Amber and Kim before GiveYourGap existed. We still look the same.

The Beginning: How GiveYourGap.Org Was Born!

Here’s the basic timeline-rundown of how GiveYourGap.Org was born:

Graduatin’

June 2011: Amber and Kim graduate from UC San Diego, think to themselves, “what to do next??!” Collectively decide: “Travel travel travel!” Some jumping and screaming in excitement is invovled.

July 2011: Amber and Kim live it up a little as post-grads, but constantly think about the trip coming up. Brainstorm lists of cities, famous sites, read a lot of travel books and blogs. But also realize tourism isn’t going to be “enough.” Begin looking for volunteer opportunities at nonprofits and social businesses around the world via websites like idealist.org, gapyear.com, anywhere google searching took us.

August 11-15, 2011, 8am: Amber and Kim reunite to discuss the trip. Share the sites/opportunities/programs each found.  complain about how hard it is to get good information about opportunities. How to know which ones are “legit”? How could we pay “volunteer fees” upwards of $1000/week? Why are the websites messy? How can there not already be a better site for people like us??!

August 16, 12am: Amber and Kim stare at each other…considering options.

“Ok Amber, what if we go from place to place and offer to profile nonprofits and social businesses and stuff? Maybe they will let us volunteer for free if we create videos about them and talk about them on a blog?”

“Omg, Kim, I think that could actually work. We could call it givingyourgapyear.com*”

August 16, 8am: Amber and Kim stare at each other again, preparing themselves for the road ahead. Simultaneously think to themselves, and then share out loud: “Damn, this is gonna be an adventure.”

August-November: Idea completely evolves through friends’ suggestions and support, non-stop emailing, networking, brainstorming, meeting with people, creating the GiveYourGap Team, recording videos and envisioning this site.

Our first sketch of the site.

November 4th, 2011: We launch the site. BOOM! WHAT UP. We hope you like it.

*Name later revised to giveyourgap.org, with some killer recommendations from friends. Check out our thanks to first followers for more of the story.