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#Improved problem-solving skills #New experiences, good memories #Realized the importance of communication
When it came time to part with the good people, I found myself unexpectedly so regretful and sad. Probably this moment will never come again. But it feels like I gained one precious memory for my life ahead.It was an extremely happy and precious time.As I was leaving I told the person I worked with that I would never be able to forget them and you; it was a time I will never forget.
-The first step to becoming a global talent: Santiago, Chile internship / Yoo So-young, gap year family gapper / 16 weeks of gap year |
# I am so grateful that I was able to have new experiences through the gap year.
Hello. I am 25-year-old woman Yoo So-young. This was my third gap year and I spent four months in Chile. I couldn''t even imagine that I would stay in South America.I am so grateful to have been able to have new experiences through the gap year..If I had been alone, I would have made one excuse after another and ultimately wouldn''t have been able to go on the gap year.
# Learning Spanish by picking up on cues — the power of body language!
For the first month I studied Spanish in Santiago, the capital of Chile. Classes started around 9 a.m. and ended around 1 p.m. If you are eager to learn Spanish and want to study more, you can take afternoon classes for a small additional fee.
At that timeWhat I regretted a bit was that I hadn''t studied any Spanish before I went.
I kept putting off studying until I finally went without having prepared; if I had known even a little, I could have studied more efficiently. Also, I felt they taught too grammar-focused. That might be due to differences between teachers, I think.
Most of the class was conducted in Spanish, so I understood a bit by picking up cues. Haha. I once again felt how amazing body language is.
# Traveling allowed me to be less lonely and enjoy it more.
After all the classes finish, they run programs on different days of the week.I tried to participate as much as possible, so thanks to that I was able to roam around Santiago and even learn salsa dancing.
There were also weekend programs to travel to nearby areas, and since I went every week during my stay I could visit various places. I rode horses, did rafting, and also visited Valparaíso, another seaside city.I made friends while going around, and traveling with them made it less lonely and more enjoyable.
I can''t leave out talk about the weather: when I went to Chile it was May, June, July, and August, which is winter there. But I thought it would be like autumn weather and brought clothes that were too thin, so I remember being very cold.
Moreover, this place doesn''t have ondol (underfloor heating), so at night I really couldn''t get out from under the blanket. So in Santiago I lived layering clothes, but I heard the next place I''d go for the internship was located further south and would be colder, so I bought a padded jacket.That choice was truly the best decision I made. Haha.
There was a local agency representative there who helped find an internship placement, connected me with a Spanish school, answered inquiries right away, visited to ask if there were any inconveniences, and thanks to them I had someone to ask whenever I was curious about something in the new place.I felt reassured as if I had a support force.
# Thanks to them, I think I was able to enjoy the place even more.
After spending time having many experiences, a month had flown by and it was time to go to the internship. For the internship I applied for an environmental position, and they sent me various options.Because I wanted to socialize with people,I did the internship in a place like a pension (guesthouse).
In fact, the living conditions here were not modern compared to Korea, butI had a really enjoyable time, perhaps because the people I lived with and I didn''t feel stressed.Because the winter season is the low season, there were many days without guests, but thanks to that I think I was able to enjoy the place even more.
The job required eight hours of work a day, and I helped with cleaning, helped with cooking, and did various other tasks. I usually enjoy cooking and had tried searching for recipes at home and making them, but while working there I was able to learn other recipes as well. Also, someone I worked with could speak English, so I could hear about Chile and also tell them about Korea.
One day I made bulgogi and seaweed soup for them, and I felt proud because everyone ate it so deliciously. Everyone treated me so kindly — although there were people who didn''t understand my language — they treated me like meeting a friend, and I was grateful.
# I thought I might have worried too much by myself over something that could have been quickly resolved by speaking up.
During the internship there was a season with many guests, and they had me work more than eight hours a day, all day long, which made me so tired that I thought it was unfair. I couldn''t speak up and just spent two days worrying. Later, when I talked about it, they adjusted my schedule after that.
When there were many guests they used a shift system, and during the shift change they apologized profusely, saying it seemed the incident happened because they had mistaken my working hours.
Seeing this, I wondered if I had worried too much on my own about something that could have been resolved quickly by speaking up.Of course it''s dangerous to speak without any thought, but I was reminded once again that sometimes just thinking about something will not solve anything — you have to take action to resolve it.
And because the place I chose was in the environmental field, the internship location was in a somewhat remote area away from the city, and sometimes on very cold days hot water wouldn''t come out.Even when I first arrived, the electricity was cut off, sowe lived by candlelight, but thanks to that we talked a lot with people, gathered to play games, and it was a really fun time.
# Each day wasn''t particularly special, but it was a leisurely life.
Every morning I would wake up and add firewood, eat breakfast, clean, listen to the birds chirping, help with cooking, look at the snow-covered volcano visible from everywhere, doze off briefly while listening to the crackling of the firewood, be startled awake by the phone ringing, wash the dishes, eat dinner, watch movies, chat, and spent my days like this.
Each day wasn''t particularly special, but it was a leisurely life.They were days that, whenever I think about that time, bring a sense of calm to my mind.And I found it amazing, above all, that the people working here were doing this work because they wanted to.
The person who does the tidying said they love cleaning like this and feel good when they see a neat room, and watching someone who finds cooking interesting cook and develop menus,I wondered how many people in our country get to do the work they want to do?I thought. Of course it may be a matter of different values, but I believe the goal of life is to live happily, and in order for me to live happily, at leastI thought there should be no forced doing of work I don''t even want to do.
# How are you?
During the three months there was a co-worker''s birthday so we had a party, they made delicious food for me on my last day, invited me to their home, I met new friends who guided me when we traveled, and I returned happily with lots of good memories.
And even though we saw each other every day, everyone greeted me warmly every time we met,"How are you?"and I loved that they would ask how I was. AndI realized that a single greeting can influence starting the day in a good mood, andI wanted to be someone who greets brightly and energetically and shares good feelings with othersI wanted to become that.
A single greeting could start a conversation, allow me to ask how the other person was doing, and it conveyed that they were thinking of me.I used to think that when you see someone every day you don''t need to exchange greetings, but after exchanging greetings daily like this, my mood changes from minute to minute, so I realized it''s okay to ask every time.I was even more grateful because it felt like they cared about me.
# It was such a happy and precious time.
When it came time to part from good people, I unexpectedly felt very sad and wistful. Probably moments like that won''t come again.
But it felt like I had gained one more precious memory for the life ahead.It was such a happy and precious time.As I left, I told the colleague I worked with that I would never be able to forget them, and it was a time I will never be able to forget.
During the first and second gap years I wasn''t this regretful, but when I think about it carefully...Above all, because I met such good people, it was an even more regretful time.
# My gap year tips
(Language)
I told myself to study Spanish beforehand but I kept putting it off and arrived not knowing much. However, it''s good to know the really basic things or words. That way you can improve while attending language school and be able to converse with others.
(Accommodation)
The homestay in Santiago was a bit cold,During the internship, the bathroom wasn''t good.
(Meals)
When attending language school I cooked for myself or bought food, and during the internship lunch was provided while for breakfast and dinner you could make meals with the provided ingredients.
(What to bring)
I didn''t think winter would be this cold, so I packed only autumn clothes, but it really is winter. It snows a lot. It''s better to bring clothes suitable for that.
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