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#Reduced worries and anxiety, gained confidence #A reflective period for self-understanding #A sense of satisfaction, breaking away from stereotypes
If you''re undecided about whether to do a gap year project, I hope you do it. Of course, there are inconvenient and difficult parts,but that''s because there''s so much to learn and experience. Living in a different environment made me think differently, and being with other people exposed me to a variety of ideas.
Recharging warm love with children in Hanoi, Vietnam Choi Ji-hye — gap year participant (25, university student) / 6-week gap year |
At Korea Gap Year they prepare you very well before you go,
Hello. I''m 25-year-old Choi Ji-hye, currently a university student majoring in Food and Nutrition. At first I went to the U.S. as an exchange student, and while looking into a cross-country road trip to travel a bit more before returning home, I happened to learn about Gap Year. There were many projects on Gap Year, and I was recommended a project through consulting and chose one.
Before leaving, I read all the materials sent by Gap Year and even bought books about Vietnam, so I think I did the necessary preparations.Korea Gap Year prepares you so well before you go and gives you a checklist to ease your worries, so I think following that is enough preparation.
* For Choi Ji-hye, who strongly wanted to change herself, a customized one-on-one personal mission for self-reflection and thinking about herself was provided daily, and a Gap Year notebook was also provided to reflect and make plans.
# I wanted to get to know myself.
Through this gap year project,I wanted to know my career path and dreams — what kind of work I should do in the future to make a living.AndI wanted to learn about myself.I wasn''t happy and I often had many thoughts about why we should live and how to live.
I was always full of worry and anxiety, lacked confidence in myself, and felt uneasy about everything. I wanted to be sure about my choices, and although I worked hard at things, they never went well. I had no self-confidence. So,I thought it would be good to build confidence, reduce worry and anxiety, and find my dreams and life goals, a direction for my life, and happiness.
# A day in Vietnam
The local project''s system is very organized.We arrive on Wednesday; Thursday is accommodation orientation, practical orientation, and learning Vietnamese, and on Friday we go to the workplace. On Saturday we learn about Vietnam through a city tour.
The daily routine is: leave the accommodation at 8:00, take the bus, and arrive at the kindergarten at 9:00. From 9:00 to 11:00 we run two classes, then lunch from 11:00 to 2:30. From 2:30 to 4:30 we run two classes. We arrive back at the accommodation between 5:30 and 6:00.We eat, rest or do tasks at home, and sometimes go out to hang out with friends.
Because we don''t work on Fridays either, we often travel on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
# What I came to understand about myself by doing missions and writing on the blog.
What I learned from the gap year project is that through doing missions and writing blog posts, I came to understand myself.It may seem trivial, but as I wrote and organized my thoughts, I gradually came to know myself — what I like, what makes me uncomfortable, and what I struggle with.
There was a reason for everything I was struggling with.
Also, after living in Vietnam for a long time, I realized by looking at Vietnamese people that there''s no need to worry about appearance or to live comparing myself to others.I had many preconceived notions, but I was able to view those things from different perspectives little by little.
Also, at the local kindergarten I was in charge of, there was a class specifically for children with cerebral palsy. Rehabilitation can''t completely cure them, but each child has a teacher assigned who gives massages and provides good care.
That class was always full of laughter.While doing project activities, I thought, ''These children are loved!''
Although they faced difficulties, the classroom was bustling with friends who had the same disabilities and with teachers, so it always seemed energetic and bright. Seeing that made me realize happiness isn''t something far away.I thought that as long as you laugh, are with good people, and rely on one another, everything will be fine!
The people who came for a gap year each had their own goals, so we had a lot of common ground to talk about.
Among the people I worked with on the gap year project, the ones I remember are Koreans: Eunju unnie, Gyeongran unnie, Jiwon, Yulli, Gayoung, and Junghun. They all came through the Korean gap year program andEveryone who came for a gap year had their own goals, so we had a lot of common ground for conversation.
We stayed up all night talking; some friends worked together so we talked during lunch too, and I also talked a lot with my roommate. I liked talking about this and that and sharing our inner thoughts.
I''m not the type to talk to others about my worries.I was afraid to share my inner thoughts and couldn''t rely on others, but because these were people I''d just met, I was able to bring it up and talk about it.I was able to be honest.
Going through these situations made me realize that I am very defensive and tend to want to hide myself.And as I talked about my worries, I felt closer to those people and was able to adopt new perspectives.
I gained confidence, and my worries and anxiety decreased.
