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#Broke stereotypes and became more open-minded #Experiences of self-achievement and international connections #Small everyday happiness and a sense of pride in myself
I had long dreamed of living abroad, so right after my discharge I left for a gap year in Canada. My time in Canada became not only an opportunity to improve my English skills but also a rare chance to find leisure and happiness in my daily life, and by experiencing achievements abroad on my own, I gained pride and confidence in myself!
One of the best cities to live in! Learn English with friends from around the world in Vancouver, Canada! Yoon Soo-jong, Gap Year participant (Gapper), 24
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# I had long dreamed of living abroad, so I took a gap year immediately after my military discharge!
Hello! I''m 24-year-old university student Yoon Soo-jong, back after completing a gap year in Vancouver, Canada.I dream of becoming a pilot, and because I had long thought about living abroad and taking a gap year, I went on a gap year right after my military discharge.
I''ve always faced various situations, but staying positive and believing I could get through anything helped me successfully complete my gap year. I realized how rewarding it is to break stereotypes and broaden my internal framework, so I plan to keep planning, taking on challenges, and, if possible, testing my limits.
* For Mr. Yoon Soo-jong, who wanted new experiences abroad and to improve his English,daily customized one-on-one missions focused on life direction, new experiences, and English improvement were provided, and a gap year notebook was also provided to reflect on himself and make plans.
# I wanted to improve my conversational skills while living with friends from diverse cultures in a new way!
Before I went on the language study gap year to Canada,I strongly wanted to improve my conversational skills and at the same time live in a new way with friends from various cultures.I also wanted to test for myself whether I could fit in with them, and I wanted to throw myself into a new environment to find a new way of feeling happiness.
Chasing only visible results made everything start to feel boring, so I wanted to be able to feel happiness in the small things in everyday life.Through gap year consulting, I became convinced that these were the things needed to achieve the dream I had admired since I was young.
So although I felt some nervousness before departure, I wasn''t too worried because simply being able to experience new cultures with new people was exciting. Thinking ''people live there too!'' put me at ease.
I had seriously thought about living abroad for a long time, and making a to-do list and imagining accomplishing each goal with the people I would meet there left me no time to worry.I was comfortable because everything that needed to be prepared in advance was explained through orientation or video interviews by Korea Gap Year. :)
# Through the Canadian language study project, I was able to leisurely feel happiness in daily life for the first time in a while.
I had grown bored with the repetitive routines, environments, and ways of doing things, and I had always thought that one day I should take myself to a new environment and give myself good memories. While finding a new way to feel happiness, I also wanted a new stimulus on the path toward my goals by breaking existing mindsets and frameworks. Of course, conversational study was necessary, butI needed time to understand myself better by admitting things I didn''t want to admit, and I decided to have a gap year because I believed that the process of changing itself would be meaningful.
Through my first gap year, the Canadian language study project, it was wonderful simply to be able to leisurely find happiness in everyday life again.The new environment and people gave me good memories as much as I approached them proactively, which made me proud, and through these processes I realized that having an open mindset, being proactive and assertive, overflowing with positive energy, and caring for those around me are my great strengths.
What I realized more clearly was that when you communicate and share with the people around you while carrying out work, you can see more and go farther.I''m convinced that achieving things like this can help me grow further.
# By experiencing achievements abroad, I developed pride and conviction in myself!
Before participating in the gap year, the pleasant daydreams I only had in my head would just end as fleeting memories,After joining the gap year, I feel great pride that I actually experienced things I had only imagined.I realize once again how important it is to have the determination, with patience and persistence, to someday achieve what you truly want.
Through these experiences of achievement, if I previously felt anxious and uncertain about the process and methods of fulfilling the big goal called a dream,I now seem to have a firm belief in this approach.Paradoxically, I also think that it might have been thanks to the frameworks I already had that I was able to see more.
First of all, since I decided to try learning something new, I tried playfully breaking my existing preconceptions and frameworks — if I find "oh, this is right" I can go in a different direction, and if not, I can come back.
# What does a day look like in the Canada Vancouver language study project?
A typical day was going to a local language school in Vancouver for morning classes, and in the afternoon spending time doing activities with friends who didn''t have morning classes or doing things I wanted to try.Sometimes I had time alone, but mostly I used apps like Airbnb Experiences, Groupon, and other activity apps to spend time with friends. Naturally getting close like that, I went to pubs and clubs a lot and was invited to home parties, having a great time.
