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#Gained the courage to show my true self #Overcoming a lack of affection and experiencing giving and receiving love #Comfort and joy gained from happy memories
While volunteering in Thailand, I was able to learn to be more relaxed and develop a more positive mindset. The biggest thing I noticed over time was this! Wherever I am, if I want to feel happy there, showing myself as I am... was the most important thing. In addition, I gained the courage to challenge myself in the future!
The ultimate free-travel experience: childcare volunteer work in Chiang Rai, Thailand with foreign friends Eunju Yoo, gap-year ''gapper'' (27)
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# Hello! I''m Eunju, a gap-year addict — this is already my third gap year!
Hello! I''m Eunju, a gap-year addict — this is already my third gap year.
Last year, through my gap year I did language study in the Philippines and volunteer work in Vietnam, and this time I participated in childcare volunteer work in Chiang Rai, Thailand.
First, I''ll talk about why I ended up taking a gap year three times.
First, the reason I started my gap year was after receiving consulting. At the time I wanted to work in psychological counseling, which was unrelated to my major or past work, and because I would have to start studying again for a fairly long period, I wanted to gain courage and recharge my confidence.
*For Eunju, who wanted time to try new challenges and gain experience for her future career,daily customized one-on-one personal missions for unique challenges, career experience, and relaxed time were provided, and a gap-year notebook for self-reflection and planning was also supplied.
# I went without hesitation because I felt I absolutely had to go.
I had about a month before I was to start studying for a new field, and I thought that if I went abroad alone during that time, saw new things, and handled things by myself, I would gain the courage to start a new job.
And since I was going anyway, I wanted it to be more meaningful, and Gap Year — which has various programs like volunteering and internships — came to mind, so I chose it.I thought consulting would just match me with a program that fit what I wanted to get, but they very deeply pointed out my issues and deficiencies. They proposed a long six-month period, much longer than the one month I had thought of as travel,I went without hesitation because I felt I absolutely had to go!
# I returned after seven months abroad, but I wanted to learn more, and as someone who lacked affection, I wanted a clearer experience of giving and receiving love!
Actually, after finishing about seven and a half months abroad — language study, volunteering, and traveling in Southeast Asia and Asia — when I returned to Korea I initially felt more inclined to go on a working holiday. In fact, that thought started in Vietnam.The reason is that while volunteering in Vietnam I met many Western friends (mainly from the U.S., the U.K., and Australia) and realized that their perspectives are really different.I thought that in Thailand too I could see and learn a more relaxed and positive mindset.
After finishing my time abroad and returning, as time passed I felt that what I needed immediately was not a working holiday. Thanks to having learned to some extent how to give and receive love in Vietnam — which consulting had pointed out as my issue of lacking affection — I felt different while living in Korea; I felt my heart being filled as I received others'' feelings, but somehow it still felt lacking.I wanted to learn just a bit more — I wanted to truly feel love.
So I told the CEO of Korean Gap Year who had consulted me that I wanted to volunteer more, and I was offered this childcare volunteer project in Chiang Rai, Thailand.They said that volunteering abroad in Thailand would provide more meaningful experiences and that by living closely with people I would learn more.
# I think the most important thing to feel happy anywhere is to show yourself as you are.!
When I first arrived, the unfamiliar environment made me timid without me even realizing it.What helped me overcome it was exactly that: among the friends I volunteered with, there were people who liked me even though I was so shy and barely spoke.They approached me first, talked to me more, were pleased by even the smallest things — in fact, they liked me even when I hadn''t done anything. As others reached out and showed affection first, my heart gradually opened.
That allowed me to comfortably show myself as I am, to start conversations with other friends, and as a result I made more friends, felt more at ease, and enjoyed myself more — it became a virtuous cycle.
No matter where you are, I think the most important thing to blend in and feel happiness there is whether you show yourself as you are.There’s no need to only show your best side or to put on any airs. I always feel that laughing and playing like a child is the most enjoyable.
