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#Attitude toward life became more positive; broadened perspectives #Pursuit of meaningful work; regained self-esteem #Felt happiness through relationships with others
I can’t grandly say that my life was completely transformed by the gap year, but my attitude and outlook on life became more concrete and positive, and more color was added to my once monotonous life. It’s still unclear what I’ll do when I return to Korea, but whatever it is, I want to live doing meaningful and valuable work.
- Volunteer work in Bangkok, Thailand, a warm city where NGOs from around the world gather / Park So-yeon Gap Year Tribe, Gapper / 12-week gap year |
Currently, South Korea is,
60,000 middle and high school students drop out of school each year; 346,000 people in their twenties are just idling because they have no dreams; the one-year turnover rate after employment has entered the 40% range,75% of university students are not satisfied with college life, and over 80% of workers report not feeling happy.Many people tell them to dream, but to solve this problem that lacks practical methods and support, we want to introduce the ''gap year'' to South Korea as well.
''Gap year''refers to a time to pause or balance studies and work and engage in various activities such as volunteering, traveling, internships, education, and starting a business,to set the direction for the future; it is a culture recommended in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and elsewhere.
# When I actually decided to quit the company, I had many doubts about whether it would be reckless to start like this amid the current employment crisis, so I even delayed my resignation.
I was lucky to get a job right after graduating and worked at the company for almost two years, and before more time passed and before I regretted it, I wanted to try a challenge. At first, I decided to quit to attend graduate school, and since it was a field I truly wanted, I planned to prepare for graduate school right away.
However, when I actually decided to quit, I had many doubts about whether it would be reckless to start like this in this job market, so I delayed resigning. While I was worrying, I was fortunate to learn about gap years, and there was a program suitable for the field I was interested in, so after much deliberation I decided to participate in the gap year.
When I said, “I want to study more and try the things I’ve wanted to do for a year. The projects I was working on are now being wrapped up one by one, and the urgent business trips are over… I’m going to tell them I’m resigning,” I actually expected to be scolded,but a senior said sincerely, “Yes. If not now, you might not get the chance. You started working at too young an age and worked hard. Do the things you want to do and study what you want to study; it’s not too late to start again. You’ve worked hard.” That sincere remark gave me the courage to start.
#Thanks to the children, everyone seemed able to enjoy English class every day.
During the three months I spent with the children, many things happened. There was a little friend in one class with a developmental disability,and I was deeply moved to see all the classmates take care of that friend with one heart without being asked.When playing games, the children helped that child around them, and during speaking activities they whispered answers to help him as well.Thanks to the children, everyone seemed able to enjoy English class every day.
On another occasion, among the little friends doing homework together, one child didn’t go back to the center dormitory even after finishing his homework. When I asked why he wasn’t going home, he said, “My mom said she’d come today. So my mom will take me back to the dorm today.” He sat in front of the center staring at the street, and it broke my heart. I wondered how long he had waited, and then the child’s mother appeared,and the little boy who usually didn’t even like hugging me ran at amazing speed to his mother, clung tightly to her, and acted spoiled. Watching that, I thought that no matter how brave they seem, a child is still a child, and it was so heartbreaking that I still remember that scene vividly..
It made me even more heartbroken and more attached as I realized that not only that little friend but probably all the children at the center were like that.
The area where the center is located was, until a few years ago, a dangerous neighborhood that even taxis were reluctant to enter. It was full of crimes such as robbery and drugs, and parents left their children behind and the kids wandered the streets while their parents went to work to make a living. With the help of NGOs, the children received education, and the adults learned skills like handiwork so they could get more stable jobs.
And every year some children began attending international schools through sponsorships, and some went abroad to study. Now those children have returned and work at the center again, teaching English.I had heard in books or documentaries that “what is truly needed is not simply money, but ways to make money and small things that can change their lives,” but living where that work actually happens made me realize just how important that is.
#I want to live doing meaningful and valuable work, whatever it may be.
In June there''s Teacher''s Day, and unlike in Korea there''s an event where the children give teachers flowers and perform a wai (a bow). I went there not knowing it was Teacher''s Day and was unexpectedly moved. Also, every day at the end of class the kids would run up to give high-fives and hugs, and I felt so grateful to them that I wondered if I deserved such affection.
In Bangkok I was a foreigner, a teacher, a student, and a traveler. I received a lot of love, gave a lot of love, learned a lot, and spent happy times without a single regret—so much so that I can''t say any one role was the best.
I can''t grandly claim that my life was completely changed by my gap year, but my attitude and perspective toward life became more concrete and positive, and more color was added to what had been a monotonous life. It''s still unclear what I''ll do when I return to Korea, but I want to live doing meaningful and valuable work, whatever it may be.
Tips for you
(Accommodation)
I want to say: do not come expecting a Korean countryside house. Even though I''m very fearless, the first week was sheer shock and horror. Of course I adapted quickly and even came to be able to greet the little lizards that sneaked into the shower.
And although Bangkok is flashy and a traveler''s paradise, the slum area is another world entirely. During the day it''s a peaceful neighborhood and everyone seems kind and safe, but when the sun goes down it''s a place where you need to be quite careful. I never had any danger because I don''t go out alone after dark, but my Thai friends, taxi drivers, and other locals all told me to be careful again and again.
(Meals)
You will never be served so-called disgusting foods (like insects, which are unfamiliar to Koreans). It''s just that some dishes might not suit your taste. I don''t avoid foods except those I''m allergic to, so I enjoyed whatever was served, but there are dishes that don''t fit Korean tastes (for example soups full of cilantro or very spicy dishes loaded with Thai chiles). In those cases there''s no need to force yourself to eat them and get stressed.
Even buying one or two side dishes from the local market to eat with rice can make meals tasty. Whether it''s the accommodation or the food, the most important thing is the attitude of ''just accept it.'' If you do, you''ll really find yourself accepting it and be able to eat it happily.
(Pro tip)
Of course you shouldn''t use Thai during class, but it''s good to memorize some basic Thai greetings and everyday phrases for the school, center staff, and daily life! You might want to eat something specific or visit certain places, and it would be such a shame to miss out because you can''t communicate.
My gap year:
Experience★★★★★
I had many worries before quitting my job and starting volunteering, but the moment I began it was such a happy experience that I forgot all my worries. People often told me that I laughed a lot more while living with the children. Even when I practiced smiling in Korea it felt unnatural, but when I look at photos taken in Thailand I think my smile has become much more natural.
Learning★★★★★
I learned many things living with the children, and I also attended a Thai language school in my free time. Seeing the children''s pure selves made me reflect, and I thought a lot about how to make lessons fun, which broadened my thinking.
Environment★★★☆☆
When I first arrived it was the height of heat exceeding 40 degrees—hot enough to melt even night-form cosmetics. And since it''s near the port, just going out a bit puts you on big roads where large cargo trucks pass, which can sometimes be dangerous. During heavy rains the road in front of the school would flood up to mid-shin, so we had to roll up our pants to walk through. I can laugh about it now, but walking through water-filled streets was really awful.
Safety★★★☆☆
Actually, most foreigners you see in the neighborhood are volunteers, so it''s unlikely you''d be targeted, but there are environmental risks.
Leisure★★★★☆
I learned scuba diving to some extent, I even took a plane and a bus by myself to another city to attend a friend''s wedding, and I went to learn Thai every day, so I think I spent my free time quite fully.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
