Before joining the project, I had a vague fear about meeting and communicating with people from other countries, but through Gap Year I gained the courage to approach them instead of that vague fear. Also, the goal I originally wanted to achieve through Gap Year—broadening my understanding of other cultures—has expanded.
[Overseas Volunteer/Activities] The moment my presence shines: sharing happiness with children in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam Gwak Shin-young, Gap Year participant (Gapper) (22, university student) / 2-week Gap Year |
# A new experience where I had to do everything on my own
Hello, my name is Gwak Shin-young and I am currently a second-year university student. I found this program while looking for a volunteer program I could do with a friend.I usually like children and was very interested in Vietnam, so I chose this projectso I decided to join.
Also, I am Christian, and since this orphanage is affiliated with Buddhism, I wanted to use this project as an opportunity to understand Buddhism, which I don''t know much about.
Other than a language study trip to the Philippines in high school, I had no experience staying abroad. The language trip was with a group so it felt less burdensome, but this timeI was very worried that I would have to handle everything myself.I was worried.
I was also more concerned because English doesn''t work well in Vietnam, but when I actually went there, people were kind and if English didn''t work we could communicate without problems using body language. I also worried that the food might not suit me, but I liked it a lot.
Regarding pre-departure preparations: I left a few days after my university finals, so I don''t think I prepared very thoroughly. I got my Vietnam visa before finals and prepared according to Gap Year’s guidance, and I studied a bit of basic Vietnamese and English conversation.
I felt overwhelmed not knowing how to prepare, but the checklist provided by Gap Year was very helpful.
* At Korea Gap Year, for participants'' local adaptation and growth, we provide educational content such as ''OT materials, checklists, Gap Year missions, Gap Year notes, and Gap Year scholarships'' to support them.
# A day in Ho Chi Minh: moving moments when we were able to communicate with our hearts
At 8 a.m. I leave the house and take a bus to the volunteer site. During the morning volunteer shift I cared for young children, around 2 to 4 years old.Around 10 o''clock the children eat and take showers; at that time I helped bathe them, change their clothes, and play with them, and around 11 I returned to the accommodation to eat.
After eating and resting a bit,volunteering starts again at 2 p.m. At that time I worked with children around 5–6 years oldWe did activities together. When the children went to eat at 4:30, the volunteer shift ended and we returned to the accommodation.
My French friends who shared the same room and many local volunteer friends helped me a lot to adjust at first. Also, while doing the project,what I liked was being able to meet volunteers from various countries.
I shared a room with a friend from a Western country, which was a good experience to understand that country, and it was nice to be able to understand Vietnamese culture. What moved me during the project wasthat although I couldn''t communicate verbally with the Vietnamese children during volunteering, I was deeply moved that we could communicate with our hearts.
# Advice for prospective participants and my recommended travel spots
There is no air conditioning at the volunteer site and, since you''ll be with the children, you''ll sweat a lot.It''s best to wear clothes that dry sweat quickly, and because you''ll have skin contact with the children, I recommend long pants rather than shorts.I recommend them! You have to get off the bus and walk to the volunteer site, soa hat is essential because of the strong sunlight.Also, when I went, it rained suddenly and frequently, soan umbrella or raincoat is definitely essential.I think so. (It would be awkward if it rained on the way to volunteer and you got completely wet..)
If you have long hair, children like to touch it and tend to undo tied hair, so it''s best to wear your hair in a bun. It''s best to avoid accessories altogether. The accommodation is clean, but there are cockroaches, so it''s a good idea to bring roach spray.
There is no problem communicating with local volunteers in English, so if you''re not good at English, study a bit beforehand and you''ll be able to build better relationships with the local volunteers. Since the food is served in Vietnamese style,if you are picky, bring seaweed or gochujang (Korean chili paste) to mix into the rice provided at the accommodation!
The bus you take from the accommodation to the volunteer site is number 3, and its terminus drops you off at De Tham Street and Ben Thanh Market, which are great for shopping and food and are must-visit spots for travelers, so I went every weekend. Also, if you walk from the volunteer site toward the bus stop and go a bit further you''ll find the Bitexco Building.
On the last weekend evening,I went to a bar in Bitexco; the view of Ho Chi Minh was stunning and the atmosphere was so nice that I recommend it — we left with great photos and memories.I want to recommend it. As a restaurant recommendation, there''s a place called Podin that serves Japanese yakiniku; it was the most delicious restaurant I tried in Ho Chi Minh.
# After the gap year, I gained the courage to approach others first instead of vague fear
I have been accepted to transfer into the nursing department, and since my dream is to become a nurse after graduation and do medical volunteer work, I chose this volunteer program to make that dream more concrete. I also wanted to understand the country''s culture, meet and learn from various people, and break the vague fear I had about going abroad.
Before participating in the project, I had a vague fear about meeting and communicating with people from other countries, butThrough the gap year, I gained the courage to approach others first instead of that vague fear. Also, the breadth of my understanding of other cultures — the goal I initially wanted to achieve through this gap year — widened.
My gap year is
Experience ★★★★☆
Learning ★★★★☆
Environment ★★★★☆
Safety ★★★★★
Leisure ★★★★☆
