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#A more pleasant impression; more positive thinking #Confidence in English; a genuine sense of happiness #A new life gained by taking the plunge
One day I suddenly took out an A4 sheet and wrote down the things I like and the things I''m good at. As I did, I came to the conclusion that continuing my work as a chemical engineer was not what I wanted to keep doing, and that what I should do was to have a positive impact on someone through volunteering or education. That was when I was 30, and thinking it was my last chance, I made a big decision.
-No stress—just enjoy studying English, and that''s it!/ Jeon Yong-gil, gap-year family, gapper |
Q.A briefPlease introduce yourself.
Hello! I am currently 30years old,3I quit the job I had been doing for three years and I''m spending a gap year.
Q. Why did you quit your job?
To be honest, I was someone who found a job relatively quickly compared to my friends..At that time, after graduating from school, I wanted to gain practical work experience as soon as possible..However,when I actually joined the company, I felt that although I was a bit older, my colleagues who had various pre-employment experiences and mybreadth of thinkingwere different, and I felt this difference. This gap affected a wide range of things, from minor aspects of work to mythoughts about my life..
Q.Leaving a job you''ve been at for three years must not have been easy,what was the decisive reason that gave you the courage to make that decision?
The excessive workload I experienced working as an engineer at a large company was too hard..To managers, daily100~200Receiving so many messages caused stress, and I even developed a neurosis about my phone and texts..
Then one day, suddenlyA4took out a sheet of paperthings I like, things I''m good atand wrote them down.As I did that, I realized that the chemical engineering work I had been doing was not something I wanted to continue, and that service or positively influencing someone through education was what I should be doing.. Rightthat moment was30years old, I felt like now was the last chance, so I made a big decision..
©Koreagapyear
Q. I''m curious how you felt when you quit your job.
At first, I felt very free.. I did the things I had wanted to do, caught up on pending tasks, and lived very comfortably.But as a month passed, I began to grow increasingly anxious.So I wanted to do something quickly and prepared for language study abroad, which could be considered the first step toward my dream..
Q. Why is language study abroad the first step toward your dream??
I want to travel around the world. Of course, English isn''t absolutely necessary when traveling around the world, but in my own wayI wanted to build basic English skills.
Q. Have you ever had any experience abroad?
I''ve never.. HoweverI wasn''t worried about going overseas. When I quit the company I had already taken a big courageBecause I had already mustered that courage, the next decisions were easy to make. But my parents were worried.
Q. How did you persuade your parents?
I explained my plans for the future in detail. And most of all, they trusted me.
Q. Were there any other obstacles that stopped you?
From time to time ‘Is this right?’ I had moments when I wavered, with thoughts like that coming to me.. Every time that happened people around meI went around telling them about my plans.. Through that process, I received encouragement from those people, Iwas also able to muster the courage myself.
©Koreagapyear
Q. While participating in the language training programwhat was difficult??
My English didn''t improve as much as I wanted so it was hard.. So I thought it would be better not to have too high expectations, and to take on the challenge with confidence in my English..
Q. During the gap year through language studywhat changes did you experience during that period??
Every day was fun. I felt like I experienced all the happiness I hadn''t felt before, trulyand I really thought quitting my job was the right decision (laughs)
Q. There must have been differences between when you planned to quit your job and take on a new challenge and when you actually put it into action. Did anything change because of those differences?
On the contrary, my conviction became even stronger.. I realized that these challenges and the new life you can only get by having courage are much easier to achieve than I had feared before quitting my job..
ⓒKoreagapyear
Q. Before and after the gap year, What has changed??
I often hear that I make a better impression.. When I was working at the company, I had many worries and heavy responsibilities, 지금은 제가 하고 싶은 일that I wantedI now spend more time communicating with people in my life. So I think I''ve become brighter..
Q. Please tell me your future plans.
Ultimately I want to travel around the world, and my immediate plan is to go to Australia on a working holiday to earn money and improve my English while various kinds of workI want to try doing them. So far I''ve only done work related to my major in chemistry, so I''m curious about what other kinds of work are like and what kinds of jobs I might be good at..
Q.About the futureI''m curious whether you feel worried.
Perfect time for myself. 1I''m thinking about a year.. During that time—while I''m taking on the goals and plans I had—I won''t worry about anything else.
ⓒKoreagapyear
"A time to find my true self.
In middle and high school I lived the life my parents wanted, and in college I lived the life society wanted..
So now I want to live the life I truly want, and a gap year is the time to find that..
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