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#Regained confidence, overcame fear of new environments #Confidence in English, scuba diving as a hobby #Realized the importance of experience over worrying
The best thing about the Gap Year project is that sincere consulting encourages participants to think for themselves and provides support through projects tailored to each individual''s characteristics. Through the consulting and three months living at the language school, I learned a lot about myself.Whatever your reason for joining a gap year, I hope you have many experiences, discover a lot about yourself in the process, and achieve the things you dream of. -If you study English without stress and enjoy it, that''s it!/Shin Tae-hoon, Gap Year member ''Gapper''/12-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 idle because they have no dreams, and the turnover rate within one year after employment has entered the 40% range,75% of university students are not satisfied with college life, and more than 80% of workers say they do not feel happy.Although many people tell others to dream, to address this problem that lacks practical methods and help, we want to bring ''Gap Year'' to South Korea.
''Gap Year (Gapyear)''is a time to either combine studies and work or pause for a while to set your future direction through various activities such as volunteering, travel, internships, education, and starting a business.It is a culture recommended in countries like the United States, Europe, and Japan as a time to set the direction for moving forward.
#I decided on a gap year because I wanted to get to know myself better.
Hello. I am a 30-year-old male job seeker who quit a company I had worked at for about a year and am 고민ing about my aptitudes.As the time preparing for reemployment grew longer, my self-esteem fell and I didn''t know what my aptitude was, so I applied for gap year consulting to seek help.
Through consulting with Mr. An Si-jun,I was able to take time to reflect on and think about myself.During the consulting, I learned a lot about myself.I decided on a gap year because I wanted to get to know myself better.Through the gap year, Ihad three goals: to regain confidence, to think deeply about myself, and not to feel burdened when speaking English.
# My detailed language school life
To briefly describe my daily routine,I wake up at 7:00 AM,have breakfast from 7 to 8 AM, and thenfrom 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM I attend classes according to my personal schedule, such as one-on-one and small group lessons.
The language school gives you your personal schedule during the first week you arrive. You can change your schedule every week as you wish. Classes run from P1 to P5, and lunch is from 12:30 to 1:30 PM.Then the remaining classes run from P6 to P9. (When P9 ends, it''s 5:05 PM)One-on-one classes are one hour; group classes are two hours.After P9 ends you have free time until 10:00 PM. Dinner time is from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
*Word explanation Period1 -> P1 (1st period), Period2 -> P2 (2nd period) |
During free time, I usually go out to buy groceries, study, or eat out with friends.On weekends, if you fill out a travel plan form, overnight stays are allowed. I traveled every weekend.
#It remains memorable because I studied happily and obtained good results.
The local language school teachers are pure and kind, so they treat you very well. I made many good memories with the teachers and we still keep in touch via SNS. Also, I met great language school friends; we traveled together, studied together, and made many enjoyable memories.
Because the purpose of my gap year was to regain confidence and have fun, I only kept to the basics of English study.The basics were not to be absent, attend classes diligently, and use as much English as possible during class time. I used the rest of the time to play. Nevertheless, two months later I ranked second in the academy''s proficiency test.It remains memorable because I studied happily and obtained good results.
As a hobby, I got a scuba diving certification and went scuba diving around various places in the Philippines every weekend; this was the most memorable and enjoyable experience. Thanks to this hobby, my travel focus shifted to scuba diving.
# My recommended travel destinations
Because I went on scuba diving trips every week during my gap year, the only travel routes I know are scuba diving routes.
1. Bohol
Locations: Alona Beach, Balicasag Island, Bohol land tour
Things to enjoy: snorkeling, scuba diving, tarsiers (Bohol''s mascot), Chocolate Hills tour and other land tours
Food: There are many seafood restaurants around Alona Beach, so you have options.
Accommodation: Use Airbnb or inexpensive guesthouses
Recommended itinerary: 3 nights and 4 days for scuba diving, 1 night and 2 days for general travel
Features
-An island 2 hours by ferry from Cebu City
-A place with a great diving spot called Balicasag
-You can see many turtles, beautiful coral, tropical fish, barracuda, jackfish, and schools of fish.
-Alona Beach is lined with atmospheric restaurants and pubs — perfect for enjoying the evening after diving.
2. Moalboal
Location: Panagsama Beach, Moalboal
Things to enjoy: scuba diving, snorkeling, freediving
Food: The area around Panagsama Beach is lined with scuba diving shops and also many restaurants.
Accommodation: Airbnb
Recommended duration: 3 nights and 4 days is best; if you use the language school''s weekend, 1 night and 2 days can also be good.
Features
-A place about three hours by bus from Cebu City.
-Moalboal, which means ''turtle''s egg'' — hence it has many turtles.
-A place where you can be guaranteed to see schools of sardines.
-The birthplace of Philippine diving; the first place in the Philippines where scuba diving began.
-Considered a mecca for diving that attracts divers from around the world, so there are pubs packed with Westerners.
3. Dumaguete
Place: Dumaguete City, Apo Island, Dauin Beach
Things to enjoy: scuba diving, snorkeling, city tours
Food: Jo''s Chicken, Sans Rival, etc., all found in downtown.
