At 23, Marika was living what looked like a perfectly fine life. A stable job, a predictable routine, familiar faces. But something was missing. She’d always dreamed of seeing the world — not as a tourist on a package deal, but as someone fully immersed in another culture, another way of being.
So she made the call. Her first solo international trip: the Middle East.
Taking the Leap
Marika describes the weeks before departure as a rollercoaster of excitement and doubt. Friends questioned her. Family worried. “But Hanlie was there,” she says. “She helped me understand that the fear you feel before you go is nothing compared to the regret you’d feel if you didn’t.”
With a plan mapped out, a vetted support network in place, and more courage than she knew she had, Marika boarded her flight.
What She Found
What she discovered in the Middle East surprised her on every level. The warmth of the people, the depth of the culture, the sheer newness of every single day. She worked remotely for a South African client while exploring souks, learning phrases in Arabic, and making friends from a dozen different countries.
“I became someone I didn’t know existed,” she told us. “More patient, more curious, more open. The world got bigger and my problems got smaller.”
The Practical Side
Marika was clear that preparation made all the difference. Getting the right visa, understanding local customs before arrival, having a budget that accounted for the unexpected — these weren’t small things. Guide to Gap Year helped her plan each of these, so that when she landed, she could focus entirely on the experience.
One Year Later
She’s back in South Africa now. But not the same version of herself that left. She’s building a freelance career, she speaks conversational Arabic, and she’s already planning her next chapter.
“Do it,” she says, when asked what advice she’d give. “Just do it. You will not regret it.”