We caught up with Holly Bugler (Shield - 2019) who recieved an OJ Travel Award back in 2019. Here's what she had to say:

Five years on and I still look back at my gap year as one of the greatest times of my life so far, and as a time that hugely shaped who and where I am today.

In my gap year, I was lucky enough to spend three months travelling through South America and developing my Spanish language skills and learning about different cultures. This has since become my passion. I have been living in Sayulita, Mexico for over 3 years now and recently obtained my residency here. Living in Mexico has been a dream come true, working as a surf instructor and living among joyous and passionate people.

This time in Mexico has allowed me to understand a culture very different from my own and to fully develop the Spanish skills that I had started learning in school and on my gap year. Now speaking Spanish is just as comfortable as English - the dream for any language lover!

I aspire to one day open a business here in Mexico and continue enhancing my development as both a member of the community and an individual. Whilst the path I have chosen may not be the most common, I could not be more passionate about it and travelling in my gap year opened my eyes to the possibility of a lifestyle like this. I would like to thank the Old Johnian Travel Foundation for their support in the realisation of my gap year and thank Hurst for their continuous support growing up.

We hope Holly realises her amibiton to open a business in Mexico. Watch this space!