From the classroom to Sri Lanka

As students start university courses across Scotland, many more are embarking on a gap year.

Here, in the first of a series of articles, Jonny Beirne, 18, from Bearsden, Glasgow, talks about postponing university for a year in Sri Lanka.

It all began so naively. A leaf through a magazine, I spot an advert, a quick chat with a friend and the decision is made.

Jonny Beirne will teach English in Sri Lanka for 12 months

In five minutes, I arrived at the conclusion that taking a gap year with Project Trust, living and working in an entirely foreign culture for a year, was something I would do.

At that point it seemed forever far-off, a romanticised one day.

I had grand illusions of trekking solo through rainforests, imparting the wisdoms and wonders of the English language upon Sri Lankan children, building village wells and conquering a mountain - all by sunset on day one.

While those pipe dreams may still come to fruition there was selection, training and preparation.

I soon found myself hopping on a train, rucksack in tow for Coll.

It is a cold and barren place where the Project Trust determines whether or not the year away really is for you.

Selection isn't something to be feared.

It'll be a challenge but it's about time that I went through a bit of hardship really

It truly is an interesting and exciting week where you meet a lot of great people and do a lot of great things such as swimming in mid-December.

Once accepted, I had to raise funds, all £3950.

It was a sizeable target but possible. I followed advice and tried to get the community behind me.

Before long the money was pouring in, then trickling, and with a final flourish, I got there and more.

I raised £275 more than my target - like scaling Everest then clambering up a stepladder at the peak.

Training was next and this was a pivotal point where everything began to come together.

I started to realise the practicalities of going away, how I would fit into my new community, my responsibilities as a teacher.

'Relaxed wiggle'

I discovered cultural titbits - never blow your nose into a hankie then proceed to stuff it into a sleeve or pocket.

Don't shake or nod your head, I was told. A slow relaxed wiggle for yes and a quicker harsher wiggle for no.

The precise moment where it all began to feel exciting as well as unnervingly real was when I was handed my plane ticket.

In that instant it suddenly became something physically tangible.

Up until then it had only been talk, a few pictures - none of them really personal to me.

Since training, it has been about preparation in anticipation of difficulties in adapting and practicalities - the rucksack, malarial tablets, teaching supplies and the rest of it.

It has also been about preparing myself for the biggest change I've ever experienced - leaving my family, my friends and all the comforts that I've always known.

It'll be a challenge but it's about time that I went through a bit of hardship really.

Jonny Beirne has travelled to Sri Lanka and you can follow his progress on the BBC Scotland news website over the next 12 months.