"If you''re hesitating now, I''d advise you to just go ASAP. The sooner you go and come back, the better a gap year seems to be. I was also glad to start my thirties in Paris, France this year. I had some personal concerns, but I was happy to have time alone to exclude others'' thoughts and think only for myself." -Bonjour! One month living in Paris, France Shin YujeongGap-yearer Gapper/ 30 years old, gap year after quitting job / 30 daysParticipation |
# The gap year after leaving the company that used to get applause whenever I introduced it
<Montmartre Hill>
Hello. My name is Shin Yujeong and I am 30 years old this year. I was a gap-year participant who quit a company that always received applause whenever I introduced it and chose long-term travel.
It was my first long-term trip, and also my first time traveling to Europe, especially Paris.I speak Korean and English and set off with no knowledge of French. My personality is brave in unfamiliar places and timid in familiar ones.I generally like making plans and achieving them.
The main reason I chose the <Paris, France — One Month> project was that during my time at the company I often worked with France. I frequently felt cultural differences in the work and was embarrassed that, as the person in charge, I had never been there.
In 2016 there were especially many tasks because it was the 130th anniversary of Korea-France relations, and since the industry I worked in was related to the arts, I definitely wanted to visit France, Paris—the dream of many artists—at least once.
Above all, I wanted to live for myself in a place where no one knew me, so I decided to go.
# I returned having achieved the goal of ''a trip for myself''
<Place de la Concorde>
While preparing for my gap year, of course I worried a lot about staying abroad for a long time. Especially since Paris had experienced recent terrorist attacks, many people around me discouraged it, and I myself wasn''t confident about safety.
Up until a week before departure I even read a post on a European travel information site claiming that an armed robber had opened fire at the Ritz-Carlton in central Paris, so I was actually very anxious. It was my first long trip and given the situation I worried a lot, butI left with the thought, ''If you''re meant to die, you''ll die even in Korea.''
I resigned on December 31 and, because I took a week-long domestic trip, the preparation time for the gap year departing January 15 was short. Still, as soon as I returned home from the domestic trip I checked whether I had any ailments. I had gotten a New Year''s piercing, so I visited a dermatologist in case inflammation developed.
Also, because I hadn''t walked much during my company life, I trained by doing 15,000 steps daily on a stepper to prepare for the trip. Other than that, I prepared the usual things: booking tickets, making plans, and buying travel insurance.
Until I left, my goal for the gap year was ''let''s rest well and come back,'' but true to my habits I couldn''t help myself and walked an average of 25,000 steps a day, filling each day with little but meaningful experiences. However, the goal of a trip for myselfwas well achieved and I returned.
As someone''s daughter, older sister, girlfriend, cousin, successor, or the team''s youngest, etc.Because I shed those other names and spent the month solely as Shin Yujeong.That''s right. It was a gap year in which I indulged my nature and deliberately lived selfishly.
# A time when I could make friends with anyone regardless of age gap
<Eiffel Tower>
The local project was carried out completely autonomously within a framework that ensured safety.It was. From 8:00 AM
Until 9:30, the day began with having breakfast in the dining room according to each person''s own plan.
When I had free time, I usually prepared and went out after breakfast; on days with a guided tour, the day before
I prepared in advance and left before breakfast time. Dinner was served from 7:00 PM, and if I returned within that time,
I always made sure to eat it.
The best part was that I planned only one activity per day, so I felt psychologically relaxed.Staying at a Korean guesthouse meant I had relatively fewer opportunities to interact with foreigners, butI was always grateful to the guesthouse owner, the aunties, the staff, and the other guests who showed kindness to me when we first met.I was always thankful to the guesthouse owner, the aunts, the staff, and the other guests.
I especially appreciated that, even without knowing much about me, they recognized me as a good person and, regardless of age differences, we were able to become friends.
Even the French, who have a reputation for being unfriendly, turned out to be unexpectedly tsundere (aloof but warm), so I observed and learned a lot from them.
# ''If you''re going, don''t come; if you''re coming, don''t go''
<Watching the Moulin Rouge show>
''If you''re going, don''t come; if you''re coming, don''t go'' — that was the phrase I said the most during my month-long gap year.
During my month living in Paris, I met countless people.Because I was abroad, I became attached quickly and said it out of sadness even after a short time; I think I said it at least 20 times during the trip.I particularly remember Donghwan, the guesthouse staff who had started living in Paris shortly before I arrived; Susanna, who spent the first two weeks of Paris life with me; Munyoung, who called me ''noona'' and treated me like a younger sibling; and Yuna and Yurim, who shared the gap-year experience with me.
I also express my gratitude to the boyfriend who, for his girlfriend who had left coldly for a month, took a week off from work and came to Paris to spend the final week of the gap year together.
