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#Learned how to overcome worrying about others' opinions #A unique experience of caring for animals up close #A fulfilling sense of having recharged the motivation to return to daily life
I wanted to spend meaningful time before getting a job, so the gap year I spent in Singapore was wonderful. It was great to see animals up close and be able to touch them, but above all, taking on new challenges in a new placeI learned how to overcome worrying about what others think!
Volunteering to rescue rare wild animals in Singapore that were physically and mentally injured! Park Bo-ryeong — gap year participant (gapper), 25 years old
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Hello! I''m Park Bo-ryeong. After graduating from university and before getting a job, I participated in wildlife rescue volunteering in Singapore.
Hello! I''m Park Bo-ryeong, 25. I graduated from university this year and took part in a gap-year overseas volunteer project in Singapore before starting work.
I learned about gap years in a liberal arts class when someone who had experienced a gap year gave a presentation about their experience.
At that moment I also felt that I wasn''t ready to get a job, andI thought that after starting a job it wouldn''t be easy to go abroad for such a long period, so I decided to spend an unusual gap year doing overseas volunteer work in Singapore.
*For Park Bo-ryeong, who wanted time to take on new challenges and to think about and grow toward her future self,she was given tailored one-on-one personal missions every day to provide a unique overseas experience and an opportunity to consider the direction of her life, and she was also given a gap year notebook to reflect on herself and make plans.
>> Participation fee: 100 KRW! Go to gap year missions
I like animals, and because I have good memories of Singapore, I chose this project!
For my gap year, the first thing I looked for was a project related to animals.I tend to like animals regardless of species, and my major is related to animals, so I had experience caring for them.
Second, I had already traveled to Singapore alone, and because only good memories remained from that trip, it''s a country I really like.Also, as I looked through animal-related projects, I thought this one would let me get closest to the animals and interact with them, so I chose it.
Preparations before leaving for Singapore!
When I travel abroad I usually plan things in Excel and write a packing list, so I prepared in the same way. I checked the packing checklist provided by the gap year coordinator, packed while reading reviews from people who had already done the gap year, and looked through travel guides to note places I hadn''t been to and places I wanted to revisit. I evenSince you''ll be living in Singapore for a month, it''s good to think about the small everyday items you use and pack each one.
And of course it''s important to pack everything thoroughly, but while volunteering in Singapore,during your month of living there, if you research places to visit on weekday evenings or weekends, or places to relax even if you''re not moving around much, you''ll be more excited for the gap year! :)
I used to be very shy, and through this gap year I learned how to overcome worrying about what others think!
To be honest, I decided to take a gap year partly because I wanted to escape the reality of getting a job, and because, unless you make it your profession, it''s not easy to spend close time with animals other than keeping pets, so I wanted that experience again.
When I was young I often saw volunteer activities in Africa and thought I wanted to try that when I grew up, so that''s also why I chose an overseas volunteer project instead of another type. Also, while preparing for the gap year project, the questions I received and the questions that came up while doing missions made me think about what might be possible.
And now that I''ve finished the project and returned, I feel there''s at least a small change in me.
Specifically, I care less about what other people think.During the volunteer period I also thought I''d live comfortably, more like a ''natural person''(?), and since it was abroad I even wore clothes I had previously hesitated to wear. I tried small things I had avoided out of worries like "Will people see me negatively if I do this?" or "Will they think this of me?" and it felt good to do those little things.
I''m quite shy and find it hard to show my feelings, energy, or opinions in front of others, but with the Korean friends I met at the volunteer organization I was able to open up comfortably within a relatively short time.These are small, subtle things that others might not notice, but to me they felt like a little period of growth! :)
Through this gap year I was able to discover another charm of Singapore!
Living for a month in Singapore volunteering with locals, I think the best part was getting to visit places I wouldn''t have seen if I had just been traveling.The beach the staff took us to after work at night was so quiet and pretty—there were hardly any locals—and a Singaporean friend I volunteered with even took me to a local university event, so I had some really unique experiences.
Also, the "night rescue" experience in the volunteer program, where you can accompany staff on nighttime rescue operations, was really great.I went on the last Saturday; it was a new experience and following the animal rescue activities was fascinating and fun. I even picked up the little fact that bats can''t fly when they''re on the ground, haha.
I feel that this unusual overseas volunteer experience contributed somewhat to my personal growth. Having had experiences different from my daily life, I also feel recharged and ready to return to my routine in Korea.As I mentioned before, I didn''t come with a clear goal to change myself, so looking back I feel more proud than I expected.
For those planning a gap year—whether you have specific goals or not—if you fully enjoy the project, that experience alone can make for a satisfying gap year.
