I actually didn''t notice a big change before and after participating. But looking back now,I think I have become a bit braver and less fearful than I was before.
-One-month stay in Montpellier, France — a small European town loved by Europeans! / Dasom, gap-year traveler/gapper / 4-week gap year |
# I want to challenge myself with and experience as many things as possible, learn, and grow.
Hello! I''m Dasom, and I participated in the one-month stay project in Montpellier, France. I''m a student on leave. I''m a 25-year-old woman and have one year left of school! I like traveling alone, poetry and novels, movies and musicals, and theater. I major in computer science and also study psychology.
There are many things I want to do and I''m at an age that''s fickle and impulsive, but I''m trying to like myself nonetheless. I want to study and understand people, learn about the world, and look at it with warm eyes.
The reason I participated in the Montpellier one-month stay project was because the project sounded really interesting. I had a strong desire to go to new places and a romantic longing for France. On the list I had kept since high school were things like studying French in France, having discussions with friends, and visiting places I''d seen in films.
I liked France''s free-spiritedness, the atmosphere of open discussion, and envied that people study philosophy from a young age. I really felt, ''I want to be part of that too!'' When I actually went, the period was short and my limited French skills meant I couldn''t fulfill all my dreams... but since I set foot in France, I feel I''ve achieved half of it! Later, after improving my French in Korea, I want to read books by my favorite French authors in the original.
Before leaving, I was a bit worried because it was my first time in Europe, but since I already like traveling and had been an exchange student in Hawaii, I wasn''t too concerned. However, I was a little concerned about the language aspect, like French. I took French classes at school and also attended a language institute, but I was at such a beginner level that I thought it would have been more comfortable if I were proficient in French.
I knew Montpellier had nice weather, so I wasn''t much worried about clothing. However, I was a bit concerned about safety because I''d heard that Europe can be dangerous due to terrorism. But I didn''t hesitate because I thought that if it wasn''t for this opportunity, I might not get to live in France and learn French and French culture.
# My daily routine
Since French class started at nine, I woke up at 7:30. After washing up and getting ready it was eight, and after making a simple breakfast it was about 8:20. I walked about ten minutes to catch the tram, and if you waited for the tram it arrived quickly.
I took the tram for about twelve minutes, got off and walked about ten minutes, and then I could see the language school. Opposite the institute office there was a really delicious bakery.Every kind of bread was incredibly delicious.So I brought a lot of it back when I returned to Korea.
There was a supermarket right next to the school, so I used to buy drinks and salads there. I also bought shampoo, conditioner, soap, and so on there. Sometimes I would buy ramen at a small Korean market near the language school called ''Omija''. For French class I took three hours of lessons. There were two teachers, and I had two French class sessions in a day before going to lunch.
Usually I went to a noodle shop, a Japanese restaurant, or a Korean restaurant near the school. After snacks, I walked in a park, browsed books in a bookstore, shopped at stores, and took the tram home. From then my personal time began. After evening, the outside somehow looked scary so I couldn''t go out; I did homework, called my parents, watched movies, wrote, and slept. I slept very soundly every day.
Also, if I had to pick the people I remember most, the three friends who attended the same language school are the most memorable. I went with a Japanese friend, a friend from Dubai, and a friend from Ecuador; it was very fun. After class we went every day to eat delicious food, went shopping, went to bookstores, and ate really tasty desserts.
Two of my friends were vegans who didn''t eat meat. So we ordered separate dishes. The Lebanese food I had never tried before was tasty, and the South American food was also delicious. I also remember friends of various nationalities who studied French in the same class.
I also remember the kind teachers. They always welcomed us with smiling faces and explained things kindly.Of course it wasn''t a place with many East Asians, but living together still made for more enjoyable memories!
# To prospective participants of this project
It will be a precious time. Even now when I think of Montpellier, I picture the café in front of the language school, street musicians, pretty parks, museums, and delicious crêpe shops. It feels wistful. Every moment remains memorable. However, since there are safety concerns in Europe these days, I hope you avoid going out late at night.
Be careful of pickpockets on main roads and in crowded places. It might be a good idea to bring plenty of instant ramen so you can eat it when you miss Korean food. Montpellier local Take part in the day trips, cultural experiences, and travel programs run by the language school, and enjoy spending time with friends.
