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#Matured internally, moving away from a passive personality #Gained meaningful relationships and learned how to make choices #The uncertainty of the future turned into excitement
I am grateful that, thanks to all the good people, we completed it safely up through the final tour!I finish by expressing my sincere thanks to the gap year organizers for allowing me to spend these once-in-a-lifetime moments of youth. - Paris Gap Year Stay / Hong Yuran, gap-year family gapper / 8-week gap year |
#I decided to take a gap year to find my dream and discover what I want to do.
After taking a leave of absence and spending time with no plans, I began to feel doubtful and started looking into things. I came across a lecture video by CEO An Si-jun, and later learned about Korean Gap Year, which made me interested in the project.
Because I felt I didn''t really have a proper dream, through this projectI decided to take a gap year to find my dream and what I want to do.Also, while staying at the guesthouse, I wanted to change my reserved/passive personality.
#Before I knew it, I found myself starting conversations first.
Four months had already passed since I decided to take a gap year, and so I left. The initial excitement and the fear that followed made me feel unsteady. When I first met the owner, I was told I would have to work as a tour staff member for the next ten weeks, and I was scared.
In truth, I''m the type to worry unnecessarily, and above all I had a fear of speaking in front of others, so I worried a lot. Two weeks passed during the handover, and during those two weeks I practiced tremendously in my own way. When I went on my first tour, my hands trembled, I couldn''t breathe, and my voice shook, but people responded to me kindly.
I don''t think any of the travelers who came had malicious intent. Maybe because of that, I actually gained a lot of energy from them, and as I started going out once and twice, I had only done what I needed to do, yet the rewards I received from them were greater than I imagined.
I had resolved during my gap year to change my passive personality, but before I knew it I found myself initiating conversations,and one day I realized that there were many occasions when people told me I seemed to have a nice personality.
I vowed that taking a gap year would definitely change me. But I participated with a vague idea that if I simply went without thinking about what I needed to do to change, I might come back different.
But fortunately and thankfully, thanks to the people who went on the gap year with me, I learned a great dealIt was a connection I honestly never expected, but because of them I think I''ve changed a lot. When I was depressed all day because of anxiety and worries about the future, they gave me a lot of good advice and shared those anxious feelings about the future with me.
Because they were there, the month in Paris passed without worry, and thanks to them I was able to learn, feel, empathize, and open up. They became very precious people to me—perhaps relationships more precious than long-time friends.Thanks to them I was able to grow, learn, and come to know how to make choices.
#It will be a stepping stone that allows me to take one more step forward.
Finally, I think I matured internally while on the gap year, and I want to organize the thoughts that led me to that feeling.
First: everything has an end.Nothing lasts forever. That means there is always another new beginning.
Whether it''s in relationships or whatever path you choose, nothing seems to last forever. Sothere is no need to be stressed about that ending or to cling to regrets.I felt that it only serves to prevent me from moving toward my future.If one project ends, you should become someone who prepares for the next project.
Second, the reason someone feels regret when parting is probably the feeling that they may never see that person again.If you''re certain you''ll meet this person again later, there doesn''t really seem to be any regret about parting.
I think it''s necessary to clearly sort out who I truly need. Having many people around isn''t necessarily good; it''s important to have a few people who benefit me, whom I want to protect and who come to mind — my people.
Third, if you''re struggling because the future is uncertain, isn''t it that the uncertainty about what will happen makes it more fun, exciting, and something to look forward to??I had that thought.
Life is interesting. A person''s life doesn''t all turn out exactly as they imagined. There''s no need to buy worries in advance. I used to do that too, but I realized that truly 90 percent of those worries are about situations that won''t happen.
When you face a situation and work through it, even if it''s difficult at first, you''ll later find yourself actually enjoying it. And after getting through it, you''ll feel you''ve learned a lot about yourself.
Fourth, whatever choice I make, it must not be an escapist choice from reality.When making a choice, there should be a Plan B that follows it. I think there''s nothing more foolish than doing something without an alternative and worrying about things not working out.We''re too grown up to act like children.
Fifth, you can''t catch two rabbits at once.To achieve one thing, you must necessarily give up another. Of course, being human, you''ll want to enjoy both benefits. I was like that too, but I concluded that it''s nothing but greed.
If you choose one thing and commit to it without regret, you''ll find that the rewards come twofold or threefold.
Sixth, leave while you''re being applauded.When people recognize you and you''re at your peak, and you know it, you should leave with humility.
When greed becomes excessive, it becomes arrogance, and arrogance can easily demolish the career you''ve built. Before you become arrogant, leave with humility. Lastly, while you''re still young, even for a moment, you should spend time alone, and truly enjoy that time.
Even I was able to discover sides of myself I didn''t know.There were days when fear of being alone and worries came first, but now, through time alone, I''ve discovered myself and come to know what I should do going forward.
I think it''s necessary to sincerely enjoy that time and take time to encourage yourself for the effort so far. That will become a stepping stone that moves you forward.
#My own gap year tips
(Language)
If you''re going to France, it''s a good idea to study some French, even by watching YouTube.
(Accommodation)
A guesthouse is a guesthouse. If you expect extremely good facilities, you may end up very disappointed.
(Meals)
You don''t need to worry about food expenses.
(What to bring)
Don''t bring a lot of clothes.
(A word for prospective participants)
I hope you don''t go in with too many expectations. And once you get there and settle in, you''ll feel lazy to go out and get bored — that''s exactly when I recommend going out and exploring even more. These are precious moments that will never come again.
# My own Paris travel TIP
I wandered all over Paris. Also, visit all the nearby suburbs within about an hour by transit. I hope you''ll roam around Paris whenever you have time, and especially try wandering aimlessly into every nook and cranny without a map. It can also be nice to watch a film about Paris and then go visit its filming locations.
# There wasn''t a dramatic "ta-da!" result, but I felt that I matured a lot internally.
Thanks to the people who came in my cohort, I was able to get through that life well. I met really good people and was able to learn and feel a lot through them. And while working as staff, many conversations with the boss helped me see what was wrong and what was right, and recognize my strengths and weaknesses. I also discovered parts of myself I hadn''t known.
The older colleagues (unnies and oppas) I worked with as staff — I wonder if I could have had such a good gap year without them.They helped make my gap year successful, so they became very precious to me.
There wasn''t a dramatic "ta-da!" result, but I felt that I matured a lot internally.My way of thinking has changed, and because I decided to change how I think, I feel that I''ve become more positive but more cautious.
Thus ended my 70 days as a tour guide in Paris. A place that felt unfamiliar when I knew nothing about it has now become quite familiar, and some of the travelers I met became truly precious connections to me. From those who expressed gratitude to me despite my shortcomings as a guide, I learned and felt a lot. Gratitude returns as gratitude.
These things feel even more precious because I couldn''t have gained them without doing the tours. I''m grateful I was able to finish safely thanks to all the good people up to the last tour!I finish by expressing my sincere thanks to the gap year program that allowed me to spend these moments of youth that will never come again.
