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#Overcame anxiety about speaking English; became more confident #Learned how to assert myself #Felt free in a place where I knew no one
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Through this gap year project, I wanted to overcome my fear of English. Spending a lot of time with foreign friends in Ireland got rid of my English anxiety!
Where the melodies of the movie ''Once'' flow — learning English and working in Ireland! College gap-year participant (Gapper, 21) / 6-week English study gap year in Ireland |
# Hello! I will soon be a second-year university student!
Hello! I''m a university student who finished my first year and will be a second-year in 2020. Before going on the Ireland language-study gap year, my English skills were below average and I was introverted.
I''ve always thought I should go abroad someday to learn English, and when I learned about the gap year this time, I decided to join the Ireland language-study project with my older sister to try various experiences and get used to English! Haha
*For student participants who wanted to improve their English during the language program and use the relaxed time to reflect on and grow for their future,daily customized 1:1 personal missions were provided that offered experiences to improve English and time to contemplate and set the direction of their future life, and a gap-year notebook was also provided to reflect on oneself and make plans.
# Through this Ireland language-study trip, I wanted to overcome my fear of English!
My goals during this gap year in Ireland were, first, to eliminate my fear of English and become familiar with it, to meet many people and have lots of experiences, and to achieve a modest improvement in my English skills!
Before departing for Ireland, I printed the packing list from the gap year orientation materials and checked off the items to bring. Basically, I booked my plane ticket and looked into how to get to accommodation and transport options after arriving in Dublin.And during this gap year I focused on experiencing many things, so I researched a lot about where I could go on weekdays and weekends. And, most importantly, I worked part-time to earn money! :)
# The best thing about the Ireland language-study period was!
What I liked about participating in the Ireland language-study gap year was that, being in a place outside Korea where I didn''t know anyone, I could do what I wanted and focus on gaining various experiences!
I chose Ireland because I heard there weren''t many Koreans and that it was good for language study, and indeed there were very few Koreans. You might see one or two Koreans around campus, but in my class I was the only Korean.Thanks to that, I got to know many friends from other countries, and watching the foreign friends I lived with assert themselves taught me a lot about saying no and asserting myself too!
# My English anxiety is gone too!!
Through this Ireland language-study trip, my previous English anxiety disappeared and I gained a bit of confidence.
Also, traveling around here and there, the anxiety I had about unfamiliar places at the start of my travels disappeared. I also became interested in other countries'' languages haha
# A typical day on the Ireland language-study project was like this!
On weekdays I woke up at 7 to get ready to go to the local school, took the bus at 8 and arrived at school at 9. I attended classes from 9 until 12:15 (15-minute break), and after school I either signed up for and participated in activities run by the school or went sightseeing in Dublin.
I took the bus home between 5 and 6 PM, had dinner at 7, spent some personal free time, and then went to bed. On weekends I sometimes joined full-day tours organized by the school that left early in the morning, and other times I visited places that were too far to go during the week or that required more time to explore.
# To those considering a gap year!
On the last day of my language study in Ireland, I suggested having friends leave messages on the Irish flag, so I bought a flag and asked my friends to write on it. It was so much fun asking friends for short messages and we took a lot of photos. It was the most fun and happiest class during the six weeks of lessons. When I return to Korea and read those messages, I feel warm and remember those happy times!
Six weeks is a very short time once you’ve adapted and become close with people. But if you want to do something, it was enough time to do what I wanted. If I do a gap year again, I’d like to go for a longer period.
To friends worrying ''Can I do well there? Will I be able to make friends?'', I want to say: try it first. If you’re hesitating whether to go or not, go ahead and try, make the attempt, and start conversations. Nobody will say anything bad, and you’ll get much better results than if you stay curled up and do nothing!! :)
# My recommended travel route!
Because Ireland and the UK are close, during my language study in Ireland I went to the UK for 3 nights and 4 days; I left on Friday evening and returned on Monday.
On Saturday I went early to the Lyceum Theatre to get day seats for The Lion King, visited Portobello Market, Beatles Street, the Sherlock Museum, and watched the musical The Lion King. On Sunday I watched the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, then visited St. James''s Park, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, Piccadilly Circus, the Kingsman filming location, Fortnum & Mason, the London Eye, and Tower Bridge. On Monday I went to the wax museum, the M&M''s store, and Platform 9 3/4 before returning to Ireland. It was a very tight schedule but it was great!
# My tips for preparing an Ireland language-study gap year!
- Language
: During language study in IrelandReviewing the terms or everyday sentences taught at the local school every day will likely help you achieve more progress. Also, going to pubs and talking a lot with international friends is very helpful!
- Accommodation & Meals
:Ireland’s winter was quite cold. Even though I don’t usually get cold, it was chilly, so I recommend you definitely bring a hot water bottle or thick pajamas! For meals, I had cereal for breakfast, dinner was made by my host family, and I bought lunch myself.
- Packing list
: Shawer items and slippers can be bought locally. I recommend taking small travel toiletries with you and buying other items in Ireland. Although you might think you need a sturdy umbrella because of the weather, I also recommend buying a sturdy one in Ireland or getting a raincoat. There is a Korean market in Ireland, so you can buy ramen there.
My Ireland language-study gap year is!
