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#Learned how to live alone; increased confidence #Improved English conversation skills; foreign friends #My attitude toward foreigners has become more positive
I, who used to be stingy with praise, learned to give even awkward compliments while listening to the guests'' stories, and above all my English conversation skills changed a lot — I can now communicate fairly well with everyone I met here.
There are many days ahead and many things to do, but now I feel I can live a more confident life than before, even if I end up regretting something.
-Let''s introduce my own Seoul to foreign friends — Gap Year Stay Seoul! / Lee Hye-min, gap-year family gapper / 8-week gap year |
# Through this project I most wanted to change myself.
On January 1, 2017, while talking with my best friend and looking back on the past year, I realized there was nothing left for me. Having realized this reality too late, I just vaguely wanted to run away from the situation. I rashly told my parents I wanted to take a leave of absence. I didn''t really know what I should or could do if I took a leave. Maybe I was even afraid of doing anything at all.
I spent days, two days, a week, a month without any thought. I decided I couldn''t stay like that and, wanting to go somewhere where no one knew me, I looked into various programs — overseas volunteering or overseas travel.
Then I learned about Korean Gap Year, which had overseas volunteer projects, and found out that there were various projects there. But having been busy spending money on fun, I didn''t have the funds to go abroad. So I looked for another way and discovered this Seoul Gap Year Stay project.
When I first saw the contents of this project I just thought, ''Oh, it would be nice to live in Seoul. That would be fun. Should I try it?'' — just such simple thoughts.Maybe it was these simple thoughts that made it possible for me to take on this project.
I began to focus on things related to what I like. I liked travel and people, so I had studied tourism as my major; my attention turned again to Seoul Gap Year Stay and I looked into the details with interest.
I was happy meeting people while traveling.Among the aspects of this project, the Seoul trips with guests actually attracted me the most.At some point I felt that if not now, then never. Then, in a fit of impulse, I applied. This was my biggest decision and challenge since taking a leave. That''s how my own Seoul Gap Year Stay project began.
Through this project I wanted to change myself the most. For 20 years I had been consistently lazy, lacking perseverance, and always relying on others; I grew so sick of myself that I wanted to change.
For example, a more confident appearance, I didn''t have detailed goals like studying hard to earn certificates, but I wanted to change in a way that I could be satisfied with myself. When this gap year ended, I wanted to have a different mindset than when I applied.The only goal I had for this gap year was myself.
# I received so much love from so many people here.
There are so many people who remain in my memory even after the project ended.First of all, without the guesthouse this program wouldn''t have existed, so first of all CEO Daniel, and Hye-in unnie who started the first gap year with me on the same day, Seung-kwon oppa who joined later and had a hard time between two female staff, and Myeong-sik oppa who always stayed up until dawn to talk with me even when tired.
I''m so, so grateful to everyone. Because I was the youngest, they understood me a lot, cut me some slack, and took care of me, so I always felt loved. And my first foreign friends who became close were Micca from the Philippines, Mami unnie and Akane from Japan! At the end of this month Hye-in unnie and I are planning to go to Japan to meet these two friends. Also Hye-in unnie''s and my pals — Bill oppa and Tom oppa from England!They worked hard attending Korean classes in Sinchon.
They really liked playing ''gonggi'' so we always played together. But the two oppas never once beat me, who used to be the ''gonggi'' champ. Also Jacob oppa, a Korean American from New York! Whenever we hit the wall with English he would appear and interpret for us — thank you every time >___< Hee-bong oppa who came from Hong Kong to buy shoes!He would answer everything with K-pop, which embarrassed me. If I said, ''Ah, I''m going crazy~'' he''d sing ''Mijyeosseo'' by Son Dam-bi... or if I said ''sorry'' to another foreigner he''d sing ''Sorry, Sorry'' by Super Junior... stuff like that...
Also Dawn unnie from Taiwan; Ian oppa from Malaysia who said he was a chef but cooked Shin Ramyun; Reito unnie who loved Korea so much it was her third time in Seoul; Kira unnie with striking blue hair; Michael oppa from France who came wanting to know the taste of Korea but learned the taste of clubs instead; and my Australian younger brother Asher, whom I thought was born in ''88 but turned out to be born in ''98, who became my BFF.
Our guesthouse''s long-term guests, like Salome and othersThere were many guests who left behind only warm and happy vibes, but there are so many I can''t write them all. I received so much love from so many people here.
#My gap-year tips
(Language)
I didn''t attend a study group, a TOEIC academy, or have a part-time job, so I was often at the guesthouse even on days I wasn''t scheduled to work.
Because of that, I had more guests to meet and talk with outside of work,and since I spoke only in English, my everyday conversational skills naturally improved,English grammar I knew but didn''t use and vocabulary that had been fading resurfaced one by one. Unless you want to study professional conversation, it seems you don''t need to study separately.
