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#Freer behavior; not self-conscious about others' gaze #Gained diverse experiences; became familiar with new places #Had time to reflect on myself
If there was a patch of grass I liked I would lie down; if a place piqued my curiosity I would go in right away; if I was curious about something I would start by talking. After wandering like that I thought I was more bothered by people''s scrutiny on Korean streets than by Europeans looking at me as a foreigner. I also wondered whether I could behave like that once I returned to Korea.It was a trip that was long if you put it that way and short if you put it that way, but I met and became close with many people. I also visited many new places and became accustomed to them.Personally, I think it was an opportunity to have a truly rich and rewarding experience.
- France, Paris — Gap Year Stay / Jeong Young-hwan, gap-yearper (gapper) / 8-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 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 workers do not feel happy.Many people tell them to dream, but to solve this problem—which lacks practical methods and support— we aim to introduce the ''gap year'' to South Korea.
*What is a gap year?
A gap year refers to a period in which one pauses or combines studies with various activities such as travel, volunteering, internships, and education to discover one''s dreams and aptitudes.
*What is a gap year stay?
It is a project where you pay a small fee and can try staff activities at a guesthouse while meeting various people. The biggest advantage of this project is that participants can come into contact with diverse people and gain new stimulation.
#Indeed, Europeans are free in how they behave.
I applied because I wanted to spend my time meaningfully before going to the military. Also, I had always wanted to live in Europe,I was curious about Europeans'' way of thinking and wanted to feel how certain stereotypes or common views differed.
Living in France made me realize that Europeans are certainly free in their behavior. They boldly express their thoughts and actions—as long as they don''t inconvenience others. Also, the fact that people around them hardly pay attention to that seems to have played a big role in allowing this culture to take root.
# To put it briefly, I had a lot of experiences.
I actually hesitated a lot about participating in the Paris gap year stay. Considering the time and conditions, it doesn''t provide much compared to doing staff activities—some might even think less. But since I could stay abroad for a long time and wanted to try something before going to the military, I applied and took part.To put it briefly, I had a lot of experiences.Maybe I felt that way more because it was my first time going abroad, but since everything was new I was able to have a wide range of experiences.
Also, staying in one place for a long time was a really significant experience.At first you visit tourist sites, but after a little time you can see all the major attractions. Also, most tourist sites charge an entry fee, so it is true that it costs a lot. Therefore,later I wandered through the nooks and crannies of Paris and spent a lot of time reading or napping in parks. That wasn''t a bad thing.
Paris has so many parks, each with its own atmosphere, so it’s fun to explore them. Also, when you take it easy you feel really good. The weather was great, and especially the clouds—so different from Korea—were really beautiful; there were many times I lost track of time just watching them. However, toward the end I did end up spending more time at the accommodation.
#You can meet many people. Because many people travel to various places, you can get a lot of information.
Also, you can meet many people. Because many people travel to various places, you can obtain a lot of information.But guests who stay only briefly get close and then leave quickly, so even if you really get along, it''s hard and disappointing when they leave, and it''s difficult to have many deep interactions.
But it''s really nice when you become close with long-term guests or fellow staff. I was lucky that the senior staff who were there before me and the long-term guests got along well, which I really liked. Going on trips together was really fun, and when we worked while talking and joking the work finished quickly and wasn''t boring.Also, it''s not easy to find opportunities to make friends you can stay in contact with for a long time rather than people who just pass through, so this was a really good opportunity.
Paris is located in the center of Western Europe, so it was very convenient to travel to other countries. I visited London, Venice, and Rome, and because there was a base camp I could travel leisurely on a low budget, which was great. However, because there was only one day off per week I had to change schedules with other senior staff to make time to go. It''s true that activities got concentrated and became tough because of that. But I wasn''t there mainly to travel, so I didn''t have many complaints.
Traveling alone is nice, but traveling with someone you know is also really enjoyable.As a staff member there were many guests who traveled to various countries, so it was convenient to get information and compare. Also, because I became friendly with the guests, meeting them at travel destinations was really fun. It wasn''t that we hadn''t seen each other for a long time, but it was still really nice and lively. In particular, Venice and Rome were really enjoyable because I traveled with a senior staff member and a brother I had become close with as a long-term guest. Living in Paris, we had a lot in common so talking was fun, and it was really good to hear many different impressions than when viewing tourist spots alone.
My European travel story
Paris is the city I stayed in the longest, so it left many memories.The places I went alone were fun and memorable, but I think I had a lot of fun going out with people too. I worked evening shifts so I couldn''t usually join the night view tours, but there was one day I managed to go along. There were over ten people, so it was an outing that was even more memorable.
French food is famous enough to be called one of the world''s three great cuisines, so I had very high expectations about the food. In conclusion, there were some tasty dishes, but among ordinary-priced everyday foods there were hardly any that were delicious. Of course that may be due to my palate, but I think I expected too much.
Compared to Paris, Venice in Italy had spaghetti and pizza so delicious you could count them among the best at any restaurant. The photo above is of a seafood stew; it was at an expensive restaurant where I went with many guests. Of course it was tasty and enjoyable, but somehow many of us said we missed the seafood stew we eat in Korea.
London had many similarities with Paris, but the small differences felt novel and striking. First, it was a minor but really fun thing that people around me spoke languages I could understand.
Throughout the European destinations I enjoyed listening to the bustling sounds and imitating unique accents, and it was fun to eavesdrop when I was bored. Also, unlike Paris where buildings uniformly keep their old appearance, old and modern buildings blended very naturally. It wasn''t a huge difference, but whenever it caught my eye it felt fresh and stylish.
