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#Learned an important part of life #Gained a sense of happiness and a deep understanding of myself #Felt the joy of helping others
On the contrary, I learned a lot. These children always have a smile on their faces. They get happy just because I came, running around and hugging me; even though we don''t communicate well verbally, it''s nice to talk together and they were all so happy. When the children smile, I find myself smiling without realizing it, and by simply joining in their laughter I become happy too. Wouldn''t you say I''ve learned an important part of life from this?
-Giving my skills and love to the children! Volunteer work for disabled children in Vietnam/ Baek Seung-yeop, gap-year group gapper / 12-week gap year |
Currently, South Korea is,
60,000 middle and high school students drop out each year; 346,000 people in their 20s are just wandering with no dreams; the one-year job turnover rate after employment has entered the 40% range,75% of university students are not satisfied with college life, and more than 80% of office workers reportedly do not feel happy.Many people tell others to dream, but to solve this problem—where there are no practical methods or support— we aim to introduce the ''gap year'' to South Korea as well.
''Gap Year'' (Gapyear)refers to taking a break from or combining studies and work to spend time on various activities such as volunteering, traveling, internships, education, or starting a business,as a time to set the direction for the future; it is a culture encouraged in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and other places.
*Check out various experiential opportunities on the Gap Year website!▶Click◀
# Since I was going anyway, I left with the intention of giving it my best shot.
The reason I completed language training through the gap year program and did volunteer work in Vietnam was that the gap year directorrecommended it to me. I''m the kind of person who usually just shouts ''OK'' unconditionally. So I shouted OK at firstbut when I went home and thought about it, I realized that until now whenever I did something there was always a reason or a goal.
This time I ended up doing something without a reason or goal. So I tried to create a reason and set a goal for the volunteer work,but there was no answer.The more I thought about it, the more my head ached, and I—who always just tried things by diving in—decided this time, too, to just give it a try, so I went on the volunteer trip.
In fact, I had a lot of worries before leaving.
First, I had never thought deeply about volunteering.
Second, not only had I never volunteered in Korea so I had no experience, but going abroad with only three months of English studymade me worry a lot that volunteering might only cause harm.
Nevertheless,since I was going anyway, I left with the intention of doing my best.
# At the volunteer organization I met many Vietnamese friends who volunteered with me, and I met friends of various nationalities.
To briefly describe a typical day, the day starts at 8. In the morning there''s cooking time, so we made Vietnamese dishes together, and in the remaining time...After teaching math we finished classes at 11, and at 2 PM we taught English and subjects the students were interested in...We taught them. I finished work at 4 and had free time.
While doing the volunteer project for children with disabilities in Vietnam...At the volunteer organization...I met many Vietnamese friends who volunteered with me, and I met friends of various nationalities.I was able to have a good experience communicating with those friends, and Vietnam...I was glad because meeting friends allowed me to learn about Vietnamese culture.I guess I''m lucky.My friends treated me very well.
#''I can make them this happy.''I had that thought.
While volunteering with disabled children in Vietnam, I wanted to create my own project to give them a good experience.There was a cooking time in the morning, and during that time I wanted to make Korean food to let them taste various dishes,so during the volunteering I added a belated Korean cooking session and we spent time cooking together.
At first we made kimbap together, and the children enjoyed this time very excitedly.They were curious as we made it together, and I wondered why we had done this so late. It was so delicious thatthey each grabbed a roll of kimbap with both hands and ate it. It made my heart ache a lot and''I can make them this happy.''I had that thought.I would like to express my gratitude to Korea Gap Year for giving me this opportunity.
# My TIP
(Language)
Basic conversational communication is necessary.
(Accommodation)
From my point of view, I was very surprised at first. The facilities weren''t that clean.Still, as long as you keep the places you use clean, there wasn''t much inconvenience. Hot water worked well, and laundry worked well,and there was a manager at the organization, so it was nice to be able to ask questions when I had any.
After about a week, I adjusted right away.
(Food)
Meals are Vietnamese, so traditional Vietnamese dishes are served. You get to experience Vietnamese food every day.I also looked forward to mealtimes.Also, since we gather closely together to eat at mealtimes, it''s easy to become close with others.
(Tip)
There is nothing you can''t find in Hanoi, Vietnam. If you take the bus to Hoan Kiem, everything is there. If you need something...you can go out and buy it. I found myself checking the map on my phone a lot while moving around, so if you bring a portable battery...you''ll be able to use it efficiently.
You aren''t still hesitating, are you? Take action right now.
#Through this projectWhat I learned was an important part of life. You could say I learned about life, right?
I enjoyed meeting many good friends while volunteering, I was glad the students liked me, and I was happy to gain and learn a lot...and I was glad; everything was good. You know...There is research that says people are happiest when they help others.Maybe because of that, during this time I was happy every single day.
