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#Anxiety relieved; gained new experiences #Met many good people; decided to 'try it first and deal with any regrets later' #Took time to reflect on myself
What I actually felt through this gap year project was that “there are so many good people.” And that “it''s better to try something yourself and regret it than not to try at all.”Before choosing Paris as the destination, there had been two terrorist attacks in France, and people around me expressed a lot of concern, saying it was a dangerous place. I also saw posts in travel communities saying “people are unfriendly” and “there are too many pickpockets,” which made me wonder whether it was really okay to go. But my desire to go was stronger, so I applied, and I''m so glad I made that choice. The Paris I actually visited was neither dangerous nor unfriendly. -Bonjour! Living in Paris, France for a month / Lee Ji-won gap-year member (gapper) / 4-week gap year |
Currently, South Korea is, each year seeing 60,000 middle and high school students drop out, 346,000 people in their twenties idling because they have no dreams, and turnover rates within one year of employment entering the 40% range,75% of university students are not satisfied with university life, and more than 80% of office workers reportedly do not feel happy.Many people tell others to dream, but to address this problem that lacks practical methods and support, we want to introduce 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 combines studies while engaging in various activities such as travel, volunteering, internships, and education,to find one’s dreams and aptitudes. *What is ''living for a month''? No more rushed, checklist-style sightseeing! It''s a project where you take a month to live leisurely in one area.A perfect project for those of you who are exhausted from work and stressed by various things.Have a conversation with the ''you'' inside, and explore the romantic charms of Paris, alley by alley~ |
# “At this rate I might graduate without ever going on a trip.”
Hello. I am a university student who took a leave of absence after three years and went on this gap year. When I became a college student, I really wanted to travel to Europe. But without any preparation,I spent three years vaguely thinking ''I want to go, I''ll go someday.'' Thinking ''I might graduate without ever traveling,'' I took a leave of absence and joined this gap year project,and participated,and now I''m writing about it like this!
First of all, I wanted to try a trip where I stayed in one place for a long time. I don''t have great stamina, so I judged that moving my luggage every few days and doing a trip that only rushes to see places quickly wouldn''t suit me. While searching with the keyword ''one-month Europe trip,'' I found a site called Korean Gap Year, and there I discovered a project called ''Living in Paris for a month.''
Paris was a place I absolutely wanted to go and live in, so it was extremely appealing. I decided to base myself in Paris and visit other regions of France as well, and chose this project.
Although I had traveled abroad before, it was my first time going overseas by myself. So I stressed myself out worrying about things that hadn''t even happened yet. On the first day I had a layover and felt sick during the arrival process. But after a couple of days I wondered why I had worried in the first place; I realized it was such a safe and interesting place.
# “Let''s find out what I like and dislike.”
Actually, I''m someone who doesn''t plan. In high school I would write tasks in a planner in advance and not erase them, writing down what I had done and checking them off. That personality, along with the one-month time frame, made me think ''I can prepare leisurely.'' I just wrote down the places I wanted to go in a notebook. I only prepared the things that had to be booked in advance—transportation tickets, accommodation, admission tickets, and books to read.
I don''t think I expected anything big from this gap year.''Finding out what I like and dislike'' was the main goal. I''m quite indecisive and don''t have clear preferences. So a big part of this trip was to understand what I disliked and what I enjoyed.
This project was literally just me living there for a month. If I wanted to go out I would go out and have fun, and on days I wanted to rest I would sleep all day at the house. There were even days when I just had lunch and went to the park!
# The Paris I visited in person was neither dangerous nor unfriendly.
What I realized through this project was that ''there are so many good people,'' and that ''it''s better to try something yourself and regret it than never try at all.''Before choosing Paris as the destination, there had been two terrorist attacks in France, and people around me expressed a lot of concern saying it was dangerous. Seeing posts in travel communities saying ''they''re unfriendly, there are too many pickpockets,'' I often wondered whether it was really safe to go.
But my desire to go was stronger, so I applied, and I''m so glad I made that choice. The Paris I visited in person wasn''t dangerous or unfriendly.If I asked for directions, people would open a map to show me, and when I ordered food speaking clumsy French they would smile and kindly help me. (Of course, it may vary by shop haha)There were people who kindly took me to the station when I was lost. I often thought there are many things you can never know without experiencing them yourself.
Also, I''m someone who doesn''t plan much, so most days I decided what to do the day before. Before coming I was vaguely worried about being so unplanned. But I found that it''s okay to be a bit unplanned. There were always nice places nearby, and there were certainly good people.You leave alone, but you''re never truly alone!
Because I stayed at the accommodation for a month, I met many travelers: students like me, office workers who had quit their jobs, newlyweds, and even an 18-year-old high school student. If our schedules matched the next day we''d go out together, and at night we''d share stories over delicious food.
