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#From unenthusiastic to proactive #Obtained a scuba diving certification #Happiness; felt like a new person
I wanted to learn something new. So I enrolled in a scuba diving school run by Koreans. Because I thought I wouldn''t understand English well. My ears hurt a bit, but it was definitely an amazing experience. I used to be someone without much passion, but Cebu seemed to give me a whole new personality. Gap year consulting Don''t stress about English anymore! Learn English while having fun in Cebu! 12 weeks Recharge with warm love with children in Hanoi, Vietnam! 8 weeks Kim Yoon-jung, gap-year family gapper (26, office worker) / a total 20-week gap year |
# Have I ever been this free and happy in my life?
Late at night after finishing work, I go to an empty café and open my laptop for the first time in a while. Then I look through the photos in my phone''s gallery and reminisce.
I can see the faces of the people who made me the happiest just last year.''Cebu'' and ''Hanoi''Did I ever think those two cities would change me like this?Worried they might be deleted, unable to move them, the photos remain carefully stored in my gallery; thinking of those pictures, I begin to reflect on the past five months.
* For Ms. Kim Yoon-jung, who had a strong desire to change herself, customized 1:1 personal missions related to change and self-reflection were provided daily, and a gap year notebook for self-reflection and planning was also provided.
# My first meeting with the gap year
At that time, I was in a situation where I very much needed an objective perspective on myself.I wondered what I was good at and whether this was right; I was stressed at work and felt disillusioned in my relationships.That''s when I learned about the gap year through an acquaintance''s introduction.
I still remember the first time I knocked on the door. The three consultations with the consultant I met knowing almost nothing felt both sufficient and insufficient to decide on the future that would change after I quit my company. However, during the consultations the consultant gave me confidence when I was anxious.
At first I had doubts, but what could I do? I said okay. Still, looking at the materials provided by the gap year, studying basic grammar, and packing clothes into my carry-on, I kept wondering if this was the right thing to do.I was someone who normally didn''t follow instructions, but this was the first time I hurriedly prepared on such a large scale.
# Everything is unfamiliar at first
I still remember the humidity when I got off the plane. Arriving late at the accommodation and waking up the next day, I already felt suffocated and fearful like the humid weather. At that time, a Taiwanese roommate took me, along with some of her other friends, to a famous restaurant where we could see a beautiful sunset.
Watching the setting sun, I fell in love with the beauty of the Philippines. From then on, everything was enjoyable.The friends all greeted me and the teachers were very kind. Getting a good roommate also helped. Itook basic classes because I didn''t know any English, but the teachers, including my buddy teacher,didn''t give up on me and sparked my interest in English classes.
Making friends wasn''t difficult. It was there that I first realized how fun Vietnamese people are. They liked me a lot and even went island-hopping with me. There, without getting tired,I wanted to learn something new.So I enrolled in a scuba diving school run by Koreans. I thought I might not understand English well.
My ears hurt a bit, but it was definitely an amazing experience.I was someone who really lacked passion, but Cebu seemed to give me a whole new personality.I became interested in studying; although I was weak at writing, I studied conversation and grammar fairly diligently.Seeing my results on the monthly Progress Test get better and better, I realized I was actually making progress. I spent three months in the Philippines gaining various experiences.
# Vietnam. The unknown world
On the day I graduated, the Cebu language school held a sports day. It was really bittersweet, but I felt the ending was perfect. With that confidence wrapped tightly around me, I left for Vietnam. Some friends had left earlier, but I already missed the friends who stayed behind.
Vietnam''s weather wasn''t that different from the Philippines. But when it rained, it poured so heavily that I was surprised more than once. When I arrived at the accommodation I felt my bundled-up confidence disappear.
Except for the staff and one Korean boy, everyone was foreign and their English was very fast. It was at a level where conversation didn''t work. Of course we could talk, but unlike in the Philippines, long conversations didn''t happen and I was busy trying to understand. At first I was so flustered, butBut when I actually started work, I had a real chance to talk with the friends who went to the same kindergarten and they were kind and fun.
But a bigger problem remained.To be honest, I didn''t really like children.But the work I had to do was to take care of children.So I faced the children defenseless for the first time and I was shocked.The children were truly like angels and always smiled.
