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#Increased positive emotions, improved independence #New connections, diverse cultural experiences #The joy and personal growth of living in Cambodia
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The biggest change I felt while living in Cambodia was that positive emotions increased. When something depressing happened before, that whole day would be consumed by that mood and negative feelings would dominate, but after coming here I found myself thinking "this is Cambodia," so I didn''t take things too seriously no matter what happened. I was excited every day by small pleasures, and above all it felt like I got a year''s worth of water play.
Medical volunteer work in Phnom Penh, Cambodia treating children that anyone can participate in Yang Ji-wonA gapper''s review |
I chose a gap year because I wanted to feel new experiences and emotions amid the same daily routine!
Hello! I''m Yang Ji-won, a second-year nursing student.
I''m a student who prefers rice to bread and the sea to the mountains. When I''m bored I sometimes sing alone or listen to music and dance to the beat. I also recharge by taking walks or going for drives :)
The main reason I decided to take a gap year was because I wanted to experience different things and emotions in my everyday routine.When I was young I liked being active, but at some point I forgot what I liked and spent a lot of time just lying in my room. Those moments were comfortable, but,I wanted to change that time that lacked feelings of joy. With the mindset of not regretting and trying something new, I decided to start the gap year project this time.😊
Personally, I wanted to express my gratitude to the gap year consultant. I was really grateful when the consultant told me over the phone to mingle with many people, laugh a lot, cry, and go experience new things!
Until then, I often felt that because I didn''t know what I wanted to do, all my actions didn''t feel sincere.So I was anxious wondering whether spending a month on a gap year would really be meaningful, but I was truly grateful for the sincere support for my journey! This experience brought me many changes, and the consultant''s encouragement was a great help :)
*We recommended a customized gap year plan via consulting for Yang Ji-won, who needed new and positive stimulation in her repetitive routine :) If you''d like a personalized plan on where and how to start making changes,I highly recommend 1:1 consulting with a gap year specialist!
A definite way to change your life — gap year 1:1 consulting
I wanted to grow to trust myself more and to not be afraid of new challenges.
Before the gap year, I didn''t have the courage to start something alone and I was always uncertain, so I needed confirmation from others to feel reassured. ThatAs a result, I became dependent and the things I could do on my own gradually decreased. Whenever I did an activity I often felt small, and anxiety came before joy so I couldn''t take on new challenges.As a result, I tended to just repeat a boring routine.
So Through a gap year, I wanted to cast off all my worries and have enjoyable experiences. I also wanted to become the kind of person who could independently do whatever I set out to do with confidence and courage. I wanted to use this opportunity to believe in myself more and grow into someone who isn''t afraid of new challenges.
# Life with new people was very new and exciting!
Before joining, each day felt gloomy and uninteresting, and I felt like I was just living as time passed. But after participating in the project, every day turned into days I was really looking forward to. Before a day ended I would make a rough plan for the next day and go to sleep. Of course, if the housemates asked, "Do you want to go here together?" I''d say OK and go with them, so my plans often changed a lot.At first I found disruptions to plans stressful, like in Korea, but after having plans changed a few times, the activities at suddenly visited new places turned out to be really fun!
I was excited by everything new and unfamiliar—the lifestyles, ways of having fun, and clothing of friends from other cultures. I loved the unique atmosphere when I was with foreign friends.
I also remember the people I met at the hospital! There was a cute nurse named Soplin, a nurse named Somali who was a peer of Lida, a female nurse who was good at English, a kind nurse who couldn''t speak English well, a handsome doctor who liked to chat and explain things, a friendly doctor with a cute smile who helped draw blood, a doctor who was like a comedian and just liked to chat, and so on. I don''t remember all their names, but I vividly remember their faces. I had so much fun with these people and I was grateful to them.
Also, among the people I met at the house, the Koreans were Minseon, Soyeon, and Dahye unnie whom I met very briefly, and later there was Ye-won unnie who I hung out with..Just having Koreans around me was such a great support.In particular, I got many life tips from Minseon, and Soyeon and Dahye unnis told me about the nursing department and took me to restaurants I couldn''t have gone to alone. Ye-won unnie and I went to various places like Siem Reap and Koh Rong Island together; we became very close and she became someone I relied on a lot. She had a particularly positive influence by talking about daily hospital life and helping me learn a lot!
