A more accepting attitude toward others; gained positive energy, Busan Gap Year Stay Review: "Excitement upon Excitement, Rest upon Rest"

#A more accepting attitude toward others; gained positive energy #New experiences in Busan, surfing #Became more diligent thanks to a regular routine

Author: Jeong Boram
Country / City: North America/Canada/Toronto
Views : 2743

I applied to Busan because I wanted an opportunity to reassess myself. Busan is in the same country but far from Gyeonggi-do where I live, and because it''s a city loved by travelers, I not only wanted to feel its charm but, furthermore, I wanted to immerse myself in that city.

- Looking at the sea is time to reflect on myself — Busan! Gap Year Stay / Jeong Boram gap-year traveler / 4-week gap year

# Going to Busan, the city loved by travelers!

I applied to Busan because I wanted to finish or focus more on things I hadn''t completed last year, and to have an opportunity to reassess myself. Busan is in the same country but far from Gyeonggi-do where I live,Because it''s a city loved by travelers, I not only wanted to feel its charm but furthermore wanted to blend into the city.

Also, I wanted to meet and befriend other travelers who came to Busan and people who had lived in Busan for a long time, and while staying there I planned to go surfing diligently and catch proper waves. Through this, ultimately I hoped to develop a more accepting and positive attitude toward others. I wanted to leave the neighborhood I had lived in since childhood and live in a different city to feel that sense of newness, and I applied because I wanted to accumulate a new city, new friends, and new experiences and return to teach my students energetically with a refreshed mindset.

▲Rainy day damp Busan.

# Catching Both Vacation and Surfing at Once!

So I applied for a gap year stay and spent my summer vacation in Songdo, Busan.It''s a ''gap year'' program, but only for one month for me.This was my third time in Busan. Once during college without any plans, and once last year for the Busan International Film Festival.I felt I had done some sightseeing before, so this time I planned to live like a Busan local, visiting places Busan people usually go — more authentically Busan spots.

▲ Fried yukpo (dried beef). They say it''s even placed on ancestral ritual tables in Busan. Culture shock. Busan people were surprised that it was my first time trying it.

Still, if I had to pick the tourist spots I liked while staying in Busan,Yonggungsa Temple, Gukje Market, Dongbaekseom, Dongnae Hot Springs. The best among them was Busan''s Dadaepo Beach, which I visited about every other day.It''s a beach more frequented by Busan residents than tourists, with a family-like atmosphere — neither too empty nor too crowded. Various bus routes run frequently so it''s easy to access by public transport, and it''s kept clean.During the summer holiday season, stand-up paddleboard competitions were sometimes held, and on windy days you could watch people kiteboarding — the kites against Dadaepo''s wide sea and sunset were truly a spectacle.

Another of the best experiences at Dadaepo is surfing — this place has some of the longest and cleanest waves in the country, and on summer days when waves come in well you can catch beautiful, powerful waves that rival overseas surf spots. In fact, Dadaepo is well-known for Mowoondae and the Sunset Fountain, but I didn''t really get to see them properly because I was surfing every time. I recommend it to tourists tired of the overly crowded Haeundae or Gwangalli in Busan.

▲ Dadaepo Beach

# No Time to Feel Lonely — New Families I Made in Busan

The program I applied for in the gap year wasworking five days a week, four hours a day at a guesthouse located at Songdo Beach, and receiving room and board.It was. When I calculated my plan to play and eat in Busan for a month, after paying a month''s accommodation my bank account looked like it would be empty, so in May I was planning and looking and found this program.

A day in Busan went like this. At 9 a.m. I''d wipe the sleep from my eyes and go down to the guesthouse desk on the first floor to answer phones or attend to guests (which is to say, I sometimes spaced out or searched for that day''s wave photos), then have breakfast and morning coffee with the staff. At 11 a.m. check-out time I''d start cleaning rooms. After finishing room cleaning and at 1 p.m. I''d wash off the sweat, take a city bus out, and surf at Dadaepo beach until sunset. If there were no waves or I was too exhausted, I''d go shopping and sightseeing in Nampo-dong or Seomyeon.

▲ Guesthouse lobby

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the two days I rested at the guesthouse, I was able to travel to nearby southern regions like Namhae or Geoje. A trip within a trip! Excitement upon excitement, rest within rest. It was truly sweet.Even after the 2-night, 3-day trip ended, I kept returning to the travel destination. Every time I returned to the guesthouse, the staff member Hyunji, the owner, and the auntie greeted me. It felt like I had a family in Busan. Although I had been away from home for a month, I didn''t feel lonely at all. Sorry, mom..

▲ The beautiful Namhae sea

On hot summer days, splitting a month of rest into working four hours a day might feel like a waste of time, bothersome, or tiring, but because of it I was able to maintain a regular routine and stay active while getting around.The time and moments given to me now, the beautiful Busan sea and city were so precious that I didn''t want to miss a single one.

▲ Tourist pose against the backdrop of Gwangalli''s night view

# A gap year will bring you joy and new energy!

When I was a student I couldn''t enjoy vacations like this, and now that I lack free time I feel a lot of regret. From the perspective of a working person, it may seem that university students have more time, but in reality students, burdened by expensive tuition and job-hunting pressure, find it far from easy to properly enjoy their breaks. For Korean university students, except for studying abroad or internships, taking a year off to do what you''ve always wanted takes great courage.

But whether you''re a student or a worker, I want to tell you that even if you spend a year doing only what you want in your life, you don''t need to worry about falling behind others or ending up with a completely different life.Rather, if you have a proper plan and enjoy yourself fully, it''s clear that those valuable experiences and memories will make you a more remarkable person.Indeed.

Whether you''re a student or a worker, I hope many young people, like me, will have the opportunity through a gap year to do what they want with a concrete plan, for as short as a month or as long as a few years.This opportunity will bring you joy and new energy even when you return to your daily life, and it will give you the driving force to study or work!

# A word of advice for participants who will join the gap year project!

Don''t hesitate—plan ahead and apply!!!!!

My gap year is,

Experience ★★★★★

I was able to enjoy things I couldn''t in everyday life through the opportunity of a gap year.

Learning ★★★☆☆

While traveling I was able to mingle with various people and experience the culture of different regions.

Environment ★★★★☆

It''s a place where I can feel the Busan I wanted.

Safety ★★★★★

Using the guesthouse facilities, I had no concerns about safety.

Leisure ★★★★★