From Julia Wayne:
Nicholas Kristof’s realistic article about a “gap year” in a foreign country provided encouragement for taking a year off from school and seeing the world in a safe way. Starting off the article with an insult aimed towards narrow-minded colleges, Kristof begs his readers to understand the pragmatic reasons for an out-of-the-country experience. He then refers to how dangerous these eye-opening countries can be, and the easy precautions that can be taken by travelers of all ages. Through these not-so-subtle hints, Kristof presents a logical endeavor intending on broadening students’ horizons through travel.
What Kristof seems to lack understanding in, though, is that high school and college students are still at the age where they don’t always comprehend straightforward advice. While the advice may seem legitimate and logical, these ostensibly necessary precautions may cause other more common precautions to be forgotten. These students go to foreign countries to not only learn, but also have adventures, which sometimes includes close encounters with death and theft. Kristof’s comical stance on the subject reduces the severity of his warnings and gives the impression that in the end, every trip will turn out fine.
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