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#Increased independence, more vitality #Relaxation, expanded perspective #Small happiness and gratitude for myself
In the past, if I had nothing to do I would lie at home feeling listless and just hope time would pass quickly, but living there gave me energy and made me feel that time was too precious to waste. Above all, I guess I found some leisure in the way I think—life feels more relaxed and I feel stronger.
- Haeundae! I want to live there, a place of youth! / Park Sae-arom, gap-year participant (gapper) |
Packing list
Items that were troublesome to be without / items that were convenient to have:None
Items that were troublesome to have:None
Items that were convenient to have:Towels and toiletries
My tip for packing!
It''s best to bring the basic items yourself!
Q.Did you have any memorable enjoyable experiences or unpleasant experiences during the gap-year period?
Because I get motion sickness on buses, riding Busan''s tourist-filled buses was really tough. But I remember that a friend who joined me would make sure I had a seat every time we took the bus. I was really thankful! And the...night-view touris memorable. The countless lights filling the city were truly spectacular.
Q.What did you like about the gap-year program you participated in?
What I liked most was, first of all, leaving my boring home and having some...time to myselfthat I could enjoy at my own pace, anda sense of independencethat I was able to develop. I also liked that, even though I only spent a month with people who were strangers at first, we became so close—like family—that I felt empty-hearted when we had to say goodbye. I don’t know when we’ll meet again, but it’s a very good memory. What I learned and realized through this program is...that even small tasks can become heartfelt if you don''t neglect them. This was something I would repeat to myself whenever I was having a hard time living there.
Q.Please tell us about someone memorable you met during the gap-year period.
All the guesthouse staff I worked with. They were people I had never met before, but within a few days we became close like friends and family. Maybe because we ate and slept together and shared the basic necessities of life, we bonded quickly and were able to get along well.
Q.If I were the gap year program planner, I would add or modify the following points in this program!
I don''t think there''s anything in particular that needs to be added or changed. Life at a guesthouse depends entirely on the individual. If you want to enjoy a better program, I think you have to create it yourself.
Q.My personal tip for participants who will join later!
It''s good to free yourself from the compulsion that you must go somewhere on your day off. ''I want to live there’If you came because you felt ''I want to live there,'' it''s really best to try to live like a local. First, slowly savor the neighborhood you''re living in before leaving — there''s no problem with that. As a bonus, having a subway route app or information about various good restaurants will make your trip even better.
Q.How would you compare before and after participating in the gap year program?
I feel more energized in my daily life.Before, if there was nothing to do I would lie at home feeling listless and just pray for time to pass quickly, but living there brought me energy and made me feel that time is precious. Above all, I guess I found some mental space in my thinking. Life feels more relaxed and I feel stronger.
Q.Tell us about your personal place you discovered during the gap year.
The place I liked most during my Busan trip was TaejongdaeI would choose Taejongdae. Before going to Taejongdae, I first stopped by Gamcheon Culture Village to look around and take photos, then took a bus to Taejongdae. I arrived around 5 p.m., walked around Taejongdae and admired the vast sea. Even if it seems trivial, I really remember that moment as being truly enjoyable. And when I had Taejongdae jjamppong — a hearty seafood noodle soup — for dinner, I really felt like everything fell into place and was put in order.
Q.My gap year story spent in Haeundae
A month — long if you say so, short if you say so — has passed. I remember feeling a little regretful after first applying for the gap year. The reason, in retrospect, was something pretty silly and simple: a fear of escaping from my daily routine.fearIt was that. Somehow I ended up taking the train to Busan Haeundae, and I thought, ''Oh, I''m really in Busan. I won''t be able to go home for a month.'' I felt a little scared and excited.
I arrived at the guesthouse — where I would live like home for the next month — by the guesthouse manager''s car. After being temporarily assigned a room and unpacking a little, my tired body from the long trip immediately sought the bed. On the first day I learned simple tasks, and from the next day I began the guesthouse work in earnest. Since the work was just helping with simple cleaning, at first I thought it wasn''t a big deal.
But what a surprise! Reallycleaningbecause it was all cleaning, I remember it being all the harder. Of course I laugh now and think it was because it was my first time and I lacked know-how, but realizing that the lodging business itself is such a tough service industry made me think I should work hard. Gradually I gained skill, and a room that we used to clean together at first I later could clean by myself. Now I''m confident in bed-making and room cleaning wherever I go.
Saying it like this makes the guesthouse work seem very tiring and difficult, but once the cleaning is finished, you''ve completed all the day''s tasks, sofree timeis given. Whenever that happened, my friend and I would dash out without thinking. The first place we went to was located in Nampo-dong:the Gukje Market and the Kkangtong Market! I felt a bit strange about going to the market at first, but once I went I lost track of time wandering around. There was so much to eat! The most memorable food was the one that dominated the middle of an alley:bibim dangmyeon (spicy mixed glass noodles)It was. It was the first time I''d tried it, but even now as I write this its savory flavor comes to mind.
Perhaps because it was a market, street food was very developed and there were many delicious foods that foreign tourists would line up for. After hanging out and returning to the guesthouse we would buy chicken and beer several times a week and have parties with the guests. I didn''t join often, but I remember occasionally eating beer and chicken and chatting. Also, when the weather was good we enjoyed barbecue parties on the rooftop in the evenings. Because it was the rooftop party I''d always dreamed of, the barbecue tasted better than any other.
Sometimes, together with the guesthouse staff, we would go at night to see thenight viewI also remember going out to see the night view. It was my first time enjoying the cool breeze while driving on the highway so late at night. Thinking about it, there were so many firsts, and I was glad to experience them. Living with the staff and having similar routines made it easy to get close to them like family. My friend and I studied art, so we lent our skills and even gifted the guesthouse some nice paintings.
On the last night they threw a party for my friend and me, and feeling wistful we went to see the night view until late. Even on the day we left they got up early to prepare breakfast for us, and I really appreciated that. As I write, many memories keep coming to mind; one more is when, on a hot day, my friend and I took a mat to Gwangalli Beach and went out to sketch. The blue sea and the clear sky. I couldn''t capture the sparkling sand all at once on a single canvas, but to remember that beautiful moment I painted it on canvas.The sea that day was so clear and blue that I still cannot forget it.
I also painted and gave my parents'' faces as gifts. I think I painted more on this trip than when I was at home, so personally it was a satisfying trip. Living there, I feel like I really explored every corner. Fortunately, it rained only once during the trip. Thanks to that I was able to take pretty photos, and the weather wasn''t as hot as expected, so I could walk around comfortably. My friend joked that she could go to Nampo Market with her eyes closed — we wandered around so much we knew it inside out. I don''t know when I''ll be able to go back to Busan, or when I''ll meet the guesthouse people who felt like family again, butit will remain in my memory for a very long time.
I''m thankful to myself for adapting well during the month and staying healthy, and I''m grateful to my friend who embraced and cared for me without complaint. The friend who joined the program, No Eun-sol, has been my friend since high school, but we rarely saw each other because we were busy. Living together through this program for a month made our friendship stronger and deeper, and that makes me proud. There were many events, but it''s a bit hard to put into words, so I tried to write down my impressions and what I felt.I will not forget the summer when I was 22, that August, and I hope to always be a lively person who can give energy to many people. With that, I''ll end this short piece. Thank you.
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