KGY Tips

[People’s Gap Year] “Individual will makes the difference in ability” Moon Ji-won

Back to List

Name: Moon Ji-won
Current job: Leave of absence
Country/city where language training took place: Philippines/Bacolod

Q. Please tell us about the reason or preparation process for taking a gap year.

A. I majored in language and literature, but the biggest reason was that I felt the need for English, the universal language. In a narrow sense, it was because I wanted to broaden my scope of employment, and in a broad sense, it was because I wanted to communicate with people all over the world. Since 26 is not a young age in Korea, I thought it was too late to go on a language training course, but I thought that the sooner you think it is, the sooner you will be able to do it, so I prepared for the Philippines training course in the second semester of my fourth year, my last year of school.
Since I had already attended two semesters of my fourth year, many of the programs that the school supported did not apply to me. That’s why I had to look into language schools, and among the many language schools in the Philippines, I chose a language school in Bacolod that I thought was the most suitable after comparing the financial situation and curriculum.

Q. Please tell us about your gap year experience.

A. I had never stayed abroad for more than a month, so I was worried about whether the accommodation and food would suit me. However, my biggest concern was how much my English would improve in just 3 months. 3 months was not a long time, so I made a plan and studied.
For conversation, I mainly had 1:1 classes with local teachers, so I didn’t study separately, and I focused on grammar and vocabulary. As a result, after 2 months, I can feel that my skills have improved noticeably, although not to a great extent. There was also a lot of improvement in the speaking test and grammar test at the language school.

My experience was not limited to my English skills. As I met many people and talked to them, I realized that the world is wide, there is a lot to do, and that many people, not just me, are working hard every day for their future. I could also feel the value of the things I saw and ate every day in Korea.

Q. Lastly, what would you like to say to young people who are planning a gap year?

A. The most important lesson I learned from my short two-month stay in the Philippines is that your own will is the most important, no matter where you go or what you do. Before coming to the Philippines, I asked for a lot of advice from my acquaintances. Most of them said, “The Philippines is good for short-term language training, but staying long-term won’t help you.”
However, what I saw here was that personal will makes a difference in ability.

I think it’s important to actively try to have conversations and to remind yourself why you came here to learn English, and to push yourself. I’m happy these days. I can study what I want to study without anyone bothering me. For friends who think like me, a gap year would be a really great opportunity.