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#Gained confidence in my dream and restored my self-esteem #Gained new experiences and eased my longing to go abroad #Realized that a gap year is not a pause but a continuation
I concluded that what I needed now was a compromise between rest and gaining experience in finance, my area of interest, and decided to take a gap year in Cambodia to help people survive through microfinance (small loans). My desire to someday go abroad to recharge — and not to a domestic social enterprise but to Cambodia — was the decisive factor in my decision.
- Microfinance, the key to empowering the people of Cambodia! / Kim Min-seon, gapper of the gap-year tribe / 12-week gap year |
I was writing a personal statement to apply for the usual first-half recruitment when I felt unbearably frustrated.
I had deferred graduation and was preparing for employment, but the deferment period stretched longer than I expected and the cover letters I submitted piled up. Although it was something I had been doing quietly for some time, that day I simply couldn''t bear the frustration.
Majoring in economics, I wanted the knowledge I had learned to be used for the public good, so I aimed for employment at a state-owned financial enterprise. Then one day I saw a briefing at school about internships at social enterprises, and since my goal was a public enterprise, I thought I needed related experience and kept the materials.
When the repetitive routine became stifling, I remembered the social enterprise internship program and visited the gap year site I had noted. At first I planned to apply for the social enterprise internship, but as I looked at the many gap year programs I began to hesitate. Having never been abroad, my long-held desire to go overseas resurfaced. In the end I couldn’t decide andgap year consultingdecided to receive it.
What I liked about receiving gap year consulting was that I could accurately face myself, which I had only vaguely understood until then.
After studying and preparing for employment for a long time, my expression grew darker and disappeared. My confidence gradually decreased. I was already exhausted from the repetition of writing cover letters, submitting applications, and attending interviews, so I wanted to rest, but I felt I couldn''t stop there and kept moving forward.
So what I need right now isrestand experience in finance, my field of interestexperienceI concluded that a compromise of those things was what I needed, and decided to take a gap year in Cambodia to help people survive through microfinance (small loans). My longing to someday go abroad to recharge — and not with a domestic social enterprise but in Cambodia — was the decisive factor in my decision.
When I decided to go to Cambodia, the goal I set for my gap year was to try new experiences. Until then I always had things to do: I had to do this now and when this was over I had to do that, so even if I wanted to do something I postponed it saying I''d do it later. But during the gap year I wanted to act on things I wanted to do without postponing or hesitating, and if I found a place I wanted to travel to I wanted to leave immediately.
When I first arrived in Cambodia, I was a little worried.
The weather was hot and the atmosphere unfamiliar, and I worried whether I could do well here for three months. But I adapted surprisingly quickly. After two days the heat became comfortable, and the staff were all kind so I became close to them quickly. Also,the work itself wasn''t difficult. Although I had prior accounting and finance knowledge, the tasks on site were mainly economic education, so even without prior knowledge it didn''t matter at all for carrying out the activities.
If you summarize the activities as a daily routine, it''s as follows.
8:00I arrive by 8 and start work.
Work is largely divided into two types:interviewsorreportsanalyzing them.
I schedule in advance, so on days with interviews I go out to conduct them, and on days without I analyze reports in the office.
On days I am in the office, I sometimes go to other departments to help with work.
Lunchtime isFrom 11:30 to 1:30and,4:30I finish my day''s work at that time.
During my gap year, my most enjoyable memory was using the weekends totravelgo on trips. I was able to visit various regions in Cambodia that each have their own charm. From places I had only heard of by name—Siem Reap, Battambang, Mondulkiri, Sihanoukville, Kep—to locations whose names were unfamiliar, the experience of traveling with friends refreshingly satisfied my desire to try new things.
A memorable experience was doing group aerobics-like exercises at the Olympic Stadium in Cambodia at a set time. Normally I wouldn''t have been interested, and even if I knew about it I wouldn''t have gone, but after hearing from friends that such a thing existed I became curious and decided to go myself. The scene when I went was fascinating. Many people were happily dancing to the music, and because it was my first time and I was awkward and fumbling, people nearby taught me the moves.
If I hadn''t taken a gap year,
If I hadn''t taken a gap year in Cambodia,I would have been writing my personal statement as usual. Deciding to take a gap year was truly the right decision. Before experiencing it, when I saw travel photos posted by friends they just looked great and I was only envious. But now that I''ve experienced it myself, I can consider both the positives and the negatives, including inconveniences and things I could learn.
For me, a gap year is not a pause.
I stopped the things I had been doing in Korea and went, but I retook some courses in Cambodia and worked in areas related to my interests, so it felt like my activities didn''t stop but continued in a different direction. Finding people who needed microfinance, interviewing them, and analyzing reports was different from my prior studies, but it was an experience that made the dream I had even clearer.
My gap year
experience ★★★★★
You can gain so many experiences. I could travel, practice and use English freely, gain hands-on experience in Cambodia where many mainstream NGOs are based (even though such organizations exist in Korea as well), and meet friends from various nationalities to see different ways of living.
Learning ★★★★☆
There are many things to learn from the experience. In particular, when I found a place I wanted to visit, the experience of setting off right away was extremely enjoyable.
Environment ★★★☆☆
The weather is hot and dusty. Of course, it''s still a place where people live, so you''ll adapt after a few days.
Safety ★★★☆☆
There are pickpockets, but they are not as frequent as you might think. However, you always need to be careful.
Leisure ★★★★★
You can do anything you want: swim, do yoga, and there are fitness centers. Also, when I thought of Cambodia I only knew Angkor Wat, but I discovered that nearby there are rural farms, beaches, and even jungles — places with a variety of charms.
Capturing the growth journeys
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