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#Objective perspective, habit of punctuality #Thai cooking skills, self-reflection #Felt the importance of firsthand experience
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I love Thai food so much that I decided to join a gap year project for a cooking class in Bangkok! While learning to cook, I had time to think about my tastes and career path, and before this gap year experience, I was more emotional, but now my perspective has changed a lot.
HOT, SPICY, and FUN! Creating, Tasting, and Enjoying Thai Cuisine - My Experience! Joo-ho Lee, Korea GapYear Participant (26 years old / University Student) |
# Hello! I am a college student participating in a gap year project focused on Thai cooking classes!
Hello, I’m Lee Ju-ho, a university student majoring in Korean education. While feeling lost after deciding to pursue a path different from my major, I discovered Korea Gap Year. Out of many gap year projects on the website, I chose a project in Bangkok, Thailand, that allowed me to participate in a cooking class while also exploring the city.
I applied for the gap year because I was dissatisfied with parts of my life and struggled with overall contentment. This gap year experience in Bangkok, Thailand, became the foundation for a significant change in my life, and now, I often recommend the gap year experience to people I know! :)
* For Lee Ju-ho, who wanted unique experiences abroad and time to consider his future path, Korea Gap Year provided a daily 1:1 personalized mission with activities that allowed him to reflect on himself and plan for the future, as well as a gap year notebook to help with goal setting and self-reflection.
# What I wanted to achieve during this gap year period!
I first applied for the Bangkok cooking class project because I love Thai food. Also, I wanted to break free from my daily routine and force myself to relax and find a sense of leisure. Initially, I learned about gap years through my mother's recommendation, and it was truly a great experience.
During this gap year in Thailand, my ultimate goals were: to become a more mature person, to finally settle my thoughts on opening a Thai restaurant, to live without being swayed by emotions, and to become someone who is punctual.
# I discovered new tastes during my time in Thailand!
While in Thailand, I could have just enjoyed myself or focused only on the cooking class, but thanks to the gap year mission, I could constantly remember why I wanted to take this gap year in the first place.
Through the gap year mission, I was able to face the side of myself that I thought I “knew enough” about and took lightly. It was a great opportunity to rediscover myself and learn about my new tastes!
# A day in the Thai cooking project!
The day begins at 9 a.m. at the cooking class location, where we either head to the market or start cooking right away. We make one dish, taste it, then move on to learn the next one, wrapping up around noon. After that, we had free time! :)
# People I Met During My Gap Year!
First, I was warmly welcomed by the instructors and reception staff at the Bangkok cooking class I joined as part of my gap year project. Even though it was a short time, everyone remembered my name and had conversations with me, sharing a lot of insights about Thailand.
Even after the cooking class ended, I ran into some of them by chance and felt a sense of warmth in the friendly greetings they gave me! I taught them some Korean, and one of the teachers gifted me a ladle used in the cooking school, which will forever remain a cherished memory.
I also met a friend named Lei from China who lives in Japan during the cooking class. At first, things were a bit awkward, but as we chatted, we bonded as fellow solo travelers and even had meals together after the class, becoming closer.
To this day, we occasionally keep in touch through messages, checking up on each other. Even though it was a short period, I became less shy, approached friends first, and achieved the foreign interactions I’d hoped for, making this time even more valuable.
# My perspective has changed through my time in Thailand!
One of the changes I wanted before participating in the Bangkok cooking class project was to become someone who doesn't get swayed by emotions. Through my gap year, I think I developed a perspective that allows me to view situations and emotions in a calm and objective way.
Also, I used to be bothered by the frustration and resentment when things didn’t go as planned, but I’m glad my perspective changed during this project.
For me, who had been considering opening a Thai restaurant, it was also a joy to learn five different dishes every day and actually taste them. My stomach was quite full, haha. Since I enjoy cooking, the time spent not only making simple one-person meals but also preparing multiple types of Thai food helped me wrap up some of the thoughts I had before signing up for the project.
It's rare to make decisions based on mere thoughts; it's always more effective to make decisions after experiencing things firsthand or by having in-depth conversations with people involved in the field. This experience reminded me of that!
# My Recommended Places in Thailand!
Depending on the purpose of your trip to Thailand, I applied for this project with the idea of doing a food tour in Thailand. I planned an itinerary to visit all the places featured on the TV show "Street Food," and it was truly satisfying!
If you're looking to enjoy local food in the evening after class, I highly recommend Chinatown. There are also noodle shops near Khao San Road, so it won't be a problem to fit this into a day trip. Personally, I don't think visiting famous landmarks or photo spots adds much value. However, this can all depend on the purpose of your trip, so if you're traveling for the same reasons I did, my advice might be helpful! :)
# Gap Year Preparation TIP!
- Language
: It would be more enjoyable if you know some basic Thai before your trip, but the locals speak fluent English and are quite good with Korean, so you won't face any major difficulties!
- Accommodation
: If it's your first time in Bangkok, I recommend choosing a clean and comfortable place to stay!
- Packing list
: You should pack the items you think you will need for your trip. By the way, I recommend bringing a daily band and a portable selfie stick!
My Gap Year!
Experience ★★★★★
: A major advantage is being able to learn a variety of unique Thai dishes one after another!
Learning ★★★★★
: The gap year in Thailand was not just about learning to cook, but also about spending time and conversing with a variety of people every day, allowing me to reflect on myself back in Korea.
