Nothing has changed, but maybe I can say I''ve gained the confidence that I can change.To be specific, I think I''ll much less often shut down opportunities by telling myself it''s already too late before I even try, or quickly give up on things I want to do after calculating the chance of failure.I want to follow the example of travelers who don''t blame age or circumstances and more freely test my own possibilities.
- Paris gap-year stay / Go Young-gyeong, gap-year family gapper / 8-week gap year |
# Simply staying at home wasn''t real rest.
At some point while racing through life, a time comes when you start questioning yourself.It''s the moment you begin to seriously reflect for the first time in a life that had been busy chasing after others.That moment came for me too, and I felt I needed a proper rest. So I took a leave of absence...Simply staying at home wasn''t real rest. That kind of rest only plunged me into mental lethargy.
But when I tried to take on something new, I found myself weighing practical issues and then, before even trying, falling into lethargy again and again. The part of me that wanted to live an interesting life felt like it was becoming increasingly boring.In the end I reached the conclusion: don''t overthink it — do what you want to try.I think I was thinking only of curiosity about the city of Paris and time for myself. I still had the courage to take on something new.
I wanted to create a lot of time where I could focus solely on myself.As the saying goes, "meet yourself in an unfamiliar place," sometimes an unfamiliar environment makes it possible to look back at yourself objectively.Sometimes I had tried to create such moments through travel, and I thought it would be possible through a gap year as well.
Finding out what I''m good at and what I''m not seems simple but is actually difficult. You also need time to take a breath and consider whether the path you''re on is truly the one you want. Because there isn''t as much time in life to fully think about yourself as you might expect, this opportunity felt very important.
# Ultimately, being able to make such a resolution also came through meeting new people.
I didn''t know that meeting people I hadn''t met before would become a source of energy. I thought I disliked meeting new people. In daily life, you inevitably only meet the same people, and seeing, hearing, and speaking all repeat within similar patterns.
Because that became familiar and comfortable, at some point meeting new people became awkward. But during the gap-year stay I met over a hundred people. I encountered a truly diverse range of people regardless of gender or age.
There were people with their own stories: a woman planning to walk the Camino de Santiago with a backpack bigger than her body; a Harry Potter–obsessed girl traveling with her mother after getting good grades; a man who wandered alone for long periods around Paris; a middle-aged man volunteering in Africa away from his family.
When they spoke their stories in their own voices with sparkling eyes, I could feel a kind of "passion." Though they each had different stories, passion was the one thing they all shared.Romantic Paris, and romantic people who suited it.
Even though I was merely listening to them from the front, I felt like I was sharing in their positive energy.Before coming here I had many days of inexplicable lethargy, but listening to diverse stories in this wide world made me wonder if I had been tormenting myself too seriously over small worries.
I don''t have to be passionate every day, but at least I decided not to trap myself within the limits I''ve created,so I also resolved not to be prematurely frightened before trying something. Ultimately, being able to make this resolution also came through meeting new people.
# I realized once again that I was someone who could find happiness even in such small things.
There are two main attractions of the gap year stay project. First, you can stay for a long time in the city where the gap year stay takes place.
Unlike tourists who stay in a city for only a few days, being able to stay for a long period allows for a more relaxed trip. Actually, I think travel plans don''t need to be grand. Sitting in a park to meditate or taking a nap can also be part of the journey.
I enjoyed a lot of leisure during my gap year. About twice a week I went to a café near the Seine or in a busy area. I’d order a coffee, check my phone, make travel plans, and watch people — spending my time like that. I didn’t think about much in particular.
I actually went because I didn’t want to think about anything. I didn’t have to worry about what others thought. Everyday life in Paris was this ordinary, and it also set me free.I realized once again that I was someone who could find happiness even in such small things.
# Because I viewed it not as mere work but as an opportunity, every moment felt precious.
Another charm of the gap year stay comes from meeting people. Before I came here, I thought I only needed to manage guests formally. But to work here you had to get close to people. At first that was difficult and felt stressful,but at some point I began to see it not as just a job but as an ‘opportunity,’ and every moment started to feel precious.
