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#Overcame lack of affection; pursuing an independent life #Learning how to give and receive love; decision to take a working holiday #Growth, liberation, luck
Recharging warm love with children in Hanoi, Vietnam Yoo Eun-ju, gap year participant ''gapper'' (26, took a gap year after resigning) / 12-week gap year
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# No pain, No gain. My 7-month gap year
Hello. I''m Yoo Eun-ju; after language study in the Philippines, I volunteered as a childcare teacher in Vietnam.
It''s been quite a while since I went on my gap year.After spending a total of seven and a half months on a gap year (3 months language study in the Philippines, 3 months childcare volunteer work in Vietnam, 1.5 months traveling),I wanted to rest, and my mind was too tangled with thoughts about how to live from now on, so I didn''t feel ready to write a review. Only now, wanting to put this time into words, I delayed for a month before writing.
* For Yoo Eun-ju, who had a severe affection deficit she hadn''t realized,a daily tailored 1:1 personal mission was provided to improve relationships with others and to offer new perspectives and challenges, and a gap year notebook was also provided to reflect on herself and make plans.were provided.
When I first went, aside from one Korean friend and me, everyone else was Western. They were mostly English-speaking. I struggled with the accents and the speed of their English. Since the volunteering came after language study, I had been confident I''d be fine meeting foreigners, but British English was a whole new world.
Because I couldn''t understand the English, I felt intimidated, and the discomfort from differences in appearance and culture made it worse. At first, simply hearing English was stressful. I also felt the burden of the role of being an English teacher in a kindergarten.
Before I left on my gap year,through consulting I learned that I had an affection deficit, and I took on this project to learn how to receive and give love by being with the children.Not knowing well how to give, I thought that stroking, praising, and doting were the ways to give love. Even giving love this way had its ups and downs.
But No pain, No gain. I think I worked hard to gain it.
Living with English-speaking friends, my English naturally improved, and while their differences sometimes caused stress, they also broke my mold.Seeing people confidently assert their rights instead of caring about others'' opinions, or knowing themselves well and living independently in their own way despite being young, I thought, ''It''s not about having as much as others or living like others—this is how life should be lived.''
So I wanted to spend more time with such people, which led me to consider my next plan: a working holiday.
Andworking as a kindergarten teacher, I thought that working with children and leading from the front suited me and that I could do it well. Fulfilling the role with considerable responsibility probably gave me confidence.
There was a moment during the volunteering when I realized I wasn''t connecting with the children. ''I don''t know this child well. I didn''t try to know them. I tried to be nice but didn''t give attention. After all, attention is love.'' Admitting that my way of loving was wrong was really hard. It felt like all the love I''d given so far was being denied.
Then I started trying things one by one. ''What does this child like? Why is that?'' I increased how often I talked with coworkers about the children. ''This child did this today. They were cute at that moment and liked that.'' In this way, I felt my affection for each child grow.
# My personal gap year tips
(Language)
I personallyrecommend going on a language study program—I do. It''s important to actually use it in practice.
(Accommodation)
Because you''ll live with quite a few roommates, having an open mind is important. People are different, but although I thought I didn''t show much of myself, surprisingly many friends showed liking toward me.Rather than worrying or brooding, it''s better to approach others first.
(Meals)
Although similar food is often served, it''s convenient to have meals provided.
(What to bring)
- Items that were convenient to have: a power strip, a laundry net (I used it as an underwear bag when putting clothes directly into the washing machine)
Recharging warm love with children in Hanoi, Vietnam Yoo Eun-ju, gap year participant ''gapper'' (26, took a gap year after resigning) / 12-week gap year
|
# No pain, No gain. My 7-month gap year
Hello. I''m Yoo Eun-ju; after language study in the Philippines, I volunteered as a childcare teacher in Vietnam.
It''s been quite a while since I went on my gap year.After spending a total of seven and a half months on a gap year (3 months language study in the Philippines, 3 months childcare volunteer work in Vietnam, 1.5 months traveling),I wanted to rest, and my mind was too tangled with thoughts about how to live from now on, so I didn''t feel ready to write a review. Only now, wanting to put this time into words, I delayed for a month before writing.
* For Yoo Eun-ju, who had a severe affection deficit she hadn''t realized,a daily tailored 1:1 personal mission was provided to improve relationships with others and to offer new perspectives and challenges, and a gap year notebook was also provided to reflect on herself and make plans.were provided.
When I first went, aside from one Korean friend and me, everyone else was Western. They were mostly English-speaking. I struggled with the accents and the speed of their English. Since the volunteering came after language study, I had been confident I''d be fine meeting foreigners, but British English was a whole new world.
Because I couldn''t understand the English, I felt intimidated, and the discomfort from differences in appearance and culture made it worse. At first, simply hearing English was stressful. I also felt the burden of the role of being an English teacher in a kindergarten.
Before I left on my gap year,through consulting I learned that I had an affection deficit, and I took on this project to learn how to receive and give love by being with the children.Not knowing well how to give, I thought that stroking, praising, and doting were the ways to give love. Even giving love this way had its ups and downs.
But No pain, No gain. I think I worked hard to gain it.
Living with English-speaking friends, my English naturally improved, and while their differences sometimes caused stress, they also broke my mold.Seeing people confidently assert their rights instead of caring about others'' opinions, or knowing themselves well and living independently in their own way despite being young, I thought, ''It''s not about having as much as others or living like others—this is how life should be lived.''
So I wanted to spend more time with such people, which led me to consider my next plan: a working holiday.
Andworking as a kindergarten teacher, I thought that working with children and leading from the front suited me and that I could do it well. Fulfilling the role with considerable responsibility probably gave me confidence.
There was a moment during the volunteering when I realized I wasn''t connecting with the children. ''I don''t know this child well. I didn''t try to know them. I tried to be nice but didn''t give attention. After all, attention is love.'' Admitting that my way of loving was wrong was really hard. It felt like all the love I''d given so far was being denied.
Then I started trying things one by one. ''What does this child like? Why is that?'' I increased how often I talked with coworkers about the children. ''This child did this today. They were cute at that moment and liked that.'' In this way, I felt my affection for each child grow.
# My personal gap year tips
(Language)
I personallyrecommend going on a language study program—I do. It''s important to actually use it in practice.
(Accommodation)
Because you''ll live with quite a few roommates, having an open mind is important. People are different, but although I thought I didn''t show much of myself, surprisingly many friends showed liking toward me.Rather than worrying or brooding, it''s better to approach others first.
(Meals)
Although similar food is often served, it''s convenient to have meals provided.
(What to bring)
- Items that were convenient to have: a power strip, a laundry net (I used it as an underwear bag when putting clothes directly into the washing machine)
What makes this project special
