Projects
|
FAQ
|
Announcements
#Gained confidence; prejudices disappeared #Connected with friends from other countries #Felt the value of experience
Not only the Chiang Rai project I participated in, but also going abroad...I don''t think the experience of living with and connecting with friends from other countries can be measured in money.For those who truly want this kind of experience, each day will be truly meaningful. -Building a village in Chiang Rai, Thailand with foreign friends / Kwon Yong-hyun, gap year tribe gapper / 4-week gap year |
Different experiences and different learning
Hello, I''m Kwon Yong-hyun, a 25-year-old on leave from school who participated in the gap year project for three weeks.After working hard for my studies,I decided to take a leave to try different experiences and different kinds of learning,I decided to go traveling.
I had traveled several times before, but this time I wanted something more special that included travel. So while looking into working holidays and overseas volunteer work, I came across the gap year project and chose it.
Before leaving, I studied the language (English) used in the country I was going to and prepared clothes suitable for the weather there. Since I was going to Thailand, I prepared clothes that dry quickly, are light, and keep you cool.
Through this gap year project, I wanted to experience living in another country for one month.I left expecting to live with different friends speaking a different language in another country, and to do more meaningful volunteer work and travel together.
A day in Chiang Rai
We gather in the dining hall from 8 AM to have breakfast. Of course you don''t have to eat; it''s up to you. Usually it starts at 8, and around 8:30 the manager in the dining hall tells us the schedule for the day.Then we usually gather again around 9 and take a truck out to the work site.
Lunch starts at 11:30, and usually we resume work at 1 PM and finish around 4 PM, then take the truck back and have free time. Dinner is available in the dining hall from 5 PM.
I will never forget it.
Looking back now, just having had this experience is meaningful to me and I don''t think I''ll ever forget it. I realized that people from other countries, while their language and appearance are different, are not that different from us.
I think I''ll be able to approach them more easily from now on.
Also,Unlike Korea''s culture of worrying about what others think, I think it''s a good lesson to live your own life and put others'' opinions behind you. All the friends I volunteered with were kind, but the Thai intern friends there were truly a support to everyone and helped us be open-minded. The Thai friends really welcomed us, were genuinely sad when we parted, and some even gave small gifts.
There are many people I remember. A Korean older guy I met first in the project helped me a lot when I had trouble adjusting from day one, and as mentioned above, the Thai intern friends were very affectionate, kind, and a great help to the volunteers.
Also, even if your English is poor, there will surely be friends you click with anywhere. I also remember the friend from Hong Kong who worked and spent time with us.Overall,Through this project, communicating in other countries'' languages with friends from various countries was truly an enjoyable experience.
"They were really great friends, and I am truly grateful to them."
# My personal gap year tips
(Language)
If you''re accustomed to using English, there won''t be any problems carrying out the project. Even if you''re not fluent, it won''t interfere with daily life. However,English isThe better you are at English, the better relationships you can build with friends.
Even if you''re inexperienced with English, if you try to use it and make an effort to get closer, there will surely be friends among those you live with who click with you.
(Accommodation)
In fact, the accommodations are not very good.I think it''s best to come with this in mind.
(Meals)
Because it''s food from another region, there''s a very high chance it won''t suit your taste.In my case there weren''t many foods that suited my taste, but I treated it as part of the experience and lived with it.
Food and fruit are always served together, so if the food didn''t suit me I ate a lot of fruit. The pineapple is really delicious. If you think this will be difficult, bringing foods like gochujang (Korean chili paste) could be one option. Of course,you might lose a little weight. Haha.
(What to bring)
From the start I gave up on convenience there, so I only packed the really necessary things.For clothing, I didn''t bring any jeans; I only packed quick-drying, lightweight clothes that dry quickly when wet. I think this was a good choice.
It''s really hot and doing laundry is difficult, so I recommend sacrificing a bit of style.
# My Thailand travel picks
The travel route depends on what kind of trip the traveler wants.For travelers who like the sea and relaxation, I recommend going to Phuket to enjoy good food. There are many islands around Phuket, so taking a boat or cruiser to visit them is highly recommended. Phuket also has various shows and scenic viewpoints, making it a great tourist spot.
If you want to feel more of the Thai atmosphere rather than the city, I recommend Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai.In fact, places like Phuket or Bangkok have so many tourists that there''s a lot of touting and they can be noisy.But places like Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai are quieter; you can enjoy boat leisure activities, meet elephants, and the night markets are nice.On the other hand, if you like busy, noisy cities and partying, I would recommend Bangkok.
# Experiences can''t be converted into money.
Not only the Chiang Rai project I attended, but also going abroad andthe experience of living with and connecting to friends from other countries cannot be converted into money.For those who truly want this kind of experience, each day will be truly meaningful.Also, through this project,I gained a bit more confidence.
In the future, I want to meet friends from other countries in Korea as well, and various prejudices will disappear. I have come to value my own life.
My gap year is
Experience★★★★★
Working, laughing, and building close ties with friends from other countries in a foreign country while using a foreign language is a special experience and can be difficult, but I think it''s also truly fun and valuable.
Learning★★★★★
First, there''s the advantage of being able to try speaking with many friends from different countries in imperfect English, learn English through mutual interaction, and actually use it. But more than that, by sensing other countries'' friends'' values and ways of living, I can reflect on my own life, find things to learn, and it will likely have a big impact on my future life.
