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#Got to know myself and became more at ease #Gained working-holiday practice opportunities and a renewed zest for life #Felt satisfaction about how I've changed
When I recall the time I walked casually around the city in that distant country where the language didn’t even make sense, it heals me automatically. In the same way, the gap year project becomes a source of vitality in life simply by having gone.If someone asked what to do after taking a leave of absence or retiring, I would recommend a gap year without hesitation. - Paris Gap Year Stay / Kim Minji, gap-year traveler / 8-week gap year * This project is currently closed. (As of 2018.08.23) |
# Honestly, I didn’t come expecting major changes, but I was satisfied with how I had changed.
I joined the Paris gap year stay to practice traveling on my own and to prepare for a working holiday. When I was young I went on package tours with my parents and I’d already been to Europe on a group trip. But after I became a university student, I pushed myself with nonstop part-time jobs and studies without a purpose, so travel was only a dream; the gap year stay became my purpose.
I saved money so I wouldn’t have to ask my parents, and from looking up books to planning travel routes, my first trip entirely on my own began. I also applied for a Canada working holiday and passed the first round, so once I passed the final selection I would be able to go.
However, except for living in a dorm while at school, I had never been away from my parents, so it felt daunting. After being accepted into the gap year stay, I thought that spending two months abroad would be great practice for a one-year working holiday.The various reasons I had thought of for leaving while preparing for the gap year stay were all things I could confirm I had achieved when I looked back after the project ended.
I thought a gap year was a time to create my own gap. I set goals for things I could and had to accomplish to upgrade myself from who I was before. Among them,I vowed to take time to get to know myself, and by looking back at countless diaries, photos, and how I behaved with people, I finally got to know myself after more than twenty years.
In Korea I didn’t want to know myself, I was disappointed and consumed by self-blame, but here I found things I was good at and I didn’t hesitate to state my opinion, andI liked that I was different from others. Honestly, I hadn’t come expecting big changes, but I was satisfied with how I had changed through small and large transformations.
# A day in Paris began by opening the door and checking the weather.
When I first arrived in Paris, I carried a heavy suitcase and backpack and walked a loop around the Opéra while looking at Google Maps.It’s a bittersweet, laughable memory that I couldn’t believe I had come to Paris with no ties and, not knowing the streets, didn’t even notice the station right in front of me. I started my Paris life so clumsily, and now it’s over and I’m writing a report.
A day in Paris began by opening the door and checking the weather. I experienced firsthand the saying that you can see all four seasons in one day: just because it was nice yesterday didn’t mean it would be nice today, and it might be fine in the morning but windy by the afternoon. I dressed warmly and did staff duties in the morning or went on a morning tour on Thursdays.
Morning staff activities were mainly cleaning as the primary task, and afterward we waited for check-in guests. Guests came from other countries, from Korea, or were exchange students — everyone’s eyes sparkled with anticipation for Paris. AndIn the afternoons we went on tours: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Montmartre — places we went to every day — but strangely I never got tired of them.
I even liked the rainy days. (I don’t like rain every day, but it seems Paris didn’t rain often while I was there.) On days off I went out with staff whose schedules matched mine: I went to museums with an eccentric art-school senior, did restaurant tours with a sister who spoke some French, and with my only same-age friend we had a kebab picnic in thunderous Giverny, making the most of our outings.
Even after playing so hard, I always made it back in time for dinner. As the days went on the sun set later, but staying out late became more dangerous and, above all, I didn’t want to miss the auntie’s delicious dinner. After work, everyone would gather in the staff room to chat about what they did that day or whether anything hard or funny happened at work, and we’d usually fall asleep around 1–2 a.m.
In Paris I spent my days thinking only about what would make today enjoyable, without petty worries. Perhaps that’s why I felt light and relieved.My hair, which used to fall out in clumps from stress, fell out less, and the dark circles that had persisted for 23 years disappeared.
# A day in Paris began by opening the door and checking the weather.
In Korea everything moves so fast that it felt like people were being worn down behind the scenes, but here everyone was so relaxed it made me laugh. At first I was so unaccustomed to the slower pace that it felt unbearable,but now I’ve become more relaxed too.
This sense of ease didn’t come from being internally at peace, nor from having lots of money or time as if born with a silver spoon — it was something that only came from experiencing it myself.Because I could never have felt this in my relentless life in Korea, I almost wanted to grab someone and tell them to go out into the world and find their own sense of ease.
