In the age of the global pandemic, bedrooms have become the new classrooms, laptops the new conference rooms. Celebrations and community gatherings are sparse and stunted, making way for stilted Zoom meetings. Slouched on a couch behind a screen for yet another month, we feel stuck.
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Since COVID-19 first made headlines, our comfortable, familiar lives have been overturned. With the frivolous stripped away, we are left searching for what gives life purpose. Now is the moment to choose: will you seize the opportunity, or let tedium swallow you? Will you captain your industry or merely stay afloat?
Paradoxically, now is the perfect time for young adults to explore opportunities abroad (health and safety restrictions permitting). With so many offices and classrooms operating remotely, students and members of the workforce can log in from anywhere in the world. Travel lifts us out of the slump of monotony and broadens our perspective. Exposure to new cultures and experiences makes us more layered and well-rounded. By rising from our couches and discovering new places, we can reconnect with the world around us and reevaluate what is important.
As the North American COO of Masa Israel Journey – a leader of long-term educational experiences in Israel for young adults – I have witnessed the immense value of spending time abroad. Our organization, founded in 2004 by the Jewish Agency and government of Israel, has already served over 160,000 people from more than 60 countries. This community continues to grow as young adults become increasingly eager to venture out into the world. I have watched thousands find themselves in Israel, where they experience personal growth, professional advancement, and an increased sense of meaning and purpose.
In September, The Wall Street Journal noted that American demand for a Masa gap year in Israel has substantially increased during the pandemic. Right now, young people are seeking opportunities beyond the confines of their bedroom walls. They hunger for social interactions. They crave more dynamic experiences that give them a professional edge. They strive to understand the world better as we enter a more globalized era.
It is up to us to meet this eagerness with opportunity. When we heard that motivated young people encountered a slew of "not open"s, "can't happen"s, and "canceled"s, we viewed these closed doors as an occasion to build and open new ones. Harnessing Israel's spirit of innovation, we adapted our organization's offerings to fit the new need of the market.
We quickly realized that while COVID-19 posed some limitations, it also revealed possibilities. For example, we took advantage of this reality to create Masa Remote, a set of programs that allow young adults to continue their remote study or work from Israel. While fulfilling their obligations at home, they can live in a stimulating environment, explore unfamiliar places, and meet new people.
A broadening experience abroad and disruption from routine can help people become more successful students and employees by inspiring creativity and growth. We also added new Masa Gap organizers to ensure that there are options for every prospect, as the pool of interested candidates who recognize the value of a gap year has grown and become more diverse.
Spencer from New Jersey is a rising sophomore at Harvard University, an Ivy League college. Earlier this year, he decided to defer his studies for one the new Masa Gap programs in Israel. "College was such a special experience, and one so tied to being in an environment with professors and peers with whom I could learn and grow outside of the classroom. The prospect of a year online was not bearable: it simply would not be college," he explains.
"Coming to Israel offered me the opportunity to learn more about myself, and after six months in quarantine finally meet and create experiences with new and interesting people immersed in a fascinating culture and land."
Right now, markets are changing. So is the way we experience the world.
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Instead of riding the waves of change, we can pioneer new directions. We can take advantage of this period of disruption to redefine the way we live, study and work, and, by doing so, we can develop a more engaged and connected global community.
