The following resources provide reliable and timely sources of information:
Centers for Disease Control and PreventionU.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs
World Health Organization
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
OSAC - Overseas Security Advisory Council - created by the Secretary of State to promote an open dialogue between the U.S. Government and the American private sector on security issues abroad
One great gap year benefit is how much flexibility is involved with swift and easy changes in plans as needed. Program variety allows students to engage in interesting experiences, and with increased freedom of movement, they can turn on a dime to step into options further afield. Gap year learning is all about rolling with change and the challenge of becoming comfortable with shifting plans due to internal or external factors. Our world situation with COVID definitely posed one of the more challenging external pressures for change, but we saw first hand that it is possible for students to successfully carry on and derive the same core benefits that make gap time such an extraordinary option to experience.
