Spend Christmas on Exchange in the Balkans

Bulgarian Christmas feast (source)

3 Countries – 2 Christmases – 1 Experience!

Have you ever thought you could have the chance to experience your favorite childhood celebration twice in one year? What if you could do this, and at the same time, learn about foreign countries, their people, and how they celebrate one of the most important and significant holidays in their culture? This is exactly what you can do with the Balkans 3-2-1 Christmas Program. As you travel through Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia over 6 weeks, you will gain a fascinating insight into the Balkans and how they celebrate the Christmas period!

Your journey will start in Bucharest, Romania. Although the country has a reputation for being the homeland of Count Dracula, this need not affect your Christmas mood as you arrive two days before the day of St. Nicholas. According to locals, St Nicholas’ Day on December 6 marks the beginning of the winter and Christmas celebrations in Romania. Legend has it that on the night of December 5, St. Nicholas himself comes and fills children’s boots with candies and other gifts. You will spend two weeks here attending a Romanian school before the Christmas break, and learning about their culture and Christmas traditions.

On December 20, your group will depart for Bulgaria, where you will celebrate your first Christmas of the program. In the capital city of Sofia, you can do your Christmas shopping in the traditional German Christmas market, or take a day to climb the city’s 2000-metre high mountain, Vitosha, where you can look over the sprawling city. Bulgaria has many Christmas traditions that are still followed by some people, including keeping a vegetarian diet during the weeks before Christmas. When they have their major feast on Christmas Eve, it is tradition to only lay an odd number of dishes on the table, and leave the leftovers there until the next morning in case the ghosts of deceased family members are hungry.

After spending your first Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Bulgaria, you will head to Serbia. The Serbs celebrate Christmas on January 7 instead of December 25, as according to the old Julian calendar. So here, you will get to celebrate your second Christmas! The traditions surrounding a Serbian Christmas are often very complex, including finding the perfect tree branch to burn on the fire, and spreading straw and walnuts over the floor on Christmas Eve. There is also the custom of ‘koleda’, where a group of masked and costumed young men go from house to house singing special songs and performing acts of magic to summon health, wealth, and prosperity for each household. So, be prepared for anything!

If spending this coming Christmas in the Balkans sounds like something you’d like to do, contact your local YFU organization about how to apply, or click here for dates and more information.

Too Old for a Student Exchange? Try a YFU Gap Year Program

Did you go on a student exchange in secondary school, and want to go back already? Maybe you always wanted to go on exchange and now you regret not doing it while you had the chance? Don’t worry, because there are other options!

Several YFU countries offer a ‘gap year’ or post-secondary school program, where you can travel overseas to volunteer when you’re over the age of 18. In many Western countries, students will take a year off between finishing secondary school and starting university, or a year off after finishing university, and often use this as an opportunity to work and travel. Many volunteer programs will also be great experience for future job or university applications.

If you want to travel but are too old for a student exchange program, we have a few ideas for you!

Table Mountain from the Cape Town waterfront (source)

South Africa

South Africa have a need for volunteers in many community projects, and YFU South Africa collaborate with various not-for-profit organizations around the country, who are dependent on volunteer commitments to be able to complete their work.

The different programs include projects such as animal care, working in community centers assisting with orphaned children or people affected by HIV, or working in biodiversity and conservation. These projects will provide you with a great foundation to start a career in teaching, working with young people or working on community development.

To participate in any of the volunteer projects, you need to speak fluent English, and in some cases be prepared to learn an indigenous language (usually Afrikaans), depending on the region where you work. The program cost covers medical and travel insurance, orientations with YFU, and all meals and accommodation. You will need to cover the cost of your flights to and from South Africa.

For project profiles and more information, click here. If you are interested in participating, contact the local YFU organization in your home country!

Thippasandra Main Rd, Indira Nagar (source)

India

YFU India is offering an opportunity to live in northern India for nine months as a teacher. You will be placed in a private school and provided with accommodation, board and a small monthly stipend. While there, you will teach for four hours a day, five days a week (including Saturday).

The candidates for teaching positions must be fluent in English, experienced in working with high school students, and able to teach French, German or Spanish at a beginner’s level, and able to teach arts (such as photography, theatre, or music).

You will be required to pay for your own travel insurance. For more information, click here or contact inbound@yfuindia.org.


These are not the only gap year programs available—many YFU countries offer short- and long-term volunteer programs, and we suggest you check out countries you are interested in through yfu.org. For more information, you can also contact the YFU organization in your home country!