#45 Seunghee | 玻利維亞遇到的旅人（下）

前言: 係玻利維亞參加嘅最後一個日落團有一個感覺好型格嘅韓國女仔，係車上傾計得知對方正進行中南美四個月嘅旅程，加上今年係佢嘅 gap year，我係玻利維亞呢個特別場景再次訪問。

1. Can you briefly share with us your background?

I’m a university student majoring in Statistics in Korea. I have just finished my third year study and I’m taking a gap year.

K: Why do you decide to take a gap year?

I’m tired from all the intense competition in Korea and its common for Koreans to take a break before they enter the senior year (last year) of university.

2. Why do you choose to travel to Central and South America?

I have just finished my exchange semester in the States and I think it’s close for me to travel to these countries. At the same time, I think it’s exciting to travel to Central and South America and I’m more into the nature instead of travelling in modern cities.

3. Very often we can see negative news and sharing about South America. Are you worried before your departure?

Not really. Actually I’m always travelling on my own and I don’t do something very dangerous. My parents aren’t worried either as they know I can manage and take care of myself.

K: is there any special reason why you are such an adventurous person? Like are you influenced by your parents?

My parents are not adventurous but they are not traditional Korean parents. They are always encouraging. They encourage me to try, and tell me I don’t have to get married and stay in Korea for work if I can manage myself well. My parents are not given the chance to explore but they encourage me to try and experience more.

4. I have been meeting a lot of Koreans around the world. Is travelling very popular in Korea nowadays?

I guess that’s the influence brought by social media. On the one hand, it is very hard to get super rich in Korea and many Koreans start to feel why do I have to save money so hard or work so hard if I’m not happy with my life?

Instead of shopping, travel becomes the form of entertainment that a lot of Koreans like; on the other hand, when Koreans see a lot of nice pictures posted by their friends while travelling, they want to visit the places themselves too.

5. As an experienced person, do you have any words of encouragement to share with other youngsters?

Actually I think the Asian “path” is quite similar in different countries, that means you should get into a good secondary school, work hard for university and get a good job. I would say nothing disastrous will happen even if you don’t follow this path.

A lot of my university friends are working for internship to earn experience while I think I am learning while travelling, there’s no right or wrong.

K: What’s the biggest reward from all the travel experience?

As I travel more and meet different people, I discover that actually there are many people who don’t follow the “assigned path” and I don’t find myself strange anymore.

後記：Seunghee 係傾談過程分享左好多韓國社會嘅文化，例如當地讀書競爭好大，要搵一份好工亦絕對唔容易。雖然 Seunghee 話自己唔跟大路走，佢其實係韓國嘅名大學生，只係韓國社會嘅競爭以外，佢希望可以有點不同。