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#Went about feeling at ease #Rich artistic inspiration #Felt gratitude for the connections
A month in London will be unforgettable.The greatest gift London gave me was the people.The warmth and happiness I felt there seem to be lodged deep within me and will gently comfort me when I find myself hunched and unable to withstand the chill again. I hope the days when I can meet my friends again come soon.☺ -Learning classic English cheaply in London, UK / Jeong Ji-woon, gap-year traveler / 4-week gap year |
# Looking back now, I can''t believe my month of life in London is already over.
Hello. I was working but wanted to take a short break, so I chose to take a gap year. While working I was also doing artistic activities, and wanting a period to focus more on my art, I considered a long trip to the UK. Thinking I would be bored alone, I applied for an English-learning project.Through this project I wanted to fully experience British art and culture.
# Looking back now, I can''t believe my month of life in London is already over. Before leaving for London, I thought a month would be more than enough time to enjoy London and accomplish the items on my list.
Actually, I originally planned to stay in London for three months, but I changed it to one month because I thought three months might be too long and boring, and decided to travel to other European countries after that month. After spending a month in London I felt resentful toward my wrong decision and wished I could go back a month in time.As Alexandro said London was a place where even a year wouldn''t be enough.
I only took morning classes, so I attended language school from 9 to 12 and spent the rest of the day freely. After class I usually had lunch with friends in the park and went to museums or galleries to see exhibitions I wanted to see. Many other friends also had afternoon classes, so I often spent time alone and later, when they were free, we would wander around London together and have happy times.
While staying in London I became close with classmates from the language school, and I liked that on weekends without classes or in the afternoons after class we could go out together, share many stories, and build a sense of camaraderie.Also, the friends I met in the UKI liked that, unlike in our country, they confidently expressed their own thoughts.
# I was filled with happiness at every moment and floated around lightly like a soap bubble.
The biggest reason I came to London was art. I had a job, but I was also doing painting alongside it. However, when I returned from work I was tired and exhausted and couldn''t do much painting, which made the longing grow, and eventually I quit my job and chose to go to London for a few months to visit museums and galleries, appreciate many artworks, and fill myself with diverse inspiration.
Before going to London, my to-do list was filled only with various exhibition schedules and the names of museums and galleries. Apart from the resolve to return filled with artistic inspiration,there was no other leisure included.So when morning class ended I was always rushing to the museums. Naturally, I used takeout places for lunch that didn''t take long and were convenient. To minimize unnecessary time waste, I set aside everything except painting.
Therefore, even when friends asked me to go have lunch after class, I often refused. A few friends, thinking I was shy because I was always away, prepared evening gatherings to invite me, but said I never showed up. At that time I would finish class, have a simple lunch, then spend time at museums and galleries until late at night and return home late. (I felt really sorry when I found out about this later.)
Feeling sorry for constantly refusing my friends'' invitations, one day after class I enjoyed a picnic lunch in the park with friends and was laughing so happily with themthat when I saw myself I realized that I, who had always been rushing to museums on a tight schedule, hadn''t actually been very happy.
Looking back at myself in the UK, I was still tired and exhausted like I had been in Korea. I couldn''t get inspiration only from works hanging in museums,Foolishly, I was again running forward without giving myself any breaks, just like in Korea.
From that day on I relaxed. I started traveling here and there with friends I made in London after class, and the past me who foolishly worried that being with someone would prevent me from doing everything I wanted disappeared. I traveled with friends to many places I wouldn''t have gone to or known about if I had been alone.
I gained knowledge I wouldn''t have known if I''d been alone, and I was filled with happiness at every moment, floating gently like a soap bubble.I lingered in each moment and let it soak in completely, so much so that I couldn''t even think about the fear that this feeling might be broken. In fact I used to often feel lonely. Even when I was in contact with friends and among people, I could still feel lonely, so I used to rationalize it by saying that humans are inherently solitary beings.
Perhaps in the past I always prioritized the tasks I had to do and studying, and even meeting someone for a casual cup of tea felt like another thing I had to do at the expense of my time, so I couldn''t fully immerse myself in those moments — maybe that''s why I felt those emotions.
After spending time with my friends, unexpectedly richer artistic inspirations grew within me. From then on I began to portray the people I love. I shared my drawings with my friends, and the friends who saw them were even more proud and genuinely happy than I was. Every hour I spent with my friends,every moment inspired me.
# My personal gap year TIP
(Accommodation)
It was a place where people of various nationalities stayed and shared the kitchen and bathroom, and I stayed in a double room. Fortunately, I met a roommate I got along with and had a great time, but some Korean friends who came through the gap year project struggled because their lifestyles didn''t match those of their foreign roommates.
