Many high school graduates find themselves in this situation every year. The good news is there are other options! There are opportunities to volunteer and learn within the United States and around the world. Get involved in your global community and discover new places and perspectives. Take advantage of traveling experiences and opportunities while learning and creating a more peaceful place to live.

Check this out: Alternatives to the Peace Corps: A Directory of Third World and U.S. Volunteer Opportunities, revised and updated by Joan Power, published by Food First Books. Distributed by LPG. Call 800-243.0138 for price and shipping information.

If you're looking for adventure travel and volunteer opportunities throughout the world, Volunteer Vacations: Short-term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Others, lists 150 different organizations that offer volunteer travel programs, ranging from zero cost to $2000, and has a section on longer-term volunteer stints in the back of the book. Here's an excerpt.