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#Transformed from an introverted personality into a confident person #Volunteer experience in a Kenyan village community; realization of the joy of taking on challenges #Joy, nostalgia, satisfaction
It was such a wonderful experience that when I think of Kenya I picture a country I want to return to — a place with kind, sincere people and a life in harmony with nature that is beautiful. If someone else says they will visit Kenya, I would introduce it as a country you must visit before you die. Africa — Kenya village community volunteer work
Heo Yeji, gap year participant (23, university student) / 4-week gap year |
# Out of curiosity and recommendations from people around me, to a place many people don''t go
Hello. Out of curiosity and recommendations from people around me, I applied for volunteer work to Kenya — a place many people don''t go.After arriving in Kenya, I volunteered at a school near the homestay.
Because my English skills were lacking, I couldn''t communicate well with the children and didn''t know what to teach them, but with the help of fellow volunteers and the school teachers, I communicated with the children through sports, art, and music activities, gradually became closer to them, and found that even with limited verbal communication, smooth emotional exchange was possible.
The school volunteering lasted about two weeks, and in addition to elementary schools, we visited high schools to encourage students to dream bigger and held Q&A sessions with students who wanted to study at university in Korea.
* For Heo Yeji, who wanted to explore her career path and gain new experiences,daily personalized one-on-one missions were provided — missions for self-reflection, career exploration, and unique challenges and ideas — and a gap year notebook was provided to help reflect and make plans.
# It was an experience to reflect on myself and grow.
I also visited small-town hospitals with the coordinators to learn about Kenya''s local medical system and level of development; this experience was not only valuable but also made me grateful to be living in Korea,and it was also an experience to reflect on myself and grow.
During the first week after arriving in Kenya, time really dragged and I only wanted to go back to Korea,but as two or three weeks passed I was able to experience and enjoy Kenya, and as I became close with the locals, I felt time passed very quickly.
Also, using weekends and afternoons without volunteer activities, on weekday afternoons we went into the nearby town to enjoy local food and the market, and on weekends we visited church with the homestay family. At the family''s introduction we all visited a nearby tunnel to explore caves and admire a very beautiful waterfall, and we had time to bond.
Additionally, together with volunteers we visited the famous Kenyan tourist destination Maasai Mara, where we could see natural scenery and wildlife up close that you can''t encounter in Korea. At the Maasai Mara accommodation, we met Koreans and other volunteers, shared our daily lives and difficulties, relieved stress, and it became an opportunity to broaden our perspectives.
# It was such a wonderful experience that
It''s been over a month since I returned to Korea, but I still miss Kenya so much and I''m still in contact with the people I met there.It was such a wonderful experience that when I think of Kenya I picture a country I want to return to — a place with kind, sincere people and a life in harmony with nature that is beautiful.
If someone says they are going to visit Kenya, I would recommend it as a country you must visit at least once in your life.
# I''m glad to have had this opportunity and I definitely want to recommend it to others.
Before leaving on the gap year project, I was timid and couldn''t put myself forward. My English was weak, so I could only manage greetings with foreigners and I was afraid to use English. Moreover, I did not enjoy traveling, and I was the kind of person who hesitated to visit a country like Kenya, which has a poor reputation in Korea.
But after visiting Kenya and returning to Korea, by teaching children and communicating with local people my English improved, and above all my personality changed.I, who had been introverted, became a more confident person.I feel like I returned with a different personality and way of thinking than before.I began to enjoy challenges that used to only scare me, became able to get close to people easily, and developed sociability and empathy to understand them. I also now have the mindset to go anywhere regardless of the country.I''m no longer afraid to take on challenges; now it''s something I look forward to and enjoy.
I realized firsthand that taking the first step is the hardest part, but once you experience it you can grow endlessly and broaden your perspective on life.I''m glad to have had this opportunity and I definitely want to recommend it to others.
# My gap year TIP
Because of the nature of Kenya, you might think it''s a scary or uninteresting country just by imagining it, but once you actually live there you''ll meet very nice people and experience nature, cities, and culture that you can''t feel in Korea.When you return to Korea and reflect on it, you''ll find yourself recalling and missing those memories and friends.
- Accommodation
Because Kenya can experience water shortages, you should bring hygiene items like wet wipes and tissues. Since you won''t be able to have Korean food, bringing simple items like gochujang (Korean chili paste) or instant ramen will make life more comfortable.
- Meals
Since the people you live with are Kenyan and you''ll be staying in a rural house, they''ll be very pleased if you prepare food for the locals. Also, because there are no nearby supermarkets, it''s a good idea to buy yogurt or simple snacks when you go into town.
- What to bring
Kenya has large temperature differences, so bringing warmer clothes than you might expect will help, and it''s good to bring an extra toothbrush. Other items may be cheaper than in Korea, so buying them at local stores might be more convenient.
- Items that were inconvenient to be without / convenient to have: extra toothbrush, warm clothes
- Items that were convenient to have / inconvenient to be without: books to read, writing supplies, candy, soap, toothbrush, shampoo, etc.
# My Kenya travel spots
On weekdays when I was volunteering I couldn''t visit distant tourist spots, but after morning volunteer work I used the free afternoons to go into the nearby town using local transportation like matatus or boda-bodas, where I bought and tasted famous fruits like mangoes and pineapples at low prices and spent my leisure time eating at markets or nearby restaurants.
On the weekend we didn’t do volunteer work, so I visited the Maasai Mara with other Korean volunteers. We experienced Kenya’s nature and saw animals up close that you normally only see in zoos. We also talked with other tourists and shared our travel stories — it was a wonderful experience. I think other volunteers should definitely try using local transportation and visit local bars and similar places.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