The most unforgettable moment in this Paris life was when I sent off the talkative, troublesome guests and our staff and then spent my last night in Paris alone. Guests who had become close, who’d gone on tours and sometimes helped with work, even gave me gifts, and when I actually left Paris I was overwhelmed by an indescribable sadness.
Moreover, later among the staff only one person went to Prague and was the last to return to Korea, and I can’t forget the time I fought solitude alone in the silent staff room. By nature I love meeting people, and when the people I liked most left, everyone praised me for being brave, but I saw a fragile side of myself that even I hadn’t known.It wasn''t that I missed home; it was loneliness that made me want to go back. While doing staff work I thought I was pretty brave and could get by well in a foreign country where nothing made sense, but I realized how powerful loneliness can be.
# My travelogue was filled with stories about how enjoyable it was to meet so many different people.
The good thing about Gap Year Stay was that I could go around here and there without worrying about lodging and meals. Of course I paid for that with corresponding staff duties, but thanks to that I saved a lot of money and time and was able to see and feel more than others. What I realized was that this place, which takes a 12-hour flight to reach, is still a place where people live.
I had been indulging in the illusion from travelogues and travel posts that foreign countries are really different and must be better than our country,and I was able to experience smells and atmospheres that you can''t feel in photos,At the supermarket, watching people shop, I could see even big‑nos ed, blond‑haired, blue‑eyed foreigners choosing items while worrying about tonight''s dinner. Travelogues that had been a restful escape from the busy, tiring life in Korea unintentionally planted a lot of illusions,and breaking those illusions and learning things I didn''t know was so much fun.
I met so many people. First of all, living with our staff, who were the best in the world, made every day something to look forward to and enjoy. And although I couldn''t memorize all the guests'' names, I remembered almost everyone by their distinctive traits.
A mischievous pair of brothers; a friend who had quit soccer and was traveling before returning to school; a soon‑to‑be pilot; a mother who came out to show the world beyond books; a jazz pianist who left the guestbook as sheet music; an aspiring comedian who said they''d become famous; international students from across Europe; an uncommon male florist; someone whose wallet and phone were pickpocketed so they arrived without a reservation but found their peace; a mother and daughter walking the pilgrim''s route; a mother who came alone with only her daughter''s itinerary arranged; a person working in the U.S. who came to Paris on a business trip; a family on holiday in Paris during the golden vacation—meeting and befriending people with such different characteristics and personalities made every moment precious.
I heard real travel stories you can''t read in books, gained important information, and was happy to be able to relieve work fatigue with them.My travelogue was full of stories about how enjoyable it was to meet such a variety of people.
# My Gap Year Tips
(Language)
Drop the thought ‘everyone will speak English abroad’ and take an interest in the language used in that country. (Remember that in Europe the only country where English is the native language is the UK. Even though it''s written in the alphabet, pronunciation and meaning can be completely different, and French, German, or Spanish are often used first.)
I did look things up in a dictionary, but it still didn''t click, so I observed how locals spoke and imitated them. For example, when asking someone to move on the subway you might say ''pardon,'' and when calling a server ''excusez‑moi.'' I didn''t speak with locals a lot, but paying attention to how they said things helped me a lot.
(Accommodation)
The places are small, with dry bathrooms and a furniture‑based (rather than floor‑sitting) lifestyle, so the environment is really different from Korea — it''s best to go prepared for some shock.
(Meals)
Korean food is provided for breakfast and dinner, and lunch is usually given to staff, so you don''t need to worry much. And since France is a land of gastronomy, anything you buy to eat outside is tasty and affordable! (Processed foods, however, don''t taste good.)
(What to bring)
1. Use compression packs to reduce the volume of your clothes so you can pack a bit more. (Paris''s buildings are ornate but monochrome, so solid, colorful clothing will look good in photos.)
2. Bring the skin lotions and cosmetics you normally use, but shampoos, conditioners, and body products are cheaper here and much better in performance.
3. Put a carry‑on suitcase inside your checked luggage — your luggage will multiply exponentially later, so bring it so you can transfer items into the carry‑on. (Europeans travel often so travel bags aren''t expensive, but if you already have a suitcase, save that money to eat and shop more.)
4. Definitely bring sunglasses and a brimmed hat (not a cap or snapback). The sun doesn''t shine warmly and gently; it beams down as if to burn everything. Even with sunglasses your eyes can still be dazzled, and your scalp will heat and turn red, so wear a hat. Europeans wearing sunglasses and hats is not a fashion statement.
