I was glad to meet so many people. In particular, there were many who had quit their jobs to travel freely, and at first I couldn''t understand it—how could they quit their jobs and travel? But as I talked with them I empathized with the phrase, "I felt like if I don''t do it now I never will, so I started traveling," and I had a major realization that money isn''t everything in life and that having a dream and searching for it is something to be thankful for. - Florence, Italy — I want to live there / 8-week gap year |
- English level before participation:A little conversational ability
- English level upon return:A little conversational ability
- At time of participation:No problem
- My personal advice about language
Because it was a Korean guesthouse, we used only Korean. The issue is when you go outside: since most Italians don''t speak English, learning some basic Italian would make understanding the culture and daily life easier and more enjoyable. These days the internet and apps are well-developed, so using them to study should be sufficient.
- Accommodation:Guesthouse
- My personal advice about the accommodation
The accommodation is clean and doesn''t host many people, so living there will be completely comfortable. It has most basic household items (hair dryer, drying rack, hangers, etc.). Since these are shared, after using them you should simply put them back in their place for the next person. These are basic matters, so I have no special advice.
- Items I was troubled not to have
In Europe the water quality isn''t good and it''s dry, so not bringing oil or moisturizing cream was a bit inconvenient.
- Items that were convenient to have
A mobile phone was both convenient and sometimes troublesome. In Europe Wi‑Fi and 3G often don''t work well. So when you lose your way or need information, it''s convenient if you''re somewhere with good Wi‑Fi or 3G, but in places where it doesn''t work well it caused more frustration and anxiety.
- My personal advice to future volunteers about what to bring
I don''t have any particular items I insist you bring, but I really don''t think you should bring TOEIC or speaking practice books intending to study while abroad. If you didn''t study them in Korea, you certainly won''t abroad. They''ll only be extra luggage. Instead of TOEIC books, I recommend bringing books about the country''s language and culture.
Through the gap year program I participated in: good points, moving moments, things I learned, realizations, etc.
I was glad to meet so many people. In particular, there were many who had quit their jobs to travel freely, and at first I couldn''t understand it—how could they quit their jobs and travel? But as I talked with them I empathized with the phrase, "I felt like if I don''t do it now I never will, so I started traveling," and I had a major realization that money isn''t everything in life and that having a dream and searching for it is something to be thankful for.
Were there any people you met or spent time with through the gap year program?
Through the host sister I met someone who cooks and someone whose dream is to be a guide. We didn''t spend a lot of time together, but I learned a lot and had enjoyable times; it was my first time leaving Korea, and they helped me a great deal when living abroad was difficult.I''m especially grateful to the host sister for introducing me to new people and for all her help.
© Korea Gapyear
What advice would you give to future participants of the gap year program?
If you don''t know how to set priorities, insist on doing everything you want, or lack consideration for others, you should think twice before applying. Although any adult may participate, the word "adult" implies someone with responsibility, consideration, and flexible problem-solving.
This program involves doing your assigned work while thinking from the guests'' perspective about what they need and whether they are comfortable, and in your free time you can travel to the city or nearby towns to learn about the culture and enjoy leisure.
You should participate in the program with your priorities clearly set like this!
How would you compare before and after participating in the gap year program?
I learned the true meaning of leisure that I could never feel in Korea. In Korea I wouldn''t go outside and spent my days watching TV or on the computer, but by joining this program I experienced the joy of going out, not having to care about other people''s gazes, and truly enjoying leisure by sitting on the grass, drinking beer, and watching people. In Korea I was solely worried about getting a job, but in Italy I thought about and worried over my dreams and felt firsthand that I was gradually growing.
Please tell us about your own travel route or recommended places during your gap year.
Florence is a small city, so half a day is enough to see it. So on days without guests or when the host sister gave me a day off, I traveled a lot to nearby towns. Excluding Florence, I traveled to 16 cities in total, and among them the alleys of San Gimignano and Assisi, which are really pretty, are the most memorable. If you want to go to the sea, I recommend Viareggio and Naples. I strongly recommend visiting these four cities.
Also, you should stay in Rome for at least five days. It''s a large city, so you''ll spend 2–3 days on tours like the Vatican tour and southern tours, and once you subtract travel time, you''ll have little time left, so you must plan your Rome itinerary carefully.
