Groups and Games

Irish Gap Year Adventure Leadership program offers a variety of activities to do (such as volunteering, surfing, and hiking), while giving you enough free time to make the program your own. I personally loved the outdoors element. Trying new things like surfing or long hikes are experiences I enjoyed. There's also a lot of traveling around Ireland and Northern Ireland, where there are often a few preplanned activities and some free time during the trip. The headquarters of Irish Gap Year is the Bundrowes House in Bundoran, a small tourist town with some good bars and cafes. The house itself is huge and provides a great shelter as well as excellent food and banter, courtesy of chef Rita.

The biggest positive (and perhaps negative) of the program is its' core structure; the group. For three months you live with -and do almost all of your activities with- the same group of people. This means that any conflicts that arise between you and another housemate need to be resolved, as you cannot escape the conflict. Fortunately, Irish Gap Year staff are incredibly supportive and have a system in place for conflicts between gappers. I personally found the close proximity encouraged my personal growth, because I could not run away from my problems. I would advise future gappers (especially introverts like me) to carve out some time for yourself, within or outside Bundrowes house.

Future gappers should also know that they will be expected to try things to the best of their ability. Opting out of a hike because you don't want to do it is not a good excuse, and same goes for volunteering. There is leniency when you feel physically or emotionally unable. In those situations, make sure to communicate with the staff the day before, as they are willing to make accommodations if given clear communication.

Overall, I loved this program. I entered Irish Gap Year feeling stagnant on my future, and am leaving it confident in my ability to pursue my own path. Irish Gap Year gave me the support and space I needed to grow, and I am incredibly grateful for the experience.