I also remember occasionally introducing Korean food culture to my overseas friends.Usually dinner was the food provided by the homestay; I watched local news and talked with my host, trying hard to immerse myself in the culture. Thinking these were things I couldn''t do in Korea, I was busy every day but enjoyed myself.The reason everything was possible seems to be that it started with having an open mindset and trying to approach things proactively.
# The people I met during language study!
I believe I tried to approach them sincerely rather than forming superficial relationships just for studying English.So even now after the gap year ended, I think we still keep in touch. It was more fun to spend the Vancouver gap year with friends from Switzerland, Germany, France, Brazil, Mexico, and other countries.
I spent most of my time with European friends in particular, and looking back I think being with them allowed me to do many different kinds of activities.Seeing them honestly and unpretentiously express their emotions, meet people outside, mingle together, and find joy, I felt this was the happiness I had truly been seeking.
If someone asked what I miss most about life in Vancouver, I would of course say the times I spent with these friends.In the end, we decided to meet again in Switzerland this August with friends :)
# My recommended local travel route!
I recommend traveling through Washington State, Oregon, Alberta, and British Columbia together.Each state has its own charm, so you can experience those things— being able to feel that was the most fun.And the best part was that you could easily move by bus, which also saved a lot of money.
If it''s your first Rockies trip in Alberta, it''s better to go through a local language school''s activity or a travel agency, and for Seattle in Washington or Portland in Oregon, you can cross the border by bus and rent a car with like-minded friends to get around! :)
# My gap year tips!
- Language
: Personally, I think Vancouver is an ideal place to spend a gap year for language study. Its multiracial, multicultural mix is such a Vancouver-like characteristic, and if you have an open mind you can share various cultures and ideas and discover many new things.
From seeing people with different learning levels in Vancouver, I felt that you need at least enough English to understand a new culture. If you have intermediate to upper-intermediate English, it’s a really good choice, but if you’re below that level, I recommend improving your English in Korea before going.
In my case, while serving in the military I dreamed of a gap year and prepared a lot of basic grammar, vocabulary, and speaking practice. Preparing for TOEIC and TOEIC Speaking helped to some extent. Ultimately, I think that basic English skills (intermediate to upper-intermediate) plus an open mind and a broad perspective to understand friends from new cultures will allow you to spend your gap year effectively.
- Accommodation
: I stayed in a homestay for three months during my gap year and was satisfied overall. I was lucky to stay with a kind host in a clean home, which I really liked. When there wasn’t any particular plan, the host and I went hiking on weekends and had home parties — it was a great experience. Personally, homestay is a good choice for people who prefer a quieter lifestyle. Because the male host lived alone, it wasn’t the ideal homestay with lots of conversation that I had hoped for, but homestays differ; in those cases I went out and spent more time with friends. If you’re active and sociable, I recommend doing a room share instead of a homestay. Thinking back to rooftop parties with the overseas friends I room-shared with makes me really happy!
- Meals
: I had breakfast and dinner provided by the homestay, and I ate lunch with new friends I met at school. Vancouver has many restaurants from different countries besides Korean restaurants, so you can try foods from each country. It’s a small thing, but learning about each country’s dining culture and having lots of conversations was something I enjoyed. I definitely recommend eating lunch outside the school with friends!
- Essentials
: Before leaving for Vancouver, Canada, be sure to register your Compass Card online. If you purchase a monthly pass and lose it, you can have it reissued! And make sure you have insurance arranged before you go. In my case I lost my wallet shortly after arriving, but fortunately I was able to get compensation because I had insurance.
My gap year was
Experience★★★★★
: It was a really great experience getting to know friends from new cultures!
Learning★★★★★
: By learning and embracing new cultures I could break stereotypes, and having many topics to talk about really helped improve my conversational skills.
Environment★★★★
: It was good for experiencing both language improvement and a variety of overseas experiences.
Safety★★★★★
: I felt very safe!
Leisure★★★★★
: Vancouver, Canada is a city where urban life, nature, and multiculturalism coexist, so it was great for leisure activities!
Visited by Yoon Su-jongVancouver, Canada language study abroad projectIf you''re curious??
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