# The volunteer work I did!
Speaking about the local overseas volunteer work, when I first went the school was on break, so instead of looking after young children I ended up volunteering to teach English to older kids (elementary school students).
As I mentioned earlier, at first I became very withdrawn, so I was awkward both in making friends and in the volunteer work teaching English. Of course, it was my first time doing this, and teaching elementary students even though I am not a native English speaker was also a burden.
Then, once the relationship issues with people were overcome, the work naturally became enjoyable and I grew very fond of the children.After a month, I was sorry to return to the original Childcare project. Still, I was glad I could consistently see the children because I was able to help with the elementary school classes on weekends.
The Childcare volunteer work I did involved teaching kindergarteners a few basic English words and introducing English through games and craft activities. In the afternoons I helped with tasks the kindergarten requested, like painting and attaching word cards to the floor. The kids were really so cute, and sometimes when they didn''t listen I wanted to give them a good scolding, haha.
# By acknowledging and accepting my emotions myself, I became able to give love more comfortably!
Then one day I suddenly realized something: when I had done the same volunteer work in Vietnam before, some of the friends volunteering with me had said things like, “This is my favorite kid. Isn’t he/she so cute?” I had seen them hold only that child a few times. Seeing that, I thought, “Is it okay to show favoritism like that? The other kids will be sad. That might be bad for the children’s upbringing.”
And actually, the gap-year coordinator who taught us how to give love suggested the same thing: don’t try to give love to many children, give it to just one. But I don’t think I was able to do that at the time. I guess I couldn’t understand it intellectually.
Then, when I volunteered in Thailand, I had that thought.“It’s natural for us to like some people more and others less.And we become closer to and friends with the people we like more. This is no different in children’s world, yet I had thought that treating them all equally with love was the mature, adult way to behave.
That it’s natural for me to like some children more.” Of course, showing favoritism excessively would be bad for the kids.I realized intellectually that the idea ‘you shouldn’t like someone more and you must love everyone equally’ is unnatural. Once I acknowledged that, I was able to give love more comfortably.And because I could accept that, I came to understand that everyone’s thoughts can be different. Realizing that’s natural made me feel more at ease.
# What was the most memorable moment while volunteering in Thailand?
There are so many beautiful memories from volunteering in Thailand. Scenes that come to mind: lying down on the road with friends to see the stars to fulfill a suddenly-arising bucket list; an auntie in a quiet town offering water out of pure kindness; a grandmother who, despite usually having an expressionless face, greeted me and shyly smiled brighter than anyone; getting very close with Thai intern friends and chatting a lot every night — once we saw so many stars that the Milky Way was visible; naturally sharing deep and past stories with a Korean friend every night; playful times drinking beer with the coordinator and friends; floating aimlessly in an outdoor pool in Pai; going up in front of a bar stage and singing Korean songs; children swarming to hug me; and a child concentrating on coloring with their lip sticking out.
Remembering the things that made me so happy and living according to them, I think I can continue to live happily in the future.
# Finally, to those hesitating about a gap year right now!
I think many people join a gap year because they don''t know what they want to do and are trying to find it.But In my opinion,it''s not that a new desire to do something pops up from doing new work and seeing new things in an unfamiliar place; rather, it seems to let you naturally bring out the things you had folded away deep in your mind that you wanted to do.
Things that were already in my heart but that I thought ''I can''t do that'' or ''that''s not my path'' suddenly felt like things I could do. Of course, I was also able to discover things that I hadn''t seen before as they entered my view, after being trapped by others'' standards and my narrow perspective.
Actually, as I''m writing this, I''m participating in my fourth gap year with an Australian working-holiday project. It''s really addictive haha. I''ll finish my gap years with the Australia working holiday. I hope I can live on fulfilling the wish I made at a temple in Thailand :)
''Please let me continue to find my path and place, and be able to embrace and love the people beside me like a decent person.''
Visited by Ms. Yoo Eun-juChildcare teacher volunteer project in Chiang Rai, ThailandWant more information?!
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Check out more photos Ms. Yoo Eun-ju sent from Chiang Rai~
Thank you~!
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