Gap years aren’t just for disillusioned students or twenty-somethings looking to take a break. For some like Sarah McComas, gap years are a way of life and work is just something in between.

Last year, 21-year-old, Sarah joined Madventurer in Peru for 5 weeks to help build a community centre, an experience which she called ‘life changing’. Sarah has spent the last three years, since completing her A-levels, working to travel and Peru was one of her best experiences so far.

Peru is a developing nation with half of its population classified as poor. Madventurer’s rural and urban projects focus on assisting children and impoverished communities who, despite their harsh living conditions, always have a smile for the venturers.

Sarah saw her time in Peru as a chance to learn, as much as a chance to teach. “We were supposed to be teaching them English, but they taught us so much more. I learnt more in those 5 weeks than I ever thought possible.”

Gap years are becoming increasingly popular for non-traditional gappers and gapping is increasingly becoming about more than just traveling the world as companies like mad promote a form of responsible tourism, where venturers are respectful of their location and its people.

People are becoming more and more receptive to shunning the traditional gap-year escapism by going with companies such as Madventurer who offer venturers a great experience and as well something out of the ordinary, Sarah said: “I liked the thought of being able to help and I knew I would get to see a part of the country that not many tourists do.”

Sarah had such a good experience in Peru she has already arranged another trip and will be traveling out soon to embark on another project with Madventurer: I enjoyed my trip immensely. So much so in fact, I am doing it all over again at the end of this month.”