Above all, I liked that my mind was at ease. When I was in Korea I was under a lot of stress and felt burdened and pressured by my parents'' expectations and practical matters. But the gap year itself is about having time just for myself, so I was very happy for the whole six months. In Vietnam I felt happiness from socializing with people, and in Thailand I had a lot of time for myself and could think a lot about who I am, which I liked. -<The moment my small ability turns into a gift: Volunteering with children with disabilities in Vietnam>, <A Harvard student leaves for Thailand to brighten the world>/Moon Yura Gap Year participant/Gapper/24-week gap year (Vietnam 12 weeks + Thailand 12 weeks) |
I was interested in volunteering since high school, so I chose social welfare as my major.
However, the more I studied, the less it seemed that the social welfare department was recognized for its professionalism. I thought a department with clear professional expertise like nursing might be better when working in the field, and my doubts about the social welfare department grew.
Separately from my doubts about my major, my goal and dream during university was to take a year off and do volunteer work abroad with an NGO. I didn''t want to spend four years studying in the library, graduate, and then just get a job. So I took a leave of absence and while researching overseas NGOs a friend recommended KoreaGapYear.
To volunteer at an overseas NGO you have to prepare language skills and follow their schedules, so there are many restrictions, but KoreaGapYear allowed me to start at the schedule I wanted, so I gave up the NGO I had been looking into and decided to use KoreaGapYear.
When I first said I would take a leave and have a gap year, my professor opposed it. He said I was already a senior and would have to take the certification exam next year and asked if it wasn''t escapism; he suggested that I join a domestic NGO first and then be dispatched overseas. But when I brought the gap year program materials and my gap year activity plan to him, he finally gave his permission.
After deciding to take a gap year, I set one main goal for it.
I wanted to do work related to my major, but because I had no experience, I wanted to know whether I could really go into this field and do well.
My goal was to identify my weaknesses and the directions I needed to develop, and to find out whether I could truly do this work with passion, and I kept thinking about that throughout my activities.
Preparation was
1. English
I prepared the language for two months through online video English lessons. Of course, at first there was almost an English listening test. The first day was really chaotic. But my friends explained things in an easy-to-understand way, so I gradually adapted.
2. Costs
And to raise funds I worked two part-time jobs. I did my usual cafe job and worked at a fruit-drying factory doing packaging to earn the gap year expenses.
3. Culture
I studied Vietnamese culture and language beforehand and researched the local organization. I read many books about Vietnam and Thailand and visited the KoreaGapYear website a lot. I also prepared cautions and ways to handle situations on my own.
''I really came here alone.''
It felt very unfamiliar. I was scared when I first boarded the plane, but upon arrival the local staff came to pick me up so I didn''t worry about that.
On the way to the accommodation I was worried about meeting foreign friends—how to speak in English, whether I would adapt. But when I actually met them, we became close quickly.
I liked traveling even in Korea so I traveled around domestically often, and I traveled a lot during the gap year as well.
In Vietnam, at first I took a train and traveled about five days including a weekend to Hoi An, and at Christmas and New Year I traveled to Ho Chi Minh with my roommates. The British friends we traveled with didn''t plan itineraries; they''d read in the park or listen to music, and if you wanted to go somewhere they''d say they''d follow— that style made it easy to travel together.
Planning volunteer projects
In the Thai NGO volunteer program you have to plan and carry out your own project, and I planned a public health project.
Because my project''s primary targets were elderly people with limited mobility, we had to visit homes directly. We mainly conducted nutrition education programs to ensure proper nutrient intake and fall-prevention education, and we also carried out a fundraising project to install fall-prevention facilities.
Vietnam – the schedule is all set. Not only lunch and working hours, but even weekend cultural experiences and education are programmed. We also had idea meetings once a week where we made and submitted the next week''s project schedule. Weekend cultural heritage visits and trying local food were quite beneficial.
Thailand – I had adapted to a three-month scheduled routine and then went to Thailand where many parts were autonomous. The characteristics of the Thai and Vietnamese organizations are completely opposite. You plan the programs yourself, report the results yourself, and run things yourself. Also, the working style is basic in terms of start time and work hours, but if you have something to do you can go out and come back—it''s an autonomous culture.
