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Ein Gap Year ist eine Zeit für persönliches Wachstum und Glück.
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What is my own uncharted world?
A few weeks ago I was impressed by a film about a real British geographer who explored the jungles of South America. Titled 'The Lost City of Z,' the film shows the protagonist, Percy Fawcett, as he searches for traces of ancient human history. After a grueling journey with fellow explorers, just as they are about to finally discover evidence of a great civilization, he is unfortunately forced to return home. He loses in front of him what he had so longed for and believes he will never be able to return. But he did not give up his dream, and eventually he dies in the jungle he had dreamed of.
Everyone is naturally curious about things they have not experienced. Especially when you hear the exciting stories of close friends, relatives, or people on the internet, your heart inexplicably flutters and you imagine their stories as your own. But the gap between real experience and imagined experience can never be ignored, no matter how small or trivial the experience may be.
Possible for anyone even without impressive credentials or connections
At some point in life everyone dreams of living abroad. I, too, have longed for life overseas because I thought I could feel free and diverse cultures, broaden my perspective on the world, learn a living foreign language, and above all develop independence through challenging myself. And I discovered that there is a way to make that dream a reality before it's too late to regret.
ONLY: A self-sufficient life possible only abroad
A working holiday (Working Holiday) isa program that allows young people (aged 18–30) from countries that have concluded agreements to stay in the partner country and experience the local culture and life while combining tourism, employment, and language study.Our country currently has working holiday agreements with 20 countries and regions and has a youth mobility scheme (YMS) agreement with one country. The countries that have such agreements with our country are Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Portugal, the Netherlands, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Chile, and the United Kingdom.
The most popular country among working holiday participants is
Australia had the largest number of working holiday participants, with 21,854 per year (as of 2016), followed by Canada with 6,151 participants per year (as of 2016). Let's take a brief look at the working holiday programs in these two countries.
Australia, the land of Aussies
Australia issues working holiday visas year-round, and there is no limit on the number of visas issued, so you can apply whenever you want and receive a visa at any time. First, on the Australian Department of Immigration website (https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa/Appl/Working-holiday)After applying for a visa at the above website and undergoing a medical examination at a designated clinic, the visa is issued immediately. The visa fee is AU$440 (approximately KRW 390,000). The Australian working holiday visa can be extended for one year (Second Visa) for working holiday visa holders who have worked for at least three months in specified regional areas of Australia. For details, refer to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection website ( https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/417-#) on that site, please refer to "Visa applicants – Regional areas" and "Visa applicants – Specified work".
The proportion of Koreans in Australia is relatively high compared to other regions, which makes it easier to adapt to local life, and you can use English, the official language.A notable point is that geographically it is located on the opposite side of the world from Korea (Korea in the Northern Hemisphere, Australia in the Southern Hemisphere), so the seasons are opposite. Because Christmas in Australia is in summer, you can see Santa Claus wearing a swimsuit. Australia has a higher hourly wage than Korea (AU$17.70, approximately KRW 15,000), and because dairy farming is well developed, jobs on farms, in factories, and in meat processing are abundant.
Canada, a country with a thousand faces
Canada issues 4,000 working holiday visas annually by random lottery to people who apply during the application period. (See the Canada working holiday visa application method below.) Because the application period is announced on the Canadian immigration website, it is advisable to monitor related information through community resources. After completing the application, you must upload additional documents (family relation certificate, medical examination form, criminal record check, résumé, photo, passport copy) and pay the visa fee to receive the visa.
Canada, the second-largest country in the world by area (about 45 times the Korean Peninsula), has diverse characteristics and cultures by region. Among themVancouver and Toronto have relatively high proportions of Koreans and are the most preferred regions for working holidays.Canada is called a 'mosaic' because it is a country composed of immigrants, which symbolizes respect and consideration for multiculturalism. Therefore, although the official language is English, you can encounter a variety of accents and intonations, and in some regions (Montreal, Quebec) the other official language, French, is used. Vancouver has a mild climate year-round and frequent rain, while Toronto has four seasons like Korea but with lower average temperatures and a relatively longer winter. Vancouver's hourly wage is C$10.85 (approximately KRW 9,800), and Toronto's is C$11.40 (approximately KRW 10,200), and most jobs are in service positions such as food and beverage.
