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GapYear es un tiempo para crecer y ser feliz.
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53rd Gap Year Tribe: GapperPark Chan-bin
Gap year period: 2013-2015
France, the Philippines, Taiwan, and 10 Eastern European countriesGap year in
Currently, South Korea,
Each year, 60,000 middle and high school students drop out, 346,000 people in their twenties are idle without dreams, and the one-year turnover rate after employment has reached the 40% range,75% of university students are dissatisfied with college life, and over 80% of workers do not feel happy.Many people tell them to dream, but to solve this problem that lacks practical methods and support,we want to bring the 'gap year' to South Korea.
Gap year (Gapyear)is a period to pause or balance studies and work and, through various activities such as volunteering, travel, internships, education, and starting a business,It is a culture encouraged in the US, Europe, and Japan as a time to set the direction for one's future.
*Check out various experience opportunities on the Gap Year website!(Click)
# Let's start finding the life I truly want now, rather than focusing on immediate credentials!
After finishing military service and returning to school, I had no so-called credentials—grades, English scores, certifications—so I had no idea where to start. Then I happened to join a small on-campus group called the "Vision Meeting" (let's search for life's purpose together), and from then on I began to think about the overall direction of my life rather than immediate credentials. Instead of haphazardly filling what society expects, I started sharing with group members what kind of life I truly wanted.
Being a student, I decided to 'make proper use of the school' and mainly saved living expenses by doing work-study on campus. Above all, I sought various ways such as applying for program subsidies the school provided and for camps fully sponsored by organizations,I also steadily saved money by receiving merit scholarships and external scholarships (Jeonju City scholarship).
▲ My first 40-day backpacking trip to Europe in 2013, with workcamp friends in the French village of Eulmont
Then I saw the words 'workcamp application' in a school notice and applied immediately without hesitation. I had wanted to gain overseas experience since my time in the military, and when the opportunity actually came up there was no reason to hold back. I spent three weeks living and volunteering with friends from many countries in a rural French village, and the feelings I experienced were indescribably overwhelming and ecstatic. As the only Asian participant at the camp, I organized a concert on the last day and sang Korean songs. Although the participants at the workcamp differed in race, language, and culture, I realized that sincerity connects you everywhere.
# Job seeker, but "It's okay — I'm still young enough"
▲ Seasonal semester members: Choi Ji-ho, Oh Seung-hyuk, Kim Hoon-ho, Park Chan-bin
After finishing the first semester of my senior year, the last summer vacation arrived. At that time my biggest worry was getting a job. My friends signed up for academies to improve their English scores or obtain certifications, or took summer-session courses at school to make up for missing credits, but I didn't want to do that. I kept having a strong desire to do something that I could only do while I was still a college student.
After thinking it over, my closest senior schoolmates (all of them were also seniors) and I made a reckless plan in a cafe. The four of us, who often rode bikes because our homes were nearby, had much in common—above all, we loved bicycles and travel. We always talked about bicycle trips and concluded that we should go at least once before graduating, so we began preparing in earnest.Although I was the youngest among them, I feared that being older might hurt my chances of getting a job, but the older guys always comforted me, saying, “You’re young enough, it’s fine.”
# Raising funds independently by leveraging our respective majors
▲ With the store manager at the place that sponsored our clothing
After that, with the aim of doing our own special, hands-on study, we started the "seasonal semester" project—a bicycle trip to Eastern Europe. For a trip to Eastern Europe, we needed funds to purchase equipment and supplies, including bicycles,As college students determined to raise funds on our own, we began creating sponsorship requests to organizations and companies by applying our respective majors. At first it seemed unlikely, but after knocking on doors again and again, we secured sponsorships from five companies.Moreover, we received the opportunity to serialize our story in two magazines covering college students and bicycles. And before we departed, the university president, who had taken an interest in our trip, awarded us a scholarship to purchase tents.
▲With President Yoo Byung-jin of Myongji University, who supported our Eastern European trip
# The Handlebars and Pedals of My Life, By My Own Strength
For all of us, the bicycle trip was more of an 'adventure' than a 'journey'.On our 49-night, 50-day journey we covered 3,500 km and slept in tents outdoors for about a month. Carrying all our heavy gear on our bikes, the four of us would start each day shouting "Fighting!" and, when passing country roads that smelled of real life rather than famous tourist sites, we often said, "It's tough, but we're glad we came."From Poland to Greece, Eastern European countries shared many similarities, but each border crossing felt very new and revealed astonishing sights. Perhaps we were the novelty to them. In the Eastern European countryside, many people did not know Korea and would first say to us, "Japan? Korea? I don't know." The roads where we passed each other in mutual wonder remain unforgettable memories.
