My biggest goal in participating in the gap year project was to develop my ability to express myself.I originally didn''t have much confidence and was awkward and timid in expressing myself, so I took a gap year to work on that.I''m the kind of person who cares a lot about what others think and is fearful in relationships. So to address that, I put myself in a new environment to get to know myself better, discover new sides of myself, and hoped to change in the process.
I also wanted to feel both giving and receiving love through volunteering. Of course, along with the reward of helping those in need, I thought that by reflecting on the work I do and my existence,I could build my self-esteem.
# Wisdom gained from life experiences you can never learn at school
I did village-building and childcare work. First,we have breakfast and a general meeting at 8:30 AM to go over the day''s schedule. If you arrive at the meeting place on time, we all move to the workplace together.
Village-building projectIn that case, you work for 1.5–2 hours in the morning, then after lunch you have a 30-minute to 1-hour break before starting afternoon work. The day''s schedule usually finishes around 3–4 PM; after showering and resting a bit, you eat dinner at 5 PM and have free time in the evening.
Childcare teacher projectIn that case, from 9:30 to 11:00 AM you go to the school''s kindergarten to teach and play with the children, then return for lunch. Around 2–3 PM there''s a meeting to prepare the next day''s lessons. You spend about an hour finding ways to improve the lessons and planning for tomorrow, then have free time. Even if you want to teach more, kindergarteners nap after lunch, so classes are held only in the morning and there are no scheduled activities after lunch.
While doing outdoor activities,I found that spending a full day sweating and being productive was healing in itself, and through homestays every two weeks I was able to experience a bit of hill tribe life and reflect on many different lives and environments, which I think was a great experience.I do.
If there was anything that moved me or that I learned from doing the work, it would be that I learned a great deal from talking with the outdoor leaders. I could feel the wisdom gained through life experiences that you can never learn at school.
To give just one example, although we only helped the village by digging for two days, because of our help the village men were able to finish in two days what would otherwise have taken them several days of digging, so they could go out to work on the remaining days, earn money, and support their families. They said this was a great help not only to the village but to each and every family. Hearing that, I really felt that I was doing something meaningful.
Time spent sharing diverse thoughts with foreign friends
When I think back to the people I met during the project, there were Korean people I met there—Hugon oppa, Yeong-ae, Jeong-ah unni, Dong-hyeon oppa—as well as Thai friends like Nook, Pat, Tee, Sun, Suna, Kwan, and foreign friends Rianna, Susan, Karina, Rachel, Maggie, Ilenia, Kulk, Pavel, Scott, etc... Some of them I still keep in touch with.
Although the time together was short yet felt long, I grew very attached and it was really sad to part. I also felt and learned a lot from watching those friends.Through conversation we got to know each other more deeply and could share many different thoughts, which was great, but just observing those friends alone also made me feel many things.
I also realized that there are truly diverse people in the world and many really good people. And that young people everywhere have the same worries.
The most memorable thing while doing the project wasthe Thai Songkran festival and my one-week vacation stand out the most.The Songkran festival in mid-April, also known as the water festival, was great because everyone sprayed each other with water guns and buckets and made fun memories, and spending that time with foreign friends helped us become much closer.
And I stayed for three months, so I was able to take a one-week vacation.My American friend and I had a lot of hardships together and our communication wasn''t perfect, but during the trip not only did my English improve, my confidence grew, and through that friend I became more open-minded.Also, because of the hardships it will probably be remembered longer. I think I took a good recharge right when the routine of life there was starting to make me numb.
# If not now, when? I don''t want to be old and regret things I haven''t tried.
During the project I met various people and looked into their lives, which made me think a lot.I think I really learned and felt a lot through people. I seem more expressive than before, and I think I''ve become a person who can embrace more diverse thoughts. I also feel I have gained a spirit of challenge.
Previously I worried about the image I wanted to show others, but now I worry about what I should do to be happy. My fear of meeting new people and forming connections has also decreased. Also, after doing this gap year I have become much more eager to do volunteer work, so I''m looking into volunteer opportunities nearby and plan to go on another overseas volunteer trip combined with travel.
If anyone is considering a gap year project,I hope you''ll go for it without hesitation.I too decided on a gap year after a long time of hesitating,If not now, when would I try it? I don''t want to be old and regret not having done it. As expected, I''m glad I did it.
Of course, going on a gap year doesn''t instantly solve the problems or worries I had. People don''t change overnight. Still, the various emotions felt during the gap year and the newly discovered aspects of myself help me look at my previous concerns from a new perspective.
