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#Improved English skills, gained confidence #The value of communication learned through facing challenges #Longing, satisfied with forming good relationships
EnglishWhen I just blurted out English, the other person also taught me English, and while learning Korean it became a good experience; we were able to form good relationships like connecting on social media and taking photos together. I realized a lot that if you don''t put yourself out there, you might not take anything away. A special volunteer trip spent in a Portuguese resort, one of the most beautiful regions in the world Lee Jeong-mi, gap-year gapper (22, college student) / 2-week gap year |
# I hoped my self-esteem and sense of volunteerism would improve.
Hello! I''m a 22-year-old woman currently on a leave of absence. I was looking for a meaningful experience before returning to school and found the Portuguese meal-service volunteering through Gap Year. Since I regularly volunteer for meal service in Korea, I was also curious how it would be different overseas, and because Portugal isn''t yet a country that many Koreans visit, my curiosity grew even more.
Through this Gap Year project, I wanted to try an experience different from others, and I hoped this gap year would boost my self-esteem and spirit of service.
* For Lee Jeong-mi, who had a strong desire for new stimulation, a customized 1:1 personal mission related to independence and varied experiences was provided daily, and a Gap Year Note was also given to reflect on oneself and make plans.
# I think I asked the Gap Year staff a lot of questions.
Before leaving, the long duration was a big concern, but being alone worried me more. I always traveled with companions, so the anxiety about being alone and the long period was large. I think I asked the Gap Year staff many questions.
Before leaving, there were flight bookings and pre-information in English, so I translated and checked them. I planned my itinerary myself since I intended to travel not only to Lisbon but also to Porto and nearby areas, and I booked the dorm and transportation.
# I was able to travel nearby and then go to volunteer.
If you join this project, volunteers of various nationalities with different projects gather at the accommodation.Also, each partner is assigned and time slots vary between 10 AM and 6 PM; times can be adjusted according to personal schedules, and if you can''t attend you can notify them in advance.
Because my volunteer shift was from 6 PM to 9 PM, I could take the morning leisurely, travel nearby, and then go to volunteer.Although the schedule was focused on volunteering, it gave me more time to travel. Also, there is an orientation before starting volunteering, and since there are no Korean staff members it is all conducted in English, so you might miss activities and events in the dorm with other volunteers.
So they resend the presentation materials to your personal email, so please check them slowly and sign up for activities.
# I realized a lot that if you don''t put yourself out there, you might not gain anything.
Although my English skills weren''t strong, I was confident about blurting things out because of my personality. Thus, I would have a beer or a meal one-on-one with volunteers or travelers passing through while traveling When I blurted out English, the other person also taught me English, and while learning Korean it became a good experience; we made friends on social media and took photos together, forming good relationships.
I realized a lot that if you don''t put yourself out there, you might not gain anything., it might be disappointing to go solely on good reviews. I hope people know that if your English skills aren''t at the level of chatting in Korean with Koreans, you might feel isolated,
In fact, foreigners are just people like anyone else. That means not every foreigner is friendly or has a good personality. The age range is very diverse, and there were people who looked down on me for not being able to speak English.There were also people who tried to teach me things or who invited me to go somewhere together — it was a mix.
In those cases, I just ignored it and went along with them; I don''t think that always being kind and understanding is the only way to get by.
In my case, I met a good partner,they taught me English despite my limited skills and liked that I tried to communicate with body language, so we were able to maintain a good relationship for two weeks,, the day before I left I hugged and said goodbye to the project staff, added them on social media, and was even invited to dinner.They still message me after I returned to Korea, and I still miss them.
When the staff told me to be sure to contact them if I ever came to Portugal, it made me forget the moments when I felt lonely, sad, or angry.Before I went, my English was decent, but after coming back,a good lesson was that the English sentences I used often became my own.
# For prospective participants
Put yourself out there.
And I strongly recommend doing additional travel. The volunteer hours for this project aren''t very long, so you can use your free time in various ways. Personally, I recommend visiting nearby areas or taking the Lisbon–Porto route.
I stayed in Lisbon for two weeks and then left the dorm on the last day to spend two nights in Porto. Although it''s the same Portugal, Porto had a different charm. I also highly recommend nearby Sintra, Cascais, and Cabo da Roca.
# My gap year tips
- Language
Focus on conversational study, and prepare a short self-introduction in English since there will be a time to introduce yourself. It also helps to learn simple morning greetings, Portuguese greeting customs, and some things to say when introducing Korea.
- Accommodation
Bring a lock, a personal hand mirror, 1–2 towels, a hair dryer, toothbrush, and toothpaste (shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are provided but I recommend bringing your own). You can use the washing machine for 5 euros; even if you bring detergent and fabric softener, the machine usage fee is 5 euros, so I recommend buying or bringing a liquid detergent that combines detergent and softener locally.
Most people hand-wash clothes and hang them on the balcony. In my case I hung a towel and it disappeared — maybe someone took it. Keep track of your personal clothing and belongings. It''s not common, but there was an incident where ramen bought at an Asian market was stolen all at once, so I recommend keeping items in your bed area or personal locker when possible. It lowered my trust in people and was an unpleasant incident.
Also, the second floor has the office, kitchen, balcony, dining area, and living room, so it''s very noisy. The sound of toilets flushing and strong winds in Portugal can slam doors with a lot of noise; other friends didn''t mind much, but it was a bit stressful for me.
- Meals
Be sure to bring instant noodles and wooden chopsticks. The staple foods there are bread and soup. Food can often be salty for Korean tastes, so keep that in mind. There''s an Asian market nearby, so look it up on Google. Bringing ramen to share with foreigners is nice — some people know spicy Korean Shin Ramyun, so it''s fun to share. Make sure to store them safely.
Also, on the third floor other locals live — it looked like a Korean family. Sometimes they played music and sang so loudly that a Chinese friend who was also a volunteer asked them to turn it down.But they kept listening, saying it wasn''t illegal... It went past 11 p.m.; while that''s a reasonable time to be out, the noise was loud. Bringing a tumbler might also be useful.
- What to bring
In Portugal there are many items like tiles or dishes with traditional azulejo patterns. It''s personal taste, but since I planned to buy tiles and dishes, I brought bubble-wrap-covered packaging I had kept from home for parcel deliveries, and that turned out to be very useful.
# My Portugal travel tips
Belém district – Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower
Pastéis de Belém (egg tart)
Sintra – Cabo da Roca – Cascais route (recommended pastry shop in Sintra)
Thieves'' Market (open only on Tue and Sat) (flea market visit)
My gap year is
Experience ★★★★★
Learning ★★★★☆
Environment ★★★☆☆
Safety ★★★☆☆
Leisure ★★★★★
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
