Projects
|
FAQ
|
Announcements
#A more proactive personality; a more relaxed attitude #Numerous meaningful connections; the atmosphere of the city #The value of staying in one place for an extended period during travel
© Korea gapyear
There is still one month left before I go to Korea, but I think I''ll miss Paris a lot even after returning to Korea, and I don''t think I''ll be able to forget the days I spent in Paris. If some more time passes and I come to Paris again, wouldn''t it feel truly different from other cities?
- Paris: I want to live there / 8-week gap year |
Common language:Korean,In reality,KoreanThere were many people who used it.
- English ability before participating:Everyday conversation OK
- English ability upon return:Everyday conversation OK
- At the time of participation:No problem
- My advice on language use in the gap-year program (methods for preparing beforehand, etc.)
There is absolutely no problem within the gap-year program. In the accommodation, only Korean is used, so even if you can''t speak any English it''s not an issue, but you may experience some difficulties while living in Paris. I recommend learning a few basic French expressions.
Accommodation
- Accommodation: Guesthouse
- Type of accommodation: Gender-segregated
My personal advice to future volunteers regarding the accommodation
You will live with one other staff member and a house aunt.
Because you don''t live alone, it might be a bit difficult if you like being by yourself.
Meals
- Meal type: Provided meals
My personal advice for future volunteers regarding meals
None. The meals are known to be delicious.
Items to bring / Insurance, etc.
- Items I was inconvenienced by not having / useful items: books.
- Items that were convenient to have / items that caused no problem: Hairdryer, umbrella, etc. are provided at the accommodation, so you don''t really need to prepare them.
- I did not purchase insurance
My personal advice to future volunteers about what to bring.
Most of the basic items needed for daily life are provided (hair dryer, umbrella, etc.).
Bring things to do during your free time (laptop, books); they''re nice to have when relaxing at the accommodation.
About the gap year program I participated in: things I liked, moving experiences, what I learned, realizations, etc.
It wasn''t a trip planned in a hurry but a chance to stay in one city and see it over a long time, so I liked being able to leisurely soak up the atmosphere. Sitting blankly on the banks of the Seine, working on my laptop in cafés, or reading books in parks and enjoying relaxed moments are what I remember most.
Were there people you met or spent time with through the gap year program?
I met so many people traveling around Europe or the world. Just gaining countless connections that I would never have met if I had stayed in Korea made it a very precious time. The owner, the older sister, and the aunt also treated me like family.
As a previous participant, what advice would you give to those who will join the gap year camp program?
I think it''s better to go with more of a work mindset. If you''re applying simply because you want to live in Paris, I wouldn''t recommend it. You tend to spend time with Koreans and socialize together at night rather than meeting Parisians, so if you want to spend more time with locals it might be better to join a different Paris-related program. Because the place you live and the place you work are the same, you can sometimes suffer unexpected stress.
If you compare before and after participating in the gap year camp?
I became more confident in dealing with people. I used to be very shy, but due to the nature of the work where I had to approach strangers without hesitation and always appear cheerful, I think I''ve become a bit more outgoing compared to before.
Tell us about your personal travel route during the gap year (recommended places, itinerary, route).
The three Benelux countries are very close to Paris. The manager was considerate and I saved up rest days to travel to nearby countries; taking short trips to other countries while staying mainly in Paris was refreshing. Also, there''s a Eurolines bus stop near the accommodation, so you can take a bus to nearby countries or other cities in France. I went to Belgium and the Netherlands for 2 nights and 3 days each, which is enough to visit two or three cities.
I planned my entire European trip for six months and this program was the starting point. There were no problems with internet connection or usage, so in my spare time I used my laptop to plan the rest of the trip or book trains in advance to prepare for the remaining four months.
While in Paris I took the Eurolines bus near the accommodation to visit Belgium and the Netherlands, and I also went to nearby Versailles. As soon as the program ended I had already scheduled to go to a workcamp and continued traveling intermittently. Paris is very small, and because there is a lot of free time during the program you can visit all parts of Paris, especially famous spots, multiple times. If you are very interested in art, you could spend a week just at the Louvre or Musée d''Orsay. It''s a city where you can do a lot depending on your interests. I regret that I didn''t pick a theme and go out more instead of staying at home.
After about two weeks, I ran out of places to go in the city, so I would go out without planning a destination, take a bus, and get off anywhere. Rather than rushing around early on, the later leisurely walks through small alleys or relaxed time in parks are more memorable.
Work is divided into morning and afternoon. Morning tasks include planning routes and finding transportation before guests depart, plus check-in/check-out and cleaning. The main afternoon tasks are spending the evening with guests, locking up and finishing up, and then sleeping. It''s not particularly hard, but since it''s work involving people and guests know I''m staff even outside working hours, I sometimes felt stressed having to always watch my behavior.
The owner, the older sister, and the aunt are truly wonderful people who helped me like family not only when working but also with everything I encountered while traveling abroad. Since I always traveled alone, I had many difficult moments during my trip to Europe, but whenever I contacted the owner they helped me as if it were their own problem, allowing me to get through those crises. I was glad to meet such good people, and knowing I had a place to return to during my travels was a great source of strength at every moment.
I still have one month before returning to Korea, but I think I''ll miss Paris a lot even after I go back, and I won''t be able to forget the days I spent there. If I come back to Paris again after some years, I wonder if it will feel truly different from other cities.
