« Spaces and exchanges », the example of a Gap Year.

ORAL EXAM

        I'm going to present you the notion « Spaces and exchanges » with the example of a Gap Year.

First, an exchange is the act of giving or receiving something in substitution for something else.  The notion « Spaces and exchanges » is a continuous movement and it includes all types of exchanges ; people, trade, media and the new telecomunication who have accelered the rythm of exchanges.

I will present this notion by focusing on the gap year. A gap year is a period of time during a student takes a break from his studies and can go abroad.

So we can ask themseleves : « to what extent is it a good way to take a break in your studies to spend a year abroad ? » We would like to focus on the inconvenients firstly and then the advantages.

        I- Let's talk about the drawbacks (or inconvenients).

→ First, a gap year can be terrible, and a bad experience for someone. Indeed, it is possible to spend a bad trip. But also, arrive in the foreign country and to feel home sick.

→ Then, when you arrive in a new foreign country, it can be difficult to meet new people and make new friends, so it is possible to rest alone during all the year abroad.

It is not always a good experience because the family who receive you can be a bad family or the employeer where you job can be too severe.

The job or studies will be maybe too difficult. So, it is important to be hard-working. Stop studying can be also a drawback.

        II- However, there are advantages. Now, let's talk about these.

→ To developp your personality. You can improve your skills and be more mature.

→ You can also open your horizons when you go in a foreign country,. This is important to see new landscapes and new people.

→ The new people can make new relations with you, you meet new people and make new friends.

→ Furthemore, this experience allows you to immerse in new cultures, with a new family and spend a unique experience.

→  You can travel in a foreign country to do volunteering or something else.. It is so cool because a lot of organisations exist, so you have a lot of choice to have the best gap year for you.

        To conclude and to my mind, it is a really good thing to take a break in your studies to spend a year in a foreign country. This experience are often a magic experience.

I think that the exchanges become very important in the world. Nowadays, with the globalization, we can see borders disappear. Spaces become one world because all spaces need to others countries to live.

...