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#A more relaxed mindset and a realization of the world's vastness #A more active lifestyle and new recipes #Took time to reflect on myself
In short, comparing before and after the trip: before participating I was so busy living that I kept forgetting that the world is wide and beautiful. But after participating I developed a more relaxed mindset and began living more leisurely.It''s good to take a gap year at least once in your life.
- One month living at a Danish folk high school (ranked #1 on the World Happiness Index) / Kwon Hyesung, gap-year traveler (gapper) / 4-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 idly doing nothing because they have 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 college life, and more than 80% of workers report not feeling happy.Many people tell others to dream, but lacking practical methods and support to solve this problem, 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 formal study with various activities such as travel, volunteering, internships, and education,to discover one''s dreams and aptitudes. |
# ''''What would that country be like? Let''s live there once!''
I was curious about what life in another country would be like. I wanted to take a break from the busy life in Korea and experience life in Northern Europe, which is reputed for its good welfare. At that time, I simply...I think I went with the thought, ''What would that country be like? Let''s live there once!''With the goal of making friends and living proactively, I departed for Denmark.
# First impressions of the school and my role
On the car ride to the school in Faxe, Denmark, I was filled more with excitement and anticipation than with nervousness.When I first arrived at the school it happened to be dinner time. The meal was a buffet consisting of salad, a main dish, and bread. I was impressed by how good the food was, and as I took my plate and sat down I warmly greeted the friends participating in the school''s various programs.
During the month I was at the school, my tasks were mainly cooking meals, cleaning, and looking after children. Therefore my living spaces were the kitchen and the principal''s house. The meal duty is called the ''kitchen rota,'' and typically you are scheduled to cook or do the dishes about twice a week. In the kitchen I prepared lunch together with the chef Martin every Tuesday and Thursday.
At first it felt awkward to use an unfamiliar knife, but as time passed I became comfortable handling it. Initially I mostly did the prep work of trimming ingredients like potatoes, carrots, and onions. One day Martin injured his leg and couldn''t come to the kitchen for several days. During that time I had to go beyond a helper role and cook the meals myself.
I learned and made various salads, pasta, chicken dishes, and bread. I generally like cooking, so I was happy to learn.Above all, I felt truly proud when people ate the lunches I had carefully prepared and expressed their thanks, saying ''that was delicious.''When you cook in the kitchen, the person who cooked must also clean up afterwards. At the school they tend to clean very often and very thoroughly.
# A week at the school
Every Monday is ''Big Cleaning'' day for deep cleaning the kitchen.On this day we clean everything from the kitchen floor to the food in the refrigerator and the walls. There''s also ''Morning Cleaning'' each morning where you clean the area assigned to you. At first it was annoying and I often forgot and missed cleaning days, but it meant that the space was always clean and hygienic whenever we used it.
Every Tuesday isthe day for ''Practical Action.'' ''Practical Action'' is a day for activities that are practically helpful to the school.We sorted donated clothes and items at the school''s Green Shop for refugees, and we picked apples from the apple tree to make juice. I also mowed the lawn in the schoolyard and organized books in the small library.Because the volunteer work involved doing different tasks for the school each week, I approached it with a sense of fun.
Right next to the school building was the principal''s house, and besides cleaning the principal''s house I also took care of the principal''s children, Kai and Eva. We watched cartoons together and played games, having a good time. Kai especially liked Pokémon and was really happy when I drew Pokémon for him. He would copy the Pokémon and color in the ones I drew. The children were cute and happy, which made me feel good. They were so kind and adorable that I sometimes found myself looking forward to the days I would see Kai and Eva.
Every morning we gathered in the cafeteria.There were also days for ''Morning Spot.'' It''s a free gathering where one person chooses a topic to present and listens to others'' thoughts and opinions.I gave a presentation on ''self-portraits,'' discussing artists'' self-portraits and their meanings, and I prepared paper and colored pencils so everyone could draw their own self-portrait.I also gave a presentation on ''Hangul,'' and although it was a short 30-minute slot, when friends told me it was an interesting and good topic, I felt that staying up all night to prepare it had been worthwhile.
Also once a weekAt ''Culture Night'' we watched movies and played games, having fun with friends and finding many opportunities to get closer.After finishing my day''s schedule and having some free time, I would do the laundry I had fallen behind on, dry it, and go for a walk. If you walk about 40 minutes you can see the sea. It''s really nice because you can stroll along the seaside path. Especially with my closest friend Karolina, we saw the sea, took walks, and took photos, making many memories.
The accommodation was for two people, but I was able to use a spacious room freely without a roommate. The large trees and sky visible from the accommodation brought me peace. I can''t say the weekday life at the school was "relaxed." Especially on days when we made lunch, the workload was intense and it could be tiring.
However, you can rest and recharge leisurely on weekends. If you want to have a good time at the school, it''s best to discuss and decide by email with the staff beforehand what tasks you''ll do and when. It was nice to live healthily at the school and meet many good people.
#It''s an unforgettable, beautiful experience.
