井本かおりの最新"英国ギャップイヤー"情報：「ギャップイヤーを経験した現役女子大生が考察～親元・教師から離れることでの自信獲得！」の巻

今回は英国の名門ブリストル大学で微生物学を専攻する、セリサ・アボアジ（20歳）さんからの『ギャップイヤーを経験した現役女子大学生が思うギャップイヤーについて』のレポートです。

彼女の両親はアフリカガーナ出身。
ギャップイヤーは2ヶ月間アフリカガーナの病院（ＨＩＶ／ＴＢのクリニック等）で就労経験をした。
またイギリスではピアノを教えて3ヶ月に渡るアフリカ旅行の資金を備える。
現在はブリストル大学で医学部に編入を計画中。

　下記の英文レポートにあるように、ギャップイヤーというのは今現在専攻している学科のために役立つというよりも、社会経験と自立への自信に大変影響があったようである。やはり、親元や教員から離れて、自立心が生まれるという意味が大きい。日本では、経済状況の悪化から、東京も大阪も地元の大学に通う傾向が強まっているが、「自立心や自主性の醸成」からいうと、悪い傾向と言えるのではないか。

　ブリストル在学の学生の中でもギャップイヤー経験者は、初期の段階では現実的で実用的だと、それにギャップイヤー経験者は長い学生生活にうまく適応しているとも指摘する。

　結局ギャップイヤーは個人的なゴールや状況に大きく左右されるのではないか、また、学生にとって個性の開発や社会を理解する上で大変価値のあるものであると信じる、とも述べている。"

I found taking a gap year particularly useful, not so much for my course at university but more for the independence required to live away from home in a self-sufficient manner. I worked in a hospital in Ghana for two months in various departments of the hospital. I happened to work in the HIV/ TB clinic for a week or so and this came in handy with my course, cellular molecular medicine.

I do believe however that a gap year can be particularly helpful if the appropriate work experience can be gained and sought out. Working in the hospital was a life experience so even though it was n ot helpful to my course I couldn't say it wasn't helpful at all, far from it. However to reiterate my point that a gap year helped me stand on my own two feet slightly more than some of my peers around me. Being away from home so many menial tasks can be relatively daunting for some people without their parents.

Taking a gap year allowed me to enter the world of work, be accountable with money that I had earned and gave me a chance to see the world without the pressure of a deadline or restriction of school holidays. I think for some people it can be a useful time for them to figure out what it is exactly they want to do in later life. With most other things in life it just depends on what the individual wants as to whether they will make the most of that time.

I definitely noticed with a lot of the friends I have at university there is a difference between those that have taken a gap year and those that haven't. The longer that term went on these diff erences seem to fade but they were quite prominent initially. I think that with the friends I have who have taken gap years they seem to have a slightly more practical attitude towards things and seemed a lot more comfortable entering the university environment with a years worth of life experience under their belt. However with my friends from home there is no obvious difference between those that have and haven't.

I think that the difference it can make is entirely down to the individual and their own personal goals and circumstances. The comments I have made are very general as everyone is very different but I do believe that a gap year is a good way for a perspective student to develop their character and their understanding of the working world.

Best Wishes, Serissa

井本かおり
JGAPギャップイヤー総研客員研究員（ロンドン駐在）

香港、パリを経て、英国在住23年目。
Rugby校在学中の次男が2013年にギャップイヤー予定。