Let’s Take a Gap Year in Ecuador with Lindsey Goldstein | The Travel Brats Podcast
"It's never too late to start over." It's a phrase we hear all the time. But how many of us actually believe it? Life has a funny way of convincing us that once we…
Let’s Take a Gap Year in Ecuador with Lindsey Goldstein
“It’s never too late to start over.”
It’s a phrase we hear all the time.
But how many of us actually believe it?
Life has a funny way of convincing us that once we reach a certain age, our biggest adventures are behind us. Careers become permanent. Relationships define us. Responsibilities pile up. Bucket lists become “maybe someday” lists.
Then one day, you wake up and realize you’ve spent years putting your own dreams on hold.
That realization is exactly what inspired author Lindsey Goldstein’s debut novel, Gap Year.
In this episode of The Travel Brats Podcast, Lindsey joins us to discuss how living in Ecuador transformed her life, why she believes everyone should experience living abroad at least once, and how travel can become one of the greatest catalysts for reinvention—whether you’re 18 or 58.
Her story isn’t just about Ecuador.
It’s about courage.
It’s about rediscovering yourself.
And it’s about remembering that the life you’ve always imagined might only be one passport stamp away.
Meet Lindsey Goldstein
Before Lindsey became a published novelist, she was simply an adventurous teenager who decided to do something most people never consider.
Instead of going straight to college, she took a gap year.
Not to backpack across Europe.
Not to spend a summer at the beach.
She chose Ecuador.
What started as a year abroad eventually became one of the defining experiences of her entire life.
Over the years, Lindsey returned multiple times—living in Quito, spending summers conducting research, volunteering in the Galápagos Islands, and immersing herself in Ecuadorian culture.
Those experiences never left her.
Years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world stopped traveling, Lindsey found herself mentally returning to Ecuador.
Unable to board a plane, she traveled there in another way.
She wrote,
The result became Gap Year, a novel about a woman whose life unravels in just forty-eight hours before she embarks on an adult gap year in Ecuador in search of healing, purpose, and herself.
Although fictional, the emotions behind the story are deeply personal.
As Lindsey shared on the podcast, writing the novel became her own form of reinvention.
Why Ecuador?
When most travelers dream about South America, destinations like Peru, Brazil, Argentina, or Colombia usually dominate the conversation.
Ecuador often gets overlooked.
And that’s a mistake.
According to Lindsey, Ecuador might be one of the most diverse countries on Earth for its size.
Within a relatively small country, travelers can experience:
- Snow-capped volcanoes
- The Andes Mountains
- Cloud forests
- The Amazon rainforest
- Colonial cities
- Pacific beaches
- Indigenous markets
- The Galápagos Islands
Very few countries offer this much geographic diversity within such short travel distances.
Instead of spending days traveling between regions, visitors can experience dramatically different landscapes in a matter of hours.
For travelers with limited vacation time, that’s an incredible advantage.
It’s also one of the reasons Ecuador remains one of South America’s best-kept secrets.
Ecuador Changed Lindsey’s Life
One of the biggest themes throughout our conversation wasn’t sightseeing.
It was transformation.
When Lindsey first arrived in Ecuador, she was eighteen years old.
Like many teenagers, she’d lived a fairly sheltered life.
Suddenly, she found herself navigating a foreign country, speaking Spanish every day, living with a host family, and learning to solve problems on her own.
She quickly discovered that travel isn’t always glamorous.
Sometimes it means getting lost.
Sometimes it means getting sick.
Sometimes it means adapting to unfamiliar customs, unfamiliar foods, and unfamiliar ways of thinking.
But those challenges became the very experiences that shaped her confidence.
Looking back, Lindsey doesn’t describe Ecuador simply as a destination.
She describes it as the place where she truly grew up.
It was there that she learned independence.
It was there that she learned resilience.
And it was there that she realized she was capable of far more than she’d ever imagined.
Travel Isn’t About Checking Boxes
One of our favorite moments from the interview came when we asked Lindsey what travelers miss when they only visit a destination for a few days.
Her answer couldn’t have been more fitting.
When you only travel as a tourist, it’s easy to collect photos without collecting understanding.
You might visit the famous landmarks.
You might eat at the highest-rated restaurants.
You might leave with incredible memories.
But you often miss the heartbeat of a place.
Living somewhere—even briefly—changes everything.
You begin shopping where locals shop.
You celebrate local holidays.
You learn bits of the language.
You discover neighborhood cafés instead of tourist attractions.
You start recognizing familiar faces.
Eventually, the destination stops feeling like a vacation.
It begins feeling like home.
That shift is where travel becomes transformative.
It’s no longer about seeing another country.
It’s about understanding another way of living.
And in many cases, understanding yourself.
Why Adult Gap Years Might Be the Best Gap Years
When most people hear the phrase “gap year,” they picture an eighteen-year-old before college.
Lindsey’s novel challenges that assumption.
Her main character doesn’t pause life before adulthood.
She pauses life after decades of adulthood.
It’s a reminder that reinvention isn’t reserved for young people.
Whether you’re:
- changing careers,
- recovering from heartbreak,
- becoming an empty nester,
- retiring,
- healing from burnout,
- or simply craving something different,
travel offers something remarkably powerful:
Perspective.
Sometimes all it takes is stepping outside your normal environment to see your own life differently.
Maybe the biggest adventure isn’t finding a new destination.
Maybe it’s finding yourself again.
Listen to the Full Podcast Episode
Want to hear Lindsey’s stories in her own words?
In this episode of The Travel Brats Podcast, you’ll hear even more about:
- How Ecuador changed her life
- The inspiration behind Gap Year
- Why solo travel builds confidence
- Ecuador’s hidden gems
- Quito, Cuenca, the Amazon, and the Galápagos
- Ecuadorian food and culture
- Safety tips for South America
- Why it’s never too late to reinvent yourself
Whether you’re planning your first trip to South America or simply dreaming about what’s next, this conversation is filled with inspiration, practical advice, and unforgettable travel stories.
🎧 Listen here on our website or wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
About Lindsey Goldstein
Lindsey Goldstein is the author of Gap Year, a novel inspired by her own experiences living in Ecuador. Before becoming a novelist, she spent time studying, researching, and living throughout Ecuador, including summers in Quito and the Galápagos Islands. Her writing explores reinvention, travel, identity, motherhood, and the courage to begin again.
Learn more about Lindsey, her book, and her latest projects by visiting her website and following her on social media.
Coming Up Next…
In Blog 2, we’ll dive deeper into why Ecuador is one of the world’s most underrated destinations, including Lindsey’s favorite places—from Quito and Cuenca to the Galápagos Islands and the Amazon—along with her advice on solo travel, Ecuadorian culture, food, safety, and why she believes more travelers should put Ecuador at the very top of their bucket list.
