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#Became more sociable and proactive #Experience in dolphin conservation activities related to my major #Happy times spent together meeting good people
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As an oceanography major, it was an experience in which I felt and learned a great deal! I think this dolphin conservation observation activity helped me a lot in deciding my future career path. And while staying in Croatia I met so many wonderful people, so I had very happy times!
Croatia: A 24-hour observation diary of dolphins living in the blue world Yang Hyun-jin, gap year participant (22 / university student)
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# Hello! I''m a college student majoring in oceanography!
Hello. I''m Yang Hyun-jin, a marine science major and university student who participated in this gap year Croatia travel & volunteer project.
I''m currently on a one-year leave of absence from university. I was unsure whether to continue to graduate school or get a job, so I decided to take a leave first. While on leave and doing volunteer work, I learned about Gap Year and decided I wanted to participate.I thought participating in a gap year would help me find answers to the issues I was worrying about.
*For Yang Hyun-jin, who wanted time to find a special trip and a direction in life,Customized one-on-one daily personal missions that allowed her to enjoy leisurely time and learn more about herself were provided, and a Gap Year Note to reflect and make plans was also given.
>> Participation fee 100 won! Go to the Gap Year mission
# I wanted to try dolphin observation activities in Croatia!
My major is oceanography and I''m generally very interested in dolphins, so when I first saw this gap year project I thought I wanted to do it. I had been wondering whether to go on to graduate school and become a researcher, so I thought this Croatia trip would be a good opportunity to see researchers in the field ahead of time.
I also decided to participate because I thought I could see how foreign marine researchers conduct their research and live, and it would give me a chance to reflect on my major.
# What preparations did you make before departing for Croatia?
In my case, because I planned to travel independently after the Croatia gap year project, there were many things to prepare. I searched the internet to buy what I needed and prepared by asking friends who had been to Europe or had a lot of overseas experience for advice!
# My goal for this gap year in Croatia was to resolve my concerns about my career and employment!
Through the gap year in Croatia, I wanted to learn about aspects of myself I didn''t know and my goal was to resolve my concerns about further study and employment.
During my time in Croatia I discovered many unexpected sides of myself and had a fun time. I realized I was more proactive and sociable than I thought, and I was surprised to find I was physically more resilient than I expected!
# Things I liked while traveling in Croatia!
Above all, what I liked was that through dolphin conservation activities during my Croatia trip I was able to meet so many people.By doing activities together, I was able to learn about European cultures different from ours through my friends.
Also, it was always fun because people enjoy the sea in different ways. When I first left, I vaguely thought Europeans would look different and have different cultures, so their personalities would be different too. But people are people, and just as Koreans differ a bit from one another, Europeans were similar.
After realizing that, meeting new foreign friends was no longer frightening.If I showed interest and treated those friends well, they reciprocated, showing interest and treating me well. So my time in Croatia was always enjoyable.
During my participation in the dolphin conservation observation program, the accommodation housed five volunteers including me, two interns, and two staff members.I loved the time there spent eating meals and chatting with many people.
During my free time I went snorkeling or visited local festivals with the volunteers and interns. I feel really lucky to have done these activities together with them.I had a really happy time on this trip to Croatia because I met wonderful people.
Here’s a typical day in the project!
If the weather was good, we would take a boat out around 10 AM to observe dolphins and return around 2–3 PM.There weren''t many days when the weather was good all day, so sometimes we waited for better conditions and other days returned early. After that we had free time and went snorkeling in the sea with other volunteers. We took turns, and had dinner around 7 PM.
On bad-weather days we went to the office and organized dolphin photos from 9 AM to 4 PM. Because dolphins can be identified by their fins, I was sometimes tasked with distinguishing individuals.
This gap year made me more proactive!
Through this gap year program I tanned a lot, but more importantly my personality changed significantly.Used to avoiding foreigners out of the belief I was bad at English, I changed into a sociable, proactive person who says hello first and approaches others.
I now believe that not being perfect at English is not a problem for making friends, and I enjoy talking and sharing experiences. It''s funny to me that I''ve become more outgoing and ambitious, but it''s a good change and I''m happily embracing it! :)
To those who want their own gap year!
I don''t think there''s anyone who isn''t afraid before starting.But once you have your own gap year, you''ll definitely think you''ve never had such a fun and enjoyable time.
If you prepare an open mind and positive attitude, many things become funny and fun and turn into memorable experiences. Don''t give up and enjoy your gap year!!
My personal recommendations for places to visit in Croatia!
Lošinj Island is small, so I recommend visiting during the season when you can enter the sea.There is a mountain in the middle, and the view from its lookout overlooking Mali Lošinj and Veli Lošinj was really beautiful. Seeing the town filled with red roofs made me want to take pictures. Lošinj Island has many beaches.
Personally I recommend the beach in Čikat. Lošinj is an island you need a car to travel around, so if you go independently rather than for volunteering you should rent one. Make sure to bring snorkeling gear, water shoes, a beach towel, swimsuit, and sunscreen. Of course they can also be bought there.
Gap year preparation tips!
- Language
For example, my confidence in English increased a lot. The other volunteers in Croatia were kind and considerate, so I tried to speak English with them more and gradually my fear disappeared.
- Accommodation and meals
I stayed in dormitory-style accommodation. Breakfast was simple—bread and tea—and lunch was prepared while having breakfast or bought from a restaurant. For dinner, we checked the rota among volunteers and prepared it together. I even introduced Korean food then haha.
- What to bring
Since the dolphin conservation observation program involves a lot of water activities, it''s good to bring related items. A beach towel is useful when going to the beach, and be sure to pack a hair dryer too!
My gap year!
Experience★★★★★
: Being able to observe dolphins so closely was an experience you can''t have anywhere else!
Learning★★★★★
: On days when the weather was bad and we couldn''t go out to sea, I helped the researchers with their work, and they taught me many things about dolphins, so I learned a lot!
Environment★★★★★
: It was really clean and pleasant!
Safety★★★★★
: They provided thorough safety training, so I was able to participate confidently.
Leisure★★★★★
: Activities ended at 4 PM, so I had free time in the afternoons to relax with other volunteers!
The gap year Yang Hyunjin tookCroatia Dolphin Conservation ProjectWant to know more information?!
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