My closest friend was a girl named Karolina. When I missed the train back to school or when we went for walks by the sea, we were able to talk a lot; she was almost the only friend with whom I could have deep and truly heartfelt conversations. She''s the friend I think about and miss the most.
The most enjoyable experience was meeting a variety of friends. Eating meals and going for walks with friends from around the world,It was ordinary but I was able to live a fulfilling day-to-day life.An experience that will remain in my memory is the night sky of Denmark. One late night when I went for a walk,I happened to look up and there were so many stars. I lay down by the roadside, listened to music, and gazed at the night sky for a long time. It was an unforgettable, beautiful experience.
# My personal travel tip
Before arriving in Denmark I took a 3-day, 2-night trip to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Over the month I did a gap year project and visited Copenhagen in Denmark; Gothenburg, Malmö, and Stockholm in Sweden; and finally Paris, France. I think it''s good to visit nearby countries. Even if you think, "I should go!" once you return to Korea it''s not easy to go abroad again.
# My gap yearTIP
(Language)
Danish is not used. Friends come from countries all over the world to participate in the program, so the common language is English. As long as you know basic everyday language, there won''t be major problems.
(Accommodation)
The accommodation is fine. The heating works well, and the windows are large so you can see the outside scenery. You can borrow a key by leaving some money as a deposit, but at the place where I stayed they said they couldn''t give me a key because I had lost it. I couldn''t lock the door for a month, but I didn''t lose any belongings. If you are not provided a key, it''s necessary to get into the habit of hiding money, cards, and valuables under the bed or in other hiding places.
(Meals)
If you go to the folk high school, meals are prepared by assigning turns. Making food for many people is hard at first and full of things you don''t know, butI hope you won''t stress about that.Chef ''Martin'' kindly teaches. It''s an opportunity to learn new European-style dishes, and occasionally Asian foods like rice are served. Vegetables, fish, and meat are provided every day, so you can have balanced meals.
(What to bring)
I didn''t bring laundry detergent, so I bought some at the supermarket. The nearest walkable place is only open on weekends. Transportation is very inconvenient, making shopping difficult, so be sure to bring laundry detergent, toothpaste, a toothbrush, sanitary pads (for female participants), etc. from Korea.
(Inconveniences)
Transportation is very inconvenient. To go to Copenhagen you have to ask friends who have cars and get their permission, and on days without a car available you can''t go even if you want to. When you go out and return, a friend with a car must pick you up in person, so the timing has to match.
Also, before going it''s best to confirm exactly what activities you''ll be doing with the local coordinator and plan the schedule together in advance from Monday to Sunday.
(Tip)
This gap year program varies in quality depending on how much effort you put in.The more proactive and hardworking you are and the more friends you make, the richer your experience will be.
#You should definitely take a gap year at least once in your life.
In short, comparing before and after: before participating I was so busy with life that I kept forgetting how wide and beautiful the world is. After participating, I developed a more relaxed mindset.You should definitely take a gap year at least once in your life.
# For those interested in this project
Actually, before going the only information available about the school and gap year activities is what''s on the gap year website. I''ll write down what was different from what I expected and what is needed while living at the school after arriving. I hope this is added to the school''s introduction.
When I received an email from the coordinator I was told my tasks would be ''cleaning, cooking, and babysitting.'' I vaguely and naturally assumed this was work for the ''school'' where I would be living. However, the cleaning involved cleaning the principal''s and another teacher''s homes, and the babysitting was for the principal''s children, not the children at the school.
I had some reservations because I considered the principal''s and other teachers'' houses to be ''private homes'' rather than part of the ''school.'' I proposed that instead of cleaning I would interview students and make a promotional video for the school, but because I didn''t say this at the start and brought it up after a lot of time had passed, it wasn''t accepted.
The principal explained that his home was also part of the school, and since there was no other alternative it was resolved by my cleaning only the principal''s house and not the other teachers'' homes which I was unfamiliar with. If you have any opinions, say them before the project starts — precise discussion is necessary. It''s not easy to change your assigned schedule mid-way to something you want, so before going on a gap year you should know exactly what you''ll be doing and make agreements through sufficient discussion with the school.
If you have a project you planned yourself, it''s important to explain it multiple times and promote it to the people at the school. Also communicate your ideas clearly, and if anything comes up speak precisely and state your thoughts with a clear ''YES'' or ''NO.'' If that point is clear, it will be a fulfilling, self-directed project for the month.
Finally, the school has a small garden. When I went it was winter so there were no growing crops. I therefore didn''t do any gardening. You can garden in the spring and summer when crops are growing.
My gap year
Experience★★★★☆
You can have an enjoyable time with friends from around the world.
Learning★★★☆☆
You don''t directly learn something specific, but in my case I learned new cooking recipes.
Environment★★★☆☆
The school''s environment (accommodation, meals) is good. Transportation is inconvenient.
Safety★★★★☆
It is safe inside the school. There are not many streetlights outside, so it becomes very dark if you go out late at night. I do not recommend going out alone at night.
Leisure★★★★☆
After your schedule is finished, you can rest or spend your free time however you like.
