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#Picked myself up; changed the direction of my thinking #Precious connections; confidence in communicating in English #Developed a positive mindset
Contrary to what I had expected, thanks to the unexpected gappers and the owner, I feel I gained a lot from this project. At first I went hoping that meeting foreigners would help me study English and that through meeting various people I would be able to see more things, but rather than that,The sisters I worked hard with and the owner took good care of me while living together, looking after my loneliness, so I think I was able to get through a difficult time. Spending happy times with people I like seems to be a good support that can lift me up whenever I''m having a hard time.
-Let''s introduce my own Seoul to foreign friends, Gap Year Stay Seoul!/Shin Jaewon gap-year family gapper/8 weeks of 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 without 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 over 80% of workers reportedly do not feel happy.Many people tell you to dream, but to solve this problem that lacks practical methods and support, we aim to introduce ''gap year'' to South Korea.
*What is a gap year?
A gap year refers to a period when one suspends or combines studies while engaging in various activities such as travel, volunteering, internships, and education to find one''s dreams and aptitudes.
*What is Gap Year Stay?
It is a project where, for a fee, you can stay at a guesthouse, meet various people, and try staff activities. The biggest advantage of this project is that participants can come into contact with diverse people and receive new stimuli.
#My gap year goal was only one thing: to pick myself up from the very bottom. That was all.
Honestly, I wanted to run away somewhere. After deciding to stop studying for the police exam, I had no idea how or where to start from there.I wanted to rest thoroughly for a few months without any pressure and reflect on my future.By chance I learned about Gap Year Stay Seoul on Facebook, and seeing that it offered room and board for the not-too-long, not-too-short period of two months while I had no money, I thought this was it. Also,I applied because meeting new people and foreigners seemed like it would temporarily quench the thirst I had to go abroad and experience new things.
Before doing the gap year, I was very depressed and had many thoughts in my head, but I wasn''t properly trying any of them.My household was chaotic, and I felt like I wasn''t living my life proactively but being tossed around by various people without really finding my footing. I hated that. In the past I thought that once I graduated high school I''d do all the things I wanted to try, butBut after actually graduating I fell into a state of lethargy and didn''t want to do anything. My goals and dreams all disappeared. So my gap year goal was only one thing: to lift myself up from rock bottom. That was it.
#Talking with others and living in a new place allowed me to change the direction of my thinking.
I came to Seoul and was unsure what to do. I wanted to see performances and plays, but when I tried to, I didn''t have much money, so I ended up not going. For now I decided to wander around, so I watched busking near Hongdae, went to the Han River, went to Nakseongdae, and thinking ''there''s the subway anyway,'' I turned off my phone and walked around the Gwanghwamun area for over an hour. At night, looking at the statue of King Sejong in Gwanghwamun Square gave me a strange, indescribable feeling, and I stared at it for a long time.It was somehow bigger and more spacious around than I had imagined.
Walking along Cheonggyecheon it was lively with the sounds of people''s conversations. After wandering alone like that, I arrived at the guesthouse after 10 p.m. and lay down on the bed, and it felt kind of amazing.I always wanted to get away from adultsand I felt like I had really come to Seoul on my own, by my own will.
Honestly, I didn''t do anything special after coming to Seoul. I neglected the English study I had planned and was busy working and playing. At first I tried to do something meaningful. Impatient to make a decision about my future, I would sit sullenly alone and scribble here and there, and when things didn''t go well I fell back into my habitual depression.Anyway, even though it wasn''t my intention, I really had a good time without thinking.
If I had been alone, it would have felt like being stuck against a wall, just treading water in the same situation, but talking with others and staying in a new place let me change the direction of my thinking.Things that felt serious also seemed like nothing, and I guess I felt a bit lighter than before. That''s how it felt.
For a while I just worked, hung out, and stayed around Hongdae. Then I remembered that my only goal in coming to Seoul had been to visit cultural sites like Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Jongmyo, so I went belatedly. Two months turned out to be much shorter than I thought.
In the meantime,I sometimes thought, "What am I doing here in Seoul without doing anything special? It''s a waste of time," and that feeling made it hard to do staff activities at the guesthouse, so I became negligent. But after getting through that hump, I actually felt very sad when it was about to end. Since I was the first applicant to this gap year project, I thought that if it were the next time I could have enjoyed it more, and I think I discovered the charm and fun of this project belatedly.
