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#Courage to take on challenges; the ability to stand on my own (independence) #Improved English skills; new friendships and connections #Changed outlook on travel; a relaxed, easygoing experience in Australia
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Through the gap year project I wanted, above all, to gain the courage to take on challenges. I often regretted not doing things because I hesitated, and each time I felt so disappointed in myself that I didn''t want to keep having those regrets. I also wanted to be someone who can stand on my own rather than someone who depends on others.
- The vast continent of Australia with international friends: an environmental conservation volunteer project / O Minju, gap year participant / 2-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 just idling without dreams, and the job turnover rate within one year after employment has entered the 40% range,75% of university students are not satisfied with campus life, and more than 80% of workers do not feel happy.Many people tell others to dream, but to solve this problem — which lacks practical methods and support — we aim to introduce the ''gap year'' to South Korea as well.
''Gap year'' (Gapyear)is a period for setting a direction for the future by either combining or temporarily pausing studies or work and engaging in various activities such as volunteering, travel, internships, education, or starting a business,and it is a culture encouraged in countries like the United States, Europe, and Japan.
A gap year chosen for unique experiences rather than simple sightseeing
Hello. After finishing my first semester as a university freshman I boldly took a leave of absence because I wanted a break. For the first six months I worked part-time at an airport; interacting with foreigners was enjoyable and watching people depart made my heart flutter. Perhaps because of that, I wanted to spend the remainder of my leave gaining overseas experience.
I didn''t have enough time to study abroad, and rather than simply sightseeing I wanted a different kind of experience, so while searching I came across the gap-year ''Australia environmental conservation volunteer'' project.Australia was a country I wanted to visit, and since it''s an English-speaking country I applied without hesitation.
It was my first time going abroad alone so I had many worries, and I was concerned about staying abroad for an extended period, but I went anyway. Through the gap year project I wanted, above all, to gain the courage to take on challenges. I often regretted not doing things because I hesitated, and each time I felt so disappointed in myself that I didn''t want to keep having those regrets. I also wanted to be someone who can stand on my own rather than someone who depends on others.
Before departureI prepared the necessary items using the gap-year checklist (if you carefully check and prepare based on the checklist provided at the gap-year orientation you''ll be fine!). I used the internet mainly to look up things like SIM cards and transportation.
Two weeks with foreign friends — I thought it would be long, but it was far too short.
A typical day for the local project: from Monday to Friday we take a car to the outskirts to volunteer. We usually leave at 8 a.m., have tea at 10:30 a.m., then lunch at 12:30 p.m., continue volunteering, finish around 3 p.m., return to accommodation, spend time with the team, have dinner, and go to sleep. There are no blankets at the office, so be sure to bring a sleeping bag!
Most team members spoke English well, whereas I only knew basic conversational skills. So I worried a lot about not being able to communicate or not making friends.But after doing hard volunteer work together, we gathered in the accommodation''s living room to play games and went for walks by the sea, and we quickly became close. The foreign friends initiated conversations, and even though my English was clumsy they were considerate — I was moved by the way we talked.At first I thought two weeks was long, but after doing it, two weeks was by no means long — rather, it was short.
The team leader was always the same, and team members who, like me, came to the country for travel and volunteering lived together at the office on weekends. Local high school and university students also sometimes joined on volunteer days for short periods. Most were in their 20s, but two seniors participated at one point. Everyone was very kind and pleasant.
New connections, the relaxed pace in Australia, and a newly discovered self
Even if your English is weak, it''s good to try to talk a lot while you''re abroad. Not only will you get closer to people, but in my case my English improved a lot in a short time and I gained confidence. And I recommend leaving plenty of time for travel outside the volunteering period. I traveled for about another week and still felt something was missing. Australia is that vast and has so much to see.
A travel tip: using day tours run by Korean operators can be helpful. They''re really useful for destinations that are hard to reach by public transport (e.g., the Great Ocean Road). In places like Melbourne, which I visited, there are free trams and a well-developed transport system, so city tours are easy.
Before going to Australia through the gap-year project, I didn''t really know why people travel or what was good about going elsewhere.But while staying in Australia I formed new and precious relationships, and traveling at a relaxed pace turned into unforgettable, meaningful memories. Through that I learned the charm of traveling alone and my perception of travel changed.I''d say it''s the biggest change compared to before my gap year ^^
My gap year was
Experience★★★★★
I was able to become close to people while volunteering together.
Learning★★★★★
I was able to learn about the cultures of friends from around the world.
Environment★★★★★
The water was clean, and it was a pleasant environment.
Safety★★★★★
Melbourne seems to be very safe.
Leisure★★★★★
I was able to make good use of the free time I had on weekends.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