I thought, ‘When else in life will I meet such a variety of people?’ and I began to treat people more sincerely than before. Then I started to see people opening up to me. One day a male guest told me that he had trouble getting close to people here and that he was really grateful I had spoken to him first and looked out for him.I learned that a warm word and a small bit of attention can move someone so deeply.
I met many people I''m grateful for during the gap year stay. First, Hamin-unnie, Eunseong, and Jangwon, who were staff during the same period. When doing staff work, there are times when it''s overwhelming to handle things alone.
I''m really grateful for the staff who helped out in their spare time even when it wasn''t their shift. Everyone was kind and dependable, so I could lean on them emotionally. Hamin-unnie, who accomplished so much there; Eunseong, who is really good at guiding; and Jangwon, young but solid — I want to say that because of you I was happy for those two months.
Andalso, it was a pleasure to meet Hyejin-unnie, Yujin, Yunhee, and Minji, who came as the next staff, even if only briefly. I''m grateful to the owner who gave me this precious opportunity and helped me adapt to the new environment, to the aunt who cooked delicious meals every day and genuinely took care of the staff, and to Seogil, who treated me comfortably and fun like a friend — these are all relationships I''m thankful for.
However, doing a gap year stay isn''t enjoyable every day. Working as staff can lead to headaches caused by interpersonal problems. You might hear harsh words simply because you''re staff, and sometimes you might be disliked. There are things you should, as staff, naturally stop, but you might struggle because you''re worried about others'' reactions.
Dealing with dozens of people in a day can gradually wear you out. But you should know that the wounds inflicted by people can be healed by others.If there are people who speak harshly, there are also those who offer warm words and those who genuinely worry about you. Don''t be hurt by small things; instead, take care of and cherish the people who love you and who consider you precious.
# My personal gap year tips
(Accommodation)
If there are aspects of the staff''s living environment that you think should be improved, it would be good to coordinate them through conversation with the owner. I think that’s best for everyone.
(Meals)
It''s good to find restaurant recommendations through TripAdvisor. Also, using apps like TheFork can get you discounts at excellent restaurants in Paris, so be sure to check them out.
And sometimes going out to eat with the guesthouse guests can be a great experience. Looking back, one small regret is that because prices were low, it would have been nice to buy groceries at lunchtime and make even simple meals.
(What to bring)
These days you can do a lot with a smartphone, so you probably don''t need to bring a laptop. It became heavy luggage when I traveled on my own after the gap year program. And while you can buy shampoo, conditioner, and body wash here, I recommend bringing small essentials like cotton swabs, hair ties, and bobby pins in advance.
(For prospective participants)
It would be a lie to say every moment was only enjoyable. At first, I felt a slight pressure to adapt quickly to the new environment because I didn''t want to cause trouble for the people around me. That was a minor issue, but the biggest problem that bothered me throughout the nine weeks was my stamina.
I had never thought my fitness was poor, but fatigue seemed to keep accumulating. Here, stamina is more important than anything. Only then can you enjoy work and make good use of your free time. Once fatigue builds up, it doesn''t go away easily, so it''s best to manage your physical condition well.
Sometimes people hurt you. Meeting a variety of people teaches you that not everyone will be compatible with you. Later on, you have to learn to comfort yourself—saying, "Well, there are this kind of person and that kind of person too"—which makes working easier.
# What is clear is that I can feel that the me now is somewhat different from the me before.
I experienced many things in Europe, but nine weeks wasn''t enough for many things to change.But what is clear is that I can feel that the me now is somewhat ''different'' from the me before.
Nothing has changed, but perhaps I gained the ''confidence that I can change.''To be specific, I think I''ll be much less likely to shut down opportunities by thinking it''s already too late before I even try something, or to give up easily after recalculating the chance of failure when I want to do something.I want to follow travelers who don''t blame their age or circumstances and test my potential more freely.
My gap year is
Experience ★★★★★
You can have a lot of experiences, and because of the nature of a gap year stay, you can have many experiences related to ''people.''
Learning ★★★★★
There''s much to experience, so there''s much to learn.
Environment ★★★★☆
It improved a lot while I was there. But there is still room for improvement.
Safety ★★★★☆
In Paris you always have to watch out for pickpockets.
Leisure ★★★★☆
I really had a great time during the nine weeks. If you plan well, you can make better use of your leisure time.