# Whenever I get discouraged and have a hard time, this unique experience I had at twenty will remain a good memory and be a source of strength.
Many people came and went over the two months — from international students to people from various countries like the U.S., Russia, Thailand, France, and India. Among them, a few stand out in my memory: Simon, Louis, and Sahil. Simon and Louis came to our guesthouse for a short vacation after finishing work in Korea.
They said they were from France, and I was so curious and wanted to get close that I just went up and started a conversation. They were both around my age and communication wasn''t perfect, but when we suggested doing things together they''d easily say "ok, ok," so we had fun together for about two weeks. Normally I never felt sad when a guest left, but I got so attached to them that saying goodbye was a little heartbreaking.
Another friend, Sahil, was from India. Since I had thought I''d like to visit India someday, I was curious and we became close talking. As I''d read in some books that Indian people can be mischievous and playful, it really felt like that was written about Sahil. He played so many pranks that it got to the point where I couldn''t tell what was real and what was fake. Because Sahil kept saying "I have one question" over and over, we laughed a lot for a while.
At the beginning of November I decided to go to Japan with the older sisters I worked with. Lately I''ve been studying Japanese hard, something I never expected. By next March I''ll save money to go to Spain to directly experience the Spanish language and culture that I learned in high school.I''m coming out of a lethargic state and again finding things I want to do like before.
More than having huge goals, I''m setting concrete, small things I can actually do and working on them one by one. I realized once again—through interacting with people and working and playing hard—that if I want to do something I have to invest time and money, so I need to set priorities and focus.
Whenever I feel discouraged and have a hard time, this unique experience I had at twenty will remain a good memory and be a source of strength. Gap year over ^.^
# My own Seoul travel spots
Near Hongdae I liked the Gyeongui Line Forest Park. The front part is a bit noisy and crowded, but if you go in a little it''s quiet, a tree-lined path with cozy lighting. It''s nice to walk there when you have a lot on your mind.
Also, my favorite thing was going to Jongmyo wearing hanbok; on weekdays you can only enter at certain times. I visited other places too, but Jongmyo was really impressive.
# My TIP
(Language)
If you study in advance the English phrases for check-in and giving directions when guesthouse guests arrive, it''ll be much easier to deal with foreign guests.
(Accommodation)
Keep in mind that it''s not always shared only with other gappers; depending on the situation you might sleep alone in another room or share a room with a male guest.
(Tip)
I actually went with no plans. Everyone participating in this project will want different things, but I hope you don''t make your schedule too tight. Just doing four hours of staff activities can wear you out enough.
It was a bit harder than I had expected. So rather than trying to gain something, because two months is shorter than you might think,I hope you''ll come with a more relaxed mindset.Seoul has well-established communities, so on weekends I think it''s a good idea to try learning a new hobby.
# I feel like I can breathe a little now.
Honestly, almost every single day was fun. Being with people who were traveling was my daily life, so each day felt special and these situations felt amazing.I didn’t think about anything and just had fun, ate, and slept—being faithful to the basics made my mind feel healthier. Before, perhaps because of concerns about the future, I was unnecessarily impatient and often confused about how to view myself, but those things seem to have been well resolved.
Unlike what I expected, thanks to the unexpected gappers and the owner, I feel like I gained a lot from this project. At first I went hoping that meeting foreigners would help me study English and that I’d be able to see more through various people, but rather than that...The sisters I worked alongside and the owner took good care of me while living together, watching over me when I felt lonely, so I think I was able to endure the difficult times. Spending enjoyable time with people I like seems to provide a good support that lifts me up whenever I’m having a hard time.
*What is a gap year project? We created numerous projects to satisfy various desires—people who want to change, try diverse experiences, or rest. Browse projects such as overseas internships, travel, overseas volunteering, specialized training, and language study, and imagine your own gap year!
*Project for those who want to relax and heal at their own pace
Do you want to spend time leisurely in a new environment and work through your own worries alone? If that sounds like you, how about this: Korea Gap Year one-month living project! Throw yourself into a new environment and use the new stimuli there to work through your personal concerns~ View the one-month living project< Go to link |
My gap year is
Experience★★★★☆
Learning★★★☆☆
Environment★★★★☆
It had only been a few months since the renovation, so the building was generally clean and the facilities were good.
Safety★★★★★
There was a separate staff room and CCTV installed, so I wasn’t particularly worried about safety.
Leisure★★★★★
It was a time when I worked hard at activities and also fully relaxed and had fun.
