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#Overcame the fear of being alone; increased confidence #A new dream; interactions with diverse people #The aunt's warmth; precious experiences in Paris
After graduating from university without ever taking a leave of absence, I got a job right away and after quitting, I...I wanted to find out what I really thought and what my true dream was.The first place I went to alone as soon as I arrived in Paris was the Eiffel Tower. I used to be so scared I said I couldn''t do things alone, so when I bought eight Eiffel Tower keychains for 1 euro at the Eiffel Tower, Yoonji, owner Yeonsu and even the guests with us applauded me!
Paris, France — Gap Year Stay Review / Kim Hajung, Gap-year traveler / 8-week gap year |
Currently, South Korea is,
Each year 60,000 middle and high school students drop out, 346,000 people in their twenties are just hanging out 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 more than 80% of office workers do not feel happy.Many people tell them to dream, but to solve this problem that lacks practical methods and support, we aim to bring the ''gap year'' to South Korea.
''Gap Year (Gapyear)''is a time to pause or balance study and work and, through various activities such as volunteering, travel, internships, education, and entrepreneurship,serve as a period to set the direction for the future; it is a culture encouraged in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and other places.
# I wanted to find out what I really thought and what my true dream was.
After graduating from university without ever taking a leave of absence, I got a job right away and after quitting, I...I wanted to find out what I really thought and what my true dream was.
That''s when I found out about the Paris Gap Year stay.Through the gap year I wanted to know how well I could adapt to a new environment, I couldn''t speak French and I had fears about doing things alone, so I wondered whether I could actually live in Paris for about two months, and I wanted to overcome that fear..
# I, who had difficulty doing things alone, went to the Eiffel Tower by myself.
I had never lived abroad alone, so I think I worried up until just before departure. I was tense from boarding the plane at Incheon Airport, transiting through Munich Airport, arriving at Charles de Gaulle Airport, and until I found the guesthouse.
When I first arrived at the guesthouse, I was so...Thanks to Yeonsu and owner Yoonji, who greeted me so warmly, my tension eased; I fell asleep as soon as I arrived, and the next morning, after eating the landlady''s meal, I thought I had arrived safely.
The first place I went to alone as soon as I arrived in Paris was the Eiffel Tower. I used to be so scared I said I couldn''t do things alone, so when I bought eight Eiffel Tower keychains for 1 euro at the Eiffel Tower, Yoonji, owner Yeonsu and even the guests with us applauded me!
# It was so amazing and enjoyable that people who had lived in different worlds at the same time gathered, shared information on the same topics, and had a great time together..
While working the afternoon shift, I had many opportunities to interact with various guests.
Big-spending older sisters from Guangzhou who came for shopping and foodie tours; an entertaining older sister who works as an art teacher in Korea; a father traveling alone on his wife''s recommendation who says his love of wine is a secret from his wife; younger siblings who looked like a photoshoot no matter where they were photographed and who came traveling with a friend before studying; a funny single bachelor guy from Vietnam; a Japanese woman who seemed Korean who came to Paris with her Korean boyfriend before their wedding; a stylish online shopping CEO; a mother whose son is a college student doing a solo backpacking trip; a small, cute friend who left us a potted plant as a gift; friends who turned out to be hometown acquaintances; and the very cheerful NIKITA who runs a fashion blog, etc.
Every evening I shared stories about our pasts and futures with various guests, and it was so amazing and enjoyable that people who had lived in different worlds at the same time gathered to share information on the same topics and have fun together.
An aunt who felt like a mother was also a big part of my life in Paris.
If my aunt hadn''t been in Paris, I think I would have missed Korea a lot.
Thanks to my aunt, who never complained even when things were hard and always thought of us first, my body and heart felt warm. She cooked warm meals every morning and evening, worried if I didn''t eat breakfast or dinner, and whenever I offered to help she would just say it was fine. If there''s something I miss in Paris, one of them is my aunt. I miss you, Aunt!
My personal recommended Paris travel spot: Moret-sur-Loing.
The place I really want to recommend is Moret-sur-Loing, the village famous for Sisley.
From Gare de Lyon → get off at Moret-Veneux-les-Sablons and walk about 30 minutes to reach the village. From Lyon station take the R line toward Montargis/Montereau and get off at Moret-Veneux-les-Sablons. When I was there, trains left Lyon at :19 and :49 every hour.
I used to be afraid of traveling alone, but it was a relaxed, quiet country village where I could go by myself, sit in the park, and eat bread.SiAs many painters, including Sisley, drew inspiration there, it was a really beautiful village you couldn''t see in Paris.
If you''re going to Paris for two months, I''d recommend just going to travel.
If you''re a student, be sure to bring your international student ID. Museums and galleries in Paris offer useful discounts. Learning basic French greetings and numbers will be very helpful when traveling or working. Also, bring your official digital certificate and credit card to prepare for various situations, so be sure to take them.
I worked as an afternoon staff member at the guesthouse. Since my position wasn''t fixed at first, I learned both morning and afternoon duties and ended up working the afternoon shift. Staff members had different preferences for morning/afternoon/tour work.
Morning shift 08:00–13:00 / afternoon shift 20:00–closing / tours vary daily. Morning/afternoon/tour each have their own pros and cons, so there''s no set easy or hard job. Since it''s the position you''ll have for two months, if you approach it positively you can enjoy it.
Staff had separate rooms so there wasn''t much inconvenience inside the guesthouse, and the aunt''s cooking was truly the best! Thanks to her, I gained a lot of weight while in Paris.
Again, if you''re going to Paris for two months just to travel, I''d recommend simply traveling. We are provided with contracted work and accommodation, and you can use the rest of the time to travel.
I hope you won''t be too stressed by the KEEP schedule, and if you need help you can talk to the staff and the owner. The staff got along very well, and the owner is the kind of person who listens when you talk.
From now on, I plan to constantly challenge myself for my new life.
When I first applied for the gap year project, I wanted to find a new dream.
By spending time with various people! Although I didn''t ultimately find my new dream during the two months, I discovered things I want to try, and being around different people made me reflect on whether I''d been living with too rigid a mindset.
Also, whenever I wanted to do something before, I would first think ''I can''t,'' ''Can I do it?,'' ''It''s already too late.'' I used to be like that.Through the project, interacting with various people changed my thinking and gave me confidence.
Before participating in the project, most of the time I would just worry about doing something and end up not doing it.Now I try things first, just as I think of them!
From now on, I plan to continuously challenge myself for my new life.
My gap year is
Experience★★★★★
Being able to meet different people and have my own time in the romantic city of Paris was a really great experience in itself.
Learning★★★★☆
Meeting and socializing with various people.I learned a lot from listening to different stories.
Environment★★★★☆
An aunt like a mother — meals tastier than my mom’s and a comfortable bed! If it weren''t for the unavoidable hard water, it would be really great!
Safety★★★★☆
After the attacks there were many soldiers and police at tourist sites, so pickpocketing is said to have decreased a lot, but I always stayed cautious when going out.
Leisure★★★☆☆
There is a separate schedule called ''KEEP'', so if you join expecting to travel every day, it can be difficult.
