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#Increased confidence in English; overcame fear of speaking English #Improved English proficiency; strengthened bonds with international friends #The joy of continuously taking on new challenges
This project greatly boosted my confidence in English, and I formed bonds with foreign friends that I would never have met if I''d stayed in Korea. I want to keep those relationships and maintain good ties with them.
- Study English enjoyably without stress, and that''s it! / Woo Byung-yun, gap year participant / 12 weeks of gap year |
Currently, South Korea is,
Each year 60,000 middle and high school students drop out, 346,000 people in their 20s are idle with no dreams, and the 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 workers do not feel happy.Many people tell others to ''dream,'' but to solve this problem that lacks practical methods and support, we want to introduce the ''gap year'' to South Korea.
''Gap year'' (Gapyear)refers to taking a break from or balancing studies and work and spending time on various activities such as volunteering, travel, internships, education, and starting a business,as a period to set the direction for moving forward; it is a culture encouraged in the United States, Europe, Japan, and elsewhere.
English had always been a source of stress — I went to the Philippines to overcome my fear of speaking English.
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Hello~ I''m Woo Byung-yun, a job-seeker struggling financially.I''m 27 years old this year,After being discharged as a military officer, I learned about the gap year and decided to participate in the project.I began learning English in elementary school, but English has always been stressful for me. I didn''t want to be held back by English anymore, so after consulting with the director, I started studying English in the Philippines to overcome my fear of speaking English.
Before departure, for the spare time I''d have in the Philippines, I favored e-books to minimize the bulk of books to read, and at the gap year orientation I received achecklist and went over the items again,checked them, and then looked through othertravel communities to see if there was anything else I might need, and I prepared carefully.Through internet searches,I was able to obtain travel guide files.. For currency exchange, a service called Sunny Banking offered up to a 90% preferential rate,so I applied online, picked it up at the airport, and was able to complete the exchange conveniently.
A tip about what to pack: it''s best to bring a suitcase with plenty of space. I only took a 20-inch suitcase and a backpack, and it was a struggle to fit souvenirs and items bought locally, so I had very little space on the way back. Also,it''s more practical to buy shampoos and similar items locally rather than bringing them, which helps meet baggage weight limits.If you really can''t manage your luggage, bringing one more bag into the cabin can be effective.
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Upon arriving at the Philippine airport,the manager picked me up right at the airport, so I could get to the language school comfortably without getting lost. A typical day usuallystarts with waking up at 7, washing, and then having breakfast from 7:20 to 8:00. Meals are mainly Korean, with occasional Western or other dishes; overall the soups were tasty but the rest was so-so. Other students who brought seaweed and gochujang used them well. Basic Korean foods like seaweed and gochujang can be found locally.
And classes start immediately from 8:00, proceeding for five periods in a pattern of 45-minute lessons with 5-minute breaks.The last period before lunch is a 40-minute class, and lunch time is one hour from 12:00 to 13:00.From 13:00 to 17:00 it proceeds in the same way, and dinner time is from 17:30 to 18:10.From 17:00 you can go out, and you only need to return to the accommodation before 22:00. If the next day is a day off and there is no exam, it''s okay to come back by midnight, but most friends usually prefer self-study over going out.
Grammar improved quickly with consistent practice, but vocabulary was always what held me back. Therefore, for future participants, studying vocabulary in advance will be very helpful.AndPeople who are too passive or inactive tend to improve slowly, so becoming somewhat bold and more proactive helps improve English skills in a shorter time.
# People I met in the Philippines, and various activities
It was my first time spending Lunar New Year abroad so I was worried, but I didn''t experience much inconvenience since I didn''t have much freedom even while in the military. Besides, I had been to the Philippines once before during university for about five weeks, so I adapted more easily. To be honest, compared to before the room was a bit smaller and although disinfection was ongoing there were insects like mosquitoes, so the accommodation was somewhat disappointing, but the language school I attended for this project was much better for the curriculum and for learning English.
Also, it was nice to stay for a long time and meet various people.Regina, a Japanese who looks mature but is soft at heart; Natsumi, who expresses herself clearly; Naoko, who can''t drink much; Meshi, who can''t pronounce the ''S'' sound,I was able to enjoy spending time with many people from all over the world—Judy''s mother who stayed for half a year and her twin brothers, Smith, Heesu, Song, Steve, and many others—traveling to various places together.
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I chose this project for my gap year because I wanted to gain confidence in English and also wanted to study and have fun to my heart''s content.During the week I focused on studying, and on weekends I focused on having fun and enjoyed various activities.Among them, the most memorable and enjoyable activity wasthe experience of scuba diving. I got a license here and enjoyed diving about 30 times. Cebu in the Philippines is truly the perfect island for enjoying diving.I regretted not having a waterproof action cam; if you want to enjoy diving or underwater activities, bringing a waterproof action cam will help you make many great memories.
Among them, the place I most recommend is ''Malapascua Island''. From Cebu North Bus Terminal you take a bus or van (the van costs 200 pesos) to reach Maya Port, then take a boat to Malapascua Island (large boat 100 pesos, small boat 20 pesos, total 120 pesos). When you arrive you''ll see many Westerners tanning; the island isn''t large, so you can tour it by bike in half a day. Above all, it has many famous diving points, so if you''ve obtained a diving license I highly recommend coming!
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When I was in the Philippines it was February to April, which is the dry season, so the weather was really nice. It was very clean and clear, which was wonderful.Meeting people of various nationalities, learning about them and interacting helped me forget much of my fear of using English, and communicating in English with the owner of a foreign diving shop and being able to ask for what I wanted felt really good.Through this projectI gained a lot of confidence in English and developed bonds with foreign friends that I would never have known if I had stayed in Korea.I want to keep in touch with them and maintain good relationships.
A word to the next participants of this project: Cebu is an island with many places to visit. Keep challenging yourself with new things!
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My gap year is
Experience★★★★☆
Interacting with people of various nationalities broadens your perspective.
Learning★★★★☆
The English curriculum is fairly good, and there are sufficient conditions for studying.
Environment★★★☆☆
Located on Mactan Island rather than Cebu, it feels somewhat dated, but Cebu is similar except for some areas.
Safety★★☆☆☆
Incidents and accidents occur frequently here.
Leisure★★★★☆
There are various sports activities available, and diving is especially recommended.
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Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
