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#Developed concrete goals for living abroad #Discovered a new side of myself I didn't know #All experiences in Ireland are precious
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My gap year gave me the drive for the future! I felt even more strongly that I want to go live abroad, So I''ll live more diligently than before!
Learning English and working in Ireland—the place where the melodies of the movie ''Once'' play! Shin Yuna, gapper (23 / university student) / 5-week Ireland language-study gap year |
# Hello! I went on a gap year to Ireland last winter break for language study!
Hello! I''m a university student who went on an Ireland language-study gap year project during winter break to try out language study. haha
I wanted to go on a language study trip to improve my English during break, and while looking for an affordable and safe place among Europe or the Americas, I chose Ireland. Also, the reason I chose Korea Gap Year for the language study is that among the many program matching sites it was the most well-explained and it minimized the things I had to worry about! :)
*For Ms. Shin Yuna, who wanted to both improve her English during the language study period and have leisurely time to reflect on and grow toward her future self, she was provided daily customized 1:1 personal missions to gain experiences that could improve her English and to think about and set the direction of her future life, and she was also given a Gap Year Notebook to reflect on herself and make plans.
>> Click to see more about affordable and safe language study in Ireland!
# Preparations before departing for Ireland!
I searched hard to find the cheapest possible flight, and I also bought travel insurance — the insurance was really helpful!
And before participating in the Ireland language program I prepared by doing an English conversation study. I can''t speak English perfectly, but I think I prepared enough to convey my intentions.Also, when packing, I referred to the packing list provided by Korea Gap Year and packed based on what I needed — it was sufficient! hehe
# My goal was to directly experience language study and to try living abroad!
The reason I participated in this Ireland language-study gap year project was that my goal was, first of all, to experience language study. Also, I aim to live abroad for more than a year in the near future, and I wanted to experience it at least once while I was a university student, which is why I applied for a gap year! Therefore, this goal was achieved with the start of my Ireland language-study gap year.
The second goal was to ''communicate well when actually interacting with foreigners'' abroad.I think this was somewhat successful too. I got along well with my local homestay family in Ireland and also with friends at school — I went to parties and had a great time.
Finally, through this language-study gap year I also achieved the goal of ''making foreign friends''!I made so many friends at the language school while learning English together!
# Living outside Korea in a new place called Ireland gave me time to discover sides of myself I didn''t know!
There were things I realized while studying English and living day-to-day in Ireland, and they were discoveries I made myself. Since there was nobody who knew me beforehand, I could act however I wanted, and in that process I found out I like taking the initiative more than I expected. I liked dancing, wearing unique clothes, and going to parties!
In Korea, I unconsciously live according to the expectations of people who''ve known me for a long time, but going abroad gave me experiences where I could learn things about myself I didn''t even know — I really loved that! :)
And making friends with foreigners is really great. You feel proud of managing life abroad, which builds your confidence.
On the last day of life at the language school in Ireland, I bought an Irish flag and asked my friends to write messages on a roll of paper. All my friends wrote long messages and decorated it enthusiastically, and it moved me so much — it became my greatest treasure. Haha. If you''re taking part in a project, get your friends to write messages on that country''s flag. You''ll feel, ''I really lived well here,'' and it becomes an enormous source of emotion and joy!
# My gap year studying English in Ireland became a driving force for the future!
Finishing this gap year studying in Ireland made my desire to live abroad even stronger, and because of that I resolved to live more diligently than before. I think that''s what having a goal does — it becomes the driving force for what you do!
Moreover, since I already had the goal of going abroad to live, Having tasted the experience in Ireland once and knowing how wonderful it was, I built my goals more concretely and realistically. Haha.
# My personal recommendations for places to visit in Ireland!
If you participate in a language study in Ireland, you should definitely visit the Cliffs of Moher at least once! The Guinness Storehouse is also worth visiting. They have a strong tourist vibe and I bought most of my souvenirs there.
There are many second-hand shops in Dublin, the capital of Ireland.I don''t usually prefer second-hand items, so I originally didn''t plan to go, but a friend invited me and we wandered around; I was able to pick up surprisingly good items cheaply. There are many vintage items, and if you like luxury brands, there are shops that specialize in second-hand designer goods, so I recommend checking them out!
I also recommend Malahide Castle. You can see a castle with a uniquely Irish feel!
# My tips for preparing for an Irish language-study gap year!
- Language
: Before participating in the Irish language-study project, I did conversation study with a native teacher in a small group! It was only once a week, but at least I went to Ireland with my speaking ability opened up. Of course it won''t be perfect, and even if you make many mistakes, it''s enough if you can convey your meaning!
- Accommodation & Meals
: My accommodation was a homestay. And be sure to bring gochujang (Korean red chili paste) — the kind in a tube! While staying with a homestay you''ll have Irish home-cooked meals, but at some point gochujang will be very helpful! Also, mixing gochujang and ketchup into pasta as a sauce is tasty!
- Things to bring
: Since rainy weather is random, I recommend a poncho-style raincoat rather than a regular raincoat! Or you can buy one locally. Also, make sure to install WhatsApp and create an account before leaving for Ireland! Except for Korea, China, and Japan, most people use this app. Also, winters in Ireland are quite cold, so bring warm pajamas!
My gap year is!
Experience ★★★★★
: Through this language study abroad in Ireland, everything from having fun to making friends, homestay life, and travel all felt like really big experiences!
Learning ★★★★★
: I gained a lot of confidence in English! And there were lessons I learned from all of these experiences.
Leisure ★★★★★
: Ireland is close to places like the UK and Belgium and plane tickets are cheap, so it''s great for traveling. Dublin is a really small city but its attractions are concentrated, which is nice. There are especially many secondhand shops, so you can buy good items from clothes to accessories cheaply, making shopping enjoyable haha
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
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