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#Overcame fear of English; gained confidence #Rare wildlife rescue volunteering; heartwarming exchanges #Fulfillment, happiness, gratitude
The staff at the organization had warm hearts toward the animals, and they were so kind that they cared not only for the animals but also for us.I am thankful for the happy and enjoyable memories they gave me. Although the volunteer work with the animals was a short two weeks, we shared a lot of affection, and I felt sadder than anyone when it was time to part. If I have the chance, I would like to come again, and I want to express my thanks for giving me such a precious experience.
Volunteering to rescue rare wild animals physically and emotionally wounded in Singapore. Choi Yoon-young, gap year participant (21, university student) / 2-week gap year. |
I will gain a lot by participating in this project.
Hello. I''m Choi Yoon-young, a university student currently attending an institute of technology. I''m shy with strangers, but my personality is lively and cheerful.During this vacation I wanted a different experience, and while looking for volunteer activities, a project that rescues rare animals caught my eye.I felt that the phrase ''rare animals'' made this different from other volunteer work, and I thought I would gain a lot by joining this project.
For this gap year, I set the goal of changing my fear of English.
For Choi Yoon-young, who wanted to break her limits, a personalized one-on-one mission for self-exploration and new challenges was provided daily, and a gap year notebook was also provided to help reflect and make plans.
I tried to express myself.
Volunteering runs from 9:30 to 1:00, and lunch is between 1:00 and 2:00. After lunch, volunteering resumes from 2:00 to 5:00, and free time is given after 5:00.
I usually found English difficult and didn''t like it, so I was afraid to speak in English. But while volunteering I realized that if communication doesn''t work, coming all the way to a distant country would be pointless and would only cause harm. So...Even if communication wasn''t perfect, I tried to understand what they were saying and I tried to express my own thoughts. Those efforts greatly helped me overcome the difficulties of spoken English.
I was deeply moved by the staff member''s warm kindness.
My volunteer tasks were mainly cleaning the animals'' enclosures, decorating their homes, feeding them, changing their water, and so on. Because I usually had no chance to see rare animals up close, I was frightened at first by how close they were. But the staff''s reassurance that it was okay gave me courage to volunteer, and when I saw that the animals weren''t aggressive at all I gained confidence and could work harder.
There was always free time given after volunteering ended.During that time it didn''t matter if we went out to hang out, and we mainly stayed at the accommodation or went to the market. Also...Free time was given not only after volunteering but also on weekends. Thanks to that, I was able to visit Singapore attractions and try famous local foods.
A memorable moment was when the staff, worried that the food might not suit my taste, bought Korean fruit for me. You might think buying fruit wouldn''t be that moving, but...I was deeply moved by the staff member''s warm thoughtfulness when they said they had looked for and bought Korean produce thinking of us.
I felt more saddened than anyone when it was time to part.
I wasn''t usually good at English and found it difficult, so I couldn''t speak easily. But by participating in the project I realized that if I didn''t speak up I couldn''t help, so I did my best to say the words I knew to make communication smoother.Two weeks passed, and I found that, compared to the beginning, I no longer felt unfamiliar with English conversation.
I felt so much through this volunteer work. The people at the organization had warm hearts toward the animals, and they were so kind that they even cared about us as well as the animals.I am grateful for the happy and enjoyable memories they gave me.Although it was a short two-week volunteer period with the animals, we shared a lot of affection, and I felt more regret than anyone when it was time to part.If I have the opportunity, I would like to come back, and I want to thank you once again for giving me such a valuable experience.
# My Gap Year Tip
Because this is an organization that rescues and cares for wild animals, there are many animals that are allowed to roam freely. That doesn''t mean they will charge at you, so there''s no need to be afraid; even if one does run toward you, you should not panic and just ignore it.
- Language
Sometimes the word order in spoken English differs from the English we learn. It''s not so different that you can''t understand it, so if you listen carefully you''ll be fine.
- Meals
The meals provided are mostly vegetarian and prepared differently from how we cook in Korea. The organization also provides bread, fruit, gochujang, and other items for Koreans, so there''s no need to worry.
- What to bring
The organization prepares almost everything, so bringing many items can just become extra baggage.
# My Singapore Travel Spots
Drink selfie coffee on Arab Street — they draw your selfie on the coffee cream, and since the image is also edible, it makes for a fun experience. Marina Bay Sands fountain show and Gardens by the Bay Supertree show — both are free, and the Supertree show runs after the fountain show, so if you watch the fountain show and then move over right away, you can see both.
My gap year is
Experience★★★★★
You can have a meaningful experience repairing and cleaning the animals'' homes and preparing their food.
Learning★★★☆☆
I was able to appreciate the importance of animals and improve my conversational skills.
Leisure★★★★★
I liked that there was plenty of free time.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
