Through this project I was able to feel a different kind of enjoyment than travel. Living in a region different from where I used to live—especially spending my time and living leisurely in the quiet, weighty city of Gyeongju—was truly appealing. Also, being exposed to the new culture of guesthouses was a very valuable experience. -Gyeongju, the place that holds a thousand years of history! Gap Year Stay / Park Jae-seok Gap Year Tribe Gapper / 8-week Gap Year |
After finishing my sophomore year at university, this thought suddenly came to me."What will I actually do to make a living?"Of course I had been thinking about and worrying over this before, but with a mindset of ''things will work out somehow over time'' I had rarely given it serious thought. As time passed, however, I became increasingly anxious and started to feel I needed to decide something right away.
Then, thanks to my parents'' help, I had the opportunity to go to the Philippines for three months of language study, and during that three-month gap year period I realized how appealing it was to stay in a foreign place for a long time and live like a local rather than just travel. When I only traveled, nothing remained apart from photos, but by staying in one place for a long time I was able to create more memories and relationships, and I could see many things from a new perspective different from travel.
Falling in love with the charm of life away from home, I wanted to try living away from home within Korea as well. Through a gap year site I joined the Gyeongju Gap Year Stay program to try living in a place other than where I had lived—Gyeongju.
Setting three goals
I was born in Daegu and spent my school years and military service there, so Gyeongju—also in North Gyeongsang Province—was not entirely unfamiliar to me. When I visited on elementary school trips I was noisy and playing with friends, so I didn''t properly take it in; Gyeongju turned out to be much quieter and more tranquil than I had imagined. Compared to Daegu where I lived, I felt a sense of leisure and unhurriedness that was incomparable.
When I came to Gyeongju,"Reading, exercise, English"I set exactly three goals. Conveniently, the building right behind the guesthouse was the community center gym, so I could use the gym at a very low cost, and the municipal library was nearby so I went to the library to read whenever I had time. Also, because I like exercising, on my days off I rode my bike around Gyeongju.
To briefly introduce my own travel route, I especially liked cycling along the Hwangcheon riverside in Gyeongju around Bomun Lake in the Bomun Park area and back. I often hiked Namsan; it''s not high but it''s a wide mountain, so every time I climbed a different trail I could always see a new face of Namsan, which I liked. Yangdong Village gave a different impression from Hahoe Village, and the night views of Anapji and Seochulji have a uniquely Korean elegance and beauty that I think I''ll never forget. I really felt anew that this city literally has past and present coexisting. Many things that you would miss while traveling became visible when staying here.
Charming Gyeongju, and the people
Through this project I was able to feel a different kind of enjoyment than travel. Living in a region different from where I used to live, especiallythat spending my time and living leisurely in the quiet, weighty city of Gyeongju was truly appealingIt was. Also, being exposed to the new culture of guesthouses was a very valuable experience.
The owner and the manager I met at the guesthouse were very kind people. They took care of me by giving me lots of food and comforting me emotionally because I was having a hard time being away from home, so I was able to stay comfortably (not that I was going through anything particularly difficult ^^;). New guests arrived every day, and there were a few people I kept in touch with and maintained a connection. It isn''t easy to keep up contact, but I enjoyed meeting new people and hearing their diverse stories.
Gaining goals through the gap year
At twenty-five, an age when others are busy building up their resumes and not exactly young, I still felt it was an age where I could afford to take it easy, so I impulsively went to Gyeongju. I met more wonderful people and had more enjoyable experiences than I had thought or expected before leaving. If you have the chance and the time—or even if you don''t—I think the Gyeongju Gap Year Stay project is something you should make time for at least once.
During my leave of absence I was just worrying about what I should do and passing the time idly without taking action,Through this project I was able to find what I want to do next time and what I need to do to pursue the things I want to do.I feel a lot of gratitude to the owner and the manager, but I also want to express my thanks to the gap year organizers who made this opportunity possible ^^ I am extremely satisfied!
My gap year is
Experience ★★★★☆
Working as staff within the culture of a guesthouse seems like an experience any young person would long for.
Learning ★★★★☆
Not only did I learn the work by doing it, but I also learned from interacting and conversing with people, and through various experiences in unexpected places I was able to learn many things.
Environment ★★★★★
I can honestly say it''s very comfortable; there''s a market near the guesthouse, places to exercise, and a library. The environment is really awesome!!!
Safety ★★★★☆
I''m a man so I''d like to give 5 stars, but I gave 4 so it might be helpful for women who may participate in the future. That''s because, in Gyeongju, by 10 PM all the shops turn off their lights and the whole city becomes dark.
Leisure ★★★★★
It depends on how you plan and live, but once the work schedule is posted it doesn''t change, so you can fully enjoy your own leisure time. I even tanned on the rooftop and spent my time very leisurely!