Not only the Chiang Rai project I participated in, but also going abroad...I don''t think the experience of living with and connecting with friends from other countries can be measured in money.For those who truly want this kind of experience, each day will be truly meaningful. -Building a village in Chiang Rai, Thailand with foreign friends / Kwon Yong-hyun, gap year tribe gapper / 4-week gap year |
Different experiences and different learning
Hello, I''m Kwon Yong-hyun, a 25-year-old on leave from school who participated in the gap year project for three weeks.After working hard for my studies,I decided to take a leave to try different experiences and different kinds of learning,I decided to go traveling.
I had traveled several times before, but this time I wanted something more special that included travel. So while looking into working holidays and overseas volunteer work, I came across the gap year project and chose it.
Before leaving, I studied the language (English) used in the country I was going to and prepared clothes suitable for the weather there. Since I was going to Thailand, I prepared clothes that dry quickly, are light, and keep you cool.
Through this gap year project, I wanted to experience living in another country for one month.I left expecting to live with different friends speaking a different language in another country, and to do more meaningful volunteer work and travel together.
A day in Chiang Rai
We gather in the dining hall from 8 AM to have breakfast. Of course you don''t have to eat; it''s up to you. Usually it starts at 8, and around 8:30 the manager in the dining hall tells us the schedule for the day.Then we usually gather again around 9 and take a truck out to the work site.
Lunch starts at 11:30, and usually we resume work at 1 PM and finish around 4 PM, then take the truck back and have free time. Dinner is available in the dining hall from 5 PM.
I will never forget it.
Looking back now, just having had this experience is meaningful to me and I don''t think I''ll ever forget it. I realized that people from other countries, while their language and appearance are different, are not that different from us.
I think I''ll be able to approach them more easily from now on.
Also,Unlike Korea''s culture of worrying about what others think, I think it''s a good lesson to live your own life and put others'' opinions behind you. All the friends I volunteered with were kind, but the Thai intern friends there were truly a support to everyone and helped us be open-minded. The Thai friends really welcomed us, were genuinely sad when we parted, and some even gave small gifts.
There are many people I remember. A Korean older guy I met first in the project helped me a lot when I had trouble adjusting from day one, and as mentioned above, the Thai intern friends were very affectionate, kind, and a great help to the volunteers.
Also, even if your English is poor, there will surely be friends you click with anywhere. I also remember the friend from Hong Kong who worked and spent time with us.Overall,Through this project, communicating in other countries'' languages with friends from various countries was truly an enjoyable experience.
"They were really great friends, and I am truly grateful to them."
# My personal gap year tips
(Language)
If you''re accustomed to using English, there won''t be any problems carrying out the project. Even if you''re not fluent, it won''t interfere with daily life. However,English isThe better you are at English, the better relationships you can build with friends.
Even if you''re inexperienced with English, if you try to use it and make an effort to get closer, there will surely be friends among those you live with who click with you.
(Accommodation)
In fact, the accommodations are not very good.I think it''s best to come with this in mind.
(Meals)
Because it''s food from another region, there''s a very high chance it won''t suit your taste.In my case there weren''t many foods that suited my taste, but I treated it as part of the experience and lived with it.
Food and fruit are always served together, so if the food didn''t suit me I ate a lot of fruit. The pineapple is really delicious. If you think this will be difficult, bringing foods like gochujang (Korean chili paste) could be one option. Of course,you might lose a little weight. Haha.
(What to bring)
From the start I gave up on convenience there, so I only packed the really necessary things.For clothing, I didn''t bring any jeans; I only packed quick-drying, lightweight clothes that dry quickly when wet. I think this was a good choice.
It''s really hot and doing laundry is difficult, so I recommend sacrificing a bit of style.
# My Thailand travel picks
The travel route depends on what kind of trip the traveler wants.For travelers who like the sea and relaxation, I recommend going to Phuket to enjoy good food. There are many islands around Phuket, so taking a boat or cruiser to visit them is highly recommended. Phuket also has various shows and scenic viewpoints, making it a great tourist spot.
If you want to feel more of the Thai atmosphere rather than the city, I recommend Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai.In fact, places like Phuket or Bangkok have so many tourists that there''s a lot of touting and they can be noisy.But places like Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai are quieter; you can enjoy boat leisure activities, meet elephants, and the night markets are nice.On the other hand, if you like busy, noisy cities and partying, I would recommend Bangkok.
# Experiences can''t be converted into money.
Not only the Chiang Rai project I attended, but also going abroad andthe experience of living with and connecting to friends from other countries cannot be converted into money.For those who truly want this kind of experience, each day will be truly meaningful.Also, through this project,I gained a bit more confidence.
In the future, I want to meet friends from other countries in Korea as well, and various prejudices will disappear. I have come to value my own life.
My gap year is
Experience★★★★★
Working, laughing, and building close ties with friends from other countries in a foreign country while using a foreign language is a special experience and can be difficult, but I think it''s also truly fun and valuable.
Learning★★★★★
First, there''s the advantage of being able to try speaking with many friends from different countries in imperfect English, learn English through mutual interaction, and actually use it. But more than that, by sensing other countries'' friends'' values and ways of living, I can reflect on my own life, find things to learn, and it will likely have a big impact on my future life.
What makes this project special
