A year of discovery

book exchange: Harry Potter in German

It amazes me on this journey how many people I've met are from small towns across the world. Mostly from small towns in Europe too, specifically Germany. After just graduating their version of high school, young people of Europe are encouraged to backpack for a year and see the world or at least one other country. It gives them a chance to find themselves I think. To realize who they are and what they want to do and get out of their lives instead of jumping right into Uni (college) and wasting time and money doing it there. At least this way they get a greater world view and learn more about self-sufficiency than most of the freshmen i have met back home. Since the majority of them work their way across the trip it saves dear ole mom and dad some coin too. Why aren't we encouraged to do that in America? Why are we, were we pushed into college if we were not prepared , if we didn't know what we wanted?