i’ve been getting a ton of questions from friends and family about why I decided to take a gap year before I started university a couple of years ago, so I decided that this would be a great time to address some of those questions. Here goes nothing...
Why did you decide to take a gap year?
I chose to take a gap year because I saw it as the perfect opportunity to experience the world as an independent individual, before having to worry about the stress about Med School and Grad School. I just wanted a year to myself, where I could choose where I wanted to go, what I wanted to experience, and when I wanted to do it. I first got the idea of taking a gap year in my Grade 10 careers class; I had originally thought of it as being a waste of a year, but after doing some research on it, and actually doing the gap year, I can 110% say that it was a positive and unforgettable experience for myself!
I chose to stay in Taiwan for my gap year for the pure reason that most of my family is from, and lives in, Taiwan. One of the things I value and believe in greatly in life is being able to spend time with loved ones, so I thought my gap year would be a good opportunity to spend more time with my family in Taiwan, who I usually only get to see every 3-4 years. Especially with the plans I have set for myself in the years to come, it will be extremely hard for me to see and spend time with my family, so I want to cherish every moment i have with them while I can.
Did you do anything (e.g. work, volunteering) in Taiwan?
I did, in fact, do some volunteer work very briefly in Taiwan during my gap year, at my great-aunt’s school. There, I taught young children English two times every week, and it was a really enriching experience Since I was working so closely with younger children, I ran into a lot of situations where children were upset, unhappy or fighting. In those situations, I really had to use one of my top realized character strengths, empathy, to help me better connect to and sympathize with these children in helping them solve their problems
If you could, would you take a gap year again?
If I could, I would definitely take it again! It was one of the best experiences of my life :)
