By Ian
I would say my gap year follows the script of an average slow burn Hollywood film. A flashy opening which introduces the characters and sets up the story followed by a lengthy exposition where plot is furthered and characters are built up before the dramatic finale. Japan was my intro, being an exotic travel experience that sets the stage for my future Europe trip.
After my 3 months in Japan I spent the next 4 back at home in San Diego. Although this portion of my gap year wasn’t as fantastical as the beginning, that doesn’t mean it was any less important. Each part of these 4 months has furthered my independence in preparation for my Europe trip.
In Japan I didn’t have much time to play piano or swim, activities I did every day through high school. Once back from Japan I got back into this routine with my passions. For piano I even started training a specific piece to enter into an international competition, the awards ceremony of which was in Vienna and Berlin.
Just as important, I also worked my first part time job during this time. I worked for 3 months at my local gym, doing 7 hour shifts 3-4 times a week. The money I saved during this time is what I am now using on my Europe trip.
Although not a job because I wasn’t being paid, I also volunteered coaching my old middle school and high school swim teams two days a week and for competitions. I love swimming and this was a really fun opportunity to provide my knowledge and passion for younger swimmers.
In Japan I didn’t eat as healthy as I did back home so while back I set a dieting goal. For the last two months of my time back, I went on a no processed carbs or sugars diet. Because of these restrictions most of my meals in this period I cooked myself, largely consisting of some sort of meat, fruit, vegetables, and whatever else I could find.
Although none of this is particularly interesting, each one has contributed to my independence during my gap year, and I’m glad I got to go back home before I leave before Europe.
