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#Changed the way I treat myself; a more relaxed mindset #Living like a local in Paris; interacting with a variety of people #Appreciation for the value of time; experience of overcoming terror
I liked the gap year''s motto of taking time for myself, and having had brief overseas experiences during college breaks, I applied to Paris, France because I wanted to find out what path I truly wanted.
- Paris, France, Gap Year stay / Kim Minji — gap-year family, gapper / 8-week gap year |
#A working life that started earlier than others
I graduated from university early and became a young office worker.Because I took an unexpected early job, my university life actually lasted only about a year and a half. While my friends were busy taking vacations and having time for themselves, I think I was envying them and being worn down by working life.
#Paris: I left to take time for myself
These days social media has a huge impact. Even if I don''t move, the waves of social media reach me. The people I saw through social media seemed better off than me and appeared to be living good lives, which made me jealous. As two years passed in a numb way, I came across gap year programs on Facebook.
I liked the gap year''s motto of taking time for myself, having had brief overseas experiences during college breaks, I applied to Paris, France because I wanted to find out what path I truly wanted.
#The bad news received before departure
On the last day, when I had notified my company of my resignation and was wrapping up my work, an unprecedented terrorist attack occurred in Paris and drew worldwide attention. Without detailed information, and thinking that terrorist incidents occur relatively often in Europe, I assumed this too would be resolved quickly.
But the next morning I realized firsthand how horrific the Paris attack really was. There were talks of borders being closed and rumors that operations at airports and train stations would be suspended.I had resigned to do a gap year in Paris, but I was very scared about whether it was okay to proceed as planned.Worried that my safety might be threatened, I monitored the internet up until just before leaving and fretted about the departure.
#I wanted to at least try or take on the challenge of what I wanted to do.
I contacted the gap year program to ask whether it was okay to proceed, concerned about continuing the schedule; I remember they kindly replied even though it was probably the weekend. They said the local gappers were safe. Having resigned, I had nowhere to return to,Even if I were denied departure, I wanted to at least attempt or challenge carrying out what I wanted.
#"Everything will be fine"
Finally, on the day of departure, even after arriving at the plane at Incheon Airport that would take me, I remember doubting whether I was really going to Paris."Everything will be fine" — I simply comforted myself with that thought.After transiting through Dubai and arriving in London, I took the Eurostar to Paris. As I had been notified by text, I went to the guesthouse and met the staff who would be working with me. And so my gap year began.
#The tasks I was assigned at the guesthouse
My job was supposed to be the guesthouse''s night tour, but since it was only two weeks after the attack and the atmosphere in Paris wasn''t great, the night tour was temporarily on hold. The person who should have handed over the night tour duties was already gone from the guesthouse, so I first learned the duties from the morning and evening staff.
Aside from morning, evening, and ''keep'' duties, in my free time I went into the city to see which tourist spots the night tour would visit and walked around. After a few days, the owner assigned me a task different from the night tour.He told me to create a ''guesthouse promotion template'' for the blog.He said that if I made two guesthouse blog posts a week, I could use the remaining time as free time.
#Thinking about promoting the guesthouse wherever I went
Writing blog posts wasn''t easy, butWhenever I went somewhere, I constantly thought about posts and what aspects would help promote the guesthouse.I set Saturday as my deadline and handed the posts to the owner without missing it. That resulted in 14 guesthouse posts.
#How much pride did I have living in my country.
Outside of the time spent posting, I wandered around various tourist sites and took a look into the lives of Parisians, and, true to a city rich in cultural heritage, I visited well-organized museums and exhibitions to examine artifacts preserved from ancient times through to the modern era. Even a passing encounter or just a conversation...Seeing Parisians who take exceptional pride in the city they live in, I think I reflected on how much pride I had while living in my own country.
Later, these interests became a resource I could use to explain things to guests. I didn''t have a lot of knowledge, but I remember that we looked things up together and came to understand them.
#Each otherBringing out different life stories, empathizing, and listening.
The times I spent with guests at the guesthouse were the most fun. In other words, the evening shift, the wine party. Guests who had spent their days differently, people whose days accumulated into different lives...The times when we pulled out each other''s stories, empathized, listened, and shared experiences were grateful and beautiful moments for me.
Most guests were around my age, but there were also many older guests who stayed with us consistently. I think this is an advantage of a guesthouse rather than a youth hostel — the age divisions aren''t strict. So when people with different depths of experience shared their stories, the wine was gone quickly and time flowed by easily.
#Feeling the value of time.
In my case, I arrived just after the Paris terrorist attacks and was able to spend Christmas, the year-end, holidays, and New Year there, so the quickly passing time felt very meaningful. I knew very well that being able to be with wonderful guests and a good staff was a very happy thing. It was a gap year when I felt the value of time most.I knew that this time would pass someday, but since I couldn''t stop or postpone it, I lived so earnestly that I felt there were no wasted hours except for the time spent sleeping.
#I finally felt freedom during my gap year.
Having emptied everything to some extent and left, I finally felt freedom in my gap year.There was nothing chasing me and nothing I had to chase.Having been under so much stress at work, I loved this freedom. It felt healing in itself. Because this mindset formed my base, I think I was able to guide guests—the most important factor at the guesthouse—more warmly and without burden.
#Every day I praised myself inwardly for not turning away then.
Because a terrorist attack occurred in Paris, FranceIf I had been frightened and given up, I would not have felt these precious times, so I want to keep them carefully so as not to forget them.I praised myself inwardly every day for not turning back then.
Although there is no longer the guesthouse in Paris, the much more relaxed life than in Korea, or the "Navigo" (the reason I had to go out on my days off), I have no doubt that the gap year held in my heart will remain an excellent nourishment and continue to help me grow.
My gap year is..
Spending quite a long time abroad and being able to interact with others became a very important and memorable experience. I think I learned ways to maintain positive thinking. It was enjoyable to vicariously experience what others told me. Non-touristy places were more interesting, and you must always be cautious of pickpockets. The accommodation is clean but not new, so to some extentyou should take that into account. When I went it was right after the terror attack in Paris, so it actually felt safer thanks to the police presence, but there is still a global threat of terrorism...so you should be cautious. It''s a gap year for me, but you still have to work for the guesthouse about 5 hours a day, and up to 12 hours including upkeep duties. If you''re only thinking about leisure, not recommended!
 ▼▼▼Not sure which kind of gap year is best for you?▼▼▼ 
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