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#Developed a proactive and forward-looking attitude toward life #Expanded perspective, understanding of others #I can easily overcome any hardship.
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I realized there are so many amazing places, If I were to die without seeing all these wonderful places in the world, I felt it would be so unfair. So I adopted a more proactive and enterprising attitude toward life.
The world is vast. Things that seem big to me are actually quite small, I realized that if you endure, it''s ultimately yourself who survives.
<Protecting nature with my own hands! Iceland environmental protection project> Review by gapper Kim Eun-jin |
# Motivation for the gap year
Hello. I am wanting to spend a more meaningful time while resting after resigning I''m Kim Eun-jin, who participated in overseas volunteer work through a gap year to spend that time.
I participated in an environmental volunteer program in Iceland. The reason was that since childhood I had a fascination with Northern Europe and the aurora, a childhood wishto fulfill it, I decided to temporarily put the time I''d been spending running toward other goals on hold.
I had previously traveled to Europe several times for about two weeks to a month. Also, I wasn''t worried since I was satisfied that lodging and meals would be provided through the volunteer organization rather than traveling alone.
# To achieve my pure dream alone
During the pre-departure preparation process, I followed the exact order specified on the gap year website, and there weren''t any particular difficulties.
The first thing I wanted to accomplish my goal was to realize my childhood''s pure dreamand secondly, to improve my English communication skillsThat was it. By talking in English with strangers in unfamiliar places and meeting various people, I wanted to broaden my thinking.
# Local routine
Before arriving at the base camp I visited Iceland''s major tourist attractions for two nights and three daysI visited and had time to get close to the friends I would be spending time with.
After that, when I began the activities in earnest,we departed at 9 AM on weekdayswe traveled to the activity site, ate the lunch we had prepared the previous evening, and continued the afternoon activities.
relativelySince the activities ended early in the afternoon at 3 PM,it was a time that didn''t strain me physically and allowed me to spend time with friends afterward and do housework without difficulty.
In the evenings after work was finished, we either took our own time or gatheredto talk together about each country''s cultureand,share culturesand had time for exchanges.
On weekends, we spent time experiencing the natural surroundings of the accommodation that we couldn''t devote time to because of activities, and with friends became evenmeaningful and fun timestogether.
# I developed a goal to learn new things.
What I liked wasthat my thinking expanded.Being born and raised only in Korea, I especially didn''t have many opportunities to encounter the thoughts or cultures of friends from various European countries, but even briefly hearing their stories exposed me to new things so I could respect and understand diversity. Spending time with many friends — not just sampling each country''s food and language but also their distinctive personalities — Icame to understand othersand,develop goals to learn new thingsamong other things, which allowed me to have meaningful experiences.
I spent time conversing in English with a Korean younger sibling and people from various countries such as Austria, Germany, France, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, and Poland.
# Time and money are not the problem.
Time and money are not the problem. If you have the will, they won''t hold you back.Also, I was relatively older than the other participants, but that didn''t matter. If you take the initiative to approach people and show consideration, everyone responds favorably and you can get along without difficulty.
# It would be such a shame to die without seeing it.
Life-change rating: 10 out of 10. Practically, no immediate change occurred right away, butI became more mature internallyIt made me realize that, especially as someone preparing for employment, getting a job only in Korea isn''t the only option, and it made me want to learn not only English but other foreign languages as well.I''m excited about the person I''ll become in the future.It does.
Before participating, I was so focused on job hunting that I felt suffocated and miserable to the point of wanting to die, but after participating I realized there are so many wonderful places in the world,and I thought it would be such a waste to die without seeing them.That thought made me adopt a more active and enterprising attitude toward life.
Apart from the program period,it planted a new spark in my lifeand bolstered my courage. Above all, I was amazed at how vast the natural environment was.
# Iceland travel route
To get to Iceland,Copenhagen, DenmarkMany people, including me, transited through Copenhagen, Denmark — it might be good to visit Copenhagen before or after.
Also, if you have the time to visit all five Nordic countries, it would make for even more meaningful memories.
# The world is vast, and I am infinitely small.
The world is vast, and I am infinitely small.Therefore, any hardship that makes me sufferis truly a small thingand,it will pass, so I can overcome it easily.Anything that seems overwhelmingly large to me will actually be so trivial as to be nothing,and if I endure it, in the end the one who survives is myself.
Let''s become stronger~
# Thank you, person in charge
I was very worried about the delayed baggage, but thank you for comforting me.
# My gap year is!
Experience ★★★★★
: It''s the best.
Learning ★★★★★
: Seeing is better than hearing a hundred times. You grow the more you experience.
Environment ★★★★★
: Let''s start with small things for the environment.
Safety ★★★★★
: I was able to participate safely even in an unfamiliar country.
Leisure ★★★★★
: I liked being able to live like a local there.
A new challenge, the beginning of growth!
Korea Gap Year accompanies Kim Eun-jin''s journey.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