Comparing before and after participating in the gap year project, six weeks isn''t a long period, so there might not be a huge change.However, I gained confidence and my worries and anxiety lessened.
I always had many thoughts and worries. But after the gap year, my mind feels a bit lighter and clearer. My indecisiveness decreased somewhat, and I stopped trying to be nice only to others.Before, because of other people''s gaze I tried to act how they wanted and to look nice, but that mindset has diminished.
My perspectives and thoughts changed, and I realized that success doesn''t dictate happiness. I had various fixed ideas, but I gained a variety of viewpoints.I realized there''s no need to insist on only one thing, and I want to take more gap years and in the futureI felt that I want to know more about myself and become happier.
# For prospective participants
Vietnam''s environment isn''t all comfortable, so you might be surprised or feel uncomfortable. Also, because several people share the accommodation,it may be uncomfortable, but I hope you can adapt well to those aspects.
Also,If you''re hesitating about whether to join the gap year project, I hope you go for it.Of course there are uncomfortable and difficult parts.But it''s because there is so much to learn and experience.Living in a different environment made me think differently, and being with different people led me to have a variety of thoughts.
Lastly, during your gap year you will have goals, but rather than focusing only on them, I hope you spend time with others and enjoy that time.
# My Gap Year TIP
- Language
Language is actually a big concern. The foreigners there all speak English very well and speak quickly. So it''s hard to understand, and I felt that stopping to ask about things I didn''t know would only happen once or twice. Therefore it''s difficult to join conversations, and sometimes they talk among themselves in English.
Still, you need to be confident, approach others first, and actively ask and talk. As study methods, I recommend reading English books, watching American TV shows, and listening to pop songs, and studying whenever you have time.
- Accommodation
First, I recommend a lower bunk bed. Since I was in a multi-person room it was a bit uncomfortable. The accommodation, perhaps because it''s in Vietnam, wasn''t very clean. You may encounter more discomfort and unhygienic aspects than you expect. Even if you don''t like it, you need a mindset to adapt.
- Meals
The food is tasty. Of course you can get tired of it if you eat it every day, but I personally liked that meals were provided. Eat the meals provided at the accommodation and occasionally go out and buy local Vietnamese food or something you want to eat.
- Packing list
I recommend bringing comfortable clothes, loose pants, and comfortable oversized T-shirts. I brought many pretty clothes but they were uncomfortable so I didn''t wear them often and felt inconvenienced because I didn''t have comfortable clothes. Also, I brought many nice things, but it''s better to bring cheap and comfortable items suitable for Vietnam. Nice things break easily and don''t suit Vietnam. Bring an umbrella and footwear like slippers or sneakers. Also bring medicine.
# My Vietnam travel TIP
Places near Hanoi are Halong Bay, Ninh Binh, and Sapa. And places you can fly to are Hoi An and Da Nang. For Halong Bay, I recommend a 1-night, 2-day trip and sleeping on a cruise for the cruise trip.
I went to Halong Bay through a local travel agency. The agency I chose offers package tours in Hanoi and is often used by friends staying at local institutions'' accommodations. If you book, the agency handles everything. Since you''ll take a cruise in Halong Bay, package tours are better than independent travel. In Halong Bay you take a cruise, go to beaches, eat meals provided on the cruise, and visit several islands.
I didn''t go to Ninh Binh, and I recommend independent travel for Sapa. Sapa is a highland ethnic minority village that you have to take a sleeping bus for 6 hours to reach. Friends who went through travel agencies said the trekking was very tough. So I don''t recommend packages. I recommend booking a sleeping bus and accommodation and going independently.
Also, I recommend bringing comfortable sneakers. In Sapa I went to Lao Chai, Ham Rong Mountain, and Sapa Square. On the second day I went to Cat Cat Village and saw a waterfall. Even if you go independently you''ll walk a lot, so be sure to bring comfortable sneakers.
I also visited the popular Da Nang and Hoi An by plane. Hoi An''s lanterns are pretty and the town is quaintly and romantically decorated. Da Nang is famous for My Khe Beach and I recommend Han Market, Da Nang Cathedral, and Asia Park amusement park.
My gap year is
Experience★★★★★
It was a new experience. I stayed in a shared room and came to a poor, underdeveloped place like Vietnam, which was uncomfortable, but I experienced discomfort for the first time and realized a lot about myself being bothered by these things.
Learning★★★★★
I had a lot of time to think about myself.
Environment★☆☆☆☆
The environment is less hygienic than Korea and can be dirty and uncomfortable.
Safety★★★★☆
It was safe.