The most impressive thing in London was the musical. I saw the musical Wicked from the front row and the actors'' singing ability and acting were truly amazing. There was a speaker right next to me, but their voices cut through it and I could hear the actors'' singing. It was the most impressive and lingering part of London.
In Italy I went to Venice and Rome. I went to Venice with Beomsu-hyung and Dogyung-noona, who I had become close to as long-term guests, and then traveled to Rome with an older brother. I had also planned to go with another close brother nicknamed ''Musseopi hyung'', but the timing didn''t match so I couldn''t go with him, which was disappointing.
Venice was wonderful because of its peaceful, beautiful atmosphere and food, and Rome was astonishing because its historical sites and ruins were so massive. Personally, they were the most impressive places I visited. Each had very distinct characteristics, leaving deep memories and being enjoyable to see. But the most enjoyable aspect of this trip was that I traveled very happily with the people I was with. We were already close before starting the trip, but during the trip we talked a lot and quickly became even closer, which was really nice.
When I first arrived I was welcomed by Sol-noona, Eunhye-noona, and Seonggeun-noona. Looking back, they are probably the sisters I''m most grateful to. I was secretly worried about how I''d get by in a foreign place without knowing anyone, but when I knew nothing about Paris they told me a lot and naturally accepted me so I wouldn''t be left out.
They are the noonas who gave me the chance to realize that getting close with people and going around together during this project would be what I''d remember most. Juwon-noona and Dogyung-noona also took good care of me, became close, and looked out for me. Honestly, I started the project a little earlier and wanted to take care of others like the noonas did, but I felt upset that I couldn''t.
Even though I''m very shy, they consistently made an effort to become close with me, and I''m very grateful. Everyone was very affectionate so it was very sad when we parted, and they all wrote letters to me. I tried hard to write back but I was too shy to give them, and I honestly regret that after coming back to Korea.
My project tips
(Language)
It''s enough to be able to ask for directions in English or receive and understand instructions for transportation.
(Accommodation)
The rooms listed on the Gap Year website are the guests'' rooms; staff rooms are separate. Personally it wasn''t very uncomfortable to stay, but it''s clear they are more basic than the guests'' rooms.
(Meals)
The cook (auntie) makes really delicious meals for breakfast and dinner. I might have been better fed here than in Korea.
(Luggage)
It''s really good to minimize luggage. Clothes in particular can take up a lot of space on the way back, which can be inconvenient. Gauge the weather well and bring only a few necessary outfits.
(Tip)
I think it''s best for someone who has taken a leave of absence from school and doesn''t have any particularly special plans to apply.Participating with the primary aim of traveling is a very bad idea. Of course it''s a special experience and also travel, but basically, as a staff member there are plenty of tasks to do, so if you focus on sightseeing it doesn''t fit this project.
Rather than thinking of it as travel, it''s better to see it as a time to meet many people in a foreign place, take short trips to other countries, or stay in Paris for a long time and reflect on what moves you and how you get the most out of traveling. Because it was my first trip abroad, I personally felt and changed a lot. But if it hadn''t been my first trip overseas, I think I would have been very disappointed.
You can become close to guests, but since they leave quickly it''s hard to keep in touch with many people for a long time. You end up staying in contact with a few people you really click with. Bonds are formed more with fellow staff than with guests. If you get along well with an occasional long-term guest, that''s really great.
#Personally, it felt like it was an opportunity to have a very rich and rewarding experience.
The biggest impression I had from staying in Europe for a long time was people''s stares. In Europe, it seemed like people glanced at East Asian travelers the way we glance at foreigners. At first, those looks bothered me a lot.But because the behaviors you see outside are those of foreigners, I found myself behaving more freely and boldly.
If there was a lawn I liked, I would lie down; if somewhere piqued my curiosity, I would just go in; if I was curious about something, I would start a conversation. After doing that, I realized I cared more about people''s scrutiny on the streets of Korea than Europeans'' looks at foreigners. I also wondered whether I would be able to act like this after returning to Korea.
It was a trip that could be called long or short, but I met and became close with many people. I visited many new places and became more familiar with them.Personally, it felt like it was an opportunity to have a very rich and rewarding experience.
Currently, South Korea is,
each year 60,000 middle and high school students drop out of school; 346,000 people in their twenties have no dreams and just idle; 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 do not feel happiness.Many people tell them to dream, but to solve this problem that lacks practical methods and support, we want to bring the ''gap year'' to South Korea as well.
*What is a gap year?
A gap year refers to a period during which one pauses or overlaps their studies while engaging in various activities such as travel, volunteering, internships, and education to discover one’s dreams and aptitudes.
*What is the gap year project?
We have created numerous projects to satisfy a variety of needs—for people who want to change, those who want diverse experiences, and those who want to rest. Explore various projects such as overseas internships, travel, international volunteering, professional training, and language study, and imagine your own gap year!
My gap year is
Experience★★★★★
By staying in one place in Europe for a long time, you can develop a sense for travel and learn a lot about people’s ways of thinking.
Learning★★★☆☆
You can learn about foreign cultures, but you need to research a lot yourself, and because you work a lot it''s ambiguous to call it true learning.
Environment★★★☆☆
The meals are really good. However, the staff rooms can be poor.
Safety★★★☆☆
There are generally more pickpockets in Europe than in Korea, so it''s wise to be cautious. Lodgings are not necessarily completely safe either.
Leisure★★☆☆☆
The workload isn''t extremely heavy. However, after work it''s difficult to find time to go out and sightsee. You have to be very diligent to make the most of your free time. In particular, evening shift workers often work until the early morning, making it hard to enjoy Paris''s nighttime views, and there are very few museums or shops that open early in the morning, which makes sightseeing challenging.