A day in the life of Singapore animal rescue volunteering!
In the morning, if you want you can have the cereal or bread prepared for volunteers, and if everyone gathers in the kitchen by around 9:30, those who came from the area to volunteer join us and we head into the building. There you change into boots and the staff tell you whether you''ll work indoors or outdoors. Then...Following the staff or more experienced volunteers'' instructions, you clean the animals'' food bowls, water bowls, and enclosures, prepare meals, and give the morning feeding, among other tasks.
The official lunch break is from 1 to 2 pm, and if work finishes earlier you may be given extra rest time.
From 2 to 5 pm you repeat similar tasks and then the day''s work ends. Overall it''s the same work every day, but you might replace decorative grasses when they dry, and some animals are only fed about once a week, so it varies a bit. Still, work often finished a little earlier than expected, so we could rest!
* 9:30–1:00 — clean animals'' food bowls, water bowls, and enclosures / prepare and give meals
* 1:00–2:00 — lunch break
* 2:00–5:00 — afternoon activities
People I met during the gap year & recommended Singapore spots!
There were a few staff at the local Singapore organization I became somewhat close to, and I also became friendly with the Korean volunteers. Since those Korean volunteers were, in a way, the only Koreans you''d meet there, it felt extra welcoming and we got close relatively quickly.
There was also a local volunteer who knew a little Korean, so even though I’m shy I exchanged contact information and followed people on social media, getting to know many people. Even back in Korea we still keep in touch!
And in my case Singapore was my second time there and I hadn''t planned a tight itinerary, so instead of giving a travel route,the place I recommend is East Coast.In one word, it''s like a ''quiet Busan.'' It''s not full of tourist attractions, but it''s a great place to spend a relaxed, healing time.
I really like Singapore and it''s a country I want to visit again and again to spend time in; if I were to stay long-term for a month or even come briefly and want a relaxed trip, I''d like to book accommodation in this area.There are cafés with sea views, and although I didn''t visit, there also seems to be a food center. If you want to feel relaxed, visit East Coast!
My tips for preparing for Singapore wildlife rescue volunteering!
- Language
: When volunteering, it''s an activity that doesn''t involve a lot of talking, so if you don''t understand something you can ask them to show you or ask again. Try to mentally review and quickly learn commonly used words while volunteering—names of vegetables and fruits, food prep methods like "chop," "cut half," "wash," and names of animals—so you''ll adapt more easily when working.
- Accommodation
: There was a fan in the accommodation, so I could stay relatively cool in the hot weather!
- Meals
: Meals will vary by person, but vegetarian doesn''t mean only vegetables—meat is just excluded, and they serve a lot of rice or noodles together with vegetables, tofu, and soy/meat substitutes. I''m not big on vegetables and I love meat, so I went worried but prepared for a mostly vegetarian menu; except for a few dishes where I couldn''t eat many vegetables, I generally ate fine. People who don''t like Southeast Asian flavors rather than the vegetables themselves might find the taste difficult. Still, bringing a small cup of instant noodles and a bit of kimchi to eat once a week or so can bring a little happiness : )
- Things to bring
: Pack toiletries, powdered detergent, travel insurance, clothes, slippers, personal medications, arm sleeves, and other daily necessities! Mosquito repellent is important, but personally I recommend buying and using it locally.
My gap year is!
Experience★★★★★
: I was able to fulfill the purpose of going abroad to volunteer caring for animals, and it was great to also experience places like the pier and restaurants that the staff took us to, which I hadn''t expected. Personally, since it was my second visit to Singapore, I didn''t feel too rushed going out on weekends; I mainly visited places I hadn''t seen before and could enjoy a relaxed holiday in spots with relatively fewer tourists!
Learning★★★★
: There were things I naturally learned while volunteering. I occasionally heard bits of information about the animals, and by going without makeup and wearing comfortable clothes I became a bit more accustomed to caring less about others'' opinions and focusing on myself, so I think I experienced some personal growth :)
Environment★★★
: Personally, I didn''t feel greatly inconvenienced while staying there, but of course compared to Korea the facilities aren''t particularly nice. However, people joining a project won''t expect to live there like in a hotel or at home, so I think it''ll be fine!
Safety★★★★
: Singapore is known as one of the countries with very good public safety!
Leisure★★★
: Singapore has a diverse population, so the food is varied, and it has nightlife—it''s a good place to go to pubs in the evening or enjoy night views! The organization is a bit far from the main tourist areas, so I subtracted one star, but since Singapore is a city-state and not very large, it''s easy enough to go into the city to hang out and come back.
Park Bo-ryeonghas visitedSingapore Animal Rescue Overseas Volunteer ProjectWant to know more?!
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