No longer bothered by being alone, Jeju, Gap Year Stay Review "The Most Memorable Thing Was the People"

#I became less bothered by being alone #Conversations with people of various nationalities; the nature of Jeju #No matter where I went, the thing I remembered most was the people.

Author: Lee Su-hyun
Country / City: Europe/France/Montpellier
Views : 3160

I haven''t been to many places even before Jeju, but after visiting Jeju what stands out most vividly in common seems to be the people. The conversations I had with them, the air at that moment, the thrill when I heard stories that resonated and offered comfort. The past two months were the same.

-Jeju! I want to live there — Gap Year Stay / Lee Suhyun gap-year tribe gapper / 8 weeks of gap year

# The power of being alone

Even normally, if there''s somewhere I want to go, I tend to go without worrying about being alone. Still,I always had a little thought in the corner of my mind that ''it would be nicer if I were with someone.'' So,After taking a leave of absence and working at a company for half a year, I hesitated a bit about choosing the gap-year Jeju stay as an escape.I did hesitate. But looking back now, I''m glad I went ahead.

With an excited heart I boarded the plane to Jeju, and when I arrived there was one more staff sister working with me. Except for the last week, we slept, woke up, and shared every meal together for two months, so I never felt alone. Week after week the vacation season approached and I met many domestic and international tourists. There were many Chinese proportionally, but I only knew ''nihao'' in Chinese while the staff sister was fairly good. When she was there I asked her questions, and when I was alone I communicated with English and body language.

I wasn''t the only one who came to Jeju alone; there were quite a few solo travelers. Among foreigners, many also came to Jeju alone. Sometimes people would strike up conversations first, and thanks to that I had many talks. I mainly spoke English with foreigners; even if my skills didn''t skyrocket, it helped me not lose my feel for foreign languages. I talked with people from various countries — China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United States — and I never once had an unenjoyable conversation. I enjoyed chatting, and though each parting with them soon after felt sad, in the end I felt that if I hadn''t come here it would have been even more regrettable, and I thought it was good that I applied to the gap-year program.

# I''ll live close to the water

Isn''t Jeju the island of dreams for Koreans? Not for you? At least it was for me. Ever since the high school field trip where I was dragged here and there, I always promised I''d come back just to have fun, and I finally came through the gap year. Jeju''s summer was unpredictable. Some days the sun was so blazing that just looking out the window from indoors felt impossible, and other days emergency disaster alerts warned from dawn about heavy rain advisory and typhoons. On a rainy day I went near Yongduam, felt the true taste of the sea breeze, and returned having used up all my energy for the day.

For the first two weeks I held back on hot days because it felt like I would melt if I went out. But later, as long as there wasn''t heavy wind and rain, I trusted sunscreen, pulled a wide-brimmed hat down, and went wherever. Summer, after all, was the sea.The winter sea is certainly atmospheric, but Jeju''s summer sea is truly radiant. On bright sunny days it was refreshing just to look at, and around sunset it was indescribably beautiful.

The beach I visited most often was Iho Tewoo Beach. It was the closest to the guesthouse. The water that was the warmest and prettiest...was Gimnyeong Seongsegi Beach, and the place best for water play was Gwakji Gwamul Beach. Not only beaches,I also climbed Eoseungsangak near Hallasan, (they say Hallasan is a nine-hour round trip. Unless you''re usually conditioned by hiking,it seemed impossible, so I chose a nearby place to climb.) It was a foggy day, but I felt like I had climbed above the clouds — a feeling I''d never experienced before.It was a foggy day, but I felt like I had climbed above the clouds — a feeling I''d never experienced before.

Also, from the guesthousethe Jeju Museum of Art was close so I went once, and the surrounding natural scenery was so beautiful that after finishing the exhibitionI even intentionally waited for a bus right in front and sat quietly for 30 minutes to admire it.

# Wherever I went, the thing I remembered most was the people

I haven''t been to many places even before Jeju, but after coming to Jeju,what stands out most vividly are the people.The conversations I shared with them, the air at that time, the feeling of being understood andthe thrill when I heard comforting words.The past two months were the same.

The guesthouse owner (aunt) andthe staff sister I worked with are the clearest memories of Jeju. The aunt always responded with a smiling face and listened thoughtfully to everything from my trivial storiesto my worries. She always listened thoughtfully, and with the staff sister every night late...I would watch TV until late, and before falling asleep I’d search for popular restaurants in Jeju, chat and laugh about where to go the next day, and then fall asleep.I did.

Before going to Jeju, I think I left because I was worn out by people and wanted to get away. Even though I left, I still needed people.Again rubbing shoulders and living with others, and constantly encountering many people over two months, I...discovered many sides of myself I had never seen before.And I think I vaguely began to understand that preciousness adults talk about.

I chose to escape from an annoying reality, but it turned out to be something I couldn''t avoid, and through my time in Jeju...I learned how to enjoy it. There were many people who helped me get there, and I feel grateful to them.

# How to enjoy Jeju in the hot summer

Jeju''s summer is hot. Much hotter than I expected. But the landscapes you arrive at after pushing through that heat are truly...marvelous.Depending on my mood each day—if I wanted to see the sea, I went to the sea; if I wanted mountains, I went to the mountains; if I wanted to see an exhibition...I went to the art museum.Because I visited in summer, the place I most want to recommend is without doubt...the beaches. Gimnyeong Seongsegi Beach and Gwakji Gwawul Beach were especially beautiful. The water wasn''t cold—just pleasantly cool.It was.

Hallasan feels like a place worth attempting even if you don''t climb to the very top, or otherwise climbing one of the nearby oreums or Eoseungsan...and coming back down still gave a great sense of accomplishment. In Seogwipo, the Lee Jung-seop Museum and the streets made me feel like I was on a set designed to look like the old days.It gave the impression of being on a film set.

# A time my inner strength grew firmer — gap year

I came to know the me I already knew more clearly, and it was an opportunity to discover parts of myself I hadn’t known. I felt more of what brings me joy and what makes me happy. In short, although I spent two months alone in a new place...I wasn''t completely by myself, so through others and through solitary time...I had time to reflect on myself, and my inner strength feels a little firmer than before participating.It feels stronger.

I wondered whether I could meet the goals that many gap year programs aim for, or...I think my worries about ''what if I don''t gain those things'' were needless.

# A word to those hesitating to join Gap Year Stay: "Highly recommended!"

Perhaps because I arrived with no grand expectations, the feeling of satisfaction was even greater. Of course, Jeju...When you think of a Jeju guesthouse, the image that comes to mind is often ''the sea outside the window,'' but this guesthouse was far from that image and the expected...There were days when Jeju''s sunlight was much hotter, and days when it quickly turned gray and heavy rain fell, with the sea like a storm.The wind could drain all of one''s energy for the day in just a few hours, but we couldn''t have expected everything, and it was our first time.I think it became a memory.

If you''ve already traveled to Jeju a lot, or lived there for a few weeks, or know it well,I would recommend a gap year stay in Busan or Gyeongju.If you usually feel a sense of mystique about Jeju,and if you love nature, I would highly recommend it. As advice, I think it''s about having a heart that can see slow-paced Jeju as lovely.I think it''s the kind of mindset that can look upon it with loving eyes.Also, be open to meeting the many travelers, tourists, and people you work with there,such as staff and guesthouse owners, and don''t be intimidated by foreign languages,and I think you''ll be able to enjoy each day more.

Gap Year Project TIP

- The accommodation owner (often an older woman) will usually prepare most meals with care, but if there''s something you want, it''s good to say so. Living as if you were at home and keeping up with daily cleaning will make it easier to take part in activities.