# My personal gap-year tips
<Mont Saint-Michel day tour>
(Directions)
From Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 3 in Paris, I took bus number 351, got off near Gallieni station, and walked about 15 minutes. Because I bought a weekly transit pass and left immediately, I topped up the travel card (Navigo non-refundable deposit: 5 euros)I topped it up by about 22.5 euros and then traveled.
(Language)
There are quite a few French people who can use English, but if you go outside Zone 1 or to places without Koreans, it''s good to study some French in advance.Just as in Korea people are more interested when a foreigner speaks even broken Korean, in France people were much friendlier when I spoke a little French.
(Accommodation)
Towels are provided at guesthouses, but I recommend bringing your own towel to use and discard. If you go in the cold season, bringing a single-person heated mat will give you endless energy. (There are radiators, but Koreans really prefer to warm up on a hot floor (thumbs up))
I recommend trying the coffee the owner serves; it''s larger and tastes better than the coffee you buy outside.
Because the water quality in Europe is different from Korea''s, it''s better for your skin and hair to buy toiletries (shampoo, cleansing foam, etc.) locally rather than bringing them from home. Especially among women, I''ve seen faces become red and irritated several times due to the limescale in Paris tap water; if you use a Korean cleansing foam, I recommend wiping your face with toner after washing.
(Meals)
First of all, the meals prepared by the guesthouse hostess are really delicious.
If you try to eat local food all the time to save time, you may find yourself feeling overly full or uncomfortable. I recommend eating at least one Korean meal at the guesthouse to settle your stomach a bit.
Restaurants in Paris start dinner service at 7 PM, but if you''re unlucky you might end up unable to eat dinner while you''re out, so be sure to bring emergency food like cup noodles. There are nearby shops where you can buy decent fruit or bread at affordable prices, so stocking up is also a good idea.
(What to bring)
Items I was inconvenienced by not having: eyebrow razor, nail clippers, raincoat.
Items that were convenient to have: hair dryer, hair straightener.
Since accommodations usually provide a hair dryer, bringing your own dryer would be convenient, but if you have a lot of luggage you don''t necessarily need to bring one.
Also, Europe is very strict about antibiotics. Don''t be overconfident just because you think you''re always healthy. In particular, since we''re accustomed to strong antibiotics, European medicines may not be effective for us.I recommend bringing cough and cold medicine and anti-inflammatory medication.I recommend it.
(Transportation routes)
I''m not sure if it''s just my route, but on Paris metro maps Châtelet station appears to be omitted from line 3,but in fact it''s connected to Les Halles station, though you have to walk a bit. Also, rather than following the route Google Maps suggests, it''s fastest to find a nearby station and travel by metro.
Finally, Google may label it as ''City Hall'' station, but on Paris metro signs it''s shown as ''Hôtel de Ville'', so keeping that in mind will help when you''re sightseeing in Paris.
# For those who plan to participate in the project later
<Montmartre Hill>
I hesitated for a year before leaving for my gap year. Since 2016 I''ve wanted to live abroad for about a month,but it took me too long to take the plunge.If you''re hesitating now, I''d advise you to go ASAP. The sooner you go and return, the better a gap year seems to be.
I especially recommend a gap year if, like me, you''re finishing your twenties and about to enter your thirties and are wondering what to do to be less mentally worn down. You have to spend your thirties—ten years—starting with at least a vague idea rather than total ignorance, so you need time to organize your thoughts.
I was happy to start my thirties this year in Paris, France. I personally had a few worries,but I was glad to have time alone to exclude others'' opinions and think only for myself.Of course, I think I came back with only great memories from major attractions I visited in Paris such as the Arc de Triomphe, the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre, the Musée d''Orsay, the Musée de l''Orangerie, Disneyland, and the Vincennes Zoo.
Comparing before and after participating in the gap year project, before I joined my health had worsened from work stress and I experienced relational fatigue (boredom/tiredness with relationships). Having gone through high school, college entrance exams, university admission, changing majors, preparing for graduation, two years of job hunting, and working without any proper rest, I felt I needed to take time for myself this time.
After returning from the gap year,I became less prone to impatience and learned to think that if something doesn''t go well, you can always try again.
<Montmartre Hill>
My gap year is
Experience ★★★★★
I gained a lot of experience during a month immersed in a culture completely different from Korea.
Learning ★★★★★
I greatly enjoyed learning a new language through everyday use of French before I left.
Environment ★★★★★
First, I escaped Korea’s severe cold and stayed in a relatively milder place; away from fine dust, I was happy living in a small neighborhood in Paris.
Safety ★★★★☆
The area near the accommodation was fairly safe, but as you go toward the center you have to be careful of pickpockets, Roma, and scam groups.
Leisure ★★★★★
Compared to other guesthouses, thanks to relatively flexible rules, I could enjoy French life inside without having to do any special activities.
