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#Impatience faded and I became more relaxed #Eased concerns about the future through a variety of vicarious experiences #Gained great strength from interacting with others
In terms of ''spending time socializing with many people, sharing lots of conversations, and taking time to reflect on myself,'' it helped me more than I expected. Not only the two owners and the staff (older sisters and brothers), but many of the guesthouse visitors were in their 30s and 40s, and even though they were meeting me for the first time they gave me sincere advice and encouragement as seniors in life, which was a great support.
-Jeju! Gap Year Stay, the Beginning of New Encounters / Jimi-hyun Gap Year Tribe Gapper / 8 Weeks of Gap Year |
This March, as usual I paid my tuition on time and attended school, but I decided to take a leave of absence that I had been thinking about for a long time. Throughout my time at university''Is the path I''m on now really the path I want?''That question followed me like a tag, but I hesitated to muster the courage to look at a different path. I thought if not now I wouldn''t have another chance to take a year off like this and seriously consider my career, so I made the difficult decision to take a leave.
To conclude, in terms of ''spending time socializing with many people, having many conversations, and reflecting on myself,'' it helped me more than I expected. Not only the two owners and the staff (older sisters and brothers), but many of the guesthouse visitors were in their 30s and 40s, and those people alsoeven though they were meeting me for the first time, gave me sincere advice and encouragement as seniors in life, which was a great support.In the relaxed atmosphere there were many opportunities to talk with guests, and by meeting guests I could, through variousindirect experiences, reflect on my dreams.This was the most satisfying.
Above all, it was a time when I could rest comfortably without worrying about the future. Spending three hours as if it were one, living each day with almost no thoughts to the point where I wondered if it was okay, my anxious mind naturally relaxed. While participating in the program—or even outside of it—it''s good to set goals you really want to achieve and work toward them, but I realized that sometimes completely resting without thinking can also be helpful, and I felt I shouldn''t obsess excessively to accomplish something in the future.
Honestly, when I first saw this program, submitted the application, and attended the orientation, I doubted that living in a Jeju guesthouse for two months would change much. The environment to meet new people and reflect on myself is provided, but it would depend on what I made of it—and in fact that was true.
Surprisingly, I became more energized in Jeju and lived far more actively than I had worried about, but if there are people planning to join the gap year program later, I hope they go knowing that going to Jeju won''t change everything—you should consider it more of a turning point.For example, if you''re on breakfast duty you get up early and start the day diligently, but on days you''re not, it''s perfect for lazing around, so a person who normally sleeps in won''t automatically change just by going to Jeju. If only your body leaves and everything else stays the same as before, there won''t be much to gain from this program.
After leaving Jeju, I thought Chuja Island and Geomeun Oreum (Black Oreum) remained in my memory the most.
If Chuja Island feels like a place you were just at and could be there if you stepped outside now, Geomeun Oreum is a place you''d want to keep close and visit whenever you wish. The view of Jeju from Geomeun Oreum is trulymagnificent enough to clear your mind.
The horizon—which is hard to see in the city—and the houses clinging tightly to the ground below made me want to jump into them. There happened to be people paragliding nearby, and not trying paragliding remains a huge regret. It was one of the things I wanted to do in Jeju, and if I have the chance again I''d definitely try it. If everywhere I went had a place like Geomeun Oreum, I could sit all day staring down and healing, and it''s such a pity I can''t bring that spot with me.
Sometimes I didn''t travel and simply spent time at the guesthouse. One pleasant experience was when my younger sibling visited and that evening the acoustic band ''What Shall We Sing Today'' performed. That day it poured from the morning, which made me feel sorry for my sibling and their friends traveling from afar, but fortunately the evening performance was so fun that we ended the day in a good mood. Perhaps because everyone was absorbed in the music, the drinking gathering with the guests that night had a great atmosphere, and I''m glad my sibling and their friends had fun. Staying at a guesthouse brings small everyday events like this, and the fact that you never know which guest will come tomorrow feels like an event in itself.
I really wonder what I would have done if I hadn''t gone on this program. I experienced many things in Jeju and felt a lot, and although it was short, by looking back on past days and thinking about the time ahead I learned a lot about life. No matter how much it rains,if you embrace and even enjoy getting wet from the rain, it can never be an obstacle to travel,,and that the days ahead will be no different.I was happy to have had time to realize that.
What I learned through the gap year program I participated in
I was a little worried at first because the guesthouse visitors were a bit older than I expected, but because of that I had many opportunities to talk with people in their 30s and 40s, which I really appreciated. I took a leave and joined the gap year program because I was worried about what to do with my life, and in that respect it helped me a lot. I was moved that the guests gave sincere advice and encouragement to me, a person they were meeting for the first time, as seniors in life, and I realized there are truly many kind people in the world.
How would you compare before and after participating in the gap year program?
Before participating in the gap year program I had many thoughts, but afterward my thoughts decreased to the point where I wondered if it was okay, and I became much more relaxed. Also, whereas it used to take me a long time to get close to people I was meeting for the first time, now I can be a bit more at ease with new people. Meeting various people with a relaxed mindset felt like a step of growth.
Please tell us about your own travel route during the gap year (recommended places and schedule, route)
There are surprisingly many places on Jeju Island that are great to visit when it rains. The three places I want to recommend are Bijarim, the Stone Culture Park, and the Kim Young-gap Gallery; of these, I personally liked Bijarim the most. Even before I went to Jeju, I had read in a book that Bijarim is a must-visit when it rains, and it’s a spot that not only the book but also the people of Jeju unanimously recommend.
If you follow the short walking trail, wet scenes unfold: the fragrant scent of trees, the smell of rain, and the earthy aroma delight your nose, and the soft, powdery air envelops your whole body—it''s a place that can satisfy all five senses. Saryeoni Forest Road is somewhat similar, but compared to Bijarim it’s larger and its paths are asphalted, so it feels less secluded. For Saryeoni Forest Road, it’s better to take a car and slowly drive the foggy roads near the forest, and if you want to get the feeling of driving through clouds, I’d also recommend the road halfway up Hallasan.
