Projects
|
FAQ
|
Announcements
#Improved English proficiency; gained confidence with English in Asia #English conversation skills; experience of Filipino culture #The importance of overseas experience and the value of Korean friends
|
It was about getting the English that was only in my head out into speech, and freely talking with foreign friends and becoming friends with them. Judging by the title alone, you could say I accomplished both goals.
-Study English enjoyably without stress — that''s it! |
Q. Please give a brief self-introduction :)
Hello. I''m a university student studying law at Cheongju University. Like any other university student in Korea, I''m concerned about employment and the future. One difference is that I was able to identify and discover the difference between what I like and what I''m good at relatively earlier than my peers. To get there I spent a fair amount of time in reflection and engaged in many internal and external activities.
Q. What made you choose the gap year project you participated in?
In the cyclical college life and job preparation process, I felt at some point that I needed an opportunity to look around. I thought that prolonged deliberation would take a lot of time before making a decision, so I participated impulsively without much thought. The biggest trigger was that I had no previous overseas experience.
Q. Weren''t you worried about staying abroad for an extended period?
Because I spent most of my time living in a dormitory language academy, I was able to leave without any worries. However, I was concerned that my insufficient English skills might cause problems for the subsequent volunteer work in Cambodia.
Q. How did you prepare before departure?
I booked a plane ticket with a low-cost carrier, purchased travel insurance, and prepared basic medicines from the pharmacy. To reduce time wasted studying vocabulary at the language academy, I memorized English words in advance.
Q. What did you want to change through the gap year, or what was your goal for the gap year?
It was about getting the English that was only in my head out into speech, and freely conversing with foreign friends and becoming friends with them.
Judging by the title alone, you could say I accomplished both goals.
Q. I''m curious about how organized the local project was. Could you describe a typical day?
I wake up at 6, take a vocabulary test, and start the day with breakfast. Classes are divided into morning and afternoon with 1:1 lessons, small-group, and large-group classes. After dinner there is self-study from 6 to 8 p.m., and the official day ends after a sentence test. With over ten years of experience, the language academy''s system is very well organized. However, the proportion of Koreans on site is very high, so the frequency of Korean use is higher than expected.
Q. Through the gap year project: what you liked, what moved you, what you learned, what you realized, etc.
Most of the time was daily life at the language academy, so only a small part, but I liked that I could experience Filipino culture and meet people from diverse backgrounds.
Q. Were there people you met or were together with through the gap year project?
Although it wasn''t what I wanted, in the end the ones who remain are only Korean friends. However, when something is really urgent and necessary, only people of the same nationality stick around.
Q. What advice would you give to future participants of the gap year project?
Honestly, since studying language was my main goal, I achieved my objective by returning with my skills greatly improved—from only being able to greet people to being capable of everyday conversation.
Q. Comparing before and after participating in the gap year project?
My English skills improved dramatically. At least when it comes to speaking English with friends from other Asian countries, I gained a lot of confidence.
Q. Please tell us your personal travel route you discovered during the gap year (recommended places, itinerary, route, etc.)
It''s a good experience to try activities and have a meal together on the rooftop of a hotel called Crown Regency. Traveling with Korean friends who share the same interests and planning carefully is much cheaper than a dormitory academy group tour. Even on my first trip abroad, the unchanging truth is that traveling with good people makes the best trip.
The gap year I spent was
an experience ★★★★★
An experience of meeting people of various nationalities and learning about their thoughts and cultures.
Learning★★★★★
It wasn''t just attending English classes — living in an unfamiliar place meant I learned things I wouldn''t have known if I hadn''t left.
Environment★★★★☆
I had heard many stories, like that there are lots of insects, but the environment was fine. There were no bugs in the accommodation where I stayed.
Safety★★★☆☆
It''s safe during the day. At night it''s best to avoid going out alone, but if you go out with friends there''s not much danger.
Leisure★★★★☆
On weekdays you''re busy studying. But on weekends you can go shopping in town, enjoy good food, or take a trip to a nearby island.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