If personal privacy is important and you are sensitive about it, it''s probably better to use a single room. Also, I used the accommodation provided by the gap year because I didn''t have time to look for lodging, but based on information I heard from friends living in London, this place was relatively expensive compared to others. If you''re a long-term resident and put in a little effort, you can find cheaper and better accommodation.
(Meals)
I don''t like cooking and was even a little afraid of it, so I bought food most of the time. I had worried a lot before going because I''d heard there wasn''t much to eat in England, but when I went there were many restaurants of various nationalities and I enjoyed delicious food every time. Also, in England there''s a culture of cheaply taking out salads and various dishes, so after class my friends and I would each get takeout and meet in the park to eat and spend time together.
Also, friends I became close with there introduced foods from their own countries and taught me how to cook, which helped me overcome much of my fear of cooking. Although buying ingredients and cooking yourself is the cheapest way, even those who can''t cook can enjoy meals at reasonably low prices, so you don''t need to worry too much.
(What to bring)
Everyday necessities can be purchased in the UK at reasonable prices and are similar to Korea, so it doesn''t seem like any special items are necessary.
# My London travel TIP
There are many different kinds of festivals and exhibitions held frequently in London. The weekly magazine Time Out introduces the hot exhibitions and festival schedules for that week, so I kept an eye on it and if something I liked came up I would go with friends and enjoy it. If you actively use Time Out magazine, you can enjoy life in London even more.
# The greatest gift London gave me was people.
I left for London with worry and excitement wondering if I could find the story inside me, and in the end I was able to find it. From the day after I returned from spending happy times with my friends, I began doing collage work using Time Out magazine. Now that I''m back in Korea I might once again be pressed by work and studies and return to the hurried version of myself. Maybe I''m already living that way.
Still, the month in London will not be forgotten.The greatest gift London gave me was people.The warmth and happiness I felt there seem to be lodged deep inside me and will pat and comfort me when I am once again curled up, unable to bear the chill. I hope the days when I can meet my friends again come soon.☺
There haven''t been any major changes since I returned. But I got to know precious connections and filled myself with warm memories, so even when I''m busy and it''s hard,it feels like I''ve recharged enough energy to hold on a little.
A month in London will be unforgettable.The greatest gift London gave me was the people.The warmth and happiness I felt there seem to be lodged deep within me and will gently comfort me when I find myself hunched and unable to withstand the chill again. I hope the days when I can meet my friends again come soon.☺ -Learning classic English cheaply in London, UK / Jeong Ji-woon, gap-year traveler / 4-week gap year |
# Looking back now, I can''t believe my month of life in London is already over.
Hello. I was working but wanted to take a short break, so I chose to take a gap year. While working I was also doing artistic activities, and wanting a period to focus more on my art, I considered a long trip to the UK. Thinking I would be bored alone, I applied for an English-learning project.Through this project I wanted to fully experience British art and culture.
# Looking back now, I can''t believe my month of life in London is already over. Before leaving for London, I thought a month would be more than enough time to enjoy London and accomplish the items on my list.
Actually, I originally planned to stay in London for three months, but I changed it to one month because I thought three months might be too long and boring, and decided to travel to other European countries after that month. After spending a month in London I felt resentful toward my wrong decision and wished I could go back a month in time.As Alexandro said London was a place where even a year wouldn''t be enough.
I only took morning classes, so I attended language school from 9 to 12 and spent the rest of the day freely. After class I usually had lunch with friends in the park and went to museums or galleries to see exhibitions I wanted to see. Many other friends also had afternoon classes, so I often spent time alone and later, when they were free, we would wander around London together and have happy times.
While staying in London I became close with classmates from the language school, and I liked that on weekends without classes or in the afternoons after class we could go out together, share many stories, and build a sense of camaraderie.Also, the friends I met in the UKI liked that, unlike in our country, they confidently expressed their own thoughts.
# I was filled with happiness at every moment and floated around lightly like a soap bubble.
The biggest reason I came to London was art. I had a job, but I was also doing painting alongside it. However, when I returned from work I was tired and exhausted and couldn''t do much painting, which made the longing grow, and eventually I quit my job and chose to go to London for a few months to visit museums and galleries, appreciate many artworks, and fill myself with diverse inspiration.