Accommodation: Stay in the city if you want to enjoy city tours and scuba diving together,If you only want to enjoy relaxed scuba diving, stay at Dauin Beach.
Features
-An island other than Cebu Island, about five hours by bus from Cebu City.
-Coral reefs so well protected it''s like a marine museum.
-Famous as an educational city, so it is very safe.
-Like Haeundae in Busan, the seaside area has well-developed restaurants and parks.
My tip
(Language)
Cebu focuses on English conversation courses, and because many people stay for a short period (1–3 months), not knowing basic English grammar makes it take much longer to improve your English skills.Learning basic English grammar in Korea before going helped a lot with speaking and listening in Cebu.
(Accommodation)
Before coming I hadn''t been particular about accommodation, but after arriving I learned it was known as one of the best accommodations in Cebu. I was satisfied and had a good stay.
More than the facilities, it was inconvenient because of rules setting curfew times. Curfew is set at 10 PM on weekdays and midnight on weekends (Fri–Sat), so you must return by then.
Almost all language schools in Cebu have curfews, but the school I attended was relatively relaxed compared to others. There is a café on campus open until 11 PM that serves as a meeting place for friends from the school.
(Meals)
All three meals were really well prepared. Breakfast included bread and jams, salad, porridge, bananas, and fruit.Lunch and dinner were served as well-prepared Korean meals. The school''s food was so tasty that I didn''t feel the need to go out often to eat local food.
(Safety)
I went after checking precautions because the Philippines is known for many incidents and accidents. However, during the three months I was there I never once experienced any danger; rather, I lived comfortably and enjoyed myself.
If you have a reasonable living budget and observe basic safety (which I think applies in Korea too), there is no major inconvenience in living there. This experience reaffirmed that any country abroad is, after all, a place where people live.
(Schedule)
I met many friends at the language school, but most stayed less than two months.In my opinion, you should stay at least three months to improve your English. You also learn the local culture well and become adaptable to local life.
(Tip)
My main reason for participating in a gap year was to find the answer to ''what do I like?''I found it hard to take action because of fears: fear of going to a new environment, fear of whether it was the right path, and fear of returning with no achievements.
Actually I''m still considering what suits me, but I think it''s something to do for life. I didn''t get a definite answer, butOne thing that became clear from this experience is that rather than worrying about whether to do something, it''s better to try it first; reflecting on how the experience develops you, or what makes you uncomfortable, and thinking about yourself through that experience is very helpful.
Whatever your motivation for joining a gap year, I hope you have many experiences, discover much about yourself, and achieve your dreams.
#Through consulting and three months at the language school, I learned a lot about myself.
First of all, after my gap year I gained confidence in English and improved enough to handle everyday conversation. Getting second place on the language school test also boosted my confidence.I gained a great hobby I can enjoy for life: scuba diving. I got certified and, determined to focus on diving, I traveled alone a lot and gained confidence.
Traveling alone a lot reduced my fear of new environments. At first I researched many things before traveling, but I realized that situations on trips can''t always be predicted or controlled, so I only learned the basics and dealt with things as they came.
Although they were small problems encountered during travel, solving them greatly increased my confidence.I thought I lacked sociability, but through the gap year I realized I''m actually good at making friends. I made many good memories with new friends and still keep in touch.
The best thing about the gap year project is that sincere consulting makes participants reflect a lot and provides projects tailored to individual characteristics. Through consulting and three months at the language school, I learned a lot about myself.
My gap year is
Experience★★★★★
Two experiences left a strong impression on me. It is a country with many very poor people and a severe wealth gap, but I noticed that the happiness index is much higher than in our country, which made me feel that everything depends on one''s mindset. People are more open about sexuality than in our country, so I experienced significant cultural differences (there are many transgender and gay people and a generally accepting atmosphere). Most male teachers at the language school were gay. Talking with and interacting with them removed my previous prejudices about gay people.
Learning★★★★★
Language school teachers have received systematic English education, so they''re good for learning English. Some teachers use the characteristic Filipino pronunciation (for example, pronouncing ''pineapple'' more like ''pah-in-apple''), but most use standard pronunciation. Local people don''t speak English as well as the language school teachers, but most can understand it, so it''s a big help in learning English.
Environment★★★★☆
The living environment is good because food is cheap, taxi fares are cheap, and the cost of living is generally low. Due to aged cars and motorcycles, the air around the roads is always polluted, but the weather is clear without fine dust. The roads are narrow, so traffic congestion is a constant problem.
Safety★★★★☆
I arrived with the prejudice that the Philippines is a dangerous place, but over three months I felt that it is actually a safe country. Of course, a friend nearby had their phone pickpocketed on a jeepney, but if you always stay careful, major problems don''t occur.
Leisure★★★★★
Because it is an archipelago of over 7,000 islands, it is great for sea-related leisure activities. It is warm year-round and the sea is very beautiful. It is especially an excellent environment for scuba diving: warm seawater, diverse coral reefs, and a variety of fish species — optimal conditions.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
