Projects
|
FAQ
|
Announcements
#Found direction in life #Interacting with foreign friends #Felt the happiness of enjoying the moment
The challenges during my gap year have been and will continue to be an invaluable opportunity to find direction in both life and my career. Thank you for sharing this precious experience.
- Village-building in Chiang Rai, Thailand with foreign friends / Kim Jeong-eun, Gap Year Tribe gapper / 8-week gap year |
# I sought a gap year to find the direction of my life.
Hello, I''m Kim Jeong-eun. 2017 was a year when many things happened to me and a year of challenges. Before graduating I unexpectedly got a job through a professor''s introduction, which led me to have many concerns about my major. SoI quit the company and sought a gap year to find the direction of my life (both personal and professional).
After three consultations I arranged a schedule to study language in the Philippines for three months and then volunteer in Chiang Rai, Thailand for two months. Both projects were opportunities for me to challenge limits I had not been able to overcome while living.to challenge my own limits
It was an opportunity.
I studied English in the Philippines for three months and went straight to Thailand. I scheduled it that way because I was afraid I would become lazy if I stayed in Korea even briefly, and in the end it was a good choice. The continuity of being abroad made me want to take on more challenges.
Before leaving I felt half worry, half excitement. Above all, relationships with people were most important, and for that language was essential. Some said eight weeks was long, but because it was eight weeks for me,I experienced many things, so in the end I think it was the right choice.
# I tried to enjoy every moment.
Through this project I wanted to experience how my small or large actions could have an impact on the village orthe people, so I chose it because I wanted to experience making an impact.AlsoAs a personal goal,it was not to worry about what others think and to enjoy the moment as much as possible.
During the project I noticed mybad habit of piling worry upon worry and tiring myself out.Those worries mostly began with being overly conscious of other people''s opinions. Soenjoying each moment I tried to live that way.
# A day in Chiang Rai
We have breakfast at 8 a.m., finish a brief meeting at 9 a.m., and then start work.Then we eat lunch at 12, start work around 1:30, finish at 4, and after that free time isgiven.
For outdoor activities (volunteer work done outside) there isn''t anything special to prepare, so during free time you can comfortably do what you want.You can do it at ease. Also around 6:30 p.m. I sometimes call a songthaew (Thai public transport) with friends to go into townto hang out and return before 10.
# I naturally made friends.
Now I''m going to talk about Chiang Rai, Thailand. Actually it was my first time in Thailand, and I hadn''t even heard of a place called Chiang Rai. So I was even more excited. If you go to the places everyone goes to, it''ll be crowded with Korean tourists, but a place like this made me feel like ''I''m the first one here!'' — it gave me that kind of feeling.
The first day I arrived was a series of tensions. Most of the friends were from English-speaking countries, and the change in environment made me frightened. So I even wanted to shorten the eight-week period. At that time I was certain that I would miss everything later, yet...The immediate fear seemed to make me withdraw even more.
But I let go of everything.Having come abroad and experienced these precious moments, I thought it would be a waste of time to do nothing because of such small things.So I kept sitting in the volunteers'' Wi‑Fi room after that day. Even if I couldn''t hear well, I told myself I was practicing listening and tried hard, and if it was a topic I wanted to join, I asked a question first. By doing that, I naturally made friends.
For someone like me who values relationships, after that I was able to become proactive in everything. I felt once again that if I could get through the difficult initial period, I could do it too. The program I took was outdoor. Unlike teaching English, we mainly did things like building irrigation in the village or helping with farm work.
I thought this program suited someone like me who has served in the military. I didn''t want to do mentally intensive work in such beautiful nature... haha. Still, because it was physical labor, we''d get soaked if it rained while working, get bitten by leeches, and sweat as if it were raining in the hot weather. But through those experiences there were many opportunities to get close to foreign friends with simple phrases like "How are you?" or "Did you drink water?"
When I first went, there were hardly any Asians, let alone Koreans, but looking back now, because of that...I was able to use English a lot more and make friends from various countries.
# Because of that, I had the chance to reflect on life experiences
Following the advice given during a short phone call with CEO Ahn Si‑jun midway, I had personal, private conversations with friends I had become closer to,Nowtalking about what they are thinking and how they are living now, I felt a lot.
When I was in Korea I thought there was only one path for me to take because everyone else lived that way... but they weren''t like that. Each person''s dream path was different. In the past I would have dismissed it by saying "it''s just different culture," but now I thought, "they''re doing it — so what''s stopping me?"
I used to think that if I chose the wrong company, my life was over,but thanks to this I had the opportunity to reflect on the direction of my life — this truly feels like a blessing in disguise.The living conditions are, compared to Korea, poor. Insects and cold showers were shocking at first, but I adapted in less than a week.