Leisure★★★☆☆
I was also able to enjoy leisure time.
If you''re undecided about whether to do a gap year project, I hope you do it. Of course, there are inconvenient and difficult parts,but that''s because there''s so much to learn and experience. Living in a different environment made me think differently, and being with other people exposed me to a variety of ideas.
Recharging warm love with children in Hanoi, Vietnam Choi Ji-hye — gap year participant (25, university student) / 6-week gap year |
At Korea Gap Year they prepare you very well before you go,
Hello. I''m 25-year-old Choi Ji-hye, currently a university student majoring in Food and Nutrition. At first I went to the U.S. as an exchange student, and while looking into a cross-country road trip to travel a bit more before returning home, I happened to learn about Gap Year. There were many projects on Gap Year, and I was recommended a project through consulting and chose one.
Before leaving, I read all the materials sent by Gap Year and even bought books about Vietnam, so I think I did the necessary preparations.Korea Gap Year prepares you so well before you go and gives you a checklist to ease your worries, so I think following that is enough preparation.
* For Choi Ji-hye, who strongly wanted to change herself, a customized one-on-one personal mission for self-reflection and thinking about herself was provided daily, and a Gap Year notebook was also provided to reflect and make plans.
# I wanted to get to know myself.
Through this gap year project,I wanted to know my career path and dreams — what kind of work I should do in the future to make a living.AndI wanted to learn about myself.I wasn''t happy and I often had many thoughts about why we should live and how to live.
I was always full of worry and anxiety, lacked confidence in myself, and felt uneasy about everything. I wanted to be sure about my choices, and although I worked hard at things, they never went well. I had no self-confidence. So,I thought it would be good to build confidence, reduce worry and anxiety, and find my dreams and life goals, a direction for my life, and happiness.
# A day in Vietnam
The local project''s system is very organized.We arrive on Wednesday; Thursday is accommodation orientation, practical orientation, and learning Vietnamese, and on Friday we go to the workplace. On Saturday we learn about Vietnam through a city tour.
The daily routine is: leave the accommodation at 8:00, take the bus, and arrive at the kindergarten at 9:00. From 9:00 to 11:00 we run two classes, then lunch from 11:00 to 2:30. From 2:30 to 4:30 we run two classes. We arrive back at the accommodation between 5:30 and 6:00.We eat, rest or do tasks at home, and sometimes go out to hang out with friends.
Because we don''t work on Fridays either, we often travel on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
# What I came to understand about myself by doing missions and writing on the blog.
What I learned from the gap year project is that through doing missions and writing blog posts, I came to understand myself.It may seem trivial, but as I wrote and organized my thoughts, I gradually came to know myself — what I like, what makes me uncomfortable, and what I struggle with.
There was a reason for everything I was struggling with.
Also, after living in Vietnam for a long time, I realized by looking at Vietnamese people that there''s no need to worry about appearance or to live comparing myself to others.I had many preconceived notions, but I was able to view those things from different perspectives little by little.
Also, at the local kindergarten I was in charge of, there was a class specifically for children with cerebral palsy. Rehabilitation can''t completely cure them, but each child has a teacher assigned who gives massages and provides good care.
That class was always full of laughter.While doing project activities, I thought, ''These children are loved!''
Although they faced difficulties, the classroom was bustling with friends who had the same disabilities and with teachers, so it always seemed energetic and bright. Seeing that made me realize happiness isn''t something far away.I thought that as long as you laugh, are with good people, and rely on one another, everything will be fine!
The people who came for a gap year each had their own goals, so we had a lot of common ground to talk about.
Among the people I worked with on the gap year project, the ones I remember are Koreans: Eunju unnie, Gyeongran unnie, Jiwon, Yulli, Gayoung, and Junghun. They all came through the Korean gap year program andEveryone who came for a gap year had their own goals, so we had a lot of common ground for conversation.
We stayed up all night talking; some friends worked together so we talked during lunch too, and I also talked a lot with my roommate. I liked talking about this and that and sharing our inner thoughts.
I''m not the type to talk to others about my worries.I was afraid to share my inner thoughts and couldn''t rely on others, but because these were people I''d just met, I was able to bring it up and talk about it.I was able to be honest.
Going through these situations made me realize that I am very defensive and tend to want to hide myself.And as I talked about my worries, I felt closer to those people and was able to adopt new perspectives.
I gained confidence, and my worries and anxiety decreased.
Comparing before and after participating in the gap year project, six weeks isn''t a long period, so there might not be a huge change.However, I gained confidence and my worries and anxiety lessened.
