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#Became less afraid of going abroad #A family-like bond #Felt hope for happiness
Sometimes I realized that getting away from where I am now can be more important than just living diligently here.That way, whether I continue being diligent here or plan happiness in a new place, in any case,I seem to get a hint to pursue happiness with more momentum. -Volunteering for conservation in New Zealand''s nature with friends from around the world / Gomi-ju gap-year family gapper / 1-week gap year |
# I wanted to experience living with people who are different from me.
Hello. I am a university student majoring in architecture.I joined the project because of worries, stress, and frustration about my career path.
I am very interested in environmental issues and I love wide-open natural scenery. During university I had continuously been interested in environmental issues, butI had nothing suitable to do, so I wanted to try proper activities for the environment, and above all I wanted to experience pristine nature.
Actually I was very worried before leaving. For the few weeks before going I was scared every day, thinking of cancelling my plane ticket and all sorts of things. So,I practiced English by talking with a friend who is good at English and by practicing alone, and I carefully wrote down and prepared the items one by one. I researched the local situation online, and learned the flight route from blog posts of people who had flown the same route.
Going abroad itself required great courage for me, so the act of summoning that courage was itself a change. Also,I wanted to experience living with people who are different from me.
# A day in New Zealand
Around 6:30 a.m. (it takes me a bit long to wash up) we wake up, wash, eat breakfast, and each prepare their own lunch and snacks to eat at midday. We pack them into lunch boxes one by one, prepare a thermos of water because it''s cold, and set off together at 8:00 on the dot. We work until about 10:30 (at a different place each week), have morning tea (a snack), and then work again until about 12:30.
After lunch we work again until around 3–4 p.m., depending on the weather and amount of work, then return to the accommodation. We spend time resting individually or together and prepare and eat dinner. Then we spend time separately or together before going to bed.
# Feeling like a family was a truly special experience.
In the first week I unexpectedly had to live just the two of us with a friend whose personality was almost the complete opposite and who often behaved unpleasantly, so it was difficult, butIn the process I think I learned a bit about how to deal with people who are different from me.
In the second week, five of us including the leader lived together in the accommodation and gathered to eat together in the evenings; it was a truly enjoyable and happy time.Being with people from different countries whom I''d known for about a week and yet feeling so much like family was a truly special experience.
If you open your hearts to each other and share everyday things like making and eating food together, and even endure hardships together for a worthwhile cause, thenI realized that people who seemed so different can very well become friends or family.
The friend I remember most was a German friend who was really cool. It may be largely due to that friend''s personal traits, but even as a woman she was unusually strong physically, didn''t fumble about worrying what others thought, was decisive about tasks that needed to be done, and focused on personal time otherwise — qualities worth learning from.
I''m someone who tends to overthink, and I learned a lot from a Thai friend who was always at ease.I had thought she was just kind, but I was impressed by the Thai friend''s ability to state her opinions clearly and directly.I realized deeply that I need to study English harder...
All the friends were the same age as me or younger, but their courage, confidence, and open attitudes were things I could learn from, and I was very impressed by the leader''s admirable sense of responsibility, skills, and stamina.Thank you for making an effort to bring up easy and fun topics so we could be together without showing frustration even though we couldn''t communicate well.
My Gap Year Tip
(Accommodation)
The accommodation is quite poor. Although it''s cleaned once a week, when many participants live together the bathroom and kitchen can quickly get dirty, and you should consider the various insects as part of the place from the start. Also, in my case I participated during the rainy and winter season in that country (New Zealand), so the weather was very cold and damp, and because they don''t have ondol (Korean floor heating) the floors were especially very cold.
I bought and used slippers during a weekend trip after a week of activities and they were very useful. If you get cold easily, I suggest participating after mid‑August if possible; if you join during the earlier winter season, it would be good to bring thick socks or slippers in advance.
There are three rooms in total; in one room there were about three or four bunk beds, and in the room I stayed in there was also a single bed where I slept with a sleeping bag and blanket, and fortunately it was warm enough at night. In the first week I stayed alone in a room; in the second week I lived with another female participant.
(Meals)
Here new participants arrive on a weekly basis and those whose activity is finished leave, so team members change (regardless of the total number, it''s always one team). So on the Friday before, the team members together shop for groceries for the next week''s members and put them in the fridge. Then for a week participants cook and eat using the accumulated and new ingredients.
Even if you can''t cook or don''t enjoy it, you probably won''t go hungry, but if you''re picky about food you''ll need to be able to cook for yourself. In my case I''m a pescatarian and I can''t digest flour‑based foods, so I made a salad each evening to eat the next day and I also cooked extra dinner separately for myself.
It was partly unavoidable because the other participants on the team particularly liked meat, and also because I enjoy cooking, so that''s how I did it.
Because the ingredients are different from Korea, there may be difficulties if there are foods you can''t eat or you are very picky. However, New Zealand has more detailed ingredient labeling for allergy sufferers and people with special conditions than our country, so if you know your own condition well you can choose appropriately.
You can also include such information on the application form to receive assistance.In my case I can''t eat wheat/flour, and since in this project lunch during activities has to be eaten outside, sandwiches were the most suitable lunch (I made them in advance during breakfast time and took them with me).
So I was a bit worried about whether I should make rice balls to bring, but surprisingly and thankfully New Zealand supermarkets sold gluten‑free sliced bread. The leader bought it on the first morning of activities. Thanks to that I was able to eat tasty lunches every day and work hard.
(What to bring)
Except when you arrive at Christchurch airport or when you go grocery shopping together on Friday after a week of volunteering, you''ll only be going between accommodation and volunteer sites outside the city, so it''s hard to buy items immediately. You should prepare or buy what you need in advance.
For personal health issues, it''s especially hard to get medicine abroad so you must bring them yourself, and it''s good to have clear ways to manage your condition. I usually have severe headaches so I went to bed earlier than other participants, and I also brought medicine for indigestion in advance.
# For prospective participants
Rather than focusing too much on change,I think it''s better to approach it with the mindset of enjoying it and experiencing it. Try to genuinely experience what life there is like if possible. That way you can get to know yourself better.
For me this might be a funny story, but I came to understand my health better. My body is quite sensitive, and when I was suddenly exposed to a sudden temperature change without being fully prepared, I learned how to cope in that climate... I guess my survival skills got a bit stronger.
# You seem to gain a hint for pursuing happiness more proactively.
I found hope in the fact that there are still such beautiful places in the world. Going abroad became less scary,I realized that occasionally leaving where you are now can be more important than just working hard here all the time.
That way, whether you continue your efforts here or plan happiness in a new place, anyway,you seem to gain clues to pursue happiness with more momentum.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
