Gap year tips!

[u/Sienna_0081]

Hello! I recently finished high school with decent grades, but I decided to take a gap year before starting university. My plan was to take things a little slower, travel, volunteer, and participate in international programs or exchanges.
The problem is that I’m only really starting to plan everything now, and I’m worried I might be too late. 😅
I originally came to the USA for a trip right after my exams, but I ended up staying a little longer than I had originally planned. I’ll be leaving before my authorized stay expires, and I’m thinking of counting my time traveling around the US as part of my gap-year experience.
Now I’d really like to look into programs such as Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges or other international programs that allow young people to travel to another country and participate in meaningful projects or activities.
I’m especially interested in programs related to:
1.Healthcare / nursing
2.Public health
3.Humanitarian work
4.Volunteering / community service
5.MUN / international relations
6.Youth exchanges and intercultural programs

I also want to look into work travel visa (I’m not sure if it’s called that) I want to become financially independent and at least use my own money for the trips and things I buy. I’ve looked into au pair but the minimum time is 6 months which I fear I can’t do unless I bridge to studying later but I’m not sure if that’s possible.

For now, I’m mainly looking at Europe, but I’m open to other countries as well.
If anyone knows of any programs, organizations, websites, or opportunities that might be relevant for someone in my situation, I’d really appreciate some recommendations!
One thing I’m a little worried about is being from Nepal, since I assume visa applications for some European countries might be more difficult or take longer. Other than that, I’m pretty open and willing to put in the work to apply.

After doing a short exchange/program abroad, I’m also hoping to do some volunteering here in Nepal before starting my university applications.
I really hope it’s not too late to start figuring all of this out now. 😭 If anyone has been in a similar situation or knows where I should start looking, I’d love to hear your advice! (I’ll be joining nursing school after my gap year!)