After studying French for four years, Savannah Stafford decided to take her knowledge of the subject beyond the walls of a classroom.

The 18-year-old decided not to jump straight into university after graduating from Warwick Academy this year.

Instead she will be travelling through Europe for the better part of 2015, including seven months where she’ll take part in an intense language programme in Nice, France.

She is part of a new wave of Bermudian teenagers electing to venture off the beaten track and sign up for a gap year.

Popular in the UK, South Africa and Australia, a gap year is a time when young people opt to travel to a different part of the world taking part in academic programmes or volunteer service projects, rather than traditional school.

Studies show that 90 percent of students who take a gap year return to college within a year and an overwhelmingly majority reported they were more satisfied with their jobs in the long run.

Miss Stafford is hoping the year off will give her the chance to think clearly about what area of study she wants to pursue at university.

“I’ve always wanted to travel to France since I was little,” Miss Stafford said. “Both my parents have some sort of relationship to France — my father was born there and my mother is fluent in the language, so I guess that’s what interested me.

“My goal is to become bilingual. I’ve taken French at school for four years and it’s helped, however, I want to become fluent. And because I’ve put myself in the middle of a French-speaking country I will be challenged to talk the talk.”

Emily Corbett, 18, has recently embarked on a five-month Korean language programme in South Korea.

She plans to start formal university in the Asian country in March.

She said she always wanted to study in a foreign country — and seeing that she already had English, French and Spanish fluency in her arsenal, she started to research schools outside of the Western hemisphere.

Through that she discovered that South Korea was one of the most popular places for people to go to teach English.

She was also fascinated by the culture and atmosphere of the country and knew it would be an interesting place to learn.

So far the trip has been nothing short of amazing. Miss Corbett said: “Seoul is such a large city and there are so many people.

“The atmosphere is so different from Bermuda. And it has definitely been challenging to get around the city in taxis and on the subway with the language barrier, but it’s getting easier as I learn more.”

Her family flew up with her to help her get settled in, so they were able to take part in tours around the city to learn more about the place’s history.

Now she is learning about the country on her own.

“Cafes are extremely popular here so my friend and I went to one recently,” she said. “It was a pet cafe and it had animals walking around freely. It was so fun and different from the cafes at home!”

Although both girls worked throughout the summer to save up enough spending money for their trip, their parents will also be helping with some of the costs.

Extensive research went into planning the trip, Miss Stafford said.

She had to make sure her passport was up to date and all her travel details were organised before her departure next month. She doesn’t regret her decision to do something out of the ordinary.

“I definitely encourage a gap year, especially for those who are unsure of what they wish to study,” Miss Stafford said. “It’s a great time to explore different options. Also you are able to create new experiences for yourself and challenge yourself like I’m doing.”

Miss Corbett echoed the sentiment and said: “For other young people thinking of taking the time to travel, I’d say go for it.

“It’s always a great idea for young people to take the opportunities like travelling because there will not be opportunities [like this] when you get older.

“Taking time off before college is also rewarding for those who don’t know what they want to do for a living as it gives them an opportunity to find out for themselves and experience different ways of life.”