Personality change, gained the courage to do things alone, Paris, France — Gap Year Stay Review: "A Bucket List Came True"

#Gained the courage to do things alone; personality change #Great friends; the fulfillment of blogging #Cherished time in Paris; the importance of relationships

Author: Choi Yujeong
Country / City: Europe/Portugal/Lisbon
Views : 3070

What I’m most proud of is that while working as a staff member at the guesthouse I met so many really good friends. I would have lunch or go see the night view with guests I got along with. Spending time with many people made me realize my personality wasn’t as sharp as I thought, and by listening to and empathizing with various guests’ stories I learned a lot indirectly.

-Paris, France, Gap Year Stay / Choi Yoo-jung, gap-year family gapper / 8 weeks of gap year

#The sad news I heard before the gap year

I still vividly remember everything—from applying to the gap-year program to the phone interview and the news of my acceptance. In the last call the owner said, “See you in Paris ^^” and hung up; even after the call I covered my mouth with my hands and bounced around for a while.

Four days before leaving for the much-anticipated Paris gap-year stay program, a terrorist attack occurred in Paris and more than 100 people were killed. At first I couldn’t believe it and kept checking the news. I was really disappointed in my own selfishness for worrying about myself first rather than being concerned about the people who were injured and killed.

The situation was more serious than I had thought, and everyone around me and my parents advised me not to depart.To be honest, I was really scared too, and I ended up contacting the gap-year coordinator and the owner to tell them I was canceling my participation in the program.After that I lost all motivation and spent every day crying, doing nothing and just lying in bed.

#Because I felt like I really wouldn’t be able to do anything from now on.

Then I thought that if the departure date passed like that I really wouldn’t be able to do anything in the future, so I persuaded my mom and dad by showing them SNS posts from people in Paris about how they were doing and by telling them how much I had prepared and looked forward to it. Fortunately both my parents allowed me to go, and when I contacted the gap-year coordinator and the owner they said I could still come.

I’m really glad I found the courage to go at that time.

#Me as a staff member

I was in charge of the morning duties at the guesthouse: getting up early to open the gate and windows, helping the aunt with meal preparation, and waking guests. I enjoyed being able to help a lot by asking guests about their daily plans over breakfast and suggesting routes or giving tips.

Every morning I checked the weather; on rainy days I recommended museums or galleries to guests, and on nice days I suggested places where they could see the sky, like the Montmartre hill or the Versailles gardens.I’m someone who sleeps a lot, so at first it was hard to wake up in the morning, but once I got used to it I liked finishing my work early in the morning and having the afternoons free.

#The days I met many good friends

What I’m most proud of is that while working as a staff member at the guesthouse I met so many really good friends. I would have lunch or go see the night view with guests I got along with.Spending time with many people made me realize my personality wasn’t so sharp, and by listening to and empathizing with the stories of various guests I learned a lot indirectly.

It was really sad whenever guests who had fun with us for as little as three days or as long as ten left the place, but thinking that it wasn’t the last time and that we could meet again in Korea rather than Paris made it easier.

#My daily records helped someone.

During the gap-year stay program I wrote about my daily life in Paris on my blog like a diary, and many people left messages and comments thanking me, saying my posts helped them know Paris was safe.

I wasn’t writing for anyone in particular, just recording everyday life, but to think it could help others! I felt really proud.

#I gained the courage to do anything on my own.

I also reread the 2015 bucket list I had written at the start of 2015 and was really surprised to see “travel abroad alone” on it. I probably wrote it without much thought back then, but now it’s strange and wonderful to see that many things I wrote on paper have come true.I still believe that writing down what you want increases the chance of it happening. I’ll continue writing a bucket list every year!

During the gap-year stay, coming abroad alone and living with people I didn’t know at all gave me the courage to do anything on my own.In an unfamiliar place I found my way alone, ate alone, and saw the night view alone; I gradually stopped worrying about what others thought and learned to take responsibility for the outcomes while doing what I wanted.

Also, back in Korea I was always attached to my smartphone, but while in Paris I didn’t use roaming, so when I left the accommodation I couldn’t use mobile data. By bookmarking places on Google Maps at Wi‑Fi spots and finding my way that way, I’ve learned I can now spend a day without getting bored even without data or Wi‑Fi.

#My score for my staff activities: 89 points

As the Gap Year stay program was coming to an end, the two months felt too short. I was only just getting used to Paris, the morning staff work, the people I lived with, and how to deal with guests—and already I had to leave… Suddenly the boss asked me to give myself a score for my staff activities.

When I looked back on the two months I had spent in Paris and said I thought I did well and gave myself an 89, the boss praised my effort and sent me on a Mont Saint-Michel tour.Two weeks before the Gap Year program ended, the last night view I saw at Mont Saint-Michel really felt like a gift I had received for all my hard work.

I was happy to be able to stay in Paris for a long time through the Gap Year Stay program, and proud to have been even a little helpful to people traveling in Paris.I guess staff work suited me—every time I felt I could help someone, I felt good. I’m truly grateful to the Gap Year program planners who gave me such a big, wonderful experience at a young age, to our bosses, to the aunt who cooked, and to the staff I worked with.

My gap year is..

Experience★★★★★

During the Gap Year stay I talked with many people and had a variety of experiences.

There were days when I went to a park I wanted to visit and sat there until the sun went down and before it rained; there were times I went out with guests and wandered around to suit them. I met a friend I really clicked with and traveled together, and a high school friend came to Paris and we began traveling together.

Learning★★★★★

For me, who took a leave from school early, it was my first real working-life experience. Through the guesthouse staff job I learned a lot from the bosses and guests, both directly and indirectly. I also learned a lot about myself—what I like and dislike, what kinds of personalities I get along with, and what makes me feel good or bad!

Environment★★★★★

The boss gave me many tips about staff work so I could spend my time off without getting bored, and the aunt’s cooking suited me very well. The room and bed I stayed in were comfortable as if they were my own. It was especially fun because I got along well with the staff I worked with.

Safety★★★★☆

I worried most about safety because of terrorism, but Paris was safe enough that I went alone to see the night view after dinner. I never once felt in danger.

Leisure★★★★☆

On days when I wasn’t off, after the morning staff duties I went out every day. Even when I had nothing to do, I would go out to see the city and buy something to eat. Then I’d quickly finish the tasks I had to do during keep time and either plan my travel after the Gap Year stay, watch backlog Korean dramas, or post diary entries on my blog. By using even the keep days as my own time this way, I had plenty of leisure time.