* Super-easy: How to apply for a Canada working holiday visa (as of 2017)
1. Create a Personal Reference Code
On the Immigration Canada website (https://www.cic.gc.ca/ctc-vac/cometocanada.asp)
2. Create a My CIC (GCKey) account
In simple terms, this is like signing up. On the immigration website (https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/e-services/mycic.asp)and then enterSet a username (similar to an ID) and a password, and create related security questions and answers in case of loss. Create the security questions and answers required when signing in (in other words, logging in).
3. Apply for and submit an IEC Profile
While logged into the My CIC account above, click the 'Apply for IEC Profile' button and submit to complete the Canada working holiday visa application!
4. Next steps
After receiving an invitation from Immigration Canada, within 10 days choose whether to proceed with or decline the working holiday, and within 20 days upload the required documents. Pay the visa application fee (C$226, approximately KRW 200,000).
Dynamic and vibrant vs. harmonious and relaxed
Just as every choice has criteria, to decide which of these many working holiday countries to go to you need your own standards. There can be various factors such as the geographic characteristics of the countries or regions described above, the proportion of Koreans, job opportunities, and foreign languages you can use. In addition, your personal disposition or the overall atmosphere and culture of the place you want to live in can also be important criteria.
A youthful city brimming with sights and activities
If you have to choose between Australia and Canada, the two most preferred countries?If you want to enjoy a dynamic and energetic atmosphere and culture, I recommend AustraliaAustralia, chosen by many working holidaymakers, boasts mild weather year-round, and you can fully enjoy various activities across the cities—shopping, sports, culture, food, and more. Australia is also popular with tourists worldwide, and each city has a lively, energetic atmosphere. Australians have a distinctive sense of camaraderie and a laid-back personality; the word "mateship" is said to represent Australians' generous and inclusive character. Also, leisure sports that let you enjoy your free time in many ways are well developed, so you can enjoy hot air ballooning, skydiving, bungee jumping, bushwalking, surfing, yachting, beach volleyball, and more throughout the year.
Melbourne, ranked number one as the world's most livable city, surpassing Northern EuropeIn Melbourne, various festivals unfold—food, film, art, and music festivals—and you can enjoy the Great Ocean Road, famed for its world-class coastline, and watch the penguin parade on Phillip Island, a wildlife paradise. In Sydney, known as Australia's second capital, you can cross or climb the landmark Harbour Bridge to feel the thrill while taking in the magnificent views of Sydney, and you can relax or enjoy leisure sports on the beautiful sandy Bondi Beach. In the Blue Mountains, older than the Grand Canyon, you can meet koalas and kangaroos or try the unusual sport of sandboarding.
A city that preserves unspoiled natural beauty
IfWenn du die wunderschönen Landschaften und das entspannte Tempo in der freien Natur in vollen Zügen genießen möchtest, empfehle ich dir Kanada.Kanada vereint Großstädte und weitläufige Natur. So kannst du selbst mitten im Stadtzentrum die Natur genießen. In Nationalparks mit vielfältigen Naturlandschaften kannst du Gletscher und arktische Ökosysteme erleben. In den Rocky Mountains erwarten dich weitläufige, wunderschöne Landschaften, heiße Quellen und Skipisten. In Yellowknife kannst du außerdem beobachten, wie sich die geheimnisvollen Nordlichter über den Nachthimmel ausbreiten.
Ein weiterer Vorteil Kanadas ist seine geografische Nähe zu Orten, die von unserem Land aus nur schwer zu erreichen sind,etwa den Vereinigten Staaten oder Südamerika. So kannst du berühmte Reiseziele wie New York, Washington, D. C., Chicago, Kuba und Cancún in Mexiko einfach und kostengünstig besuchen.Du kannst auch das einzigartige Erlebnis ausprobieren, mit dem Bus über die Grenze zu fahren.
