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#Increased self-esteem, broader horizons, and greater peace of mind #Bucket list accomplished; living like a local in Paris #Relief from needless worries; the importance of believing in oneself
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Actually, one of the reasons I decided to take a gap year was that I wanted to think about what kind of life to live in the future, but I ended up forgetting even those concerns and seemed to gain more by enjoying each moment. In the end, worrying about my future was nothing more than unnecessary anxiety.I just needed to trust myself and discover who I truly am.
-Paris, France — Gap Year Stay / Park Yoonji (gapper) / 8-week gap year
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Currently, South Korea is,
60,000 middle and high school students drop out each year, 346,000 people in their twenties are just idling because they have no dreams, and the one-year turnover rate after employment has entered the 40% range,75% of university students are not satisfied with college life, and more than 80% of office workers report not feeling happy.Many people tell them to dream, but in order to solve this problem that lacks practical methods and support, we aim to introduce the ''gap year'' to South Korea.
''Gap Year (Gapyear)''is a time to either balance studies and work or to pause briefly and, through various activities like volunteering, traveling, internships, education, or starting a business,set the direction for moving forward — a cultural practice encouraged in countries such as the United States, Europe, and Japan.
Chosen <Paris Gap Year Stay> to boost self-esteem and broaden my horizons
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A year had passed since I graduated college, but because I hadn''t settled anywhere my self-esteem had dropped from anxiety. Before taking my first steps into society, I wanted to have a precious time to decide what steps to take, so I applied. I joined this project to have time entirely for myself and to reflect on my own concerns.
Above all, although I hadn''t completed my life''s bucket list, one item was “stay in Paris for more than three weeks.” In fact, even though I wrote that on my bucket list, I knew almost nothing about France or Paris. I thought I didn''t need anything else — ''I''ll be happy just seeing the Eiffel Tower every day.''
When I first arrived in Paris, I felt like I was really just skimming the surface.Seeing famous tourist spots: “Wow~”, seeing impressive buildings: “Wow~.” That was fine at the time, but the more I stayed, the more I realized that wasn''t everything.I thought Paris was truly a city you could look at endlessly — small but stylish in every little alley.
There was nothing to miss; even taking everything in with your eyes wasn''t enough. I loved the relaxed atmosphere the city itself gave off.I went at a time when I was tired of the same routine and fed up with it, so even small things may have felt special one by one, and because I wanted to become more relaxed myself, I think I sometimes envied the leisurely lives of Parisians.
Time living as a local in the romantic city of Paris, not just as a simple tourist
Anyway, life in Paris, such a romantically bewitching city, was inevitably enjoyable. Working at the guesthouse wasn''t as difficult as I had expected, and since I really like meeting people, it was nice to get close to many by talking with them. I laugh a lot and have a positive personality, so the owner often praised me as a mood-maker and there were no particular problems with my staff duties.
In the romantic city of Paris, I didn''t feel like just a tourist but more like a local. I didn''t have to rush through tourist routes, and I could visit places I liked multiple times. That was the best.The pride I felt when I had learned so much about Paris that I could recommend routes to guests and explain transportation or directions! It was my first time in Europe, and when guests went to places I recommended and said they liked them or that the food was good, I felt really proud that I had helped make their day go well. When guests checked out and wrote in the guestbook or gave gifts, I was genuinely moved.
When I was working as guesthouse staff there were only Korean guests, so I didn''t really feel the need for language skills. Knowing simple greetings to use at shops or restaurants was enough to live without major difficulties. Andbecause it was a house where guests and other staff all lived together, at first I was embarrassed to show my bare face, but later I became very comfortable. Also,the landlady cooked so well that I was completely satisfied with the meals. Eating Korean food every day meant I didn''t particularly miss other foods, but I really craved gopchang, makchang, and chicken feet. In conclusion, during my stay at the guesthouse I could be as comfortable as if I were at home.
And the most memorable thing during my guesthouse staff activities was when the owner sent me on a Mont Saint-Michel tour!! I didn''t expect it and was so grateful, and luckily the weather was clear, so it was a really great experience!And because there were no guests at all, the three staff members unintentionally all went on vacation to Disneyland together. Since shifts ran in rotation, I didn''t expect a day when all the staff could rest together, so it was great to have fun at Disneyland.
That doesn''t mean only good things happened all the time.It wasn''t always the case that the guests were a perfect match for me.There were times when a guest didn’t get along with me, and times when I panicked and didn’t handle a problem well. When I experienced those things I couldn’t help but feel down or be upset on my own, but ultimately, thanks to those trials...I learned how to respond flexibly in a variety of situations and with new people,and I think I became stronger. I also believe those experiences made life in Paris more enjoyable.Both the happy times and the difficult times were all the more precious because, on this distant land with no family or friends, I had to rely solely on myself to get through them.
