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#I learned how to love myself #Gratitude for small things; clarity about my career direction #It made me want to become a better person.
"Through this volunteer work I realized how many things in my daily life I had not recognized as making me happy. Above all, I learned that the very small and trivial everyday things can be a great happiness for someone."
Volunteer work with Vietnamese children with disabilities that brings hope to wounded children Participant Jeong Hye-mi (25) / 4-week gap year
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# I decided to participate hoping to become even a little better than I am now!
I really wanted to try volunteering abroad at least once. So I found GapYear through an internet search, and I liked that there were various projects and, above all, that I could choose the period I wanted, so I decided to join a GapYear project.
And Through GapYear I hoped to become at least a little better than I am now.
Before starting the volunteer work I had a lot of worries. I was concerned about many things—whether I could adapt well there, whether I could get along with others... Still, I followed what GapYear instructed and went, so it seems I returned without any major problems.The place I originally wanted to volunteer at was full, so I ended up volunteering somewhere else. It was a bit disappointing, but it wasn''t bad.
# I felt a lot through the children and by watching the teachers working at the center
Most of the routine was playing ball with the children, feeding them, and giving massages. I majored in physical therapy and wanted to help in that area even a little, but unfortunately I couldn''t, and I felt sorry and personally frustrated. As time went on I increasingly thought that if I had clinical experience I could have been more helpful to the children.
Although I couldn''t help much, I learned a lot through the children and by observing the teachers who work at the center.It''s wrong to look for my happiness by comparing myself to others, but through this volunteer work I realized how many things in my everyday life I had not recognized as making me happy. Above all, I learned that the very small, trivial everyday things can be a huge happiness to someone.
Before, I thought the image I presented to others was important and tried to look good to them. But living abroad made me feel more at ease, and when I did what I wanted and acted as I thought, it was much more comfortable and better than I expected.
People like me who worry a lot about others'' opinions should go and try doing what they want.After spending a month like that, I returned and started thinking and acting with myself at the center even in Korea. This doesn''t mean I''m being inconsiderate or selfish; rather, my preoccupation with how others see me has greatly decreased.
# After participating in the volunteer work at a time when I was worrying about my career path, I came back to Korea and decided which way to go!
AndI was at a time when I was deeply pondering what I wanted to do, and as I kept seeing children with disabilities,I kept thinking about how I could help those children through treatment.So even after returning to Korea, I plan to look into work in that area.
Living with children with disabilities there greatly reduced my prejudice and aversion toward disability. Disability used to seem huge and like those people were different from me, but now I think they are just people whose bodies are a bit uncomfortable or ill—people just like us.
And I met new people there and still keep in touch; I think forming such unexpected connections is very exciting. It was also nice that during my time there three Koreans'' activity periods overlapped with mine, so we became close and had fun together.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