# The biggest change I felt is that I had more positive emotions.
The biggest change I felt while living in Cambodia is that my positive emotions increased.
When something depressing happened before, that mood would take over the whole day and negative feelings were the majority, but after coming here I would think, "This is Cambodia," and take things less seriously no matter what happened. I was thrilled by small pleasures every day, and above all it felt like I did a year''s worth of water play. Haha.
While traveling in a new country, I wanted to take a lot of photos, so I snapped countless shots of everything. Especially since I took a lot of selfies, now I can take them freely without feeling self-conscious. These experiences reminded me how precious they are to me!
# Cambodia medical volunteer work — here''s my daily routine!
A day in Cambodia flowed according to the hospital schedule!
<8 AM–12 PM>
: After arriving at the hospital, we disinfected patients'' wounds and dressed them, removed stitches, folded antiseptic cotton, and cleaned medical instruments, among other tasks. When treatment for one patient finished, the next patient would come in and we had to help treat them immediately.
<After 12 PM>
: We went to the restaurant for lunch and returned home; afterwards we sometimes did personal activities. If someone wanted, they could also go do additional volunteer work.
My personal tips for preparing for a Cambodia medical volunteer gap year!
Packing process
I prepared by looking at the packing list handed out during the gap year. They clearly said one suitcase and one backpack would be enough, but if I tried to bring all the items listed, one suitcase and one backpack were definitely not enough. So I left out items that are easy to buy at convenience stores—like shampoo, conditioner, and body wash—and packed only the truly necessary items. Simplifying like that made my luggage a bit lighter.
Immigration process
As soon as I arrived at the airport I searched for and watched all related videos so I could manage on my own. I organized the sequence of the immigration process on my phone and ran a few simulations, but Incheon Airport was so big that it was still hard to find my way. Still, thanks to the preparation I think I was able to proceed without major mistakes. (I actually had a great time, haha.)
Additionally, for everyone preparing for a Cambodia gap year, I''ve summarized the things I noticed while living there! It might be helpful to check this before you depart for Cambodia!
This is very personal and things may be different in the real environment, so please just take this as a reference!!
Take the initiative and be proactive!!
The OPD department is approachable and mainly involves dressings that anyone can learn easily.
There''s a separate ICU inside the DIM department, where I was able to learn IVs.
The SICU and MICU felt more specialized and in-depth; I felt that SICU mainly taught dressings, while MICU focused more on medications :)
Use a coupon at the restaurant to order and try various dishes. Lok Lak and fried rice (beef) are delicious. One coupon gets you either two bottles of water or two cans of drink!
It''s good to buy pineapples sold at the Russian Market. They''re cheaper and tastier than at Aeon Mall.
The dried coconut sold at Aeon Mall is tasty.
Be sure to visit Siem Reap!
At laundromats the price is measured by weight, so it''s best to pack lightweight clothing.
Use the tuk‑tuk 60% discount coupon from 6 to 10 AM. Enter "MORNING" in the coupon field.
Haggling is standard at the market, so be sure to remember that! :)
I hope this information is helpful, and I wish you an enjoyable gap year in Cambodia! :)
# My Cambodia overseas medical volunteer gap year is!
Experience ★★★★★
: It was a truly rewarding experience that I could enjoy because it was this place. It''s the first time a month has gone by this fast.
Learning ★★★★★
: By actually performing nursing duties, I was able to gain a lot of nursing knowledge. Beyond the knowledge aspect, it was a time I could fill myself with positive emotions.
Environment ★★★★★
: Both the setting and the people there were almost all very nice.
Safety ★★★★
: There are a lot of motorbikes. The lanes aren''t strictly observed, so it feels a bit dangerous.
In the morning, the intersections have very severe traffic congestion.
Leisure ★★★★★
: It felt like I did all the things I wanted to do and visited all the places I wanted to in Cambodia, so I had a great time.
Yang Ji-wonvisited by Phnom Penh, Cambodia medical volunteer project Want to know more information?!
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