I also met foreigners while traveling alone outside the accommodation: a Vietnamese student I took the same bus with and spent a day traveling with, a German man who rescued me when I got lost on a mountain, a man who kindly walked me to the bus stop, and so on.There were countless people I was so grateful to have traveled with. It''s a bit of a pity I can''t keep in touch with all of them.
# My recommended travel destinations
I did a one-month living-in-Paris program, but I actually visited many other regions of France. Starting with nearby Versailles and Giverny, I went to Normandy (Honfleur, Étretat, Mont Saint-Michel), Lyon, Avignon, Strasbourg, Colmar, and Chamonix. If you have a romantic longing for France, I recommend visiting other regions while doing a month-long stay.
Chamonix especially left a big impression on me. For those who think you can only see beautiful snowy scenery in Switzerland, it might be a pleasant surprise. Oh, when traveling between regions, it''s better to get a rail pass if possible to save time! I couldn''t get one, so I traveled mostly by bus.
Of course the bus is cheaper than the train, but you''ll have an unforgettable experience spending 19 hours round-trip on a bus! It became a good memory too. If you''re not physically up to it, I recommend taking the train :)
# My gap year TIP
(Preparation)
Actually, I thought ''one month'' was a very long time so I went with almost no plans. But once I was there, it was by no means a long time, and there were many things I regretted.I wish I had researched and read more before going.
(Experience)
Just arriving alone at the accommodation gave me a great sense of accomplishment. The connections and trips with other people I met there were very enjoyable, butthe sense of achievement from traveling alone (finding my way by myself, asking questions to get around, trying to speak French, etc.) became the greatest joy and a precious gift.
(Language)
I had actually taken French as a general education course at university. So I was able to pick up words I saw in France a bit faster, and I tried to use even single words in real life. Many people seemed to appreciate that I was trying to speak French.I think that learning even a little of the country''s language will make your trip much more enjoyable.
(Accommodation)
Because I had lived in school dormitories for a long time and had experienced communal living like camps a lot, staying in a guesthouse for a month wasn''t that difficult. Sharing a room or a bathroom with someone could be hard. I''d say that if you have experienced communal living at least once, you can live comfortably and enjoyably without much discomfort.
(Meals)
I think it was the best way to save the most money during a month. Since breakfast and dinner were provided, I would sometimes come in for dinner while out and then go back out again. However, because you should try the country''s food, I recommend eating out occasionally.
(What to bring)
Many banks include travel insurance when you exchange currency. The longer the trip, the more important it is to check and get it. Also, if you need a transportation pass, it''s best to buy it in Korea before you go. There are things you can''t purchase locally in France as a foreigner. Check carefully, and if it''s hard to buy locally, prepare them in Korea in advance.
(Tip)
Paris has so many wonderful art galleries and museums, but I regretted not being able to fully appreciate them because I didn''t know much about the works. Being unplanned is fine, but learning at least a little about the places you want to go or the works you want to see can give you richer sights and experiences.
Also, since France''s native language is French, I think it''s good to learn a few words. I used words I had learned before and a few words that a guy I met at the accommodation taught me, and I spoke as much as possible. I also made useful use of Google Translate.
They''re simple words, but I think my effort made people more willing to teach and tell me things. Also, if you go to the suburbs, there are people who don''t speak any English at all, so knowing a few words is definitely helpful. Saying something like "Yes, thank you! Goodbye." in French would probably make the trip more enjoyable.
# Honestly, I don''t think it was long enough to gain a major life revelation.
First of all, the biggest change is that I became a morning person. I used to be a complete night owl.But after waking up in the morning for just over a month to eat and go out early, it seems to have naturally become a habit. It''s been about a week since I returned from the trip, and I wake up at 7 now. My family says they''re amazed that I''m trying to eat breakfast. :)
Honestly, I don''t think it was long enough to gain a major life revelation. I didn''t come back with such an epiphany. ButAbroadthe anxiety and worry about going abroad disappeared, and I still want to go out now. I came to think, "The world isn''t that dangerous, and there are many good people."
My gap year is
Experience ★★★★★
Almost everything was something I tried for the first time in my life. Traveling alone, going out to eat, finding my way, talking with people—those things. So simply spending a month in a different place was, in itself, all experience for me.
Learning ★★★★☆
It seems proportional to the experience. Rather than having a major life epiphany, I learned more about small things (like, I should bring this, or doing it this way is better).
Environment ★★★☆☆
Because it was a Korean guesthouse, it was nice to get a lot of information and have companions to go with. On the other hand, I thought it would have been better if there had been a balanced mix that allowed me to feel the country''s culture more and meet local people.
Safety ★★★★☆
It''s true that I went with many negative stories and worries about Paris. But Paris and France during that month were not dangerous and were friendly. I didn''t see any pickpockets, and even when I moved around alone at night or in the early morning, no incidents occurred.
Leisure★★★☆☆
Maybe because the initial ''one month'' felt too long, after about a week I didn''t keep myself active. I wish I had gone out more and enjoyed my free time.
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