What I realized through these varied situations was... ''Live simply in a complicated world. Live my way.''
# Places in Paris I loved and remember
The route I took on the first day I toured central Paris made it easy to get an overview of the city.Get off at Trocadéro to see the Eiffel Tower – Arc de Triomphe – Champs-Élysées – Place de la Concorde – Grand Palais, Petit Palais – Pont Alexandre III – Place de la Concorde – Tuileries Garden – the Louvre – Île de la Cité – Notre-Dame Cathedral, then return home from Châtelet station. You could see central Paris well in about four hours on foot.
My personal favorite was Île de la Cité. The atmosphere of Shakespeare and Company was lovely, and the sky above Notre-Dame was so beautiful. From Île de la Cité, after seeing Notre-Dame and walking along the Seine, you can also see the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle, and Pont Neuf and the Pont des Arts are nearby, so you can walk comfortably. My happiest memory was watching the sunset sky from Pont Neuf.
On sunny days it was nice just to sit in parks like the Tuileries, Luxembourg, Parc Montsouris, and Parc de Bercy, and I really loved the views of Paris from Montmartre hill during the day, at dusk, and at night.
# A time when I could accomplish a bucket-list item I had long dreamed of
Thinking back to how I was before leaving for the gap year, I realize I used to watch what others thought of me and lived with frustration and anxiety. Although I had graduated university, I hadn’t settled down and was tired of a repetitive life with no progress. But life in Paris felt like living in a place where it was just me: no one nagging, and no acquaintances awkwardly asking for unnecessary updates.
The atmosphere and lifestyle were the opposite of Korea’s, and it was even a country where English didn’t really work. A strange land, strange people, a strange language — it felt like being dropped into a completely new world alone. As I adapted, there was nothing left to worry about around me, and all the useless worries I’d brought from Korea naturally faded. I was too busy enjoying the time, and it was overwhelming in a good way to focus only on myself.
Actually, one reason I took a gap year was to think about what kind of life I wanted to live in the future, but I ended up forgetting even those worries and gained more by enjoying each moment. In the end, my worries about the future were just needless anxiety.I realized I simply needed to trust myself and discover myself as I am; that was the fundamental solution.All I had to do was set my own standards straight and follow them, but until then I’d been holding too many measures and wandering without knowing which one to fit myself to.
When I let go of the many standards I had been unconsciously living by, I felt more at ease. I could see and accept more. I also naturally came to accept my true self — the one I had hidden and avoided while saying ''this isn’t right, that isn’t right'' according to standards set by others.I no longer get stressed by such draining thoughts, because I realized they were ultimately a waste of emotion and time. Now my mind is more relaxed and my mental resilience has strengthened.
I will never be able to forget life in Paris. I left to have time entirely for myself, and it was a period in which I gained many realizations about myself. But I didn’t think and realize everything entirely alone — if I had been on my own, I probably couldn’t have come this far.Working as staff at the guesthouse, I talked every day with many people on a variety of topics. With so many visitors, each guest had completely different values and ways of thinking. Hearing their stories made me feel a lot and sometimes stimulated me.
Also, the fellow staff I worked with were people I’m so grateful for. In a place with no family or friends, the only people I could rely on seemed to be the staff I worked with, the owners, and the aunt. They shared my joy in happy times, and when I was struggling or had worries they were always there to comfort me, give advice, and take care of me. Thanks to them I believe I overcame the trials and completed my gap-year stay safely.
Owner Yang, Owner Gu, the aunt, and fellow staff Yujeong, Yeonsu, Hyoseon, Hajung unnie, Hyerim unnie, Hyeri unnie!!!Among the many guests who came to the guesthouse, there were guests I became really close with. Seona unnie and Hanae, who I leaned on a lot emotionally when I had difficulties and consulted with about my worries. We were told to keep the boundary between staff and guests, but it didn’t go as intended, and we became quite close personally. Of course, even now!I can’t forget each and every guest, but meeting so many people I saw and felt a lot.I want to express my gratitude to all the guests, staff, the owners, and the aunt who were with me.
When the recruitment notice went up, I didn’t want to miss that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and thinking I might not be able to do it if not now I applied on a whim; in the end I achieved it, and that alone brought great happiness.The Paris gap-year stay was an experience I was grateful for — that I could accomplish one of the bucket-list items I’d dreamed of so wonderfully.
# Tips for future participants
Watching Paris-set films like Midnight in Paris or Amélie before you go will give you a fresh, sentimental feeling.Two months really feel very short. I hope you take time to think a lot about why you''re taking a gap year and why you''re going all the way to Paris to spend this time!
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