Environment ★★★★
Safety ★★★★★
Leisure ★★★★★
: The Bangkok cooking class finished around noon, so I had plenty of time to rest afterward and explore, gaining many new experiences!
I love Thai food so much that I joined a cooking class gap year project in Bangkok!
While learning to cook, I had time to reflect on my own preferences and career path.
Before the gap year, I tended to be emotional, but now my perspective has changed a lot.
HOT, SPICY, and FUN! Making, trying, and enjoying Thai food - a lively review!!
Lee Juho, Gap Year Member (26 years old / University Student)
# Hello! I’m a university student who joined a Thai cooking class gap year project this time!
During my self-reflection, I felt dissatisfied with parts of myself, which extended to my life as a whole. I applied for a gap year at a time when I was struggling with my overall satisfaction in life. In the end, my gap year project experience in Bangkok became a foundation for positive change in my life. Now, I highly recommend a gap year to my friends and family! :)
*For Juho Lee, who wanted unique overseas experiences and time to think about his future career, we provided daily 1:1 personalized missions tailored for self-reflection and setting life goals, along with a gap year notebook to reflect and make plans.
# My Goals for this Gap Year!
I love Thai food, so I signed up for the Bangkok cooking class project first. I wanted to break away from my usual routine, take some forced rest, and find a sense of relaxation. Initially, I found out about the gap year through my mother’s recommendation, and it turned out to be a truly rewarding experience.
And my ultimate goals for this gap year experience in Thailand were these: to become a more mature person, to finalize my thoughts about opening a Thai restaurant, to avoid leading a life swayed by emotions, and to become someone who values punctuality.
# I discovered new tastes and preferences while living in Thailand!
During my time in Thailand, I had the chance to constantly remind myself of the reasons I decided to take a gap year, thanks to my gap year missions. It helped me to stay focused rather than just treating the time here like a vacation or simply participating in cooking classes.
Through these gap year missions, I could face parts of myself that I had been overlooking, realizing aspects of myself I hadn’t known before and discovering new preferences.
# A typical day in my Thai cooking project!
I would arrive at the cooking class location by 9 a.m., then either head to the market or start the cooking lesson directly. After finishing a dish and tasting it, we would learn the next dish, and the class would typically end around noon. After that, the rest of the day was free time! :)
# People I Met During My Gap Year!
First, I was warmly welcomed by the teachers and reception staff at the Bangkok cooking class, which I joined as part of my gap year project. Despite the short time, everyone remembered my name and we had conversations throughout the project, where they also shared plenty of information about Thailand.
Even after the Bangkok cooking class period ended, I ran into them by chance, and their warm greeting made me feel touched! I taught them some Korean, and one teacher gifted me a ladle used in the cooking school. It's a memory I'll always treasure ㅎ
I also met a Chinese friend named Lei, who lives in Japan, during the cooking class. It was awkward at first, but we chatted and felt a bond as fellow solo travelers, and we grew closer by having meals together after class.
I still keep in touch with her from time to time through messages, and we update each other on our lives. Though it was a short period, I became less shy and more comfortable reaching out to friends, which allowed me to foster the international connections I wanted, making it a truly valuable experience.
# My Perspective Changed Through My Time in Thailand!
One of the personal changes I hoped to achieve before participating in the Bangkok Cooking Class project was to become someone who is not swayed by emotions. Through this gap year experience, I feel I gained a more objective and calm perspective on situations and feelings.
In the past, when things didn’t go as planned, I felt frustrated and often blamed myself, but I’m glad to have gained a new perspective through this project.
And for me, who was considering opening a Thai restaurant, the time spent learning and trying out five different dishes every day was truly enjoyable. My stomach was quite full too, haha. Since I love cooking, the time spent making various types of Thai food—beyond just preparing a single meal for one person—helped me to resolve some of the doubts I had before applying for this project.
It was a reminder that decisions should rarely be made solely by thinking; it’s most effective to make them after directly experiencing something or, if that’s not possible, by listening deeply to the people involved in the field. This was a great learning experience for me!
# My Recommended Thai Travel Destinations!
Depending on the purpose of your trip to Thailand, I applied for this project thinking about a Thai culinary tour. I planned an itinerary that included all the places featured on the TV program Street Food** and it was truly satisfying!
If you want to enjoy local food in the evening after your classes, I recommend Chinatown. There are also noodle shops around Khao San Road, so you won’t have any trouble fitting this into your day’s itinerary. Personally, I don't think visiting famous landmarks or photo spots is that important. But this all depends on the purpose of your trip, so if you're going to Thailand for a similar reason to me, you might want to take my advice into account! :)
# Gap Year Preparation TIP!
- Language
: It can be more enjoyable if you know some basic Thai, but the locals are fluent in English and also speak Korean reasonably well, so I had no trouble at all!
- Accommodation
: If it’s your first time in Bangkok, I recommend choosing a clean and comfortable place to stay!
- Packing
: Bring the items you think you’ll need for your trip. By the way, I recommend packing a dayband and a portable selfie stick!
My Gap Year!
Experience ★★★★★
: The big advantage was being able to learn a variety of unique Thai dishes in a row!
Learning ★★★★★
: My gap year in Thailand wasn’t just about learning to cook. It was also a time to reflect on myself by spending time with various people and having conversations every day.
Environment ★★★★
Safety ★★★★★
Leisure ★★★★★
: The cooking class in Bangkok ended around noon, so I had plenty of time to rest and explore, gaining a lot of new experiences!
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