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Focus only on your own growth.
GapYear is a time for growth and happiness.
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26th Gapper Yoon Young-hoon
Gap year experiences: traveling in Korea and Japan, and military service
'A single phrase that motivated me, who had only been thinking about it.'
I grew up as the youngest. HoweverMy parents didn't coddle me for being the youngest; instead, my older sisters did well in school and were pretty, so they received more affection.The place where I grew up was a very small, quiet countryside. I graduated from high school there, and in my childhoodwandering을 많이 했습니다.
It didn't start like that; I began to change when I entered high school, and looking back now, I led a surprisingly wayward life.I preferred hanging out with friends to studying, and I thought wandering around fearlessly was cool.Because I had always been a student with decent grades, people around me became increasingly worried, and eventually I leaned toward giving up.
When I felt those reactions from people around me, I often got angry and went out, but on the other hand I was worried, so the thought 'I should study again' never left my mind.I always only thought about it and spent time without changing — simply because I enjoyed being with friends and having fun.
Before I knew it, I had finished the CSAT and become a high school senior submitting applications to universities that matched my grades, with no goals.One day my eldest sister asked to talk to me — I had really become a thoughtless kid.My eldest sister had excelled at everything since childhood, whether academics or sports. She was so good she represented us in writing and art contests.
I envied her, but her sharp, no-nonsense manner made her someone I couldn't easily approach.
She sat me down and said this to me.
"If you're going to be a man and spend your whole life in that small countryside acting like a thug, then just keep living like that!"
She didn't say anything more after that and went to her room; I sat there dazed for a long time.
It felt so cold and I was ashamed.I sat there dazed for a long time thinking. Where should I start and what should I change...I didn't feel like I should immediately start studying again. Instead, I decided to straighten out my mind, which had been ruined by my warped lifestyle.
I needed to break the habit of putting on airs and looking down on people in our small, sparsely populated countryside.'So I'll go where there are lots of people and try living without money—ask others for favors, struggle a bit, and humble myself!'Thus my own gap year began.
Korea and Japan
KoreaI traveled by bicycle.I decided to ride my bicycle aimlessly, grabbed only a map, and set off.My initial goal was to cycle all around Jeolla Province. I thought that since I would live on this land my whole life, it wouldn't be right to go abroad without seeing my own country.
I couldn't give up my studies and devote myself entirely to traveling, so I decided to tour the country every vacation. It was like the land-grabbing game we played as kids.So I rode my bicycle all day and moved forward. Pedaling was physically exhausting and I got hungry quickly.
So I had to go into whatever restaurant I could and get a meal, but that proved not so easy.At first, I had many thoughts about what to say when I went in and what to do if I was refused. I was sweating cold. After thinking for a long time...I just went in without further thought and explained my situation.
'I'm a student traveling without money. If you could spare any leftover rice and kimchi, I would gratefully eat it and continue my journey.'
It took a lot of courage for me to say something like that. Fortunately, the owner smiled and gave me a meal, saying his own son had done something like a national pilgrimage during university,and that he knew what hunger felt like. The thrill I felt then is still vivid.
Fueled by that experience, I traveled around the country a total of four times. I slept in public facilities whenever possible.I explained my situation to police stations, hospitals, and on-duty municipal staff, and traveled feeling thankful each day.Once, even the people handing out flyers wouldn't give me any because of how I looked.I was traveling in Daegu.I was hungry and looking around for a place to get a meal.I found a nice Korean set-menu restaurant in the Dongseongno area of the city.
I was poorly dressed and entered thinking that if they refused I'd simply thank them and leave, so I explained my situation.But the manager gladly agreed and served me a full table; it was the first time I'd seen so many side dishes.It was delicious and I was very grateful. The manager said he had gone through similar experiences when he was young and offered many encouraging words.
With the gratitude I felt while traveling around my country, my school life also regained energy, and seeing how my attitude toward people had changed, I decided to travel once more.I worked part-time for two months to save the minimum funds for a trip to Japan. To save expenses I traveled there and back by ferry.
Trip to JapanThe reason I decided to go was ordinary. Although there are historical wrongdoings, I wanted to feel their high civic-mindedness firsthand. In Japan...I had many experiences.
At Tokyo Station, while I was sleeping rough, someone insisted the spot was theirs, so I moved and tried to sleep elsewhere,I used my saved emergency money to enjoy a nice hot spring,In Sapporo, I felt true relaxation by having a beer with fresh cheese.
I traveled the Japanese archipelago thoroughly from Fukuoka to Sapporo over two months.The reason had to do with sleep. Since it was a foreign country, I couldn't just sleep anywhere, and even capsule hotels cost a fair amount. So...I came up with using overnight trains and buses. In Japan, long-distance overnight trains or buses often take more than six hours, so I could sleep on them.So my schedule inevitably involved visiting many places.
Finding a career path in the military.
After finishing my trip to Japan, it was time for me to enlist in the military.I joined the military at 23, a bit later than most, but I had a much clearer idea of what I wanted.While traveling in Korea and Japan trying to find what I truly wanted to do, I was called up for military service, and my thoughts were focused on that.
There were three goals during my time in the military.
First, to find out what I wanted to do,
Second, to build a healthy body,
And lastly, to read a lot of books.
As a new recruit, you can't just read and exercise right away.So I focused on adapting to military life. I was pretty good at soccer, so I adjusted easily and gained the attention of my seniors.Also, in college I volunteered for youth counseling at the YWCA to help young people following the path I once took, and I used that experience to serve as the company counselor.
Once I had settled in, I obtained permission during lights-out to read or study. Those reading sessions were when I could think deeply about myself.I reflected on my childhood memories to recall what activities made me feel the most proud, happy, and fulfilled.
After reading books for a long time and persistently...questionsAs I continued asking questions, an answer emerged.Although I never studied it professionally, I was always praised by teachers in art class, and my works were often displayed in the school hallways. When those memories resurfaced I got goosebumps and thought, 'this is it.'
After that I began to think more concretely and felt I should choose a more specific career path within the field of art,and since I had liked dressing up from a young age, I came to believe that fashion design was the perfect fit for me.From then on, every time I went on leave I bought books about clothing and studied them.
During my military service I was able to firmly find my career path, and after being discharged I went straight to Seoul, working during the day at a job introduced by an acquaintance while attending a fashion vocational school at night and completed the fashion program.After completing the program, I quit the job I had been working at and fully dove into fashion; nowfashion designerI am working as.
During this time, many changes occurred in every aspect of my life.
The greatest thing I gained from my gap year wassinceritywas.I realized that if you treat people sincerely without calculating and approach any work with sincerity, you can change.
If someone asked me what the best thing I've done in my life is, I think I could answer without hesitation.One is thesincerityand the other is thetimethat I did not waste.Through these two gap year experiences, I learned how to live more happily.
Whether in the country, abroad, or in the military
To be honest, I am quite ordinary.
Even as I write this, I feel very embarrassed and am well aware that my story is nothing remarkable.When I read many posts about gap years, there seem to be many impressive people.Although I'm not at that level,if you can create time for yourself to change and find your career path, there is no better gap year than that.
It's very difficult to give up everything and spend time focusing only on travel. I also don't think that's necessarily the right answer.
The important thing seems to be choosing and carrying out a gap year that fits your own situation.For example, just as I traveled during every school break and used my time in the military to find my career path.