Before going to London, my to-do list was filled only with various exhibition schedules and the names of museums and galleries. Apart from the resolve to return filled with artistic inspiration,there was no other leisure included.So when morning class ended I was always rushing to the museums. Naturally, I used takeout places for lunch that didn''t take long and were convenient. To minimize unnecessary time waste, I set aside everything except painting.
Therefore, even when friends asked me to go have lunch after class, I often refused. A few friends, thinking I was shy because I was always away, prepared evening gatherings to invite me, but said I never showed up. At that time I would finish class, have a simple lunch, then spend time at museums and galleries until late at night and return home late. (I felt really sorry when I found out about this later.)
Feeling sorry for constantly refusing my friends'' invitations, one day after class I enjoyed a picnic lunch in the park with friends and was laughing so happily with themthat when I saw myself I realized that I, who had always been rushing to museums on a tight schedule, hadn''t actually been very happy.
Looking back at myself in the UK, I was still tired and exhausted like I had been in Korea. I couldn''t get inspiration only from works hanging in museums,Foolishly, I was again running forward without giving myself any breaks, just like in Korea.
From that day on I relaxed. I started traveling here and there with friends I made in London after class, and the past me who foolishly worried that being with someone would prevent me from doing everything I wanted disappeared. I traveled with friends to many places I wouldn''t have gone to or known about if I had been alone.
I gained knowledge I wouldn''t have known if I''d been alone, and I was filled with happiness at every moment, floating gently like a soap bubble.I lingered in each moment and let it soak in completely, so much so that I couldn''t even think about the fear that this feeling might be broken. In fact I used to often feel lonely. Even when I was in contact with friends and among people, I could still feel lonely, so I used to rationalize it by saying that humans are inherently solitary beings.
Perhaps in the past I always prioritized the tasks I had to do and studying, and even meeting someone for a casual cup of tea felt like another thing I had to do at the expense of my time, so I couldn''t fully immerse myself in those moments — maybe that''s why I felt those emotions.
After spending time with my friends, unexpectedly richer artistic inspirations grew within me. From then on I began to portray the people I love. I shared my drawings with my friends, and the friends who saw them were even more proud and genuinely happy than I was. Every hour I spent with my friends,every moment inspired me.
# My personal gap year TIP
(Accommodation)
It was a place where people of various nationalities stayed and shared the kitchen and bathroom, and I stayed in a double room. Fortunately, I met a roommate I got along with and had a great time, but some Korean friends who came through the gap year project struggled because their lifestyles didn''t match those of their foreign roommates.
If personal privacy is important and you are sensitive about it, it''s probably better to use a single room. Also, I used the accommodation provided by the gap year because I didn''t have time to look for lodging, but based on information I heard from friends living in London, this place was relatively expensive compared to others. If you''re a long-term resident and put in a little effort, you can find cheaper and better accommodation.
(Meals)
I don''t like cooking and was even a little afraid of it, so I bought food most of the time. I had worried a lot before going because I''d heard there wasn''t much to eat in England, but when I went there were many restaurants of various nationalities and I enjoyed delicious food every time. Also, in England there''s a culture of cheaply taking out salads and various dishes, so after class my friends and I would each get takeout and meet in the park to eat and spend time together.
Also, friends I became close with there introduced foods from their own countries and taught me how to cook, which helped me overcome much of my fear of cooking. Although buying ingredients and cooking yourself is the cheapest way, even those who can''t cook can enjoy meals at reasonably low prices, so you don''t need to worry too much.
(What to bring)
Everyday necessities can be purchased in the UK at reasonable prices and are similar to Korea, so it doesn''t seem like any special items are necessary.
# My London travel TIP
There are many different kinds of festivals and exhibitions held frequently in London. The weekly magazine Time Out introduces the hot exhibitions and festival schedules for that week, so I kept an eye on it and if something I liked came up I would go with friends and enjoy it. If you actively use Time Out magazine, you can enjoy life in London even more.
# The greatest gift London gave me was people.
I left for London with worry and excitement wondering if I could find the story inside me, and in the end I was able to find it. From the day after I returned from spending happy times with my friends, I began doing collage work using Time Out magazine. Now that I''m back in Korea I might once again be pressed by work and studies and return to the hurried version of myself. Maybe I''m already living that way.
Still, the month in London will not be forgotten.The greatest gift London gave me was people.The warmth and happiness I felt there seem to be lodged deep inside me and will pat and comfort me when I am once again curled up, unable to bear the chill. I hope the days when I can meet my friends again come soon.☺
There haven''t been any major changes since I returned. But I got to know precious connections and filled myself with warm memories, so even when I''m busy and it''s hard,it feels like I''ve recharged enough energy to hold on a little.
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