Projects
|
FAQ
|
Announcements
#Discovered and accepted a new side of myself (shyness) #Leisurely time enjoying Paris; encounters with a variety of people #Felt that the important thing is not the timing but one's determination
|
Even if it wasn''t a famous tourist spot, strolling the streets and admiring the buildings was a memorable experience. When others posed with the Eiffel Tower and captured the scenery with cameras, being able to take in that view with my eyes without worrying about taking photos was possible because I had time to spare.
- France, Paris, gap year stay / Im Hyun-jeong, gap-year family gapper / 8 weeks of gap year |
Living in Paris for two months
I thought Paris was a place you could, at most, sightsee for about a week when traveling.
However, thanks to this great opportunity I was able to stay and live in Paris for two months, and I returned after spending a meaningful time.
Above all, the best part was that having two months'' time meant I didn''t have to rush around sightseeing like other tourists.
I worked afternoons, so my finishing times weren''t fixed, and if I attended wine parties I would go to bed late, making it difficult to get up early the next day.So by the time I woke up, ate, and went out it was usually around 1–2 PM, and I would return to the accommodation around 7–7:30 PM.
At first I had planned to go out sightseeing from the morning, so I thought I wouldn''t have enough time, but it turned out to be a suitable amount of time physically, and I think I visited most of the places during the two months.
When the weather was nice I could lie in the park and relax, and if a place I wanted to visit was crowded I could save it for another time.
Even if it wasn''t a famous attraction, wandering the streets and admiring the buildings was a memorable time.
When other people posed with the Eiffel Tower and photographed the scenery, being able to take in that view with my eyes instead of worrying about taking pictures was possible because I had the time.
A time when I could meet a variety of people
The people I met at the guesthouse also made the time I spent there meaningful.
Going out with the guests was fun, and although attending wine parties was part of the job, it was a valuable opportunity to meet many different people.
Previously, I thought there was an appropriate time to travel.
That was because I believed a trip to Europe was something you could only make time for during student breaks or after taking a leave from school.
Of course, many of the people staying at the accommodation were students.
Among the students there were some unusual cases who had come after taking out loans, but there were also people preparing to change jobs, people who came for work and took some free time, and people who came on vacation — a diverse group.
What matters is willpower.
I realized that what matters is not the timing but the will.
Seeing that people who want to travel somehow make time and plan ahead so they can take trips made me rethink my belief that this would be my last trip.
Time to learn about myself
It became a time to think about myself.
There was an image of myself that I had defined.
I thought I was someone who liked socializing and was outgoing.
So when I was assigned afternoon shifts I thought it wouldn''t be difficult for me to do the work.
But being in an unfamiliar place gave me the chance to see aspects of myself I didn''t know or had forgotten.
I realized once again that I am very reserved at first and need quite a long time to become close with new people.
If there''s a difference from before, it''s that in the past I disliked that part of my personality and wanted to change it, but...I''ve come to accept that this side of me is part of who I am, and despite that personality, I felt proud of myself for interacting with people without any problems.
#Regrets also became memories.
Over the two months I learned a lot and overall it was a positive time for me, but of course there were some regrets.
What I regretted most was that there didn''t seem to be a clear manual. There was a manual listing tasks for morning, afternoon, and guide staff. For parts that weren''t mentioned, if someone suddenly asked, "Didn''t you think to do this?" I couldn''t help but be flustered.
I wasn''t able to pay attention to things that remained as they were at first, like the guest refrigerator or the bathroom shelves.
If cleaning was done once a month or every two months and it got messy, I would have at least thought to tidy things up.
SaThe boss and the staff inevitably had different perspectives, and without precise rules I couldn''t tell to what extent they expected things to be done.
Even after two months, despite these regrets, thanks to the many people I met there and everything I took in with my eyes, as time passes — even already now —I feel wistful about the two months I spent in Paris; they will truly become memories I can never forget.
My gap year,
Experience ★★★★★
It was a time I wouldn''t have been able to easily experience if I''d stayed only in Korea.
Learning ★★★★☆
Meeting many people taught me a lot—how to interact with people, how to use time meaningfully—and beyond what I had intended to learn, I was able to feel and learn many other things.
Environment ★★★★☆
Aside from a lot of noise in the bedroom, the bathroom was clean and there were generally no inconveniences.
Safety ★★★★☆
There were many Black people visible from the station to the accommodation, but there were no threatening incidents.
Leisure ★★★★☆
I think it depends on how industrious you are.
★Tips for the next participants★
Since there''s plenty of time, you don''t have to pack your schedule tightly like other travelers.
Visiting museums or galleries on their free admission days helped save costs.
When the weather is nice, lying in the park and relaxing was very pleasant.
Because the distances between attractions aren''t that far, not using the subway and just checking directions while wandering through the alleys was a great way to unexpectedly discover interesting sights.
It''s nice to use days off to visit nearby Belgium, and nearby spots like Giverny and the Palace of Versailles are suitable for day trips.
▼▼▼Want to see more projects?▼▼▼
▼▼▼Not sure what kind of gap year would suit you?▼▼▼
