Trekforce Worldwide

Speaking from Experience

Nikki Connelly, Volunteer on five month combination placement

"After graduating from a Business Management degree and working in the city I was feeling completely disillusioned and wondering how suicidal I would feel if I was still behind a desk in 15 years...

"So, I started looking around for something to do as a career break, something that would help me reassess my life and maybe find some fresh ideas about what I actually liked doing (I hadn’t done anything I liked doing for a long time). That’s when I came across Trekforce….As a result of going on an expedition and placement I have just qualified as a teacher, something I realised I loved when I was out teaching in Belize."

Kate McGrath took a career break last year and tells us all about it…

So why did you decide to take a career break?

I hadn’t been travelling since I’d left University and had been in the same job for four and a half years and decided I wanted to do something that would have an impact on the world and on other people. Trekforce offered everything I was looking for in one package – conservation work, learning Spanish and teaching.

What did you get up to?

The trip was 6 months in all - the first five months of my trip was organised by Trekforce. The first two months were spent doing conservation work in the rainforest in Belize, then one month learning Spanish in Guatemala, and the last two months living with a local family and teaching in a school in Belize . The last six weeks I spent travelling around Mexico and Cuba with friends I'd met on project.

Did you come up against negativity from colleagues/friends/family?

All of them were really supportive and said they’d love to do it if they had their time over again. Friends and family thought I was mad but were also very supportive – helping me fundraise money and buying me stuff that I needed for the trip.

What were the highs and lows during your career break?

The highs were meeting new people, some of whom are now great friends, helping conserve the jungle and provide jobs for some of the locals, learning Spanish and bonding with the local families we lived with, seeing amazing parts of the world, some of which no tourists get to see.

The first few days were the hardest – not knowing anyone at first and having to build relationships, living in a foreign country and a new environment, having limited contact with home (only via post). But it was all worth it.

Did your experience turn out to be what you had expected?

Yes – I expected it to be the toughest thing I’d ever done but at the same time an amazing experience and it was both of those things.

How easy was it to return home?

Quite easy, I had been travelling around from place to place for so long that I was looking forward to coming home and being in one place. I was also missing my home comforts (a proper loo!), missing family, friends, nice food and the pub! I think six months was just right.

Kate took part in the 5 month combination placement.

Don't forget to see our shorter career break expeditions too...

Or the fantastic and challenging extreme expeditions...