So you’ve taken the plunge! You’re off on a gap year to an exotic country abroad to work on an animal conservation project. It’s been something you’ve been looking forward to for years: you’ve chosen your project, you’ve gotten your inoculations, bought your backpack and booked your seat. But you’ve still got a couple of weeks before you leave and the excitement is nearly killing you! What can you do to not only pass the time but also keep you focused on the job ahead? A little light reading should do the job and there are plenty of old favourites that will whet your appetite for your upcoming gap year adventure…

The Jungle Book

This absolute classic has been a staple of every child’s bookshelf since 1967. Originally published as a collection of short stories, the author Rudyard Kipling drew his influences from his childhood spent in India. Children, and the adults who read to them, all over the world fell in love with jungle boy Mowgli and his band of animal friends. Although on your gap year you probably won’t come across such friendly folk as Baloo and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, or such scary sneaks as Bagheera, Akela or Shere Khan, you will certainly make the acquaintance of some animals every bit as fascinating.

Born Free

In 1965 the world was captivated by the movie Born Free in which a lion cub was raised in captivity and then set free into the wild. But long before the movie, the book by Joy Adamson was capturing the hearts of everyone who read the incredibly heart warming story of Elsa the lioness. The tale began when George Adamson, a game ranger and Joy’s husband, shot dead a lioness who charged him. The reasons for the attack became clear when George discovered she had been protecting three cubs. One of them, Elsa, became the heroine of the book and her eventual release back into the wild became a world-first. Hopefully on your gap year you won’t encounter any angry lionesses, but you may have some wonderful opportunities to get up close and personal with the wildlife on your project.

The Call of the Wild

Jack London’s epic tale of a domesticated dog, Buck, who is stolen and sold into sled-pulling slavery became a classic back in 1903. The story continues as Buck is rescued by a kindly human, Thornton, with whom he forms an unbreakable bond. When Thornton is killed by Indians, Buck takes to the wild and joins a pack of wolves, eventually vanquishing all opponents to become their leader. He never forgets his bond with Thornton however, and returns every year to the spot where he died. Although you won’t come across any wolves or wild dogs on your gap year experience, the book is a wonderful depiction of some fascinating aspects of animal behaviour, many of which you will have the opportunity to observe first-hand.

Reading up on animal related stories before you set off on your gap year is an ideal way to get you in the mood. And once you return, you may even be inspired to put pen to paper and create you very own animal classic…

Author Bio: Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Worldwide Experience, an online tour operator offering extended breaks on gap year and other adventurous holidays for adults.

Category: Travel
Keywords: gap year