Reasons to swap 
Why do we encourage them at dothegap?
At dothegap our mission is to open exchanges to all kinds of disciplines and to increase their frequency in order to expand their reach. The benefits provided by these experiences is the reason we want to grow the number of exchanges on offer. With no additional costs nor intermediaries, through a community that facilitates the development of these types of activities.
Our goal is to encourage the exchange of all kinds of educational activities. We want students to do exchanges in carpentry, hairdressing, singing, dancing, dramatic arts, music, nursing, design, taekwondo, football, hockey or badminton, because an exchange goes above and beyond learning a language.
What does an exchange offer?
An exchange prepares us for the real world: it helps us grow as people
For many, an exchange is the first time they leave their natural habitat and find themselves in unfamiliar circumstances. This forces us to be brave and face new challenges. Buy groceries in a new language, plan the week according to a new timetable, withdrawing cash from the bank, etc. They are small things, but with huge relevancy! The kind of strength we must exhibit will help us be more independent and boost our self-esteem. Exchanges make us stronger!
Discovering ourselves
When we go away from home for a few days, we have time to think and new situations emerge, which we must deal with, and they help us get to know ourselves better: it’s a very enriching process that prepares us for future challenges we’ll face in life. Moreover, getting to know people from other cultures and with different habits widens our understanding and will enrich our perspective. We’ll learn to be flexible and tolerant, in addition to enjoying things that are different. Exchanges are wisdom!
Break the routine
Routines are comfortable, but that’s not always a good thing. To understand what we’re capable of, we’re always told to leave our comfort zone and try new things. An exchange, the adventure of visiting a new place and learning, involves not only a new experience and consequent learning, but a boost of motivation that will help us return to our routine with a fresh point of view.
Learn to appreciate what you have
There’s nothing like spending time away from home to get a little homesick; to see how lucky we are, how much we love our family and friends, or to appreciate the beauty of where we live. Getting to know other places helps us enjoy new things, but also makes us realise the good in what we have. When we return home, we’re different people, open to more hugs, to spending more time with our loved ones and to discovering every corner of our favourite places.
