounteers in the community, but they needed some level of monies to keep functioning

If you are looking - I would asuggest a search on i-to-i on the Lonely planet message board, the thorn tree. Where you will have your eyes openedto this company and others like them.

If your daughter wants to work in an orphanagfe, then she should ask on the lonely planet message board, or search on there as there are thousands of legitimate opportunities. Additionally ideqalist.org is a great resource. She might need to package it herself, but the money will go directly to those in need and not to the managers of I-to-i who i read once are all millionaires.

AVOID THIS COMPANY IF YOU REALLY CARE

Many thanks, hun - I thought it sounded pretty outrageous!

Cheers for the heads up! xxx

Oldernotwiser

lucysdeals wrote: »

Haha, no no, just a genuine heads up.
I've been as honest as I can. I'm not employed by them, but I have done some work on their behalf which is how I found out about them.

Your post has been reported as SPAM as has your other sales based thread.

lucysdeals

lynzpower wrote: »

No Minxy you are not out of touch but this isVOLUNTOURISM, not volunterring and there is a world of difference.

i-to-i have a terrible repuitation for "voluntourism"

The profit they make is astounding, from the back of poverty stricken communities in need.

My freind went on one, and it was NOTHING like she expected, NOTHING like what she had paid for she of course expected and paid for a homestay to learn language and become involved in the community, she and another girl were given a hammock in a garage miles away from the village- and the meals she paid for was a basket of bread and hard boiled eggs and THAT WAS IT. all day!!!

I-to-i charged her a few thousand to visit this place the sanctuary she was supposed to be supporting recieved $5usd for each volunteer. there was no shortage of vounteers in the community, but they needed some level of monies to keep functioning

If you are looking - I would asuggest a search on i-to-i on the Lonely planet message board, the thorn tree. Where you will have your eyes openedto this company and others like them.

If your daughter wants to work in an orphanagfe, then she should ask on the lonely planet message board, or search on there as there are thousands of legitimate opportunities. Additionally idealist.org is a great resource. She might need to package it herself, but the money will go directly to those in need and not to the managers of I-to-i who i read once are all millionaires.

AVOID THIS COMPANY IF YOU REALLY CARE

Wow thanks for the heads up; perhaps it was just because i'd been comparing like for like and it seemed cheaper and more professional based on the sites?
Have you got any advice about their TEFL course, or TEFL courses in general?

xoxo