The Year Out Group has reported that a young woman from the county of Essex, England, has revealed how participating in voluntary work abroad turned out to be a life changing experience she will never forget.

Emma Sorrell, 20, from Colchester, chose the same route as many young people and decided she wanted to do something other than head straight to university after completing her A-levels, The Essex County Standard reports.

Instead she set out on a gap year abroad, choosing Ecuador in South America as her perfect destination, on which she spent time undertaking voluntary work in schools and an orphanage.

“I hadn’t been away from home for more than a week before, so going on a gap year was a real adventure for me,” she told the newspaper.

Emma stayed with a local host family as part of a structured gap year programme which also gave her the chance to experience a different culture, gain unique life experiences and more importantly in Ecuador – improve her Spanish speaking ability.

With great programmes in Ecuador from Inspire you can have the same great experiences as Emma. We offer projects that range from teaching children in local schools, to conservation volunteering at a coastal national park. We also provide homestays with real local families, so you will always feel part of the community and get the real Ecuadorian experience!