ThisThrough this gap year, the limited scope of my relationships widened.There are people I still keep in touch with and others I don''t, but I remember every single one and haven''t forgotten them.In fact, it was a trip from which I gained a lot because of them. - Paris, France — Gap Year Stay / Yoon Sujin, gapper / 8-week gap year |
"I can''t forget the day the gap year stay was decided"
When I applied for the gap year stay, I was in a desperate situation wanting to escape reality. I wanted to take on new challenges in a new place and reset myself.So I ended up leaving for Paris.
Reading the diary from the day I left, I had written that my heart wasn''t entirely joyful.
Was it because of the things I left behind, the people I left behind?Since it was a trip I took to stand on my own, I wasn''t afraid of being alone.
Even when I arrived at the airport and wandered alone until I found my way, I smiled with satisfaction, thinking, ''I can do this on my own.''
The sense of accomplishment when you manage something you don''t know well by yourselfsolo travelseems to be its charm.
Life in Paris was extremely enjoyable at first.
The guesthouse experience wasn''t difficult at all. I was so eager I looked for things to help with, and everything was enjoyable.
Meeting people was always pleasant and delightful with a new excitement.
"The time called a gap year"
But later I felt I had to balance the time spent socializing with others and the time spent thinking alone.
What makes a gap year different from a simple trip ismyself— it''s an opportunity to truly get to know myself, but because I spent time socializing thoughtlessly, I lacked the time to think about the self that needed it.
ThisThrough this gap year, the limited scope of my relationships widened.There are people I still keep in touch with and others I don''t, but I remember every single one and haven''t forgotten them.Actually, it was a trip from which I gained a lot because of them.
I had a personality that couldn''t accept even small failures — I would sulk, be stubborn to the end, obsess, and get stressed.
However,Among the guesthouse guests, there was someone who had lost their trunk at the airport and arrived at the accommodation with nothing but the clothes on their back.If it were me, I would have been annoyed and restless and couldn''t focus on anything else until I found the trunk.
But that guest was the complete opposite of the image I had imagined, and that left a bigger shock on me than I expected.
After that, I tried to make an effort to be more generous and think positively about everything.Changing the personality I''ve had all my life isn''t easy, and sometimes irritation suddenly wells up when things don''t go my way, but I try to accept it by thinking, ''That can happen.'' I hope to become a better me by improving, even if only little by little.
"Every single day in Paris was precious."
The overwhelming emotion and exhilaration of seeing the Eiffel Tower I had only heard about, the thrill standing in front of it, and its night view made it impossible to tear myself away and go home.
There were days I was so dazzled by the splendor of Versailles that I didn''t even realize I''d lost my phone because I was so excited,In peaceful and beautiful Giverny, I couldn''t find Monet''s house and ended up going deep into the village, which allowed me to fully enjoy the tranquil town. I was able to visit painters'' private studios, see their works, and have delightful conversations.
Visiting Giverny, I could understand why Monet''s works evoke such beautiful colors and a peaceful, mysterious feeling. When I went to the pond that serves as the backdrop for the water lilies, the atmosphere was so mysterious that I couldn''t bring myself to take pictures.
One dayWhen I went to the Orangerie to admire the water lilies,I was able to feel the mysterious atmosphere of Giverny''s pond intact. The works looked different depending on how sunlight came through the skylights, and I walked around the circular room for hours, fully absorbing the atmosphere of the water lilies.
Buskers appear in every part of Paris, and these performances make Paris even more romantic. I was alone, but Paris seems like a wonderful place to be with someone you love or to meet the person you love.
If you go up to the second floor of Shakespeare and Company late at night, after the melody of the old piano and its creaks end, you somehow feel like falling in love. When you stand by the Seine with a canned beer or some wine, listening to buskers and taking a drink, all the day''s fatigue melts away.
Now that I''ve finished my gap year and returned to daily life, I won''t forget the leisure and happiness I learned in Europe, and I''ll approach everything with a happy heart. Travel...the mindset I had when I first startedI mustn''t forget it. I may not be able to change all at once, but I hope to become a bit more relaxed and tolerant. ^^
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