Experience ★★★★★
Learning ★★★★
Safety ★★★★
Leisure ★★★★★
|
Through this gap year project, I wanted to overcome my fear of English. Spending a lot of time with foreign friends in Ireland got rid of my English anxiety!
Where the melodies of the movie ''Once'' flow — learning English and working in Ireland! College gap-year participant (Gapper, 21) / 6-week English study gap year in Ireland |
# Hello! I will soon be a second-year university student!
Hello! I''m a university student who finished my first year and will be a second-year in 2020. Before going on the Ireland language-study gap year, my English skills were below average and I was introverted.
I''ve always thought I should go abroad someday to learn English, and when I learned about the gap year this time, I decided to join the Ireland language-study project with my older sister to try various experiences and get used to English! Haha
*For student participants who wanted to improve their English during the language program and use the relaxed time to reflect on and grow for their future,daily customized 1:1 personal missions were provided that offered experiences to improve English and time to contemplate and set the direction of their future life, and a gap-year notebook was also provided to reflect on oneself and make plans.
# Through this Ireland language-study trip, I wanted to overcome my fear of English!
My goals during this gap year in Ireland were, first, to eliminate my fear of English and become familiar with it, to meet many people and have lots of experiences, and to achieve a modest improvement in my English skills!
Before departing for Ireland, I printed the packing list from the gap year orientation materials and checked off the items to bring. Basically, I booked my plane ticket and looked into how to get to accommodation and transport options after arriving in Dublin.And during this gap year I focused on experiencing many things, so I researched a lot about where I could go on weekdays and weekends. And, most importantly, I worked part-time to earn money! :)
# The best thing about the Ireland language-study period was!
What I liked about participating in the Ireland language-study gap year was that, being in a place outside Korea where I didn''t know anyone, I could do what I wanted and focus on gaining various experiences!
I chose Ireland because I heard there weren''t many Koreans and that it was good for language study, and indeed there were very few Koreans. You might see one or two Koreans around campus, but in my class I was the only Korean.Thanks to that, I got to know many friends from other countries, and watching the foreign friends I lived with assert themselves taught me a lot about saying no and asserting myself too!
# My English anxiety is gone too!!
Through this Ireland language-study trip, my previous English anxiety disappeared and I gained a bit of confidence.
Also, traveling around here and there, the anxiety I had about unfamiliar places at the start of my travels disappeared. I also became interested in other countries'' languages haha
# A typical day on the Ireland language-study project was like this!
On weekdays I woke up at 7 to get ready to go to the local school, took the bus at 8 and arrived at school at 9. I attended classes from 9 until 12:15 (15-minute break), and after school I either signed up for and participated in activities run by the school or went sightseeing in Dublin.
I took the bus home between 5 and 6 PM, had dinner at 7, spent some personal free time, and then went to bed. On weekends I sometimes joined full-day tours organized by the school that left early in the morning, and other times I visited places that were too far to go during the week or that required more time to explore.
# To those considering a gap year!
On the last day of my language study in Ireland, I suggested having friends leave messages on the Irish flag, so I bought a flag and asked my friends to write on it. It was so much fun asking friends for short messages and we took a lot of photos. It was the most fun and happiest class during the six weeks of lessons. When I return to Korea and read those messages, I feel warm and remember those happy times!
Six weeks is a very short time once you’ve adapted and become close with people. But if you want to do something, it was enough time to do what I wanted. If I do a gap year again, I’d like to go for a longer period.
To friends worrying ''Can I do well there? Will I be able to make friends?'', I want to say: try it first. If you’re hesitating whether to go or not, go ahead and try, make the attempt, and start conversations. Nobody will say anything bad, and you’ll get much better results than if you stay curled up and do nothing!! :)
# My recommended travel route!
Because Ireland and the UK are close, during my language study in Ireland I went to the UK for 3 nights and 4 days; I left on Friday evening and returned on Monday.
On Saturday I went early to the Lyceum Theatre to get day seats for The Lion King, visited Portobello Market, Beatles Street, the Sherlock Museum, and watched the musical The Lion King. On Sunday I watched the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, then visited St. James''s Park, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, Piccadilly Circus, the Kingsman filming location, Fortnum & Mason, the London Eye, and Tower Bridge. On Monday I went to the wax museum, the M&M''s store, and Platform 9 3/4 before returning to Ireland. It was a very tight schedule but it was great!
# My tips for preparing an Ireland language-study gap year!
- Language
: During language study in IrelandReviewing the terms or everyday sentences taught at the local school every day will likely help you achieve more progress. Also, going to pubs and talking a lot with international friends is very helpful!
- Accommodation & Meals
:Ireland’s winter was quite cold. Even though I don’t usually get cold, it was chilly, so I recommend you definitely bring a hot water bottle or thick pajamas! For meals, I had cereal for breakfast, dinner was made by my host family, and I bought lunch myself.
- Packing list
: Shawer items and slippers can be bought locally. I recommend taking small travel toiletries with you and buying other items in Ireland. Although you might think you need a sturdy umbrella because of the weather, I also recommend buying a sturdy one in Ireland or getting a raincoat. There is a Korean market in Ireland, so you can buy ramen there.
My Ireland language-study gap year is!
Experience ★★★★★
Learning ★★★★
Safety ★★★★
Leisure ★★★★★
What makes this project special
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