I don''t think I''ll ever forget the year I spent on a working holiday in Sydney! For me, this experience became an opportunity to decide, ''From now on, I won''t worry about what others think; I''ll live my life on my own!'' It gave me the chance to make that resolution, and through various experiences I gained confidence in many areas! 365 days, my reliable Australian working holiday guide by my side! Choi Nam-mi — gap year gaper (25) |
# I couldn''t finish my university life spending it so idly, so I decided to participate in the Australian working holiday gap year project.
Hello. I''m Nam-mi Choi, a 25-year-old university student!
Last year I went on a gap year program to Thailand with a friend, and this time I went on a working holiday in Sydney, Australia by myself through the gap year working holiday guide project. Including travel after the Aussie working holiday, I was away for about a year.
Before leaving for the working holiday, I was spending a dull university life,I thought I couldn''t end my university life like this, so I considered the gap year working holiday project.I wanted to spend meaningful time, but activities like volunteering or internships that cost a lot were financially difficult at the moment, so I looked into a working holiday where I could earn money while living.
And because there were many people saying that if you go on a working holiday you''ll end up unable to find a job and just waste your time,Wanting to live properly, I applied for the 365-day Gap Year Australia working holiday guide project, which manages jobs, accommodation, visas, and so on for a year.
*For Nam-mi Choi, who wanted to have her own time through new challenges and future working holidays,activities for unique challenges, life planning, and customized 1:1 personal missions for a successful working holiday were provided daily, and a gap year notebook that allowed her to reflect and make plans was also provided.
# How did you prepare for the Australian working holiday?
For the working holiday preparation, I only prepared the visa and other required documents as instructed by Gap Year and local Australian organizations. Some people write their English resumes in Korea before going,I wrote mine after arriving in Australia, getting help directly at the organization office linked to the Gap Year project.They guided me on how to write it, edited it, and I could even print it at the office!
When packing personal necessities, I think I looked at many working holiday reviews on the Gap Year blog. I tried to minimize luggage as much as possible, but I packed ample emergency medicine and cosmetics, and found them useful.
# Through the working holiday, I was curious whether I could have various experiences on my own, and I wanted to do that!
To be honest, during this one-year working holiday I felt more motivated to challenge myself alone than to seek change.My first gap year was with a friend and we had a great time, but I wondered what would have happened if that friend hadn''t been there.
So this time I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could do well on my own.I wondered if I could boldly have various experiences by myself, and I wanted to go about it that way.
# Through this gap year, I was able to resolve, ''From now on I''ll live my life!''
One of the good things during the working holiday was that I didn''t have the burden of feeling like I had to work at a big stable company for a long time. I didn''t have to worry about my parents'' or friends'' opinions, nor feel the need to compare myself and shrink back.
Whether I was doing cleaning work or working in a factory, no one asked, ''Why are you doing that kind of job?''They said that as long as I''m doing work I can do, I''m satisfied, and I can earn money, it''s a decent job.
I used to care a lot about how I appeared to others, but this gave me a chance to think again, ''From now on, I should live my own life.''
# Through a one-year working holiday, my confidence increased in various ways!
And through a one-year working holiday in Australia, my confidence increased a lot in various areas.I especially feel that I''m definitely more comfortable when going abroad or using English. Now, at least, I have the confidence to start a conversation.
And while getting help from a local Sydney working-holiday guide organization was really useful and convenient, you can also walk around the city with your resume and submit it to cafes or restaurants yourself, and just as there are many part-time job sites in our country, there are also lots of job-hunting sites in Australia, so I recommend trying on your own!
If you look for jobs yourself, apply, and even participate in the occasional open interview, I think it will be a good experience.If you find a job and work like that, it will be rewarding and you''ll feel proud of yourself. Of course, thanks to the working-holiday guide program that provides ongoing 24-hour support behind the scenes, I was able to take on challenges more freely!
# The local Australian agency of the working-holiday guide program was convenient because it helped with initial settlement and recommended and connected me to jobs in various fields!
The local agency of the gap year working-holiday guide program helps you settle in when you first arrive in Australia and then suggests various jobs.Rather than following a group''s schedule, it''s a system where you can receive help as much as you request when you need it.
The local Australian agency guided me to city accommodation when I first arrived, and if you visit their office they help with phone activation, opening a bank account, provide general explanations about the working holiday, and run orientation sessions about various trips or camps you can experience in Australia.
After that, whenever I wanted to change jobs, move, take a vacation to travel, or encountered big or small problems, I could always visit the office and get help.
# My recommended places to visit in Australia!
There are so many places to sightsee and travel to even just in Sydney. The Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, of course. It''s a bit expensive, but you can also climb the Harbour Bridge. (If you live in Sydney, I think it''s worth trying at least once.)
- Morisset Park:It''s far but accessible by public transport. It''s a place where baby kangaroos and wallabies are let loose in a field, so if you bring carrots or vegetables it can be a much better experience than a zoo.
- La Perouse: It''s famous as a filming location, reachable by bus, not far, and has beautiful scenery!
- The Rocks:It''s near the Harbour Bridge; a flea market is held every weekend and it''s a great place to take a picnic blanket and relax!
In addition,Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival, Easter Day Festival, etc..There were so many different things to enjoy and see!
# My personal tips for an Australian working holiday!
- Language
: Since you''ll be doing much more listening and speaking than theory or grammar, if you want to prepare before going on a working holiday, it''s best to focus on conversation. Listen to English frequently in your daily life, and phone-based English lessons can also help. Above all, having confidence in your English is important. If you can''t understand someone, adopt the attitude of trying to catch at least one sentence, the last word, or a few words, and have the confidence that even if you''re not perfect, if you say something somehow the other person will understand! That confidence is really important! :)
- Accommodation
: One of the biggest worries when settling in at the start of a working holiday is accommodation, but the places provided by the organization were excellent in terms of location, facilities, service, and culture. You can get help from the organization, or find the place you want on accommodation sites yourself. I found Booking.com, Hostelworld, Airbnb, and Gumtree (an Australian classifieds/real estate website) very useful.
- Food
: There are so many delicious restaurants, but if you want to save money I recommend cooking for yourself when possible. Grocery costs are similar to or cheaper than Korea, so if you have long-term accommodation I recommend cooking your own meals.
- Other items to bring
: Australia has most of what you need, so it''s better to reduce luggage except for essentials. In Sydney in particular there are many Korean restaurants (which are very expensive) and Korean grocery stores, and Korean food items sold in supermarkets aren''t expensive, so there''s no need to bring foods like instant ramen!
My gap year!
Experience ★★★★
: I think it can vary depending on how proactive you are!
Learning ★★★
: What you learn will differ depending on the job you choose, but I think the biggest thing I learned was English. Since English becomes part of daily life, I feel I naturally got closer to it!
Environment ★★★★★
: The air is good, the weather is nice, city and nature coexist, and I thought it was a really good environment to live in. Sydney in particular has good transport, so it''s great to take trains for trips to nearby areas!
Safety ★★★★
: Sydney was generally quite safe!
Leisure ★★★★★
: Depending on the local job, working hours vary so weekday free time differs, but usually you have free time on weekends. You can take day trips to nearby areas, and it''s also great to use weekends or holidays to visit other cities. There are so many places in central Sydney that are great for relaxing, exercising, or sightseeing, so you can spend your leisure time very meaningfully! :)
Visited by Ms. Choi Nam-mi 365-Day Australia Working Holiday Guide ProjectWant more information?!
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