From the second day I had to lead the class and I wanted to appear well to those kids. So I downloaded the English version of the popular Korean "Baby Shark" and practiced, and the reaction was explosive. You could say they listened to it throughout the two months I worked.The children followed whatever I did, smiled, and showed they liked me.I had never received such love before so I couldn''t get used to it, but it wasn''t bad and was rather nice.
Except for once when I was sick and couldn''t go, I went to see the children every day. It was a truly happy experience.And there was another such experience: I met again a Vietnamese roommate I had met in the Philippines.
At that time I was quite sick and not fully recovered when I boarded the plane. But the moment I saw that friend, my symptoms began to disappear! That friend said, "Why have you lost so much weight?" and put me on the back of his motorcycle to go eat something delicious, and every day we changed accommodations and rode all over the place.
It was truly a unique experience and became a memory I''ll never forget.I thought I was really lucky to meet only such good people.
My gap year was a decision I don''t regret. I can definitely feel that I am different from before.All the connections I made on this journey — they showed unconditional love to me, who was awkward and fearful of everything.
If an opportunity is given to you in life, don''t hesitate and take the initiative.
Then you will have an absolutely wonderful experience.
# After the gap year
1.I was someone who didn''t like myself very much.
I wasn''t satisfied with any decisions or things I did.But thanks to the unconditional love the kindergarten children in Vietnam gave me,I felt very lovable and proud of myself.
2.I had very low self-esteem, so I was afraid even to learn things.
But not long after arriving in the Philippines, I developed a desire to learn something.I was very surprised at myself. So I immediately enrolled in a school with a Korean instructor to get a scuba diving certification, and I got my scuba diving certificate!!! The sense of accomplishment then was truly indescribable.
And I naturally felt like challenging anything, and I became unafraid of whatever I did.
3.I used to be very afraid of meeting people and wasn''t someone who talked about myself much.
But I received so much love from very kind teachers, friends from other countries, and the children, and I felt that I was someone worthy of that.I have now become proactive in approaching friends first, I know how to listen attentively to their stories, and I give advice when needed.
To prospective participants
Before starting, you may have heard phrases like ''Don''t be afraid'' or ''Don''t be scared'' many times, butI really hope you won''t be afraid.Even I was 90% worried at first, but after arriving I felt that my worries were unnecessary.Now I only think about going back and doing better.
I gained confidence and even advised an older participant who went to Thailand to never be afraid; later she thanked me. And be careful not to get dengue fever!!! Always have mosquito repellent to apply.
Also, it''s good to diligently complete the gap year missions!
I regret that I couldn''t do them properly.
My personal gap year tips
- Language
I had almost no knowledge of English, so I decided to at least learn basic grammar and patterns; I bought an English conversation pattern book and downloaded EBS teacher Heo Jun-seok''s ''Self-study - Basic English Grammar'' and studied it before going, and continued learning through videos after arriving in Cebu. English patterns are most important even in everyday conversation, so it''s good to bring at least one book.
- Accommodation
It''s best not to cause trouble wherever you go. Since it''s a shared space, if you come in too late at night, are noisy, or don''t keep the accommodation clean, roommates will feel uncomfortable or may change rooms. Whether it''s a hotel or a dormitory, when using any accommodation it''s best to follow the rules there!
- Meals
The provided meals weren''t bad, and there were many Korean grocery stores and Korean restaurants, but they were more expensive than in Korea, so it''s good to bring simple ingredients like gochujang or gim (seaweed). I brought beef gochujang and let friends from other countries try it, and ate it whenever I missed Korean food. Or bringing small cups of Buldak spicy ramen to challenge with friends was also fun.
- Things to bring
First, it''s convenient to bring plenty of US dollars. I exchanged all my dollars in the Philippines and had difficulties in Vietnam. Don''t be like me—it''s better to keep some dollars to use in Vietnam. Also, I had to urgently exchange money at my transit in Manila, but exchanging at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi is much cheaper. Whether in Cebu or Hanoi there are many exchange booths, so bring enough dollars. Of course there are many ATMs, but the fees are expensive. Also, I sometimes found that tourist spots in Hanoi accepted dollars.