And I must have changed in some small ways without realizing it..? I recommend it to those curious about the green mountains and the lives of highland tribes, not just Thailand''s beaches, and to those who want to see valuable hard work in nature and the innocent smiles of children.
# My gap year tips
(How to get there)
The organization picks you up at the domestic arrivals exit of the airport, where you can meet the person in charge.
(Language)
I didn''t study conversational practice beforehand. I was curious about my usual ability, and the preparation period was short so I couldn''t prepare linguistically. Maybe that''s why, having only studied English for tests, hearing the English actually used by the locals gave me a headache at first. I really, really couldn''t understand.
So I told my friends that my English wasn''t good enough. They assume that if I stay quiet, I understand everything. They thought I wasn''t concentrating on conversations with them. So then...When unfamiliar expressions came up and I asked friends what they meant or what to say in those situations, everyone kindly explained them, which I appreciated. So you probably don''t need to worry too much.
Still,It would be very helpful to study some conversational practice beforehand.Additionally, outdoor activities helped me get used to English more than teaching children did. While working I had a lot of conversations with friends, and going on homestays every two weeks and living closely with them for a whole week made English gradually easier to understand and more familiar. I still have many unknown words and sometimes can''t understand people, but my skills have improved somewhat compared to before I went.
(Accommodation)
It''s livable. I didn''t find it particularly uncomfortable. However, it''s a good idea to change the bed sheets often. Since the weather is hot and you sweat a lot, using the same sheets continuously could be bad for your skin, so it''s best to replace them once every one or two weeks.
(Meals)
The organization provides three meals a day, but meals aren''t provided from Saturday evening to Sunday evening, so you''ll need to cook for yourself or buy food outside. The food suited me very well, so I ate fine and didn''t particularly need Korean food.
Still, the instant ramen I ate occasionally was really delicious haha. Convenience stores sell a lot of Korean ramen, so you don''t need to bring it. And if you''re sensitive to cilantro, be prepared—meals provided by the organization won''t omit cilantro just for one person.
(Packing list)
- Items I was inconvenienced by not having: speaker, my own pillow, comfortable slippers
- Items that were convenient to have: spray-on mosquito repellent (available locally), a small flashlight, a sleeping bag for spring/summer/fall (liners can be too thin and might be cold depending on the season), nail clippers
- Items that were inconvenient to have: hair dryer, gochujang (Korean chili paste), laptop, pencil case, sneakers
Anywhere people live, so things you can buy there don''t need to be prepared and brought ahead of time. Clothes are cheap at the markets and there are plenty of Thai-style clothes, so you don''t need to bring too many.
(Travel)
I stayed for three months but didn''t travel a lot, so it''s hard to say...
In Chiang Rai, you should check out the White Temple, Singha Park bike tour, Blue Temple, cafes around the Kok River, the night bazaar and Saturday market, the Big Buddha Temple, etc. Many people also go to see elephants or monkeys, but I couldn''t go.
My gap year was
Experience★★★★★
Because I had a variety of experiences I couldn''t have anywhere else. I immersed myself in the lives of hill tribe people, visited Thai friends'' homes, traveled with foreign friends, and the work I did—cutting and trimming bamboo for the first time, doing cement work, building toilets—was all refreshing and fun, so I feel I had many new experiences.
Learning★★★★★
I learned a great deal. Meeting many people and sharing their stories taught me a lot, observing people''s lifestyles gave me plenty to think about, and I also learned how to dig and how to do cement work while on the job. Though people were very different, I realized that if you look closer we''re all pretty similar.
Environment★★★★☆
I was satisfied with the environment there. It was better than I expected—both the facilities and the natural surroundings. However, hygiene was somewhat lacking. I''m not overly fastidious, so it was fine for me, but people who care a lot about bugs or cleanliness might find it difficult. Especially the bugs... there really were a lot, but as long as they didn''t get inside my mosquito net, everything was okay.
Safety ★★★★★
Safety seemed fine. However, there are many motorbikes and many dark streets, so you need to be careful.
Leisure ★★★☆☆
I expected that everyone would naturally go on short trips on their days off, but when I first arrived most of my friends were at the end of their time in Thailand. Many had already been to several places or didn’t have enough money, so they spent weekends resting at the organization, etc., and there weren’t many people to hang out with, so I didn’t travel much.
After that, my laziness kicked in... Looking back, I regret not going out a bit even on my own. For a three-month stay, I don’t think I traveled very much.