# Slovenia, On a Picturesque Meadow
▲ An invitation from Mr. Zdravko, whom we met on a rural road in Slovenia
We were climbing an endless uphill road. It was so exhausting that all four of us got off our bicycles and pushed them up. As we caught our breath halfway up the mountain and were about to pedal on to our destination, a car saw us and stopped.“Are you from North Korea?” From the very first question, the man's greeting was unusual. It was the beginning of a miracle.
With a witty question he said he wanted to invite us to his home and that there was a place to camp there. We were very tired and had quite a distance to the next destination, so we decided to follow him. As we neared his house, lyrics echoed in my ears: 'On that green meadow, building a picture-like house' — the beautiful fields and meadows I had dreamed of, and a fairy-tale house, began to appear.Mr. Zdravko and his family prepared all the food organically. We will never forget that night. Because we became family.
▲The song we sang in return: 'I am to you, you are to me'.
Not everything was exciting and fun — a dizzying unexpected accident!
The mountain ranges of Croatia were incredibly steep and dizzying. After climbing uphill all day, when we finally saw a downhill stretch we began to speed uncontrollably. The older guys ahead were enthusiastically picking up speed so I followed closely, and then we suddenly encountered a sharp curve. Because our bicycles were heavily loaded, the handlebars wouldn’t turn easily and the brakes didn’t respond.
Fortunately, I managed with difficulty to turn the handlebars and avoid the stone wall, but right beside it were thorny vines. I got tangled in the thorns, covered in cuts, and the bicycle tire was pierced and went flat.Fortunately I wasn't seriously injured, but it was a harrowing moment that could have led to a major accident.I learned that it is really important to maintain my own pace and that you must be absolutely safe on downhill stretches. Thanks to this lesson, I was able to finish my gap year safely without any further accidents.
# Lecciones aprendidas durante un año sabático: «No hay viajes fallidos»
▲ En Liubliana, Eslovenia, es hermoso ver a los jóvenes de espaldas
Antes de tomarme un año sabático, muchas veces me preguntaba: «Este es un momento tan importante… ¿De verdad está bien irme ahora?». Sobre todo, me resultaba muy difícil tomar una decisión y ponerla en práctica. Para alguien como yo, que siempre se había limitado a imaginar las cosas, este año sabático se convirtió en una experiencia de aprendizaje enorme. Aunque pasar tiempo a solas fue importante, creo que tuvo más sentido porque compartí recuerdos con otra persona.Si hay algo que cambió más que nada, probablemente sea mi actitud ante la vida. No me había permitido mucho tiempo libre ni me había detenido a observar lo que me rodeaba, y esta experiencia me regaló la palabra clave «atención».
# Después del año sabático, compartir con mis compañeros el valor de la experiencia
▲ Seongsu-dong: ¡organizamos una exposición fotográfica y un concierto con charla!
Al terminar mi año sabático y regresar, lo primero que hice fue organizar una exposición fotográfica y un concierto con charla para agradecer a quienes nos ayudaron con el proyecto del semestre estacional. El evento fue una forma de expresar mi gratitud y también una oportunidad para conocer a otros estudiantes universitarios y compartir las lecciones y los valores aprendidos durante el año sabático. Lo organicé con la esperanza de que este viaje echara raíces como una «cultura» y de que más jóvenes se animaran a afrontar nuevos retos sin dudarlo.
Estoy preparando por mi cuenta un fotolibro con las fotos que hice y las historias que viví. Está previsto que se publique el 10 de abril con el título «RIDE NOW». Hoonho, el responsable del semestre estacional, soñó con dar «la vuelta al mundo en bicicleta» durante este viaje y partirá hacia Alaska el próximo mayo.
Si quieres tomarte un año sabático, pero dudas porque te da miedo ir en solitario, busca a alguien que te acompañe. Vive con esa persona un año sabático inolvidable y, al regresar, compártelo con alguien más. Así, tu año sabático tendrá una vitalidad incomparable con la de cualquier otra etapa.
«Las personas que se tomaron un año sabático: 100 historias» no habla de mentores de la televisión ni de los libros.Son historias de personas que se adelantaron un poco a mí y se atrevieron un poco más.Esperamos que las historias de 100 personas que vivieron situaciones parecidas y tuvieron inquietudes similares te ayuden un poco cuando tengas que tomar decisiones importantes en tu vida.
Siempre son bienvenidas las recomendaciones y propuestas de participantes para las 100 historias de personas que se tomaron un año sabático.
¡Deja un comentario o un mensaje, o escribe por correo electrónico a Choi Da-young, responsable de Marketing, a choi@koreagapyear.com!
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Vive en un lugar nuevo,
conoce a gente nueva,
descubre una nueva versión de ti
y crea una vida a tu medida.
