Is Backpacking A "Middle Class Jolly?"

A police officer said on Jeremy Vine's BBC Radio 2 show recently that gap years are a middle class jolly.  He claims that only the middle classes can afford the trip and that once abroad the "Gappers" live off of Daddy's credit card.

There is a lot of truth in the above assertions, but like any generalization it doesn't account for the many different sub-groups of people that go abroad.  What about people from working-class backgrounds?  What about people undertaking voluntary work?  What about people who work whilst traveling?

Whereas most people that have actually done some extended independent traveling recognize the benefits and enrichment it brings,  comments like the above tar all backpackers with the same brush.  Rather than the experience of being abroad for a year being a positive it is sometimes viewed as a negative by employers.

I saved up for eight months to pay for my ticket and then worked my way around Australia which helped pay for the remainder of my trip.  I didn't volunteer but I had an excellent time - in fact it was the best experience of my life.  I met many others who were working as hard as I was.

True, I did meet many people who were living off Mum and Dad - so what?  It could be argued that they didn't get as good an experience as others - perhaps because they didn't work as hard to go on a gap year and are thus unable to appreciate it to the same extent.

I also met many people who once abroad jumped on a tour bus that took them everywhere and even dictated which hostel they stayed at.  Some people I spoke to didn't even know where they were going or where they had been - this wasn't the experience I chose but they were enjoying themselves.

Traveling has never been easier or so economical - to fly to Australia from the UK costs about two weeks pay.  Thirty years ago it cost the same as a brand new car, twenty years before that it cost the same as a semi-detached house (I seem to remember reading this in a Bill Bryson book). 

Travel eliminates ignorance - that can only be a good thing.  What should be of  more concern is the effect the increase in air travel is having on the environment... 

BY: Blue

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z GENERAL

Disclaimer
These articles have not been written by an attorney, they are not intended as legal advice and not meant to be relied upon. The articles are written by many different authors and do not represent the thoughts, intentions, plans or strategies of GlobalGophers. Global Gophers is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.