(Accommodation)
Sometimes you may share a room with guests of a different gender. It''s best to accept that humbly and think of it as one of the unique experiences.
(Meals)
Among the staff I worked with, I was almost the only one who could cook (another staff sister rarely cooked), so preparing lunch and dinner that required cooking was quite tough. But the staff who didn''t cook did the cleanup and dishes, so if you help each other it should be fine. Still, it''s good to know how to make at least something like stir-fried fish cake.
(What to bring)
You definitely need slippers to wear inside the guesthouse. Be sure to stop by Daiso before coming. But cloth slippers can become Yeongsim''s (the guesthouse dog) toy, so buy rubber slippers.
There is no fabric softener, so if you wash your clothes and want them to smell nice, please buy and bring your own. Also,having a hair dryer and an iron is very convenient. Ladies, please remember to bring a hair straightener if you use one.
If you have other questions, call the guesthouse phone number and ask—they''ll answer kindly, so ask anything. Buying things after you arrive can quietly take a lot of time and money.
(To prospective participants)
Approach anyone first, no matter where they''re from. Everyone will treat you with a smile.Also, do a lot of housework before you come. For example, try cleaning a bathroom at home once.
Practice cooking a lot before you come. There will be plenty of opportunities to cook—especially if you eat all three meals.There are plenty of hangers, so you don''t need to bring your own.here come plans even if you make it doesn''t matter but a bit More meaningfully to spend if you want to sufficient plan think about come.Two months are tooshort
Sometimes reservations get messed up and you have to move rooms. You also have to move all the luggage you brought to live for two months, but accept it graciously. It only happens occasionally.
#My own Seoul travel spots
When I want to walk alone without thinking, I recommend Mapo Bridge. At some point I began to feel that time was too precious, and there was a time when I hurriedly looked up places to visit in Seoul.
Then suddenly I didn''t want to do anything or think about anything. So I thought of a place where I could walk alone to get some fresh air, and I went to the Mapo Bridge ''Bridge of Life''.
#In this way I have changed quite a lot compared to two months ago.
Through this project,I have started to learn how to live alone. There was a time when I would think, ''How do people eat alone, watch movies alone, drink alone, and so on?'' But now I walk the streets of Hongdae alone, eat alone at popular Hongdae restaurants, take Seoul trips I planned myself, go to special solo-only karaoke and go crazy alone for two hours... I''ve learned ways to find enjoyment even when I''m alone.
My attitude toward foreigners also changed. At first I couldn''t even say hello and I was afraid of making language mistakes, so I was afraid of everything and didn''t feel any interest.
But as my time here grew longer, I began greeting guests checking in for the first time, asking which country they''re from and why they came to Korea, gradually gaining confidence and learning how to start conversations when meeting people for the first time.I gradually came to know the joy of meeting and getting to know many people, and I developed the habit of being careful with my words in everything.
I gained confidence in myself. I tried this and that and experienced things I couldn’t while I was in school, and sometimes I felt a little regret wondering why I hadn’t done this earlier. But even that regret was a happy kind of regret, because it came from being happy now and being satisfied with who I am, so that regret itself felt pleasant.
I realized I had lived in a harsh world and had become harsh myself. Most of the people I know are individualists. They seem to care for others but ultimately look out for themselves. That was the reality I knew and lived in.
But here, [they] came from countries whose names I had never even heard of orI met guests from countries I had only ever seen on the internet, and my values changed a lot.There were people who were genuinely grateful for small things and who felt deeply sorry even for tiny mistakes, people who always smiled, people who loved Korea so much, and people who kindly received even a single word and made sure to show their thanks with a note or message for small help. The two months I spent here with those people made me look back on and reflect upon the past twenty years of my life, and
I began to change each of my actions and words. I, who used to be shy and wouldn’t even greet guests passing in the hallway, now started to be the first to ask, “Hi, how are you?” I also came to realize the value of the family members I used to see every day, and I thought I should contact my parents more often, even if only briefly.
I, who used to be stingy with compliments, learned to give even slightly awkward compliments while listening to guests’ stories, and above all, my English conversation skills improved a lot to the point where I could communicate reasonably well with everyone I met here.
There are many days ahead and many things to do, but now, even if I have regrets about anything, I feel I can live a more confident life than before. So if it’s something I want to do, I will not be afraid and will take on the challenge, and I hope that this challenge will bring another change like this gap year did.
Thus I have changed quite a bit compared to two months ago.
My gap year is
Experience★★★★★
Because it’s an experience others can’t easily have.
Learning★★★★☆
As I said above, because I learned a lot.
Environment★★★★☆
It was fairly comfortable to live there. The bed was comfortable, the Wi‑Fi worked well, and it was clean and nice.
Safety★★★★☆
I was really worried because it''s Hongdae, but as long as you don''t go out at dawn, it''s really safe.
Leisure★★★★★
Maybe because I only work two days a week, I could spend the other five days on my own leisure time, which I really liked.
