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#Increased confidence that I can accomplish anything #An experience of regaining the purpose of my dream #Grateful for the children who liked me despite my shortcomings
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Through the overseas volunteer gap year, I gained the confidence and courage that made me feel I could accomplish anything. As I gained confidence, my self-esteem naturally increased too!
Volunteering as a childcare teacher in Cambodia! Jeong Da-young, gapper (21 / university student) / 2-week overseas volunteer gap year after taking a leave of absence |
# Hello! I am an ordinary university student majoring in child care and welfare!
Hello! I am currently a 21-year-old university student majoring in child care and welfare!
After finishing an extremely difficult freshman year and facing my second year, I felt like I wanted to let everything go and rest.I felt,thinking about myself graduating and getting a job without having done all the things I want to do in the future, I...I first resolved to take a leave of absence.
As I resolved to take a leave of absence, the thing I most wanted to do was "overseas volunteering."Overseas volunteering has always been my number one bucket list item, and I wanted to gain confidence through overseas experience and see a more grown version of myself. Because I usually like children and felt happy spending time with them, I found and joined Gap Year’s childcare teacher volunteer project in Cambodia.
*For Jeong Da-young, who wanted a special volunteer experience and time to reflect on and grow into her future self,a tailored one-on-one personal mission to try new challenges, opportunities to consider life direction and have relaxed time were provided daily, and a Gap Year Note to reflect on herself and make plans was also provided.
>> Participation fee: 100 won! Go to Gap Year missions
# Preparations before leaving for the overseas volunteer activity!
I prepared by carefully going through the Cambodia childcare teacher volunteer orientation materials provided by Gap Year.I exchanged currency and got travel insurance, received vaccinations two weeks in advance, and obtained my visa ahead of time—I prepared each thing one by one. When packing, the checklist provided by Gap Year helped me pack easily! :)
# The main goal of my gap year was to reclaim the purpose behind my dream!
During this overseas volunteer gap year, my biggest goal was to regain the purpose of my dream that I had forgotten while being exhausted from the intense and difficult university life, and to gain confidence while adapting to and living in a new place and to meet a more grown version of myself.
Through participating in the Cambodia overseas volunteer gap year project, I gained the courage and confidence that made me feel I could accomplish anything.Just seeing the bright, cheerful children every day was enough to say this program was worth joining; the time spent with the children was so precious and made me so happy.
Although I was a teacher who couldn''t communicate well and was lacking in many ways, I was truly grateful to the children who followed me so well and liked me.During the volunteer period I saw many of my own shortcomings, discovered aspects of myself I hadn''t known, and it was really good to have time to reflect on myself! :)
# On the contrary, I think I received even more love!
Above all, I felt proud of myself after finishing all the daily tasks at the local site.I went to share love but ended up receiving even greater love; I feel it''s more than I deserve and I''m happy.
And I met many friends during the overseas volunteer period.EspeciallyMy roommate who rode the tuk‑tuk with me from the airport to the accommodation when we first arrived. At only 18, she was more mature and grown‑up than me, and I thought she was really cool.
The friend who was positive and cheerful about everything, the friend who always spoke to me first and took care of me like a mother, the tuk‑tuk driver who safely took me from the volunteer center to the accommodation every day, as well as the local staff I lived with, the center teachers, and the fellow volunteers. I was happy to have met them.I''m so grateful to the friends and the local volunteer center staff who spoke to me first in simple English and took good care of me, since I''m not good at English!! haha
Before participating in this gap year, I felt burdened and had difficulties using English. Of course my English skills are still lacking, but I definitely use more English naturally than before and feel that my anxiety about it has greatly decreased.
Also, because I had no previous overseas experience, participating in this program completely removed my fear of going abroad alone. As I gained confidence, my self‑esteem naturally improved too!
# What''s a day like for the Cambodia childcare volunteer project?
For the childcare volunteer project I participated in, the daily schedule was: first, we had to arrive at the local center by 9 o''clock, so around 8:30 we took a tuk‑tuk to the center.When we arrived, we welcomed the children who came in the center van and sang songs and did motions with the children until 9:20. After that, we helped the children bathe and change their clothes.
From about 9:30 to 11:00, we taught the children simple alphabets, and did coloring or drawingand spent time playing with them. After that, we helped the children eat lunch, did some light cleaning, andhung out the children''s washed clothes, and during the children''s nap time the volunteers took a break.During this time we went out with friends to cafes, ate packed lunches we brought together, or took naps togetherWe did.
When the children wake up, we help them shower again, change them into the clothes that were hung out, have education and play time, and sometimes give them snacks. At 4 o''clock we put the children on the van to send them home, and the volunteers return to the accommodation by tuk‑tuk!
# My Cambodia travel recommendations!
The Tuol Sleng Museum and the Killing Fields are places to learn about Cambodia''s painful history and to reflect deeply. If you go to Cambodia, I definitely recommend visiting them!
Since you have more free time on weekends, I highly recommend going on trips to nearby places with friends or going to the pool!There are really many delicious restaurants around the accommodation, so I recommend visiting many places and trying various foods during your gap year. I fell in love with the brownies from the bakery closest to my accommodation... haha
# My personal tips for preparing for a Cambodia volunteer trip!
- Language
: As recommended by Gap Year, memorizing and using patterned English was the most efficient! If you know just a few common patterns, simple communication is no problem at all. And the travel conversation videos on YouTube before departure were a great help.
- Accommodation and meals
: If you adapt and live alongside the friends you volunteer with, you''ll soon be completely captivated by the homely charm of this accommodation! Meals: breakfast and lunch were provided, and since prices in Cambodia aren''t high, I recommend trying new foods at other restaurants in the evenings besides the provided meal! There were really many good restaurants near the accommodation. Among Cambodian dishes, I liked lok lak and fish amok the most!
- What to bring
: I brought a tumbler and travel insurance! And be sure to pack emergency medicine. I recommend minimizing what you bring from home as much as possible! Things like clothing are cheaper and more practical to buy locally.
My Cambodia volunteer gap year was!
Experience ★★★★★
: Going alone to a place with no Koreans, preparing everything by myself, using English I''m not very good at, and bonding with foreign friends — I think just that was a huge experience. It was my first trip abroad, but now I feel like I can handle anything! And the times spent with the children were also an incredibly valuable experience!
Learning ★★★★
Environment ★★★★
Safety ★★★★
Leisure ★★★
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