Montpellier doesn''t have restaurants open late like in Korea. There aren''t restaurants open even on weekends. You should prepare for that situation since it''s unfamiliar.
Above all, it would be more comfortable if you prepared by studying French beforehand. The frustration caused by the language was the biggest issue. Also, there is more studying than you might expect, so if you do your homework every day and review, your French will improve quickly.There are many different friends at the language school, so you can meet various cultures. Don''t hesitate about whether to do it or not.And enjoy every moment!
# My gap year tip
(Language)
I took French classes at school in Korea for four months and attended a private language academy for two months.
I regularly enjoyed watching French films.
(Accommodation)
I haven''t tried a homestay so I don''t know, but the studio apartment was comfortable and clean. If you need time alone, choose a studio; if you want to experience living with a family, I recommend a homestay.
(Meals)
Since restaurants are closed on weekends and evenings, it''s best to prepare in advance.
(Things to bring)
There was no hair dryer, so I bought one. If you want to eat rice, it would be good to bring a rice cooker. There wasn''t one in the accommodation. :)
# My personal French destinations
It''s hard to call it my own route because the places I visited in Montpellier are on main streets and well known. There are many really good restaurants in the square in front of the school. The café opposite the supermarket in Place de la Comédie has good coffee and really delicious desserts.
If you enter the alley by McDonald''s, Amerino on the left has really tasty ice cream. If you go a bit further down the alley there is a Korean restaurant on the left. The food is a bit different from what we eat in Korea, but it''s enough to soothe you. It''s also fun to browse the markets along the way.
Keep walking and you''ll find beautiful architecture. Inside there''s a park where many people sunbathe, read books, chat, and eat. Dogs are walked there too. There''s a beautiful lake. I walked there and wrote in my journal. I called family and friends I wanted to see. I wished they had been with me; I felt very regretful.
I mainly traveled through programs run by the language school. There were day tours of Montpellier; visiting the nearby town of Nîmes was fun, and going to the sea was interesting. It was convenient because they took care of the transportation.
You can also get to the shopping mall quickly by taking the blue line 1 tram. I remember there was a tasty pizza place nearby. Actually, in France any restaurant you go into exceeds expectations. Eat, rest, play, and study—the only obligation was homework. I had a lot of time to myself.Because I had a lot of time alone, I went to the movies and read many books. If you don''t find time alone difficult, it''s an opportunity to get closer to yourself.
I also heard from people around me that the cities in southern France are beautiful. Paris is stylish and pretty, but a close older sister who had lived in the south for a long time said that cities like Nice, Montpellier, and Cannes are truly dazzlingly beautiful.
As she said, Montpellier is a pleasant and pretty small city. I had the chance to stop briefly in Nice before returning to Korea, and it had a somewhat different, more ''touristy'' charm than Montpellier. The sea sparkled under the strong sunlight as if it were breaking into pieces. Because my visit overlapped with the carnival period, I had even more fun.
# I began asking small questions that I don''t usually ask.
The question of whether anything has changed is actually a difficult one. I think I''m still the same person, so I didn''t notice any big changes before and after participating. Looking back now,I think I''m a little braver now and less afraid than I was before.
I still worry a lot, but after living alone in a place with a different language and culture, I felt that there is a way to live anywhere. I only know a small part so far, but it''s the kind of realization that the France I had imagined was one thing and the real France is another.
I can''t really say something grand like I found my dream or discovered my true self. I still seem inexperienced and clumsy. Definitely, the amount of time spent zoning out or being alone increased a lot, so I thought a lot about how to use my free time.
There weren''t many people to hang out with, so I think I kept sinking deeper into my own thoughts.What do I like? How am I feeling right now? What should I do from now on? Things like that.I began asking small questions that I don''t usually ask.
Thanks to the empty hours, I made a lot of phone calls, slept a lot, watched many movies, read many books, and took many pictures. I want to study French more, learn more about France, and then visit France.
My gap year was
Experience★★★★☆
There were many experiences I couldn''t have in Korea. I enjoyed encountering a new culture.
Learning★★★★★
The teachers at the language school taught French really well.
Environment★★★★☆
The weather was nice. It was mostly clear.
Safety★★☆☆☆
There are pickpockets. It''s difficult to go out in the evening.
Leisure★★★★★
There''s plenty of time, so if you set your mind to it, you can do what you''d like to do.