My gap year story in Florence
"Florence, I want to live there." As the title of the program says, Florence is so charming and beautiful that you really want to live there. You can see the Duomo in every alley, and just watching people freely making music and painting on the streets lets you feel the breath of art.
Florence''s Duomo is famous because of "Between Calm and Passion." After traveling to many cities, I understood why the Duomo of Florence was chosen as the backdrop, and I felt emotions I couldn''t from the book or movie. Could the Duomos in Milan or Verona really have expressed Aoi and Junsei''s dramatic meeting...? I can say for certain it was only possible in Florence. Its combination of splendor and modesty made me exclaim in admiration every time I saw it, and especially the view of the Duomo from the top of Giotto''s bell tower is truly beautiful. It''s almost a shame that all I can say is "beautiful."
Top left (Milan''s Duomo), bottom (Verona''s Duomo) / top right, bottom right (Florence''s Duomo)ⓒKorea Gapyear
Another famous thing in Florence is "leather." From the moment you enter the leather market you''ll hear "Ciao~ bella" countless times. In Korean it''s like "Hello~ pretty"—the vendors say it to anyone to sell their goods, but somehow it makes you feel good when you hear it. When buying things (in my personal opinion) you should always haggle to get at least a 50% discount. At first I was shy and timid about asking for a discount, but as I kept buying I naturally began negotiating with the owners. Seeing myself feel proud for having bought something at a discount made me laugh and feel amazed, like I''d discovered another side of myself.
Talking about Florence''s famous places and specialties brings back memories and makes me feel like I''m back three months ago. It feels like just yesterday I was writing my gap year personal statement... and now time has passed and I''m writing this review. The moments of countless worries starting with "Can I really do this?" before applying for the gap year, the moment I steadied myself and decided to go, the moment I vowed "don''t ever forget your goals and determination and create your own ''Life Story''", all those moments combined to make the present and are precious moments that can become the foundation for the future.
ⓒKorea Gapyear
The greatest gift those moments gave me was teaching me the true meaning of "leisure and freedom." In Korea I lived without appreciating the value of each day. When I first took a leave of absence I was happy for about a week. Spending whole days watching TV, on the computer and smartphone, sleeping when I wanted, playing when I wanted—time spent without thinking felt really leisurely, and I thought I''d finally been given free time. These were things I always enjoyed during vacations, so looking back it''s pathetic and absurd that I was so happy as if I were experiencing them for the first time after taking a leave. But having those times became the opportunity for me to apply for the gap year, and through it I learned the true "leisure and freedom."
Of course, you could find these things in Korea if you really wanted to, but there are things you absolutely can''t find or feel in Korea. For example, street performances—though you can see them in Korea, they''re often done near busy entertainment districts or restaurants, and you have to go to Seoul to see them sometimes. In Italy, too, they happen where people gather, but in places where people can sit, listen and enjoy. You can listen to music while drinking beer, watch people, or close your eyes and just enjoy the music without thinking. If you get tired of one performer''s songs you might even move to another spot to listen—so many people perform in many spots. Seeing them interact with the audience and enjoy together naturally makes you think this is happiness.
An elderly woman performing in a street showⓒKorea Gapyear
There''s one performance I particularly remember: an elderly woman in an extravagant outfit dancing and singing. If she had done this in Korea people would have frowned and said she wasn''t acting her age. But as you can see from the expression in the photo above, she freely expresses everything, and the viewers also enjoy that freedom together, dancing and savoring leisure.
In our country there are too many workplaces focused on appearances. I too had those prejudices, but I completely broke out of that frame and gained new perspectives and ways of thinking.
The gap year brought me many changes and gave me new and precious experiences. My goal was to create an ordinary but special "Life Story," and I''m glad I achieved that goal and want to praise myself. Also, meeting new people, hearing life stories, and sharing many conversations made me realize how precious and happy the time I''m spending now is.
It''s difficult and limiting to express all those experiences on one A4 page, but writing this brings back memories and makes me feel like I''m back then, and I want to visit once more the places those memories belong to. And I''ll definitely go again someday!!
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