(For prospective participants)
When you''re scared to go abroad alone or to organize activities by yourself, Gap Year acts as a reliable helper and planner. But once you''re there, communications aren''t as fast as in Korea, and when situations arise you have to do whatever is necessary,so I hope you practice summoning courage before you go.
Completely different situations from Korea and experiences you can''t have at home can arise suddenly; only someone who has practiced being brave will be able to be brave, so practice voicing your needs so you can confidently assert yourself even in a foreign country where language doesn''t match.
# My Paris Picks
I came straight from Korea to Paris and, as a tour staff member, I wasn''t free to travel far while working. Since it was my first trip abroad alone, I decided to make the most of Paris and didn''t push myself to go to other countries.
I was able to wander around Paris at ease — visiting places that get only a single page in guidebooks and places where you can hardly see any Asians — and I could hold Paris in my heart so vividly that I could picture it with my eyes closed.
If I go to Paris again, the places I must visit are the Louvre, Musée d''Orsay, the Panthéon, the Opera, Fontainebleau, Luxembourg Gardens, and Disneyland.
These are the places where you can see Paris at its most Parisian, and they were relatively less crowded with tourists so I could stroll around at leisure.You should definitely visit the Louvre and Musée d''Orsay during their evening openings. Many tour groups are gone then, so they’re great for viewing the artworks and taking photos.
The Panthéon looks like a cathedral but it''s the burial place of the great figures who illuminated Paris. It''s not very large, but going up to the rooftop and looking down over the old city was more splendid than any observation deck.
Opéra Garnier is a building that''s hard to believe is a performance hall. Garnier deliberately built it more lavishly than Versailles, and the moment you step inside you find a lobby and auditorium where it feels like nobles in dresses and tailcoats could stroll about. There was a Korean audio guide, and it wasn’t very large, so it was easy to tour.
Fontainebleau is Napoleon''s palace at Avon station. Among French châteaux it gives off an old, dark, cool atmosphere, but Napoleon''s dignity and the surrounding forest made it immediately clear why he insisted on this place rather than Paris. The forest path from Avon station to the palace especially felt like a place where a carriage might appear at the end of the road.
Luxembourg Gardens, the park in front of the Panthéon, is a place where you’ll encounter more locals than in the Tuileries. Buy a simple snack and sit in the park looking at the blue sky, and you’ll feel like a Parisian — like the foreigner sitting beside you.
Disneyland, the only one in Europe located in Paris, was heaven for me who loves animation and characters. I was lucky to go soon after Paris Disneyland’s 25th anniversary events had begun, so I could see rides and illuminations that hadn’t existed before. My legs hurt and I was exhausted, but I still remember crying while watching the final fireworks. Even dragging my sore legs out of Disneyland, I found myself saying I wanted to come back tomorrow.
If someone asked what to do after taking a leave of absence or retiring, I would recommend a gap year without hesitation.
Before going on the gap year stay, I was like a robot. While attending school I worked weekend part-time jobs, and during vacations I did both weekday and weekend shifts, pursued church activities and other extracurriculars — I drove myself crazy.
I was quick to lash myself, telling myself there must be someone working harder than me and that doing nothing was basically the same as being idle.Now I’ve learned how to move forward while taking things at a relaxed pace.When my mind starts to get impatient, I think back to my time in Paris.
The 77-day dream during which I discovered my greatest strengths and weaknesses is documented in 83 journal entries and about 1,500 videos and photos that prove it was all real.
I vividly remember 69 days of staff activities, my first presidential election and voting abroad, Disneyland, the French election protests that felt like witnessing a part of the French Revolution, a traveling amusement park, getting into museums without a museum pass, meat parties, frequent holidays kept to follow the Bible calendar, my solo trip to Prague, and rainy cold days when I was too lazy to do anything.
When I recall casually walking around the city in that faraway country where we couldn''t even communicate, it heals me by itself. In this way, the gap year project becomes a source of life energy just by having been experienced.If someone asks what to do after taking a leave of absence or retiring, I would recommend a gap year without hesitation.
And a few days after returning from Paris, I heard joyful news. After six months, I finally received final acceptance for the Canada Working Holiday. It felt like the Paris practice was over and the real game was beginning. My experience in Paris became a good foundation for the working holiday, and I plan to prepare steadily during the remaining time. I’m looking forward to restarting my gap year in Canada in six months.
I was happy to be able to start my gap year with Korea Gap Year, and I thank the staff who took care of me and even the owner of the accommodation.
