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#Overcame desire for possessions; put into practice the value of sharing #Living in a Kenyan community; discovering simple happiness #Joy, pride, meaning
The most memorable experience is that most Kenyan people are friendly. Sometimes they can be overly friendly, though. Their innocence and communal way of life delighted me. What I felt most strongly after the project wasthat my everyday life, which I take for granted, is something unimaginable to others, and I realized that nothing should be taken for granted. I was able to feel happiness from small things. Community volunteer work in a Kenyan village, Africa Kim Mirim, gap year participant (gapper) (23 years old, university student) / 4-week gap year |
Community life with Kenyan locals
I am a 23-year-old female university student. What makes me a bit different from an ordinary student is my curiosity—I want to travel to many places abroad. I grew up in the countryside, but I want to see and experience the world more than anyone.
I first learned about Korea Gap Year through a recommendation from a university classmate, and I became interested afterward.The decisive reason I chose community volunteer work in a Kenyan village for my gap year wasthe ''community life with Kenyan locals''—which I had not experienced before.I thought that living together and getting close was the easiest way to learn about and understand Kenya.
* Who wanted to pursue her career and new experiencesFor Kim Mirim, a personalized one-on-one daily mission was provided for self-reflection, career exploration, and unique challenges and ideas, and a gap year notebook was also provided so she could reflect and make plans.
# Thanks to the friendly people, there were no problems during my stay.
I had experience staying abroad for long periods, so I wasn''t worried about being overseas, but I was concerned about the continent of Africa since I had never been there. After all, in countries with different cultures and ways of life, you have to be cautious about everything. Reading travel reviews about Africa made me worry about safety, butthanks to people who were friendlier than I thought, there were no major problems during my stay.
For preparation before leaving, I first looked through many reviews of trips to Africa. I was able to steadily prepare for the precautions and things I needed to get. I studied Kenya''s geography and sketched a rough map of Kenya in my head before going, which was very helpful when actually moving around and made it easier to look at travel sites.
The gap year program also sent various information about Kenya, which was helpful,I had time to imagine what I would do there. After that, I got vaccinations and purchased airline tickets and really started preparing to go to Kenya.
# I was satisfied with the results of sharing what I had and I think I changed little by little.
I thought I was possessive and not good at sharing what I have with others or giving. Therefore,I went with the goal of practicing giving as much of what I could share as possible through this gap year project.Because I thought such a change could make both my body and mind feel lighter.
As expected, in Kenya I was able to carry out my plans because living in a community with many people gave me many opportunities to give in and share. Of course, it wasn''t easy at first.I think I changed gradually, feeling satisfied with the results that came from the process of sharing what was mine.
# Their innocence and communal life made me happy.
On an ordinary day we would get up early and have a simple breakfast together. After the meal, we would go to the school near the house where we volunteered and teach according to the timetable.
Around lunchtime we would return home and have lunch together, then have free time to rest or chat with the people at the house, and if we needed anything we would go to a nearby market to shop. We had dinner around 7–8 PM and the day ended.
The most memorable experience is that most Kenyan people are friendly. Sometimes they can be overly friendly, butTheir innocence and communal life made me happy.
Another memorable and great experience was giving a lecture to students, something I had never done before. I went to a high school a little further away, not the school where I volunteered, and as someone in the position of a student I gave motivation to the students studying there and lectured about university scholarship systems and curricula in Korea. I also heard that in Kenya many girls get married at a young age right after finishing their studies, so I spoke to them as a fellow woman, saying what I could to help.
The students were more proactive in asking questions and showing interest than I expected, so the session went longer than planned, but I felt proud and think it was the most meaningful moment.
One person who comes to mind among the people I worked with on the project is a Korean older sister I met and worked with in Kenya. We first met at the same homestay, and while living together we grew closer than with anyone else. She helped me a lot during activities and was someone I could rely on in a foreign place.
Next is the manager ''Ken'', who was with us most closely; he was the person we could trust and rely on the most because he always listened to us first and tried to accommodate us.He helped us adapt well to an unfamiliar environment, so he is the most memorable person I met through the project.
# I was able to feel happiness from small things.
After going through many unexpected situations and when the project ended, what I felt strongly wasthat my everyday life, which I take for granted, is something others could not even imagine, and that nothing should be taken for granted.As time went by, I was able to find happiness in small things like having a cup of coffee at a café I had finally found, or the like.I was able to feel happiness from small things.
# My gap year tip
Above all, the most important thing is the willingness to participate in the project. I recommend that you approach the project with determination, after sufficient consideration and study, and be mentally prepared. As with everything, you need to be well prepared so you can overcome sudden situations.
- Language
To be honest, I didn''t do any pre-study because I thought I wouldn''t need any language other than English in Kenya. As expected, Kenyans are fluent in English. However, living in a community with locals I naturally came into contact with simple Swahili and found myself wanting to learn more. Seeing Kenyans pleased when I greeted them in my clumsy Swahili, I found that my habit of noting down and studying every new Swahili phrase I learned made it easier to get closer to them.
- Accommodation
If you plan to wash your underwear yourself, I recommend bringing a simple clothesline you can set up inside the room. They tell you to hang laundry outside, but because there are no clothespins, small underwear can be blown off by the wind and fall to the ground. I''m sharing this advice because my own underwear was once bitten and ruined by a dog kept at the homestay after it fell — it was a funny memory, but not an experience you need to have ^^
- What to bring
Rather than bringing many different pieces of clothing, it''s better to pack a few types in a range of styles. For example: short clothes, a warm outer layer, sportswear, and casual but neat outfits. The same goes for shoes. Also, besides a backpack, you will need a small auxiliary bag that you can wear in front.
Especially essential if you''re doing a Nairobi tour
# My Kenya travel TIP
The most useful means of transport I used while traveling was the ''matatu.'' A matatu can be used like a bus, but it runs fixed routes and you can get on and off where you want. Because many locals use them they''re convenient and cheap, so I used them a lot — but the downside is that, since they''re run by locals, they don''t always stick to strict schedules.
Another way to get around is the ''boda boda,'' a motorcycle taxi. It''s much cheaper than a matatu, and on nice days I always took boda bodas to run errands nearby. You can hop on one wherever you see it and you can haggle over the fare — I recommend boda bodas!
I can''t really call it my own travel route, but the most memorable route was the Maasai Mara safari tour. Taking a matatu from the homestay to the place where the pickup driver was waiting was a long and rough trip, but I recommend the Maasai Mara tour because the two days spent touring Maasai Mara were so enjoyable they made me forget the hardships. It was amazing and fun to see animals that I''d only seen in zoos roaming around a huge national park the size of Jeju Island.It was so fascinating. However, I strongly recommend taking a tour of at least two days and bringing a camera.
Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.
