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The First Start of an African Adventure: Trucking in Namibia!

#Letting go of impatience and becoming a more positive person #An experience of encountering Africa's vast wilderness and making great friends #Excitement and confidence from finding agency in life

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    The Namibia truck trip I took because I vaguely felt a need for a change in my life allowed me to experience many things.

    It allowed me to experience them. The vast African wilderness I saw for the first time was so impressive, and the friends I traveled with

    By having many conversations with the friends throughout the trip, I was able to let go of my impatience and my habit of worrying.

     

    The beginning of my African adventure: Namibia truck trip

    Hwang Ye-jin, gap-year traveler (21 years old)

     

     

     

     

    # Hello! I''m 21-year-old Hwang Ye-jin!


     


     

    Hello! I''m 21-year-old Hwang Ye-jin, a student at UNIST. I took a semester off due to concerns about my career and life direction, and I did various activities including an African truck trip (trucking).

     

     

    *For Hwang Ye-jin, who wanted time to properly set her future career and the direction of her life,activities that offered unique challenges, tailored 1:1 personal missions about life planning were provided daily, and a gap-year notebook to reflect on oneself and make plans was also provided.

     



     

     

    # I had long felt that I needed a change.


     


     

    I had long felt that I needed a change. I also wanted to rest. So I took a leave of absence, but rather than just lazing around, I wanted to have meaningful experiences.Especially since I hadn''t traveled abroad since elementary school, I decided to take on the challenge of traveling alone this time.

     

    So while searching online, I found the ''Africa Namibia Truck Trip Project'' on Korea Gap Year, which appealed to me because it allowed me to experience fun and challenging camping + an African tour + a truck trip all at once, so I applied.



    # I was excited that it was my first trip abroad and that I was going to Africa!


     


     


    I was excited that it was my first trip abroad and that I was going to Africa.As it was my first challenge I was worried, but I thought there was no point in worrying about things that haven''t happened, so I prepared with a calm mind.

     

    In particular, I prepared in detail by reading the materials provided by Gap Year and by searching online myself. I prepared little by little for about two months. I diligently got my vaccinations starting about a month beforehand, and I made a list focusing on items I didn''t have at home and bought them all at once. Also, checking in online about two days earlier helped at the airport! :)




    # The goal of my gap year this time was to recharge and rediscover myself!


     


     

     

    Through this African truck trip, I wanted to become someone who can appreciate the positive things in small moments.

     

    In the past, my daily life was dull and I felt numb to everything, so there was no joy. Especially after pushing through three years of high school and one year of university, I became burned out and lacked the drive to move forward.

     

    So my goal for the Africa truck trip was to recharge and rediscover myself.I thought it would be good to rest deeply and regain a sense of ease, while also discovering my strengths and growing through experiences that challenged me and were different from everyday life.





    # While traveling, seeing the positive and open attitudes of the people I met helped me naturally let go of my own impatience and worries.


    During the African truck trip, seeing people''s positive and open mindsets helped me let go of my impatience and worries.Also, even when it wasn''t their own problem, the way people helped and gave to one another felt very warm and made me reflect on myself.

     

    In Namibia there is a plant called the acacia tree that looks like a thorny bush. This plant has very sharp, pointed thorns to adapt to the dry, hot climate and the environment with many wild animals nearby. Because the soles of my sneakers were thin, many thorns unknowingly embedded themselves in my shoes, and at one point I felt a stinging sensation and found that many thorns had pierced in deeply. I couldn''t buy new shoes and still had a long way to go on the itinerary, so I was in a difficult situation. But Thomas from Switzerland said he could fix it and removed the thorns one by one with his pocketknife.

     

    My feet were sweaty and my shoes must have been dirty, but he helped wholeheartedly without caring, and I was truly grateful beyond words.I left the country alone, but I was so happy to have met great friends of various nationalities with whom I could share memories during the trip.




    # My horizons expanded through a truck trip in Africa!


     


     

    And truly, this experience broadened my horizons.I had been trapped in the way I lived and thought, imposing limits on myself, but through this truck trip I feel like I found ownership of my life.I, who used to be indifferent, have become more curious and now spend thrilling days planning what I''ll do next.

