When you want to find something, when you want to know something, you''ll know if you leave. You must leave. It may seem like you need a lot, but in fact you don''t need that much. Rather than grand plans, set off with a modest heart. -Jeju! I want to live there — for those of you who need your own time / Kim Ryu-hyang, Gap Year Tribe, Gapper |
Packing list
Items I was inconvenienced by not having: Coat
Items that were convenient to have: Slippers
Items that were inconvenient to have: Towel (guesthouses may provide one)
My personal tips about packing!
Bring items that let you live as comfortably as possible (flat shoes, a hat, etc.). Short skirts are unnecessary (Jeju is very windy).
Q.What did you like most about participating in the gap year program?
I think the greatest advantage was going to an unfamiliar place. You gain the ability to adapt to a new environment, interact with new people, and have new experiences. There are things you can only know by leaving. The experience of everything you see, hear, feel, and taste being unfamiliar...Everyone has the right to feel it, but not everyone can actually feel it.If you want to feel it, you have to leave.
Q.Stories about the people I met during the gap year
The best thing about staying at the guesthouse was meeting new people, and the worst was having to say goodbye to people I had grown close to. Encounters and partings happen so quickly here. I had to experience joy and sorrow in a blur.
While staying in Jeju, I met so many wonderful people. There are people who give so selflessly; some live one way, others another; everyone thinks about and pursues life differently. Perhaps that''s life''s diversity. I learned that it''s not about right or wrong, but about difference.
Getting to know many people made me feel that people are an asset. Just knowing those people made me feel reassured. For me, really...a truly fulfilling tripit was.
Q.Tips you''d like to tell future participants!?
When you want to find something, when you want to know something, you''ll know if you leave. You must leave.
It may seem like you need many things, but in fact you don''t need that much.Set off with a modest heart rather than grand plans..
Q.A place I discovered during my gap year
''If you participate in the "Jeju, Live There" gap year program, you''re given a generous two months. That also gives you time to visit many places, and wherever you go I''d say: take your time and enjoy it. You can sit and while away the hours anywhere, or savor a cup of coffee and relax. It''s better to have a relaxed schedule than a packed one. Finally, I definitely recommend riding a scooter at least once!''
©KoreaGapyear
Q.My gap year story in Jeju
We are always dilemmaIf you work you earn money but have no time to spend it; if you quit, you have more time but lack money. ''Korea Gapyear'' helped reduce this dilemma of mine, at least a little. It provided opportunities to people who long to travel, and I seized that opportunity.
The program I participated in was ''Jeju, I Want to Live There.'' At first I had many questions and doubts. I had never been to a ''guesthouse'' in Korea, so I didn''t know much about it. I wondered if my assumptions were right and worried it might be difficult or hard, but I think I was captivated by the perk of ''room and board provided.'' With the simple thought that nothing is as important in travel as having accommodation and meals taken care of, I decided to join the program.Before that, I''d wanted to live in Jeju for some time, so I decided without much difficulty. Because of the two-month period I had to quit my job, but I left for Jeju thinking I could find work again afterward.
''It wasn''t a purposeful trip to "find myself" or "get to know myself." But by living with people, my strengths and weaknesses naturally came to the fore. That doesn''t mean I''ve changed. It just served as an opportunity to remind myself that I have these sides. I think it''s important to acknowledge that there are people who like me and people who dislike me. Rather than someone who tries hard to look good to others, ''''me'''' I want to be someone who treats well those who like me as I am. Wanting to be loved by everyone is greedy. I didn''t want to be swayed by others and turn myself into someone else. Of course, it goes without saying that I humbly accept the consequences that follow from such choices.
Everyone has their own way of traveling. Some may not have found theirs yet, but For me, ''travel'' means feeling the place.To feel a place is to blend with it... Going somewhere for a day or two is more like a picnic than travel; travel is staying for at least 2–4 weeks, living there and getting to know the place. In fact, I''ve visited Jeju many times before— with friends, family, and even on group school trips—I''ve been to most tourist sites. But there aren''t many places I actually remember. To make a trip memorable we take photos, write in a journal, and buy souvenirs. You should think about and find which method is best for you.
In my case I take photos and record them in a diary to organize my memories. You have to write for yourself, not to show others, to keep it up for a long time. I prefer planning and carrying out trips myself rather than just tagging along. When I plan the schedule and follow it, surprisingly even small details stay in my memory.
Now that I''m back from Jeju, I feel the afterglow every day as I look at those photos. It was a truly enjoyable trip.
