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#Developed an attitude of moving forward without hesitation #Gained time for independent thought and confidence #Realized the importance of the process
After a one-month gap year ended and I looked back, I found that fewer things had changed than I expected. I was the same person I was a month ago, and my thoughts and actions were unchanged. I didn''t accomplish the goals I had set before starting the gap year. Still, it was such a satisfying gap-year stay that I couldn''t call it a failure. I had always chased the best possible results, but I realized that the days I lived through are also an important part of the process.
-The place where youth breathes, Haeundae Gap Year Stay / Yuseonju gap-year family gapper / 4-week gap year |
<The place where youth breathes, Haeundae Gap Year Stay>
Yuseonju, gap-year family gapper
A four-week gap year
Currently, South Korea is,
Each year 60,000 middle and high school students drop out of school, 346,000 people in their twenties are idling because they have no dreams, and the turnover rate within one year of employment has entered the 40% range,75% of university students are not satisfied with college life, and more than 80% of office workers say they do not feel happy.Many people tell them to dream, but to address this problem that lacks practical methods and support, we aim to introduce the ''gap year'' to South Korea.
''Gap year (Gapyear)''is time to pause or combine studies and work and, through various activities such as volunteering, travel, internships, education, and starting a business,it is a time to set the direction for the future, and it''s a culture that is encouraged in the United States, Europe, Japan, and other places.
#I joined as an opportunity to give myself a rest.
I spent four years at university without taking a leave of absence and I was exhausted with life. I constantly suffered from lack of sleep and headaches.So, needing a gap year of rest, I participated as a chance to give myself a break.
Through the gap-year project I wanted to meet various people, listen to their stories, and share many of my own. Also, in making decisions, without hesitationI promised myself to move forward and came down to Busan.
Although I didn''t meet many people, each person I met and talked withI realized was someone precious. Also, I kept my resolve to make decisions without overthinking.
# I wanted to try living by the seaside.
I had many worries before starting the gap year. Although it was a short yet long one-month period I needed, planning to graduate without taking a leave, I decided to use my vacation time to do a gap-year stay.
There were various projects, but because of the good memories I had of guesthouses from my last backpacking trip, I chose a gap-year stay. Another reason was my desire to live near the sea. When summer came and I went to the ocean, I liked the salty sea smell that stung the tip of my nose and the loudly crashing waves. I had thought that at least once I would like to live near the sea.
Once the gap year began, my duties were assigned. I worked six days a week, four hours a day, from 10 AM to 2 PM. At 10 o''clock I would clean up breakfast and make the beds. At first it was one of the hardest tasks. There were certain rules, and learning them one by one while trying to finish quickly made it very difficult. I would run the vacuum and then finalize the cleaning. The four hours passed quickly. For about the first week I was so exhausted after work that I couldn''t do anything. Probably because I went straight from the semester to physical labor, my stamina was greatly depleted.
By the second week I gradually adjusted and became quite close with the guesthouse family. I could see myself adapting more and more to the new life.A manager of a similar ageAs a Busan local he showed me around Busan, and the manager I shared a room with showed me many considerations, so my memories of Busan remain even better.
# Taking time to think for myself during a gap-year stay that could easily be wasted made the gap year more fulfilling.
As I adjusted to life at the accommodation, I had a lot more time to think alone. So in the evenings I went out to Haeundae beach. At first I walked along the beach without thinking about anything. As I had more and more time to think, I began to reflect on myself.
Questions like why I started the gap year, what my goals were, and why I was worrying came to mind, and I had to find the answers myself.The time for self-reflection during a gap-year stay that could easily have been spent meaninglessly made the gap year more fulfilling.
In the past I had only visited Busan briefly for about three nights and four days. But given a month, I traveled around many parts of Busan. Starting with the nearby municipal art museum, the aquarium, the Mipo railway, and Dongbaek Island, I took buses and toured Busan. I mostly traveled alone, and since it was July there seemed to be fewer people so I could look around comfortably.
I especially like night views, so I would wait until evening to see them before returning. Busan''s nightscapes were particularly beautiful. As a seaside city there was always the sea or a river nearby, which doubled the beauty of the night views.
# My Busan travel spots
Walking from Haeundae along the Mipo railway. Often people take photos when they reach a tunnel and turn back, but it''s nice to walk all the way to Cheongsapo.It''s pleasant to walk. While listening to your favorite songs, there are trees on your left and the wide sea on your right.It''s really great for taking a walk with no particular thoughts.
Late at night or in the early morning there are few people on Haeundae beach. There are no buskers, so it''s quiet.You can walk on the sand along the beach or on the asphalt. The quiet Haeundae was more attractive than I expected.
Start walking from around the center of Haeundae toward Dongbaek Island, take a picture of Dongbaek Island, and then walk back along Haeundae to the accommodation.Returning this way makes for a very nice course for an evening walk.
Also, good restaurants are hidden throughout the area around Haeundae District Office and the Haeundae traditional market.It might be nice to ask Busan locals and seek out those restaurants. Affordable prices are a bonus.
# My tips
(Accommodation)
You stay in a room for two people; if you are aware of and considerate about using the common areas, there won''t be major problems.
(Meals)
Breakfast is provided. Usually you''ll have simple toast and cereal. After that, lunch and dinner can be prepared, but only relatively simple cooking is possible. However, since you often go out for activities, dinner is usually eaten out.
(Luggage)
I packed a lot thinking it was a one-month gap year, but it''s better to think of it as a one-month trip and minimize your luggage. There were many unused items, and the storage space was not as large as I expected.
(Pro tip)
A one-month gap year stay passes faster than you think. If you need more mental breathing room, it''s probably better to participate for more than one month.
#I had always chased only the best results, but I realized that the days lived day by day are also an important part of the process.
Because the accommodation was located in Busan, life was very different from life in Seoul. There were some inconveniences regarding transportation and cultural activities......but Busan, where nature and city life blend together, was a very attractive place. I had visited Busan briefly before......but living there for a month allowed me to sightsee more leisurely, which I enjoyed.
Also, the Haeundae accommodation was great for going out for an evening coastal walk every day.It was good. Living alone for a month without any worries naturally gave me a lot of time to think about myself.I also found my own answer that I just needed to move forward without hesitation.
What I felt through this gap-year project was that I was not someone who couldn''t do anything. By developing this idea, through the gap-year stay I was able to let go of my worries and concerns. AndAfter having this kind of time, I...I realized that I needed time to focus more on myself.
When the one-month gap year ended and I looked back, I found that fewer things had changed than I expected. I was the same as I had been a month before, and my thoughts and actions were unchanged. I didn''t achieve all the goals I had set before starting the gap year. But it was such a satisfying gap-year stay that it would be wrong to call it a failure. I had always chased only the best outcomes, but I realized that the days I spent, day by day, are also an important part of the process.
My gap year was
Experience ★★★★★
Working at the guesthouse was a new experience. Cleaning and guiding guests took some time to get used to.It took time, but once I adapted it was a very appealing job. Moreover, Busan is a great place to travel, soIt was good for traveling to many places. I had a lot of time to see things and reflect.
Learning ★★★★☆
It may seem like I just passed the month, but I could find opportunities to learn everywhere.Living alone away from home presented many problems, but through conversations with the guest familyI was able to learn many things.
Environment ★★★☆☆
The accommodation may be smaller than you expect. Also, living together may come with inconveniences.Because the workplace and the living/sleeping area are the same, there were guest inquiries even during rest time.
Safety ★★★★★
It was a domestic gap-year stay, so it was always safe.
Leisure ★★★★★
Because Busan has many sights to see, things to do, and lots of food, I was always able to live abundantly.
