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#Increased self-esteem, positive change #Great love, many lessons #A very satisfying experience
"After returning, I developed a lot as a person. I felt many things. At first I often thought it was a waste of money, but if you, like me, gain something and have experiences, you don''t think about the money at all. If my level before going was 1 and the max level is 10, I feel like I grew to about 5."
[Overseas Volunteering/Activities] Recharging warm love with children in Hanoi, Vietnam Lee Dong-hwan, gap-year family gapper (25 years old, university student) / 8-week gap year
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# Through this gap year, I wanted to raise my self-esteem and become the person I imagine.
I originally had low self-esteem and a desire for self-development. Then I read a book written by CEO An Si-jun and came here, and through consulting with CEO An Si-jun I decided to participate in this project and went. I Through this gap year, I wanted to raise my self-esteem and become the person I imagine.
Looking back now, I met many people in Vietnam and learned a lot. People are diverse and have various thoughts. Also, everything comes back to you as much as you put in the effort. Before going on the gap year, I too had the thought "since I''m going to volunteer, I''ll get something out of it." But if you don''t make any effort, you absolutely won''t get anything.My greatest gain was being loved not only by the children but also by the people I met in VietnamI think that''s it.
Even during consulting I really didn''t want to go. There were various reasons. I didn''t know much about Vietnam specifically, but people around me spoke negatively about it.
For example, Vietnam is extremely hot and humid, dirty and underdeveloped so everything is inconvenient. The environment isn''t good because of the motorbikes, etc. Honestly, that''s all true. For the first 2-3 weeks I was really homesick for Korea and wanted to go back. But now I miss it so much that I want to go back to Vietnam. Truly, no one will know how I changed like this unless they experience it.
# Looking back now, I wonder if I''ve ever received such great love in Korea.
During these two months I had many bad experiences and many good ones. Since I''m used to living in a good country like Korea, I couldn''t accept some things in Vietnam and I got quite annoyed, and most Vietnamese people can''t speak English. I felt so frustrated that I got angry alone at times, and although I was scammed by a travel agency so the outcome wasn''t good, I did try to fight back.
Even with so many complaints and grievances, I came back with many more positive feelings.I traveled a lot with friends and made good memories, and there were the staff of the local organization who always helped kindly, the kindergarten teachers and local supporters who weren''t good at English but helped me diligently, and the children at the kindergarten who gave me so much love.Looking back now, I wonder if I''ve ever received such great love in Korea.
Besides love, I also learned and felt many things. Originally, I left for Vietnam to raise my self-esteem and to receive love. I don''t think I got everything perfectly. But after returning from the gap year, my heart feels very light and good. I think I''ve gained some mental space.
If it''s my pre-Vietnam self, I might have said I spent a lot of money to go but didn''t get anything visible or something to boast to others and cursed the gap year and the CEO. In fact, during the first 2-3 weeks I thought ''why did I come here''. I didn''t curse though.
But now I think like this: I gained something.I don''t know if I got everything I wanted, but I learned something and that is truly precious to me. Also, I felt several ways to treat people sincerely.
# I learned my biggest problem and solved it! I''m proud to see even a little change in myself.
Many volunteers from various countries come to the local Vietnamese organizations. When you meet and talk to them, you realize they are really different from us. At first I disliked those people, ignored them, and didn''t accept them because they didn''t fit into what I thought was right.
But as time passed, I surprisingly came to understand other people. I don''t know how I changed like this. In any case, I recognized my biggest problem and resolved it.Because I began to truly feel things rather than pretending to understand, I sometimes got angry at the way I had lived until now.
After returning, I developed a lot as a person. I felt many things. At first I often thought it was a waste of money, but if you, like me, gain something and have experiences, you don''t think about the money at all.If my level before going was 1 and the max level is 10, I feel like I grew to about 5.
It may sound cheesy, but I''m proud to see even a small change in myself.So I''m looking forward to the next gap year. As CEO An Si-jun said, I feel like I''m becoming a better person, so I''ve been feeling really good lately. I hope I can gain as much in the next gap year as I have now.
# My personal gap year TIP
(Language)
At first I was confident in my English skills. But when I actually went, I turned out to be the worst, haha. It''s okay if your English isn''t good. Everyone is kind, so they understand. I think being a bit weak in English only prevents deep conversations, but it doesn''t interfere with daily life, hehe.
(Accommodation)
In the dorms, rooms are separated by gender—males together, females together. It''s not uncomfortable. But because many people use them, they aren''t very clean.
(Meals)
Vietnamese food is delicious. It''s also cheap. There is someone at the accommodation who cooks. Their cooking isn''t bad. You won''t need to worry about food.
(Travel)
You end up traveling a lot with friends. But since Vietnamese people often aren''t good at English and there are many cases of being overcharged, people often go through travel agencies. It''s a bit more expensive than you''d expect.
Since Hanoi is in the north, people mainly travel to northern areas. In the north, Sapa, Ha Long Bay, and Ninh Binh are famous, and if you go a bit south, Hoi An is well-known. For Koreans, Da Nang is famous, but Hoi An has more things to do and see than Da Nang. Also, Ho Chi Minh City is extremely popular with Koreans.
(To prospective participants)
I realized this a bit late. At first I was very disappointed with Vietnam and felt really down because of English, but it''s all about how you think and what you do. People don''t care what you do or how you think.
They won''t criticize you for not being good at English. In Korea, people are especially sensitive, and many live feeling intimidated and unable to speak up. In Vietnam, don''t do that—do what you want and say what you need to say.
I realized why I had been living like that, haha.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
