If you are deeply troubled, wouldn''t it be good to take a short break? Jeju Island attracts a truly diverse range of people. Some boldly resign from their jobs and come, some come feeling like they want to die because their business isn''t going well, and some come on a breakup trip to say goodbye to the woman they love. If you''re currently struggling, exhausted, and the things you want to do aren''t going well, I recommend meeting many people there, healing and being healed by one another, and spending time together. -Jeju! I want to live there, the beginning of new encounters / Baek Myeong-hak, Gap Year participant (gapper) |
Language
My personal tip about language!
Since the program is conducted domestically, there weren''t any major language problems.
However, I felt it necessary to learn some basic conversational phrases when hosting foreign guests.
Packing list
Items that were inconvenient to be without:None
Items it was convenient to be without:Tablet PC, raincoat/poncho
Items that were inconvenient to have:Laptop, earphones
Items that were convenient to have:None
My personal tip about packing
It''s good to prepare according to Jeju''s climate and conditions. If you participate in the summer, sunscreen is a must!
Q.Did you gain anything from the gap year program you participated in?
Good points:Being able to briefly communicate and share experiences with people who have different experiences, environments, and knowledge, and traveling with those people and making memories.
What moved me:I was deeply moved by the wonderful people who gave me advice—so much so that I wondered, "Could there really be people this kind?"I also felt a lot of emotion when I saw the late Kim Yeong-gap''s works at the Kim Yeong-gap Dumoak Gallery and understood the life reflected in his photos.Being able to indirectly experience the lifetime he devoted was also one of the moving memories.
What I realized:I realized that, more than the pleasures of travel, meeting various people, talking, and communicating is, to me, the essence of travel.I also came to know my travel style and preferences better, and felt that I was able to take a step closer to finding myself.
Q.Please tell us about a memorable person you met during the gap year.
The staff who love Jeju and stayed on the island working as staff while postponing returning to school, a police officer brother I became close with, and an older sister from Daegu who came down to Jeju to celebrate my birthday with me. Brothers who came down to help my younger sibling overcome social phobia and lethargy...A younger sibling; a 35-year-old branch manager who started working at an Asics store in middle school and now runs several stores.
Tango in Jeju.Two ladies who came for the regular meetings of a tango club in Jeju, and a father who dragged his son—who had been forced to stay at home—down here. Not a single word of English...A Kazakhstani guest who can''t speak any English and a Thai guest who is really good at English. A couple who came to Jeju on business, and really awakened...young friends with a conscious awareness. And there are many people who gave me so many opportunities, remembered a person named Baek Myeong-hak, kept in touch and generously...helped me — there are so many of them.
Q.My personal tip for future participants.
If your worries are deep, taking a short break might be a good idea. A wide variety of people gather in Jeju.
Some people boldly quit their jobs and come, some come feeling like they want to die because their business isn''t going well, some come to leave the woman they love...
to go on a farewell trip. If you are currently having a hard time, feeling exhausted, and the things you want to do aren''t going well, I recommend meeting many people there, healing others and being healed, and spending time together.
You will be able to learn and feel a lot, and after time passes, your...transformed self—imagining it now will undoubtedly be a good experience for those who stay up nights worrying.
Q.How would you compare before and after participating in the gap year program?
So many things really changed — from small habits to my way of thinking and even my life. In particular, the way I relate to people has changed a lot...The greatest thing I learned through this gap year...was an asset,I think.
Q.Please tell us about a personal place you discovered during the gap year.
I went around Jeju three times. I sometimes spent a day in one place, and sometimes went to the same place at the same time every day...Two months passed impulsively and like flowing water. Being able to recommend scenery that everyone can empathize with and be satisfied by is...something that would really make someone a born guide. Because we each have different personalities called ''I'', rather than a specific place...I recommend just wandering around aimlessly,because you may come into contact with something new.
Q.My personal gap year story in Jeju
The first scenery and air I encountered. A sense of estrangement from the environment I had known until now. But a single drop of expectation and excitement.
A signal flare fired as a step toward deciding your own future.
For someone who had lived in one region all their life, that place offered something completely different. Clothing/food/shelter, and more broadly, language and culture. As if I were not the person I once knew. And so...I came to live there. The traveler''s mindset, sadly, had drifted away. Once I adapted to life and the environment of reality, Jeju was no longer a tourist spot but just a region of South Korea—an island. The sea was just the sea, the mountains just the mountains. Perhaps it wasn''t enough to leave a strong impression on me.
The gap year program ''I Want to Live There'' (hereafter ''Geulsalda'') can be a good solution for getting to know yourself to some extent in a short period. Walk and walk and walk... Before making choices, I hope you join the program with one clear purpose: why you made this decision and what you want to gain from it. If not, let go of everything and try living there once. You will see paths you hadn''t seen before and take a step closer to your true self.
And, as much as possible,meet many peopleI recommend it. Travel destinations inherently foster an open mind, so it''s easy to strike up a conversation with someone you meet for the first time. If you''re someone who is afraid of interacting with others, this is an excellent opportunity. They will share honest stories of their lives with you, and you can use their advice and vicarious experiences as nourishment to build immunity against those who would harm you from the outside and to bear good fruit.
The charm that guesthouses offerappealis something you can fully feel if you participate in the program and take part in activities. From light jokes with people you meet for the first time to deeply sincere conversations. People who comfort your wounds and volunteer to help. And the meetings continue afterward. Even in Korea''s harsh reality, human warmth existed and overflowed.
I circled Jeju three times, and during that time I brushed past many people and even still maintain relationships with some of them. The people I met there are now indispensable; life without them would feel like something''s missing. I am grateful to those who cared for me and offered help.
Someone who didn''t know the first thing about cooking came to be able to make more than ten dishes and enjoy it. Someone who was awkward and reluctant to start conversations now initiates them and can lead the atmosphere. I deeply realized the importance of communication between people and am trying to meet even more people. I learned to set definite goals for what I want to achieve and, sometimes, how to let go.
“Above all, the fear of taking on new challenges has disappeared.”
The gap year ''I Want to Live There'' program poured fuel on my passion, and I think my attitude also helped ignite passion in those around me. Before returning to school, I plan to travel wherever my feet take me, and I will not stop learning about and discovering myself.
At the time of writing this, I am working as the manager of a guesthouse and continue to meet people. The more people I meet, in that process Idiscovermyself. I feel like I am discovering what I can do and what I can do well. Perhaps I might even find something that suits me here. Neither I nor you know yet.
Enlightenment will not come to you if you do nothing. If you can tell your story right now, I hope you do.