It''s good to bring sunscreen, but the local sunscreens are specialized, so it''s much better to buy them there. The same goes for shampoo or body wash. Most marts are nearby, so you can buy whatever you need there. A credit card is necessary in case you need to withdraw money quickly. In my case, I brought a Citi card with a checking/debit function and used Citi ATMs frequently in Hanoi.
It''s much better not to bring a heavy DSLR. When traveling with friends you never know what might happen, so take lots of photos with a lightweight phone instead of a heavy camera. An instant camera is nice to have. In Hanoi, a friend brought an instant camera and we took many photos, printed them and put them in an album—those became great memories.
You don''t need to bring many shoes—just sneakers, slippers (or flip-flops), and sandals will do. You can buy flip-flops there; bringing too many just adds to your luggage. It''s also a good idea to bring clothes you can wear for a season and throw away before returning to Korea.
This is a regretful experience for me: I wanted to give many Korean souvenirs to the nice people I met, but I only managed to buy a few hanbok-wearing teddy bear phone charms in a rush at the airport, which I really regretted.
Be sure to get travel insurance!!!!★★★★★ I signed up for travel insurance without much thought, and when I contracted dengue fever in Hanoi I had about three outpatient visits and got all the costs reimbursed in Korea. It''s also good to add coverage for flight delays or phone insurance.
Also be sure to bring medicine!! Korean medicines work best for Koreans. Tylenol, anti-diarrheal, digestive medicine, stomach medicine, wound ointment like Madecassol or Fucidin, bandages, and pain relief patches are about right.
My travel tips
I want to say you should definitely visit Boracay in the Philippines and Da Nang and Hoi An in Vietnam.
Boracay is really beautiful but the journey there is rough, so I hope you find a better route than I did. In Vietnam I went to Hoi An first and then Da Nang, though people usually go the other way. I recommend going to Hoi An first. Hoi An was better and had more sights and food.
Whether it''s the Philippines or Vietnam, stay at a hotel with a pool. It''s cheaper than in Korea so don''t worry. Also, when you arrive in Da Nang I recommend renting a motorbike through your hotel and going to Ba Na Hills. It''s expensive, but you can experience an unusual amusement park on the mountain and a very long cable car.
If you want trekking, I recommend Sapa. I went with foreign friends—slept in a sleeper train for the first time, stayed in traditional houses, and enjoyed delicious food and beer while taking in amazing natural scenery. I normally don''t like hiking, but it''s doable if you take an easy course, so I recommend it.
As for food, in Vietnam you must try Cong Caphe (a café), bun cha, pho, and banh mi!!! Definitely eat them. Both price and quality are worlds apart from Korea. I often went alone to eat pho at various places—spots frequented only by locals were distinctive and delicious.
For bun cha, I recommend ''Bun Cha Dak Kim'' near the spot President Obama visited, rather than that famous place. Bun bo nam bo is also very tasty. Also, in the Philippines I actually enjoyed the Thai restaurant near my accommodation very much. There are also many Korean restaurants nearby, so it''s not a bad idea to try one.
And be sure to visit a restaurant called ''Lantau''! I recommend going around sunset. Another tip: on the third floor of Ayala Mall, one of Cebu''s famous department stores, they sell banana chips—the brand I tried there was the best I had.
There''s also a small shop that makes and sells perfume where I found my life-time fragrance. I forgot the name, but if you see a small perfume shop, go in. The prices are very cheap and they''re great as gifts.
Also, if like me you''re participating in two consecutive projects, staying at a hotel next to Cebu''s Ayala Mall isn''t a bad idea. If you request the language school''s dormitory additionally, it tends to be somewhat more expensive than the regular price, so staying at a hotel is advantageous.
I stayed for three days; during that time I shopped at the department store, bought souvenirs for acquaintances, and spent some time alone—it was a very enjoyable experience.There is a massage shop right next to the Cebu language school that offers discounts, so be sure to go.
- Gap year consulting — learn more
- Cebu language study project — learn more
- Vietnam early childhood education project — learn more
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
