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#Became able to say 'NO'; regained motivation for life #People who respect me; a sense of direction in life #I was joyful and happy simply to be alive
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Before I encountered the gap year, you could say I lived a fairly ordinary life, but I wasn''t living my own life—I didn''t even recognize the existence of ''me.''
- Learning Italian art through Florence''s distinctive mode of expression / Byeon Su-yeon, gap-year gapper / 8-week gap year |
#WHO AM I ?
Before I encountered the gap year, I could be said to have lived a fairly ordinary life, but I wasn''t living my life,I didn''t even recognize the existence of ''me.''
Without much thought, I chose the easy path for myself and ended up working in the translation industry. At first it felt amazing and gratifying that I could work and earn money with just my English skills, but as time went on I felt emptiness and the stress began to outweigh the sense of achievement from the work.
I gradually withered and felt so suffocated I thought I might die.I felt like I had to go somewhere, but even thinking about going to India, which I''d always dreamed of, didn''t excite me.
# A gap year planned long ago
Then, by chance, I saw a main photo of Greece on Naver''s homepage. Drawn to it, I clicked the photo, and that''s how I learned about the gap year. But I returned to daily life and forgot about it for a while.
One day I was on the phone with a long-time friend, and my friend complained that they were having a hard time and wanted to go somewhere.It seems a ''gap year'' was on their mind..Before I knew it, I introduced a Korean gap year program to them.
And the next morning, as usual I went to the office, sat at my desk and turned on my computer, and what I had recommended to my friend actually made me think of myself, so I looked up the Korean gap year website after a long time.It had been almost a year. The moment the homepage image loaded, a picture of an old man fairy wearing a red pointy hat caught my eye, and as soon as I clicked that picture and saw the program title...This is it!My heart cried out.
I think it was the first time in my life I had been that excited.That I wanted something firstExcept when shopping, that was the first time.
In that instant—no, I had decided to leave my gap year long before.From the moment I left Florence airport and took the bus into the city, I was so happy.
Same routine, different feelings.
On days with classes, lessons ran for three hours starting at 2 PM. However, the frescoes or sculptures I chose were difficult to finish within three hours, so I usually stayed until about 6 or 7 PM to continue painting.Marco, the teacher, would set up a place for me to work even though he had many other classes afterward.
Because classes started in the afternoon, on class days I would go into town in the morning, wander the alleys alone, look around, eat lunch, and then attend class.After class I sometimes had dinner with other foreign students from the same school, and on rainy days, craving a warm broth, I would have dinner at a nearby Japanese ramen shop—or buy food and eat at home.
PaniniI remember the shop. On the first weekend, while wandering the city I got so hungry I told Siri ''I''m hungry'', and a panini place came up; there were many reviews in Italian, and following Siri''s directions I went to that panini shop. It''s a panini shop you reach by going up the hill along Via Bolognese northeast of Florence.It felt like a place only locals knew.Walking up the hill, olive groves lined both sides, and you could see little lizards nimbly slipping into the grass.
On days without classes or on weekends,a short trip to the outskirts of FlorenceI also took (such trips).
#Time with the people who helped me find myself
When I think of a gap year,''people''and''relationship''can''t be left out either. I took a gap year to organize my thoughts about myself and to find myself. There,encounters with many people who helped me be myself and freely express myselfthat existed.When I look at the people I met in Florence, I felt they were very different from the relationships I had formed in Korea until then.
First, Marco, the teacher who taught the Italian art class, and the friends I studied with stand out in my memory.
Especially,I can''t forget Marco''s warmth—he made various accommodations during class to make it easier for me to work.
Most of the people I met during the gap year were pleasant.They lived frugally, without worrying about others'' opinions, and according to their own beliefs or individuality,their way of living looked genuinely happy and meaningful. There was no sense of competitiveness; the atmosphere of encouraging and empathizing with each other was nice.
I also remember the host of the accommodation and her boyfriend, and the friends I met at tourist sites like Michelangelo Hill and the Duomo.
# Tips for Relationships During a Gap Year
If you''re going on a gap year and want to be a bit proactive about relationships, I recommend bringing gifts that can showcase Korean culture.It''s not essential, but one personal regret was''Korean-style gifts''that I didn''t bring many of.When expressing gratitude, I think it would have been better to introduce Korea and give Korean gifts, so I feel some regret.
Also, many people may worry about English. If you can manage everyday conversation, you''ll be fine. However, places like neighborhood markets that only locals visit...the Italian atmosphereIf you want to fully feel it and have a strong desire to be closer to people, learning a bit of Italian would be useful.
Above all, the thing I most want to tell everyone is"Listen to the sound of your own heart and follow it.That''s what I mean.
I truly heard my heart shouting for the first time, and when I followed that sound, simply being alive—just breathing—made me joyful and happy. Because of this, I got a sense of how to find the direction for my future lifeI got a sense of it :)
# Being able to say "NO!"
In FlorenceI experienced comfortable relationships with peopleand when I returned to Korea and looked back at my connections, most weremutually respectful relationshipsRather than being for me, I felt the relationships were each about satisfying their own desires. People always demanded things from me, and I had many one-sided relationships where I met others'' demands.
Participating in this Korean gap-year project...By participating, I lived alone for the first time in a distant European city and was able to practice caring for and looking after myself, and while being surrounded by people who accepted and respected me as I was...HealingI was greatly healed.
What makes me feel healthier is that the indecisive mewas able to say NO.is.
In fact, saying No and refusing was a more difficult thing for me.I was indecisive and had no clear distinction between what I wanted and didn''t want, so sometimes I was led by others, and other times I pushed everyone away and isolated myself.
Maybe because they were strangers it was easier to refuse, but still I was glad I could say No clearly, and I liked the straightforward attitude of people who respected my decision without any objections.
And during that time, without feeling anything, I passively acceptedthe injustices I had taken in,and I opened my eyes to those injusticesand began to assert my rightful rights, and little by little I came to know and seek the life I wanted.
After spending the gap year I became so different that not only I but also the people around me are surprised. I first regained my lost appetite and sense of taste, and my motivation for life and desire to be happy were revived. As that happened, I couldn''t help but assert my rights and gained the strength to seek out an environment that makes me happy on my own. MyThe people who liked my gentle side and sometimes took advantage of it are surprised and embarrassed and sometimes react negatively.But I''m not someone who puts others firstwho doesn''t — I understand myselfI really like and am happy with who I am as I am..
# I''m still continually concerned about myself
I''m still constantly worrying about myself. After spending a gap year and coming back, I feel a sense of frustration I hadn''t felt before.
I still continue to think about myself, but I like who I am now.
To me, a gap year is
Experience ★★★★★
It was just so, so, so good! I truly felt joy and happiness even from the simple act of breathing.
Learning ★★★★★
I actually planned to skip classes, but thanks to the teacher''s dedication to teach and the great friends I met there, the classes were meaningful and fun. More than that, it was a time when I learned a lot about myself.
Environment ★★★★★
I was happy simply to have stayed in such a truly beautiful place.
Safety ★★★★★
Before I went, people warned that there were Syrian refugees and to watch out for pickpockets, but I never felt there was a problem with safety.
Leisure ★★★★★
I also enjoyed using days without classes and weekends to travel to nearby Siena and Rome.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
