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#Found answers about myself; life became more stable #Plenty of time to reflect on the direction of my life #Enjoyed various experiences, including festivals
Ever since entering university I lived amid relentless competition and became exhausted by it, and I realized that ''it''s not about competing—when everyone is happy, I can be happy too.''I wanted to enrich my gap year not just with rest or hobbies, but by spending that time volunteering to help others.
- Cheerful English-teaching volunteer work with foreign friends in Chiang Rai, Thailand / Jang Ji-hyang, gap-year ''gapper'' of the Gap-Year Tribe / 8-week gap year |
Currently, South Korea is,
each year 60,000 middle and high school students drop out, 346,000 people in their 20s are idle because they have no dreams, and the job turnover rate within one year of employment has entered the 40% range,75% of university students are not satisfied with college life, and over 80% of workers report not feeling happy.Many people tell others to dream, but to solve the problem of having no practical methods or support, we aim to introduce the ''gap year'' to South Korea.
''Gap year'' refers to a time when one pauses or balances study and work and engages in various activities such as volunteering, travel, internships, education, or entrepreneurship,it is a period for setting the direction for the future, and it is a cultural practice encouraged in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and elsewhere.
# I wanted to live a life where everyone is happy, not one of competition
Hello!I majored in product design and was busy with university life, but one day I felt that this wasn''t the way to spend my university years, so I immediately took a leave of absence the following semester.My name is Jang Ji-hyang, and I''m spending my time doing the things I wanted to do while I was supposed to be in school. Not long ago I watched Disney''s ''Big Hero 6'' and saw the humanoid robot Baymax and thought, ''This is it!''
The reason is that I watched the movie three times in one month; I loved Baymax''s warm actions, and I realized that every time I saw Baymax, a smile unknowingly appeared on my face.At that moment I felt that the product design I should create isn''t merely a matter of type; my designs should make users feel warmth. So I wanted to gain diverse experiences, meet many people in society, and form relationships to develop my own design.
However,Since entering university I had lived amid relentless competition and became exhausted; I realized that ''it''s not about competing—when everyone is happy, I can be happy too.''For me, more than anything else, being positive and mentally happy is the greatest joy.
So when I first learned about this project,I didn''t want to spend my gap year merely resting or pursuing hobbies; I wanted to expose myself to different environments, meet people from various cultures to talk with them, and enrich my life through volunteer work that helps others.
Furthermore, as Steve Jobs said, I needed a ''dot'' in my life. In his commencement speech at Stanford he talked about ''connecting the dots''; those ''dots'' represented turning points in his life. I wanted to create a turning point in my life by sharing with people through this project.
# An unforgettable best birthday spent with friends from various countries
Before joining the project, because I would be teaching children I thought it would be good to learn Thai, so I studied a little, but the script was sodifficult that I couldn''t learn it all and went feeling a little regretful. The local projectruns one class in the morning and one in the afternoon; usually we plan the lessons in the morning, and after returning weenter class evaluations on the site. In addition to regular classes, there is simple tutoring in the evening where you teach according to the student''s level,and that''s all you need to do. Outside of the two regular classes and the tutoring time you have personal time and can spend it freely,
I met many people through this project and they were all wonderful, so it''s hard to name them all, but there is one person I am especially grateful to. In the first lesson...They were a friend who had come a month earlier than I did but was leaving on the same day as me. In the first class, when I felt unfamiliar, they kept...helping with the class and giving me lots of advice when preparing, so thanks to that friend I was able to adjust well and have an enjoyable time...I was able to.
And there was a day that moved me the most: it was my birthday.I was going to let it pass quietly, but my birthday was found out from the morning and I received congratulations from the whole group all day...I received them. It will be an unforgettable birthday celebration.AndAt the intersection with the Golden Clock Tower in Chiang Rai, there was a café I really liked called Nangnon Coffee,I often went there on weekends for breakfast.I usually ordered a latte, and they created a new latte art each time, so I was moved every time...I was touched.
I took part in indoor education volunteering, but at that time, besides the indoor education volunteering, there were also outdoor activities (link ▶a hands-on village-building project in Chiang Rai, Thailand with foreign friends) that some people were doing; that activity also looked fun and rewarding. If you stay for a long time, rather than doing only indoor education volunteering,it might be good to do one month indoors and the remaining month outdoors.
What was disappointing was that the facilities were really poor.I had no expectations, but I thought, ''Still, people live here so it should be bearable,'' yet no matter how much I tried to get attached over the two months...I couldn''t.Whatever you imagine, it will be more than that, so please go with no expectations. Especially if you have back problems, the beds are very uncomfortable, so I personally recommend bringing an air mattress or a sleeping bag.Still, aside from the facilities, everything else was good.
Before joining the project, I wanted to know more about myself.Because I went through university driven by time, I wanted, even for a short while, not to be chased by time, not to think about other things, and to focus only on myself.What I like and dislike, what I''m good at, andfurthermore, what kind of person I want to become.
This projectmatched my purpose and had a relaxed schedule, so it gave me enough time to think about the direction of my life, and the projectduring it I found answers to some questions about myself.And after returning from the project,now I am taking those answers and doing what I want to do, and my life is progressing steadily.
My gap year was
Experience★★★★★
It was fun. Especially when I went, there were many events in Thailand — from festivals to the King''s birthday, Christmas, and New Year''s Day.I met many good people, and because we had similar concerns, we were able to share various ideas.
Learning★★★☆☆
I didn''t learn from someone teaching me. What I learned from experience is to just go ahead and try things.
Environment★☆☆☆☆
No matter what you imagine, the accommodations are poor. The washing machine barely works, the bathroom often clogs, and the mattress is flimsy.But what can you do? It''s not my home, so I can''t really demand changes to suit me.
Safety★★★★★
The center is in a secluded area, which can make it safe, and Chiang Rai city is also safe.
Leisure★★★★★
Short weekend getaways were the best times for me, since I prefer relaxed, loafing-style trips to tightly scheduled travel. Friends...I went on trips with friends and also spent time wandering around the city alone. I often had plenty of time even when it wasn''t the weekend.I mostly read books, chatted with friends, and occasionally went jogging or took walks.
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