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#Gained a sense of accomplishment, decreased fear, increased self-reliance #Beautiful scenery and connection with the students #Grateful for the warmth of life in Bali
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It''s great to plan and think a lot about what you expect before leaving for a gap year, but I thought it might also be okay to just go and act according to the feelings you have each day.
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# Hello! I''m a job-seeker who returned after two years having achieved the ''sense of accomplishment'' I was looking for!
Hello. I''m Lee O-rim, a university graduate preparing for employment. GradAfter graduation, I only studied for two years and couldn''t achieve anything, so I was mentally exhausted.Then I learned about gap years and participated in a one-month volunteer program in Bali.Through this, I was able to feel the sense of achievement I had hoped for, and I experienced many emotions through various experiences.
*What Lee O-rim needed was the experience of ''achievement'' and ''leisure''—time to freely think about her career path and the strength to put those thoughts into practice.For Lee O-rim''s growth, we recommended a tailored gap year plan through consulting :) Want to know where and how to start making changes, or want a personalized plan? We highly recommend 1:1 consulting with a gap year specialist!
A sure way to change my life: gap year 1:1 consulting
# Shall I turn fear into excitement? YES!!
Before deciding on a gap year, I felt anxious because after graduating university I had only studied and hadn''t gained any experience. After participating in this program, I wanted to grow into someone who can see the world more broadly and farther than before. Also,I wanted to become someone who feels excitement rather than fear when trying something new in life, and who seeks to learn a lot from those experiences.
On the other hand, since I''ve always lived with my parents, I wanted to develop more independence. For someone like me, I thought it would be an opportunity to meet new people and experience various activities in a new place, so I went to Bali, Indonesia for volunteer work :)
# Warm days in Bali''s beautiful scenery were truly moving!
I spent warm days surrounded by Bali''s beautiful scenery :) The blue sea with waves during the day, the beaches at sunset, and the star-filled night sky were all so beautiful and remain vivid in my memory.
Also, I''m very grateful to the students who took my Korean classes. They sat through the imperfect classes and liked me a lot—I was very thankful. While I was teaching, a local staff member named Bella spoke Korean well, which made me feel supported and grateful the whole time.
On the last day the children wrote me letters and even prepared gifts; though it was a short time, I grew very attached and felt very sad to part. The staff working at the accommodation always smiled at me, which I appreciated, and I built many memories with the villagers who mentored with me and joined in activities.Just watching the villagers who laughed at the smallest things lifted my spirits too. It was a warm Bali life that taught me how powerful it can be to smile often at small things.
Ah! There were other foreign friends staying at the accommodation too! In the evenings we often had fun playing card games together.
I''ll also share some special experiences I gained while volunteering and living in Bali for a month :)
On the day there was an event at the village temple, I was able to rent and wear Balinese traditional clothing and participate. I also saw one of my Korean students perform a Balinese traditional dance and watched the Balinese traditional music ensemble ''gamelan''—a truly special experience I wouldn''t have had on my own.
At that time, I alsoI took part in Bali''s special rituals and prayed sincerely, and I felt as if I had become Balinese. All the days were memorable and wonderful, but if I had to pick the most memorable day, it would be this one—that''s how special the experience was.
Also, there''s a tour in Lovina where you can see dolphins up close; after seeing the dolphins, snorkeling nearby was also wonderful. If you have free time and go to Ubud, I recommend the Campuhan Ridge Walk trekking course. There''s a shop called ''Turkis'' that sells coconut ice cream—it''s really delicious.
I also recommend going to Tegallalang to see the terraced rice paddies. I recommend the Kintamani Himarilla Cafe too, but it''s quite cold so it''s a good idea to bring warm clothes.
# The version of myself I liked most — I want to remember the feelings I had in Bali for a long time.
If I list the things I feel I achieved during this time.
Getting away from a hectic life and taking a little time to look inward, I felt I was gradually practicing accepting and acknowledging myself as I am. Before joining the Gap Year project, I used to find it difficult to endure feedback about myself.
During the one-month volunteer stay in Bali, I tried to acknowledge and accept my flaws as they were. Of course, when I had to admit them I sometimes felt upset, but I was able not to hate myself.
And I also liked that most of the choices were ones I made by myself.. Besides that, exchanging hearts with new people in an unfamiliar place was also a very special and precious experience. Writing it down, there are so many wonderful experiences 😭 I was simply happy that I made many memories I will never forget and that will help me keep living on.
Maybe that''s why, as the one-month Bali volunteer stay came to an end, I often felt that time was passing too quickly. That also meant I was reluctant to leave. In that short month I had many experiences and became very attached to the diverse people I met.I firmly believe that the feelings I experienced here are very precious to me and will make me a better person. So I hope these feelings and memories will stay with me for a very long time :)
# Bali volunteer trip — here''s my daily routine!
In the morning I mentored and conversed in English with local villagers and carried out activities together with them.
Because the villagers guided us, I was able to have better experiences that could only be had there.
After lunch I prepared for class and spent time, then taught Korean classes for two hours from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. After that I usually watched the sunset, ate dinner, looked at the stars, and ended the day.
# My Bali volunteer trip Gap Year preparation TIP!
Since I had to live abroad alone for a month, I wasn''t completely without worries. But I was reassured after reading reviews from people who had already participated in the program on the Gap Year site.
I watched many YouTube videos about the departure procedures at Incheon Airport and about arrival procedures overseas. I also researched a lot of information about the country I was going to as part of my pre-departure preparation.The packing checklist sent by Gap Year was also very helpful. By looking at it I could pack more thoroughly to make sure I hadn''t forgotten anything.
Also, the Gap Year staff took great care of me, so I felt more excited than worried :)
It''s great to plan and think a lot about what you expect before leaving for Gap Year, but I also thought it would be fine to just go and act according to the feelings you have each day..And since I think deciding which program to participate in is the most important thing during consulting, it would be good to look in advance on the Gap Year website to see which countries and programs are available!
# My Bali volunteer trip Gap Year is!
Experience ★★★★★
: My first experience of teaching someone. Being called ''teacher'' by the children and exchanging love with them was an incredibly special experience I will never forget.
Learning ★★★
: Because I could do various activities, I was able to realize what I like and dislike.
Environment ★★★
: Being very close to nature, you can encounter insects, so it''s good to be careful with food and water to avoid Bali belly.
Safety★★★★★
: There wasn''t anything particularly dangerous in the village. You just need to be careful about safety when doing water activities.
Leisure ★★★★★
: With the scheduled activities, the day flew by. There was no chance to feel bored, but it wasn''t so busy that you couldn''t relax. It might be nice to travel to other areas on the weekend.
Lee O-rimvisited by English Teaching Volunteering & One-Month Stay Project in BaliWant more information?!
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