Friday, May 6, 2011

Day 24 - Being on a Gap Year Means Being Unemployed?

When somebody asks me what I do, I do answer I'm on a Gap Year. Most people don't know what I mean. So I explain I got a sabbatical. Then they tend to understand somehow and answer to me: "so you are unemployed". I try to explain that it's not exactly the same thing...so here's the definition of unemploied from a economic dictionary:

Unemployed definition

Being involuntarily out of work. The government defines unemployed as people who are jobless, looking for jobs, and available for work.

A person on a Gap Year is voluntarily out of work. This means, it's not unemployed :)

Do you agree?

6 comments:

  1. Perfectly agree. Most people think someone can't be voluntarily out of work: they're bombed with news about crisis, and find this pretty weird I guess. But I definitely support you!

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  2. Thanks Fredduzzu ;). Really appreciated! btw today a got a call from a friend. I was asked:"so, any news on the jobside? Have you found anything?", I laughed and said, actually I haven't looked for anything yet and nor I'll do for a few months. Silence.... hehehehe
    but it's good to have some support from openminded people!
    Keep following the blog and good luck with everything in Bruxelles!

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  3. Agree, totally agree!!! Happy Sabbatical!:)

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  4. I completely agree. Unfortunately, the underlying assumption that many people make is that nobody _wants_ to be without work: "if you don't have a work, perhaps you cannot get one and you're pretending you don't want to". I guess the sabbatical year has become the excuse of so many who are in fact unemployed, that those who are on a real sabbatical might actually have to give a different description of what they do :)

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  5. I agree!
    Well, we should find a new name so that people won't understand and that's it. We just enjoy it and they won't get it anyway ;).
    Actually I kinda do it already. When I'm in Italy, if people ask me what I do I start with a brief explanation about the sabbatical, if they keep asking me, I say I'm on a Gap Year. They usually don't know what it is therefor they keep quiet :)

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