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#Escaped from being a frog in a well #Gained life motivation and experience living by the seaside #Overcame loneliness and learned about the complexity of the world
What I most wanted to achieve was to give myself, who had lived so intensely, a little more time to reflect. Among the many cities, Busan — and specifically Haeundae — I think the dream of living by the sea, which had been on my bucket list since childhood, played a big role.
-The place with youth! Haeundae! Gap Year Stay / Kang Min-kyung gap-year tribe gapper / 4-week gap year |
A childhood bucket list: living by the sea.
A childhood bucket list: living by the sea.
My twenties, which I entered after graduating high school and starting university, were like a stormy sea.
At the outset of an eventful twenties I was so exhausted. Some might say, ''How could you be that tired?'' but to me, still a chick who hasn''t fully matured...I desperately wanted to get away from where I was worn out and needed a breakthrough. Through a gap year I wanted to learn how to stand on my own.
What I most wanted to achieve was to give myself, who had lived so intensely, a little more time to reflect. Among the many cities, Busan — and specifically Haeundae — I think the dream of living by the sea, which had been on my bucket list since childhood, played a big role.All of these things combined gave me reasons to leave.
How to overcome lonely times
Starting something you''ve never tried before in an unfamiliar environment was terrifying and exciting at the same time. The job I did at the guesthouse was room cleaning. ''Room cleaning'' — easy to say, but it encompassed a lot. Changing duvets and sheets, brushing off sand, emptying trash bins, washing towels. When guests brought sand from the beach all over their bodies and recreated the beach in the room, I had to run the vacuum even more diligently.
I had summoned the courage and set aside days, but I was only barely keeping up with the most basic cleaning. Because of that I was often scolded for not being thorough. If I were in Seoul doing a part-time job, I''d think, ''If I''m scolded, I''ll do better next time!'' — it wouldn''t feel so heartbreaking.But trying to work hard without anyone to rely on in a different place, and realizing it was only my ''own way,'' made me feel sad; at times I cried because there was no one to hold me.
At those times I would go for a walk alone on the beach or go find my own spot. Sitting on the beach at night, drinking a beer...I also had time to think a little more about myself.It wasn''t always lonely. There was a peer my age who did the same work. Even amid the hardship, having a friend to share those difficulties with was a great support.
From being a frog in a well to meeting the real world.
Through the gap year I realized something major. I thought I knew a lot about the world, but in fact I was a ''frog in a well.'' The world is much more complex, and while there are good people, there are also many who are not.
Even within the unique environment of a guesthouse I experienced many things and met many people, and I felt the world I knew was too small.
Spending what felt like a short yet not-short month for myself, I think I gained the perspective and the drive to navigate my future life well.I don''t know whether I''ll experience such things again in the future, but right now...I want to applaud my past self who applied to take a gap year, and I want to hold myself tightly for steadfastly overcoming all the hardships.
To you who are considering a gap year,
After having a gap year, the reasons I needed to go back to school and work toward my career became clearer and more definite. I, who had been running blindly, was able to find an answer to ''why'' and make more appropriate choices as I moved forward.
For those considering a gap year, before going I hope you''ll seriously think about why you need it and what you want to do with it, consider many scenarios, set priorities, and then participate.ManyBeing willing to bear many things and fully concentrate on one means your motivation is strong; but if not, you may lose the flow and it could become a waste of time.
My gap year is,
experience★★★★★
I was able to personally experience things I normally couldn’t do while sitting at my desk, and I gained a lot of experience.
Learning★★★★★
Because I experienced many things, I felt many things as well. The world is vast, and I still have much to learn and fill within myself.
Environment★★★☆☆
My eating habits deteriorated significantly, and my health worsened easily. Make sure to eat your meals on time.
Safety★★★☆☆
There was a large club in front of the guesthouse I stayed at, so it was dangerous at night, and because the accommodation is open 24 hours, you need to be cautious yourself.
Leisure★★★★☆
Since the working hours were from 11 to 3, the rest of the time was my own. I recommend enjoying leisure while balancing it according to the day’s workload and your own condition.