Vancouver hat das ganze Jahr über ein mildes Klima, und die komfortable Infrastruktur fügt sich harmonisch in die Natur ein. Zu den zahlreichen Naturattraktionen zählen der Stanley Park, die English Bay, der Capilano Canyon und der Grouse Mountain. Außerdem kannst du Aktivitäten wie Wandern und Skifahren genießen. In der Innenstadt von Vancouver herrscht eine entspannte Atmosphäre, in der Altes und Neues auf einzigartige Weise verschmelzen. Das zeigt sich etwa auf Granville Island, das aus einem ehemaligen Fabrikgelände zu einem Zentrum der Kunstszene wurde, und in Gastown, wo eine Dampfuhr Dampf ausstößt. In Toronto, Kanadas größter Stadt, macht es besonders viel Spaß, Eishockey – den Nationalsport – oder ein Baseballspiel der MLB live zu erleben. In der Nähe von Toronto kannst du wunderschöne Naturlandschaften bewundern, etwa die Niagarafälle, einen der drei größten Wasserfälle der Welt, den Algonquin Provincial Park und die Thousand Islands bei Kingston. Auf dem St. Lawrence Market, im Distillery District und auf dem Kensington Market spürst du die Spuren vergangener Zeiten und Geschichte.
Was es bedeutet, als Working-Holiday-Reisende:r unterwegs zu sein
Ein Jahr lang als Working-Holiday-Reisende:r im Ausland zu leben, ist nicht einfach. In einem fremden Land zu leben, in dem man niemanden kennt, kann ein Gefühl von Befreiung und Freiheit vermitteln. Manchmal fühlt man sich jedoch einsam, weil niemand da ist, auf den man sich verlassen kann, und die Anpassung an eine fremde Sprache und Kultur kostet viel Kraft. Du musst dich auf die Suche nach einer Unterkunft und Arbeit machen, auf andere Rücksicht nehmen und den Mut aufbringen, neue Freundschaften selbst anzustoßen. Eines ist sicher: All das bietet dir die Gelegenheit, Lebenserfahrung und Weisheit zu gewinnen, die man weder kaufen noch in irgendeiner Schule lernen kann. Ganz gleich, wofür du dich entscheidest – der Wert der Erfahrungen, die du dabei sammelst, ist etwas Besonderes, das nur diejenigen genießen können, die es selbst erlebt haben.
Vor etwa drei Jahren um diese Zeit brach ich zu einem Working Holiday nach Toronto in Kanada auf. Mein jüngerer Bruder, der Germanistik studiert hatte, ging im darauffolgenden Jahr für ein Working Holiday nach Hamburg. Wenn ich zurückblicke, kenne ich bis zu acht Menschen, die für ein Working Holiday nach Australien gegangen sind. Eine Freundin genießt gerade ihr Working-Holiday-Leben in Heidelberg, und ein jüngeres Geschwisterkind bereitet sich auf meinen Rat hin darauf vor, diesen Dezember zu einem Working Holiday nach Toronto aufzubrechen. Das zeigt, dass jede:r diese Herausforderung annehmen kann, sobald man sich dazu entschließt. Wie lange willst du noch nur von einer unbekannten Welt träumen, die du nie besucht hast?Wie lange willst du noch den Umständen die Schuld geben, die dir nicht vergönnt waren, und darauf hoffen, dass jemand anderes dir alles ermöglicht? Geh deinen Träumen selbst nach!Wenn du es dir aufrichtig wünschst und ein wenig Glück dazukommt, kannst du ganz sicher alles erleben, was du möchtest.
von Redakteurin Bora
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An einem neuen Ort leben,
neue Menschen kennenlernen,
ein neues Ich entdecken
und das eigene Leben gestalten.