Also, I was very moved...I was moved. I was touched by seeing the children grow little by little as I taught them, and by how well I was adapting...I was moved by myself, and I was moved when we made Korean food together — the kimbap was so delicious that they held it with both hands and ate it,Looking back, it was truly a happy time.Through this projectWhat I learned was an important part of life. You could say I learned about life, right?
As I carried out the gap year project, I changed. I used not to think deeply, but...When you work on the project, you end up having a lot of time alone.You have a lot of time by yourself. What do I like? What do I want? What are my values in life?What are they? What is the goal of my life? You begin to think deeply about these things. I came to know myself.
My gap year is
an experience★★★★★
Everything was a new experience. The food provided at the accommodation was all traditional Vietnamese dishes. I tried new foods every day. There were internship students I worked with; we would go eat together and go out to have fun. These daily routines were a valuable experience for understanding Vietnamese culture. And because it wasn''t an area frequented by foreigners, I saw the authentic Vietnam, not a Vietnam staged for tourists.
Learning★★★★★
The place where I volunteered helped friends with physical disabilities who are still suffering from Agent Orange due to the greed and selfishness of adults during the Vietnam War. We taught basic things like cooking, English, math, and drawing. Actually, I learned a lot from them. These friends always have smiles on their faces. Just my presence made them happy, so they ran around and hugged me. Although communication wasn''t easy, it was nice to talk together—they were all such happy people. When the friends smiled, I found myself smiling too; by just laughing along at what made them happy, I also became happy. Haven''t I learned an important part of life from that?
Environment★★★☆☆
The environment has a huge number of motorcycles, so the exhaust pollution is severe. Be sure to bring a mask. Even local Vietnamese friends, seeing me not wearing one, said I''d die and went to the pharmacy to buy masks and gave them to me.
Safety★★★★★
I didn''t go out late. The reason is that buses, the means of transport, stop running around 9 PM, so I returned home early to save on costs. When we stayed out late, we would stick together in a group. Also, the culture is similar to ours, so I never felt like it was dangerous.
Leisure★★★★★
During my free time I read books or watched movies, went out to Hoan Kiem to sightsee, and hung out with friends over a beer. I''m basically dead without a sense of adventure, so I sought out Vietnam''s egg coffee at famous cafes and learned about it, and for food I hunted down popular spots to try pho and banh mi. Since communication was difficult, I went to a well-known university to find students in the Korean language department to interpret and got help from them. My leisure time was always busy, so I never had a chance to be bored.
On the contrary, I learned a lot. These children always have a smile on their faces. They get happy just because I came, running around and hugging me; even though we don''t communicate well verbally, it''s nice to talk together and they were all so happy. When the children smile, I find myself smiling without realizing it, and by simply joining in their laughter I become happy too. Wouldn''t you say I''ve learned an important part of life from this?
-Giving my skills and love to the children! Volunteer work for disabled children in Vietnam/ Baek Seung-yeop, gap-year group gapper / 12-week gap year |
Currently, South Korea is,
60,000 middle and high school students drop out each year; 346,000 people in their 20s are just wandering with no dreams; the one-year job turnover rate after employment has entered the 40% range,75% of university students are not satisfied with college life, and more than 80% of office workers reportedly do not feel happy.Many people tell others to dream, but to solve this problem—where there are no practical methods or support— we aim to introduce the ''gap year'' to South Korea as well.
''Gap Year'' (Gapyear)refers to taking a break from or combining studies and work to spend time on various activities such as volunteering, traveling, internships, education, or starting a business,as a time to set the direction for the future; it is a culture encouraged in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and other places.
*Check out various experiential opportunities on the Gap Year website!▶Click◀
# Since I was going anyway, I left with the intention of giving it my best shot.
The reason I completed language training through the gap year program and did volunteer work in Vietnam was that the gap year directorrecommended it to me. I''m the kind of person who usually just shouts ''OK'' unconditionally. So I shouted OK at firstbut when I went home and thought about it, I realized that until now whenever I did something there was always a reason or a goal.
This time I ended up doing something without a reason or goal. So I tried to create a reason and set a goal for the volunteer work,but there was no answer.The more I thought about it, the more my head ached, and I—who always just tried things by diving in—decided this time, too, to just give it a try, so I went on the volunteer trip.
In fact, I had a lot of worries before leaving.
First, I had never thought deeply about volunteering.
Second, not only had I never volunteered in Korea so I had no experience, but going abroad with only three months of English studymade me worry a lot that volunteering might only cause harm.
Nevertheless,since I was going anyway, I left with the intention of doing my best.
# At the volunteer organization I met many Vietnamese friends who volunteered with me, and I met friends of various nationalities.
To briefly describe a typical day, the day starts at 8. In the morning there''s cooking time, so we made Vietnamese dishes together, and in the remaining time...After teaching math we finished classes at 11, and at 2 PM we taught English and subjects the students were interested in...We taught them. I finished work at 4 and had free time.