This culture was different from our country''s corporate culture so I couldn''t adapt at first, but later it felt more efficient. In Vietnam I followed a set program, but here I ran my own program so I felt a greater sense of responsibility.
In Thailand everything was a new challenge. For example, in Vietnam my roommates were British, but in Thailand all the volunteers I worked with were American, so the words and pronunciation were different and I had to adapt to something completely new. Also, in Vietnam I was doing volunteer work so conversational English was enough, but in Thailand, being an internship, I had to use and read many professional expressions.
Daily routine
- Vietnam (The moment my small abilities turn into gifts — volunteering with children with disabilities in Vietnam)
I wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, and arrive at the center by 9 AM.
Volunteer until 11 AM (according to the schedule).
Lunch break from 11 AM to 2 PM.
Volunteer from 2 PM to 4 PM (the English lessons I run).
Return to the lodging, drink tea, and talk with the staff.
At 6 PM we gather in the dining hall for dinner and talk about how the day''s volunteer work went.
After that, we go into town to have coffee or a beer, then return and prepare for the next day''s lessons.
- Thailand (A Harvard student sets off for Thailand to brighten the world)
I go to work at 9 AM and prepare and produce pamphlets for fall-prevention education.
12 PM lunch break.
At 1 PM we go out to run the program, visiting two households a day to provide education.
Return by 4 PM and support English education for the children.
Unlike in Vietnam, Thailand gave me a lot of personal time. I had many opportunities to think about myself in my spare time, and sometimes a local resident taught me Muay Thai for free.
The most difficult part
When volunteering in Vietnam, it was my first time teaching children with disabilities for such long periods. The children with disabilities differed according to their characteristics, so I didn''t know how to respond appropriately, which was difficult.
Also, four of us shared a room, but three roommates finished their volunteer periods before me and left at once. Always noisy together and then suddenly alone — those few days before going to Thailand were very lonely and I missed my family and friends in Korea.
The most enjoyable memory
In Vietnam, it was great to improve my English by talking with friends in English. Also, among the Vietnamese students with disabilities, there was a student who initially couldn''t keep up with the lessons. But by continually giving attention and patience while teaching English and math, when that student remembered and followed along well, I felt a great sense of pride.
It was also fun to travel in my spare time. I traveled immersed in the country''s culture and was able to deeply feel its historical and cultural aspects.
Above all, I felt at ease and that felt good. In Korea I had too much stress and felt burdened and pressured by my parents'' expectations and practical matters. But because a gap year is about having time for myself, I was very happy for the six months. In Vietnam I found happiness in socializing with people, and in Thailand I had a lot of time for myself and could think a lot about myself.
I especially found healing in Thailand''s well-preserved natural environment, but at first I found everything uncomfortable, including nature''s beauty. Only after a month did I realize how beautiful the trees outside the window swaying in the wind and the sunlight entering the room were when I opened my eyes. I felt emotions I hadn''t felt in Korea, and it was an opportunity to reflect a lot about myself — realizing, for example, that this is when I''m happy and that I like these things.
After having the gap year
Before taking a gap year, I only had a vague ''I want to do this.'' But because I experienced and learned how things operate directly at an NGO, I gained a clearer understanding of my career path and of myself than before.
I realized that I like nature. I also realized that I enjoy meeting people and am good at it. There were many things I hesitated to do before, but I learned that once I start, I''m already halfway there. Finally, I realized that I can''t do everything just because I want to, so I began to consider practical aspects as well.
Plans for the future
Through this experience I felt the practical need for English, so I will study English. I also felt I needed to develop computer skills, so I plan to start learning computers. And to have lifelong hobbies, I''ll learn the guitar and swimming.
I think these things have changed. If before I prioritized things because others did them or because they were basics — like getting a certain TOEIC score — now the time I plan for myself has become more important.
For me, a gap year is
A time to discover myself.
At first I was the only Asian, and in the new environment and new relationships it was a time when I could feel with my body and recognize what kind of person I am. I also had a lot of time to think about myself.
