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#Strengthened willingness to take on challenges; discovered a more proactive side #Improved English pronunciation; new experiences #Realized I had been just putting up with things
After returning I felt a lot; I definitely realized that I had been putting up with a lot. After going to the Philippines I don''t think I could ever live like that again. And the spirit of challenge inside me has been rekindled.. I think Koreans tend to be somewhat more proactive. Because of that I often found myself stepping forward without realizing it. I feel like I''ve discovered a new side of myself.
- If you study English enjoyably without stress, that''s it!/ Yang Hye-young Gapyear family 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 with no dreams, and the job turnover rate within one year of employment has entered the 40% range,75% of university students are not satisfied with campus life, and more than 80% of workers report not feeling 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 as well.
''Gap Year (Gapyear)''refers to taking a pause from or combining study and work to engage in various activities such as volunteering, travel, internships, education, or starting a business,as a time to set the direction for the future; it is a culture recommended in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and other places.
# I applied on a whim with the thought, ''If I go, the results will be different.''
Hello. I''m a job seeker who has just graduated from university. I majored in restaurant/culinary cooking for four years and, even before entering university, I had been pursuing a single, one-track career path.When I actually became a senior, I realized I wasn''t interested in my major.While wondering what else I could do, I learned about ''Korea Gap Year'' and naturally ended up receiving career counseling.
I first received gap year consulting. During a bleak period worried about my career path, I chose it based on the consultant''s strong recommendation.After hearing that if I didn''t carry out a solution project now I would likely end up seeking counseling from such organizations later anyway, I decided to take the plunge, grasping at straws.Graduation was just around the corner and I had no idea what I was going to do with my life.I applied impulsively with the thought, ''If I go, things will turn out differently.''
I had never lived alone abroad before so I was very scared, and my parents were extremely worried, which made me reluctant to try. But to lessen the uncertainty about my future I went ahead and took the plunge, and when the departure date actually approached I no longer felt that anxiety.
I wanted to study English a little before going, but I was scheduled to depart right after the last semester of my senior year, so I was personally very busy and overwhelmed. I was anxious about my graduation credits. I had planned to do this alongside another project, but I wasn''t accepted and that made me even more unsettled. I often wanted a refund, but I had to wait until August to receive my diploma, and I disliked that gap even more, so I felt an even stronger urge to leave quickly.
# I realized I had been putting up with too much while living in Korea.
After returning to Korea, what I felt intensely was that I really had the typical habits of a Korean person. While socializing with friends of various nationalities, I felt frustrated and wanted to get things done quickly and flexibly.
AlsoI realized I had been putting up with too much while living in Korea. In the Philippines nobody really interfered with me, no one scolded me if I didn''t do my homework, and the autonomous environment was really nice. I didn''t have to live worrying about what others thought. After I came back, the consultant said that one of my walls had been broken.
My English improved a lot, and especially my pronunciation has improved a great deal. I think this was because I watched American TV shows locally and could immediately apply English expressions to daily life.
I had no trouble adapting. The Vietnamese friends I first met as roommates were really kind, so I was able to adapt easily. The teachers taught well, and although two months is short for making friends, during the three months I was at least happy because of the people.
These days I miss the friends I became close with while traveling the most. In the last month I was exhausted from studying English and really wanted to go back to Korea, and I had very little spending money left so I was worried even before the trip. Moreover, they weren''t close friends, so I couldn''t leave in a particularly joyful mood.
When I actually went, I turned out to be one of the better English speakers, and maybe because Koreans tend to be proactive, on the last night I created an atmosphere where everyone could enjoy themselves together and we made truly unforgettable memories.Usually friends of other nationalities tend to hang out with people from their own country, but we overcame that and for the first time everyone mingled and had fun together.
My four roommates (Cam, Ersa, Mayu, Jenny) and the friends I last traveled with are the most memorable. The Korean friends were either younger than me (Paul) or older brothers and sisters not much older (Yoon, Jay, Jason), but everyone had kind personalities and it was really nice to enjoy life together.
The Taiwanese couple (Mia, Dank) were also very kind, and I mainly hung out with student staff who were better at English than me (Tee, Yves) and their friends (Hana). The teachers were also very kind; since I''m somewhat reserved and don''t talk much, they helped me speak as much as possible during one-on-one and small group classes.
There was also Kayla from a gap year program; she was the first Korean friend I met and, though younger than me, she was more mature and spoke English well, so I ended up relying on her quite a bit. Kayla''s close friend and roommate, the Taiwanese "older sister" Alice, was older than us but got along well with us younger ones, and thanks to that I was able to adapt well to life in the Philippines. Because of that influence, later when I took on a leadership role I was able to help other friends even more.
My recommended travel destination!
I usually book trips through an agency. Everyone goes to island trips on weekends, so the travel time is long, but Bantayan Island was the best trip I had. Also, we often spend time at the accommodation with friends, so it''s great to bring games that everyone can join.
Japanese and Taiwanese friends tend to hang out only with their own groups, so in those situations if Koreans take the lead, the others will likely follow.
My gap year TIP
(Duration)
Two months seems the most suitable. Three months was too long.
(Language)
I deliberately chose a triple room to make many roommates of different nationalities. I purposely kept speaking only English and stuck with my roommates so I wouldn''t hang out with Koreans. Personally, rather than studying alone, going out and conversing with foreign friends helped my English more.
Whenever I had free time I watched American TV shows. It definitely helped because I could immediately use the expressions I heard in class. The teachers complimented my pronunciation; when I first arrived it wasn''t great, but it gradually improved and in the final test my results were at a native-speaker level. I think the secret was watching those shows.
For personal study I never exceeded one to two hours. Talking with friends improved me more than studying alone. Since I needed a TOEIC score, I focused mainly on Part 7 and instead of memorizing long lists of words I only looked up meanings of words I didn''t know.
When reading books aloud I deliberately exaggerated and tried to read like a native speaker. As a result, later I was even able to take an American pronunciation class that required passing a test to enter.
(Accommodation)
Bugs sometimes appear, so it''s a good idea to bring insect repellent.
(Meals)
Korean instant noodles and gim (seaweed) are essentials. Be sure to bring them.
(Luggage)
It''s wise to bring clothes you don''t mind throwing away to minimize luggage. I thought I''d take a lot of notes and brought many notebooks, but one is enough. Studying grammar in English can sometimes be hard to understand, so it''s helpful to refer to a Korean grammar book in those cases.
#I definitely felt that I had been putting up with a lot. After coming back from the Philippines I don''t think I could live like that anymore. Also, the spirit of challenge inside me was rekindled.
At first, I mainly felt that I just had to leave without overthinking.The consultant also said that my environment had been repressing and holding me back too much. I needed a proactive change of environment.And because I felt lost about my career path, I thought, "I''ll go first and the results will come later."
After returning I felt a lot; I definitely realized that I had been enduring a lot. After the Philippines I don''t think I could live that way anymore. And the spirit of challenge inside me came alive.I think Koreans tend to be a bit more proactive. So I found myself stepping forward unintentionally more often. I feel like I discovered a new side of myself.
My gap year is
Experience★★★★★
For someone who had almost no experience abroad, it was perhaps a time I truly needed.
Learning★★★★★
I definitely learned a lot—about English, how to adapt to different environments, and about myself.
Environment★★★☆☆
Since I mostly lived within the language academy, it sometimes got boring.
Safety★★★☆☆
The Philippines can be dangerous; you always have to be careful.
Leisure★★★☆☆
There aren''t many things to do around the language school.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
