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#Courage to reach out first; actively take on challenges #Courage to reach out first; actively take on challenges #Life lessons learned from the children
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Strongly recommended by Korea Gap Year participant Lee Do-young 👏👏👏
For Africa''s bright future! Children''s education volunteer work in Zanzibar, Tanzania |
"Spending time with pure children made me relearn so much about life!"
Why I went to Tanzania!
Hello. I''m 29-year-old Lee Do-young, who volunteered in children''s education in Tanzania. After passing the civil service exam and before starting the training program, I chose a gap year because I wanted to take some time for myself.
There were many nearby countries I could have chosen, but I deliberately chose Africa. I wanted to go to a place with the poorest conditions—somewhere that truly needed help. I became interested in education in my final year of high school when I felt disillusioned studying without a purpose. In a reality where you choose schools based on scores, the desire to ''live doing what I really want'' grew, and even while volunteering in youth education at home I felt that same thirst.
The children I first met, and the adjustment period
On the first day of volunteering, even remembering the children''s names was a challenge. Many had unfamiliar names like Laban, Lubna, and Abusamir—not English names like James. But a boy named Laban came up to me first, asked how to say something in Korean, joked about whether I had toys, and quickly broke down the walls between us.
I also grew closer to the children by making a set of teddy bear pipe-cleaner dolls I had brought from Korea with them. I felt proud and hopeful that the kids would take the finished teddy home and maybe remember me even after time passed.
A big gift on the last day
I still can''t forget the last day of volunteering. I had prepared letters and small souvenirs for the children, and they had prepared cake and snacks for me. That moment was the most memorable. I thought, ''I''m really glad I came here.''
Moments as joyful as volunteering
On weekends I enjoyed safaris and marine activities. Seeing giraffes, lions, and zebras from an open vehicle so close I could almost reach out and touch them is an experience I will never forget. At Paje Beach, riding a jetski across the turquoise sea, the view stretching beyond the horizon felt like the Maldives.
The change the gap year left me
This experience made me a more proactive person. I was originally introverted and found it difficult to approach others first, but now I find myself greeting people first and reaching out even at the training center.
At first I chose the gap year without much thought, but now I can say for sure: the time I spent with the children in Tanzania broadened my perspective and even changed the direction of my life.
If anyone is considering a gap year, I strongly recommend you try it at least once. You, too, may receive a great gift in life like I did.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
