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#Greater peace of mind and a more adventurous, proactive attitude #Understanding relationships, improved communication skills #The warmth of genuine relationships
-Study English without stress and enjoy it — that''s it! Yoon Sua, gap-year-er/gapper — 12-week gap year
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# Because I struggled with it a lot, I think I worried even after making the decision.
Hello. While I was hesitating whether to change jobs or take a short break from work, I happened to come across a post about gap years.
Afterwards I had a one-on-one consultation and chose this project because I wanted some time away from the situation to think.
At that time I was thinking of changing jobs and didn''t plan to take more than three months off, soWhen I considered the time from the preparation period to returning and looking for a job, it was quite different from my previous plan, so I did hesitate.
I also worried a lot about whether that period was really the time I needed, so I think I worried even after deciding.
Although I wasn''t going to be away for that long, I was still concerned about the financial aspect and whether it might be a disadvantage when I looked for a job again.
At that time, rather than having a specific goal to achieve something, I think I mostly wanted to get away from the current situation for a while. I was having a lot of trouble with relationships, and I often wondered whether I was living the life I had imagined and whether this was the work I truly wanted.
So I decided to get away a little and take my time before leaving the country. A goal emerged not before preparing but after spending about a week there, andThe goal was to experience as much as possible while I was there and to find out what I truly wanted to do when I returned.
# Daily routine in the Philippines
The weekday routine was simplyI wake up in the morning and have classes until 5 PM. Classes were 50 minutes with 5-minute breaks, and there was a lunch break in between.
I have dinner at 6, and afterwards I spend time with my roommate or circle mates, or I study or do assignments and then sleep. Usually on Friday evenings we eat out with friends who are leaving, and on Saturday or Sunday we see them off to the academy or the airport.
On weekends I usually go out for activities, like going to a nearby mall to buy gifts or necessities, or planning during the weekto arrange a day trip or a one-night, two-day trip. I mostly spend time outside with people or catch up on assignments or studying.
# I realized that relationships approached with sincerity are very warm.
I talked a lot with a teacher at the language school; she even said that at first she thought I was rigid and hard to get close to. After talking a lot, she said it had been a misunderstanding — she thought I couldn''t even smile at first, but she grew fond of me and that changed.
When I think about it,I realized that whether inside or outside the institute, most Filipino people were smiling, which I found very surprising. There are many moments when you can feel happy and it''s important to express that, and I wondered whether I had been deliberately hiding my emotions until now.
Also, before that I often tried to be considerate and adapt to be comfortable, but during that period I learned a lot about communicating and having conversations. At first I was awkward and reluctant to socialize and couldn''t find people to hang out with, but I became close with my roommate, a Taiwanese lady, and through that I was able to enter the group there for the first time.
Most were Taiwanese friends, with a few Japanese friends, and there were two Koreans including me. Maybe because we were Korean, we were more formal at first, so it took time to become close, and I felt awkward and stressed in the group at first.
During that time we went on a trip to Bohol together. It wasn''t through a travel agency; we booked the ferry ourselves and arranged a van and driver there, so unintentionally it turned out to be a very tough trip. When we returned, we were relieved to be back alive; although it was hard, after that I became closer with my circle mates and it became a frequently recounted story during my time in the Philippines.
Not only on that trip but during daily life, it was their consideration that allowed me to be with them. In some ways I was an outsider in that group (since it was mostly Taiwanese), but thanks to their consideration and communication I was able to enjoy my time, and later I was able to have many conversations with a Japanese friend who was in a similar situation to me.
Although it was a short period, after experiencing those things I realized anew that communication isn''t one-sided but shared, and I felt that relationships treated with sincerity are very warm.
I learned a lot linguistically because I had no choice but to use English in daily life, but even more than thatAn opportunity to think a lot about relationships with people and to learn a lot.I think it was.
# I think I met really good people and shared many things in a short time.
The people we hung out with the most and felt sad to part from were this group. The friends who formed the group at the beginning ended up being those I spent the longest time with as they cycled through.
There were friends who rotated roughly on a weekly basis and new friends I got close to; some of us hung out together for over a month, while others only for a week.
Among them, the most memorable friends were the roommates I shared a room with and the friends in the next room. I was always with them and they remain friends I still keep in touch with.
In particular, from Gemma, who reached out first, to Kanako, who later found herself in a similar situation and whom I leaned on a lot, many people spent a great deal of time together in a short period.
It was nice to visit many attractions with them, but what I remember most isthe process of talking with the people I met there, supporting each other, and learning new things. My English was poor so I spoke haltingly, but fortunately I met really good people and shared many things in a short time.
The only unpleasant experience was that at tourist spots they demanded an exorbitant amount for transportation, creating a tense atmosphere. – There was no special way to resolve it; we just paid the money and concluded it.
# My personal destinations in the Philippines
* Drive to Oslob by rental car; whale shark tour; eat at a nearby restaurant; Aguinid Falls; return to accommodation.
* Move to Mactan; day trip at a Mactan resort (lunch–dinner); Crown Regency Hotel: meal and Sky Walk; return to accommodation.
* Island hopping in Bohol, Mactan, and Camotes.
# My gap year tips
(Language)
It would be good to study at least some English before participating in the project.Even after studying, I still stammered and couldn''t speak fluently; if you go without any preparation, you might even be afraid to go to the supermarket at first.
I didn''t prepare particularly much so I don''t have special advice, but from the people I spent time with, practicing simple Tagalog seems to make people treat you more kindly (for example, saying ''thank you'' when ordering).
(Accommodation)
Because it''s a shared space, if roommates feel uncomfortable they should talk about it and find a solution immediately, otherwise relationships will just grow distant. Since I stayed in a dormitory, there were almost no uncomfortable facilities (if anything, the Wi‑Fi).
(Meals)
The dorm meals were mostly Korean-style so there was no major inconvenience, but when eating out there''s a lot of barbecue or salty food; if that doesn''t suit your taste it''s fine to stock up on Korean foods at supermarkets as they''re widely sold.
(Luggage)
This is basic, but you don''t need to bring everyday necessities from Korea just to save money. You don''t have to pack things that can be used locally, butit''s a good idea to bring toiletries you can use for about one day after arrival.
(Tip)
In my case I had a lot of worries and thoughts before participating, but after living there I felt those worries were unnecessary. HoweverI think that if you set a clear goal before participating in the gap year and proceed accordingly, it will be an opportunity to have a better time and learn more.
# Although I returned to my regular life, I feel more at ease.
Looking back, I treated what lay before me as everything and struggled to protect it at all costs, with no sense of ease.I think I lived a life without any leeway. However, after participating and returning to my previous life, I feel I have gained some peace of mind.
Also, compared to before,Before, I tried not to step outside what I considered a safe boundary; now I find myself thinking that perhaps I should try taking on some challenges.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