And because of this environment there are sights you can see. With no lights and being in the mountains, at night hundreds of fireflies flicker in the woods and the night sky is filled with stars as if they would pour down. I couldn''t capture it on camera, but I still can''t forget that beautiful scene.
# Because of that, I had the chance to reflect on life experiences
Looking back overall, first of all I liked emotionally connecting with foreign friends in English.Outdoor work uses your body more than indoor programs, so you might think you''d speak less, but we encouraged each other along the way and especially during homestays we had many conversations; I think that environment made us closer.
Also, since 90% of the friends were Western and culturally different from Asians, at first I didn''t understand, but the longer I stayed the more I saw that they clearly stated what they liked and what their opinions were. At first their bluntness was surprising, but I needed that kind of behavior, so I naturally acted the same. So I didn''t have to waste energy on unnecessary worries.
I met so many volunteers during the program — so many that I can''t name them all, like Medi, Temi, Carmen, Brittany, etc. Because I stayed eight weeks, I got to meet many friends.One tip I''d give is: don''t hesitate to start a conversation.Then you''ll discover a new side of yourself.
# My gap year tip
(Language)
Before participating in this project, I took a three-month language course in the Philippines. The things I learned and the confidence I gained then helped me take a more proactive approach when speaking with native speakers.
(Accommodation)
When you first go, you may be surprised by an environment completely different from Korea: cold showers, insects you''ve never heard of, even the food. But aren''t humans adaptable? If you live with an attitude of accepting the new surroundings, before long you''ll find yourselfdiscovering that. The various situations you can''t experience or see in Korea will surely be missed after you return home. So I hope you approach it with an open mind.
(Meals)
The meals were fairly decent compared to the strongly spiced foods of Thailand, but I wasn''t used to them and naturally didn''t overeat. However, there was a snack bar in town, and eating plenty of the various tropical fruits that were always served at meals wasquite satisfying.
(Packing list)
Outdoor participants'' clothes always get dirty easily, so it''s good to bring clothes made of materials that dry well and can be easily washed even when dirty.Boots, work gloves, arm sleeves, hats, etc. can be purchased locally, but it''s convenient to prepare them in Korea beforehand. Also, since there are many friends coming from different countries, preparing something that will remind them of Korea to give as a gift when you part is a good way to remember each other.
(For prospective participants)
If you''re willing to accept everything, a whole new world will open up to you!!
# My Chiang Rai travel spot
There is an area called Phu Chi Fa about 100 km from Chiang Rai city. I went on a weekend trip with a Korean friend on a scooter to see the sunset and sunrise, and this trip became an unforgettable memory for me. The scenery of Phu Chi Fa was beautiful, but the wonderful nature and temples we saw on the way there and back were also part of the charm.
It was my first time riding a scooter here too, but if you can ride a scooter, it''s great for freely exploring the surroundings.But safety comes first above all!
On weekends it''s common to travel with friends to nearby Chiang Mai or stay in Chiang Rai city, but except for one trip to Chiang Mai and one to Bangkok, I stayed in Chiang Rai city. You might think there''s nothing to do in a small town, but I rented a scooter and went around here and there.
I ate delicious food and did all the things I had wanted to try. If I saw a nice temple on the way to a tea plantation, I''d stop and take a look, and if I found a good cafe or restaurant while traveling, I''d have lunch there. I think I traveled while closely listening to what I wanted to do at each moment.
It''s nothing special, but I guess I couldn''t have had this experience in Korea because I cared too much about what others think... So every moment riding a scooter and going wherever I pleased gave me an immense sense of freedom. The scooter rental price was also very cheap, which was great.
# It''s certain that these became important experiences in determining the direction of my life.
I can''t say my life has been drastically changed by this gap year, but certainly mylife''s directionwas shaped — it is certain that these were important experiences in that.It''s still a process, but I have become better able to directly feel and know what I like, dislike, and am good at. And in doing so,my self-esteem also increased.
After returning home I called an old friend, and that friend said my perspective seemed to have changed a lot. They said I seemed to be enjoying each moment. I could feel that I was changing. I still don''t know what my next plan will be.
But whatever it may be, I think I''ll be able to move forward while finding the direction I want.The challenges during my gap year have been and will continue to be an excellent opportunity to find the direction of my life and career. Thank you for sharing this valuable experience.
Experience★★★★★
Everything I hadn''t experienced before felt completely new!! This experience will likely influence the direction I take going forward.
Learning★★★★★
I went to volunteer, but it was actually a time when I realized a lot about myself. As I kept spending time with friends from Western countries, I felt in every moment what kind of person I am and how much energy I can conserve when I''m not concerned with others'' opinions.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