While doing the volunteer project for children with disabilities in Vietnam...At the volunteer organization...I met many Vietnamese friends who volunteered with me, and I met friends of various nationalities.I was able to have a good experience communicating with those friends, and Vietnam...I was glad because meeting friends allowed me to learn about Vietnamese culture.I guess I''m lucky.My friends treated me very well.
#''I can make them this happy.''I had that thought.
While volunteering with disabled children in Vietnam, I wanted to create my own project to give them a good experience.There was a cooking time in the morning, and during that time I wanted to make Korean food to let them taste various dishes,so during the volunteering I added a belated Korean cooking session and we spent time cooking together.
At first we made kimbap together, and the children enjoyed this time very excitedly.They were curious as we made it together, and I wondered why we had done this so late. It was so delicious thatthey each grabbed a roll of kimbap with both hands and ate it. It made my heart ache a lot and''I can make them this happy.''I had that thought.I would like to express my gratitude to Korea Gap Year for giving me this opportunity.
# My TIP
(Language)
Basic conversational communication is necessary.
(Accommodation)
From my point of view, I was very surprised at first. The facilities weren''t that clean.Still, as long as you keep the places you use clean, there wasn''t much inconvenience. Hot water worked well, and laundry worked well,and there was a manager at the organization, so it was nice to be able to ask questions when I had any.
After about a week, I adjusted right away.
(Food)
Meals are Vietnamese, so traditional Vietnamese dishes are served. You get to experience Vietnamese food every day.I also looked forward to mealtimes.Also, since we gather closely together to eat at mealtimes, it''s easy to become close with others.
(Tip)
There is nothing you can''t find in Hanoi, Vietnam. If you take the bus to Hoan Kiem, everything is there. If you need something...you can go out and buy it. I found myself checking the map on my phone a lot while moving around, so if you bring a portable battery...you''ll be able to use it efficiently.
You aren''t still hesitating, are you? Take action right now.
#Through this projectWhat I learned was an important part of life. You could say I learned about life, right?
I enjoyed meeting many good friends while volunteering, I was glad the students liked me, and I was happy to gain and learn a lot...and I was glad; everything was good. You know...There is research that says people are happiest when they help others.Maybe because of that, during this time I was happy every single day.
Also, I was very moved...I was moved. I was touched by seeing the children grow little by little as I taught them, and by how well I was adapting...I was moved by myself, and I was moved when we made Korean food together — the kimbap was so delicious that they held it with both hands and ate it,Looking back, it was truly a happy time.Through this projectWhat I learned was an important part of life. You could say I learned about life, right?
As I carried out the gap year project, I changed. I used not to think deeply, but...When you work on the project, you end up having a lot of time alone.You have a lot of time by yourself. What do I like? What do I want? What are my values in life?What are they? What is the goal of my life? You begin to think deeply about these things. I came to know myself.
My gap year is
an experience★★★★★
Everything was a new experience. The food provided at the accommodation was all traditional Vietnamese dishes. I tried new foods every day. There were internship students I worked with; we would go eat together and go out to have fun. These daily routines were a valuable experience for understanding Vietnamese culture. And because it wasn''t an area frequented by foreigners, I saw the authentic Vietnam, not a Vietnam staged for tourists.
Learning★★★★★
The place where I volunteered helped friends with physical disabilities who are still suffering from Agent Orange due to the greed and selfishness of adults during the Vietnam War. We taught basic things like cooking, English, math, and drawing. Actually, I learned a lot from them. These friends always have smiles on their faces. Just my presence made them happy, so they ran around and hugged me. Although communication wasn''t easy, it was nice to talk together—they were all such happy people. When the friends smiled, I found myself smiling too; by just laughing along at what made them happy, I also became happy. Haven''t I learned an important part of life from that?
Environment★★★☆☆
The environment has a huge number of motorcycles, so the exhaust pollution is severe. Be sure to bring a mask. Even local Vietnamese friends, seeing me not wearing one, said I''d die and went to the pharmacy to buy masks and gave them to me.
Safety★★★★★
I didn''t go out late. The reason is that buses, the means of transport, stop running around 9 PM, so I returned home early to save on costs. When we stayed out late, we would stick together in a group. Also, the culture is similar to ours, so I never felt like it was dangerous.
Leisure★★★★★
During my free time I read books or watched movies, went out to Hoan Kiem to sightsee, and hung out with friends over a beer. I''m basically dead without a sense of adventure, so I sought out Vietnam''s egg coffee at famous cafes and learned about it, and for food I hunted down popular spots to try pho and banh mi. Since communication was difficult, I went to a well-known university to find students in the Korean language department to interpret and got help from them. My leisure time was always busy, so I never had a chance to be bored.
What makes this project special