I always had many thoughts and worries. But after the gap year, my mind feels a bit lighter and clearer. My indecisiveness decreased somewhat, and I stopped trying to be nice only to others.Before, because of other people''s gaze I tried to act how they wanted and to look nice, but that mindset has diminished.
My perspectives and thoughts changed, and I realized that success doesn''t dictate happiness. I had various fixed ideas, but I gained a variety of viewpoints.I realized there''s no need to insist on only one thing, and I want to take more gap years and in the futureI felt that I want to know more about myself and become happier.
# For prospective participants
Vietnam''s environment isn''t all comfortable, so you might be surprised or feel uncomfortable. Also, because several people share the accommodation,it may be uncomfortable, but I hope you can adapt well to those aspects.
Also,If you''re hesitating about whether to join the gap year project, I hope you go for it.Of course there are uncomfortable and difficult parts.But it''s because there is so much to learn and experience.Living in a different environment made me think differently, and being with different people led me to have a variety of thoughts.
Lastly, during your gap year you will have goals, but rather than focusing only on them, I hope you spend time with others and enjoy that time.
# My Gap Year TIP
- Language
Language is actually a big concern. The foreigners there all speak English very well and speak quickly. So it''s hard to understand, and I felt that stopping to ask about things I didn''t know would only happen once or twice. Therefore it''s difficult to join conversations, and sometimes they talk among themselves in English.
Still, you need to be confident, approach others first, and actively ask and talk. As study methods, I recommend reading English books, watching American TV shows, and listening to pop songs, and studying whenever you have time.
- Accommodation
First, I recommend a lower bunk bed. Since I was in a multi-person room it was a bit uncomfortable. The accommodation, perhaps because it''s in Vietnam, wasn''t very clean. You may encounter more discomfort and unhygienic aspects than you expect. Even if you don''t like it, you need a mindset to adapt.
- Meals
The food is tasty. Of course you can get tired of it if you eat it every day, but I personally liked that meals were provided. Eat the meals provided at the accommodation and occasionally go out and buy local Vietnamese food or something you want to eat.
- Packing list
I recommend bringing comfortable clothes, loose pants, and comfortable oversized T-shirts. I brought many pretty clothes but they were uncomfortable so I didn''t wear them often and felt inconvenienced because I didn''t have comfortable clothes. Also, I brought many nice things, but it''s better to bring cheap and comfortable items suitable for Vietnam. Nice things break easily and don''t suit Vietnam. Bring an umbrella and footwear like slippers or sneakers. Also bring medicine.
# My Vietnam travel TIP
Places near Hanoi are Halong Bay, Ninh Binh, and Sapa. And places you can fly to are Hoi An and Da Nang. For Halong Bay, I recommend a 1-night, 2-day trip and sleeping on a cruise for the cruise trip.
I went to Halong Bay through a local travel agency. The agency I chose offers package tours in Hanoi and is often used by friends staying at local institutions'' accommodations. If you book, the agency handles everything. Since you''ll take a cruise in Halong Bay, package tours are better than independent travel. In Halong Bay you take a cruise, go to beaches, eat meals provided on the cruise, and visit several islands.
I didn''t go to Ninh Binh, and I recommend independent travel for Sapa. Sapa is a highland ethnic minority village that you have to take a sleeping bus for 6 hours to reach. Friends who went through travel agencies said the trekking was very tough. So I don''t recommend packages. I recommend booking a sleeping bus and accommodation and going independently.
Also, I recommend bringing comfortable sneakers. In Sapa I went to Lao Chai, Ham Rong Mountain, and Sapa Square. On the second day I went to Cat Cat Village and saw a waterfall. Even if you go independently you''ll walk a lot, so be sure to bring comfortable sneakers.
I also visited the popular Da Nang and Hoi An by plane. Hoi An''s lanterns are pretty and the town is quaintly and romantically decorated. Da Nang is famous for My Khe Beach and I recommend Han Market, Da Nang Cathedral, and Asia Park amusement park.
My gap year is
Experience★★★★★
It was a new experience. I stayed in a shared room and came to a poor, underdeveloped place like Vietnam, which was uncomfortable, but I experienced discomfort for the first time and realized a lot about myself being bothered by these things.
Learning★★★★★
I had a lot of time to think about myself.
Environment★☆☆☆☆
The environment is less hygienic than Korea and can be dirty and uncomfortable.
Safety★★★★☆
It was safe.
Leisure★★★☆☆
I was also able to enjoy leisure time.
What makes this project special