     

    Even if the same hardships arise, I went to Namibia by myself, and I developed an attitude of ''this is nothing,'' so I can act with confidence. As a result,My worries naturally decreased and I''m using that time to try to move forward. I really think it was a precious experience! :)






    # What does a day on a Namibia trucking trip look like?


    I wake up around 6:30, say good morning to everyone, then pack up my tent and bed. After a simple breakfast I start the day''s activities.

    We do one or two activities a day (e.g., hiking and visiting Dead Vlei), and there is a lot of time spent traveling by truck. If we see a beautiful or unusual sight, we stop to admire it.

    At lunch we stop at the roadside for a simple sandwich, and when the day''s schedule ends we arrive at the campsite. On arrival we usually set up tents and have free time. Later we sit around the campfire and eat dinner prepared by the guide while chatting with the team. The guide briefs the next day''s schedule and the day ends! :)



    # People I met on the trip!


    Our group was seven people and everyone was great. Greg did an excellent job guiding and cooking, and the Swiss couple Thomas and Arshla were fun, telling witty jokes and stories every evening around the campfire. Michel and Nina from South Africa lifted the mood with their boisterous, positive attitudes and liked to share—giving out gloves, beer, drinks, and so on.

    And finally, Hana also traveled alone like me, and we shared a tent and talked a lot because we had the same interests. Since I was the only one from Korea,
    I worried at first whether I''d fit in, but from day one people started conversations and helped out with preparations, so we naturally became close!

     


     

     

    If I had to pick a favorite activity from the trip, climbing the ''Big Daddy'' dune was the most rewarding and fun. It was hot, dry, and so sandy that progress was slow and difficult, but as we climbed I took in the changing, beautiful scenery and had many thoughts. After about an hour of climbing, we ran down in under five minutes—truly an exotic and exhilarating experience.




    # My personal gap year tips!




    - Language
    : I didn''t specifically prepare my spoken English, but I regularly watch US/UK TV shows and movies and listen to pop music. Once you''re there and thrown into interactions with foreign friends, you''ll feel your language improving naturally. Language doesn''t get learned in a short pre-study, so I recommend preparing at least a simple self-introduction!


    - Accommodation
    : The accommodation was clean! But Namibia is a desert and gets cold at night. So when you sleep there it''s good to bring a hot water bottle, long socks, a hat, thin thermal gloves, and a face mask to stay warm.


    - Meals
    : The local guide cooked really well. The food was all tasty so don''t worry. For lunch,we stop at the roadside for simple sandwiches, and the guide prepared delicious dinners.



    - Things to bring, insurance, etc.
    : It was my first time traveling alone so I overpacked, but there''s really no need. First, never bring a suitcase—it''s really inconvenient. It''s more comfortable to bring a large soft bag with only the “minimum” clothes and necessary items. Underwear and socks can be hand-washed in the shower and worn again a few times.




    My gap year is!

    Experience★★★★
    : I went hiking about three times; climbing the mountains was so much fun, and I enjoyed the process of getting closer to and cooperating with foreign friends.


    Learning★★★★
    : Results may vary by person, but I think this trip will help those who, like me, often have many thoughts and worries to sort things out.


    Environment★★★★
    : I was captivated because the natural scenery was very beautiful and unique.


    Safety★★★★
    : It''s not bad. Don''t expect it to be like Korea, but if you travel in a group, nothing should happen.


    Leisure★★★



    Visited by Hwang YejinNamibia Trucking Project (Africa)Want to know more?!
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Why This Project

What makes this project special

#Rest & Recovery#Freedom & Happiness#Inner Peace & Fulfillment#With Wildlife#Discover a New Me#Bucket List Challenge#Camping in Africa#Travel to Namibia#Complete Rest#Gain a Positive Mindset#Truck Trip#Healing Emotional Wounds#Overcome Burnout#Love for Animals#You Only Live Once#Real Africa#Adventurous Spirit#African Adventure#Recover from Exhaustion

Take just one brave step.
GapYear will take care of the rest.