Killing Two Birds with One Stone: My Local Project and Farming in Jecheon, Chungbuk

*This project is for foreign participants.

Escape the busy city andexperience local lifein Jecheon, Chungbuk.

We all live busy lives in modern society, and at some point, we think,'I want to escape the city.' But many questions follow.

Can I really live outside the city?

What can I do there?

Isn't there only work I can do here?

Try living the local life you only thought about in your mind.In Jecheon, Chungbuk,experience it.Learn farming,and do what you want!

Many people follow a certain way of life, like commuting to an office in a city apartment.But many people live their own lives.They are in the villages of Jecheon, Chungbuk.Here, we support young people's moves to villages and settling down.You can create your own local stay with young people who already have found their place.Building the skill to live away from the city will definitely help you, even if you decide to return. You'll know another option: 'life outside the city'.

Example of a daily routine

- As a member of the village,I will work for 2 days a weekwith the residentsdoing farming activitiesand in my free time, I will work on personal projects.

- The content and schedule of farming activitiesmay change depending on the local situation and the season.

	Monday, Tuesday (2nd)	Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (3rd)	Weekend
09:00~12:00	Learning farming	Personal projects	Free time
12:00~13:00	Lunch time
13:00~18:00	Learning farming	Personal projects
18:00~	Free time

* This schedule is just an example to help understand,it may change depending on local conditions and specific details.

1. Is rural life only about farming? Not at all! It's a place where you can work on your own projects!

When we say it's a local life, do you only think of farming? You can live in a local area doing other activities too. You can write, make bread, create music, build furniture, film videos, or run a YouTube account. You can engage in your personal activities as much as you want. Many young people here are already showing their creativity. You can also actively use local facilities like bread cafes, woodworking shops, and bookstores.

Example of personal projects

These examples aresuggestions from the planner!

These are ideas for personal projects for participants,you can refer to the examples below,and freely work on your personal projects. :)

• Creating content and managing social media

Suggestion from the planner - Filming a V-log of life in Jecheon: Have you ever wanted to be a daily vlogger? Capture your local life and become an influencer! - Promote a character design on social media: The character I designed could be the town's social media sign. - Shoot a music video with Jecheon as the background: In this era, anyone can film with just a camera and the internet, so let's catch people's attention with a unique setting. - Create a calendar with photos taken in Jecheon: Do you love taking pictures? Prepare for the new year by making a calendar with my photos full of my feelings.

• Use the town's bread cafe.

Suggestion from the planner. - Create a seasonal limited menu: If you have baking skills, I suggest trying out new recipes here. If people like them, I could sell them as a seasonal limited menu while I stay here. - Run promotions: If you want to give visitors a unique experience, try running some creative promotions.

• Use the town's independent bookstore.

Suggestion from the planner. - Create a themed corner with a book I select: If you love books, this is a chance to show off your reading style. - Make a town magazine: Creating a monthly magazine based on daily events can also bring small joys.

There are many areas where personal projects are possible, and they will proceed after discussions with local organizations.

Participant example.

Photo credit: ⓒ Lee Yejin, Danbi News

In 2021, participant Park Mo-Young worked in farming and during her free time, she did research for personal projects.

Q. I’m not confident I can carry out a personal project… Can I really do well there? A. Don’t worry! There are many experts in the town, including the representatives.They've been researching and working for a long time to help people who want to live their lives in their own way, and they will gladly provide assistance or advice to participants.By actively sharing your difficulties and concerns, many local experts will provide the most suitable help!

2. How do I manage the basics of living? What I need here is 'farming'.

However, it's often hard to make money from a hobby you just jumped into. Focus on something that can solve your immediate living situation, like farming.

Q. I've heard crops grow by listening to the farmer's footsteps. Isn’t farming very labor-intensive and does it require constant attention? A. Not necessarily. I only have time to farm two days a week, and these days, farming is becoming easier and easier. Also, remember that 'farming' in this project is not limited just to growing crops; it also means learning about the overall local lifestyle!

If you learn farming, you'll be able to learn specific tasks like these.

* The following activities are examples, and the actual activities may change based on local conditions and seasons.

• Harvest and dry peppers.

• Rice planting (like transplanting rice seedlings, weeding, etc.)

• Making kimchi

• Gathering and drying herbs

Included items

- Project application fee and participation fee

- Activity dispatch and administrative processing fees

- Orientation costs

- Total accommodation costs during the project period

- Domestic experience certification

Excluded items

- Personal living expenses

- Meal costs

* The support items may change, so please contact the operating agency directly at the time of application.

"We support the settlement of young people who will be responsible for the future of our rural areas."

This organization supports the settlement of young people in rural areas, especially looking at urban youth as a vulnerable group that face problems like housing instability and fierce competition.By showing them ways of life outside the city, we help them consider living in rural areas.By moving away from the city,we want more young people to live happily with their neighbors in their own ways.Our final goal is to help them settle in rural areas and contribute to rural regeneration. Along with our representative, about 40 experts all aim for a better life where no one is excluded.

You will stay in a pension surrounded by phytoncide and the sound of gentle water in the forest.

The accommodation provided in this project can also be used as a pension.It offers various facilities such as seminar rooms, barbecue areas, and fishing spots.

The rooms are set up with bedding for sleeping on the floor.There are cooking facilities available.

Each room has its own bathroom.You can do laundry in a shared laundry room.

Relax in nature whenever you want in a quiet and clear place near the mountains and rivers.

The river behind the accommodation.Source of the accommodation’s outer area and river pictures: ⓒ Lee Yejin, Danbi News.

If you want more information about the accommodation, feel free to ask! :)

Jecheon City, Chungcheongbuk-do

Jecheon City, Chungcheongbuk-dois located in the northeastern part of Chungcheongbuk-do, bordering the southern part of Gangwon-do. It is known as the 'City of Natural Healing' because you can see beautiful nature, scenery, seasonal vegetables, and medicinal herbs everywhere. It is also a city with many old cultural assets. The Uirimji Reservoir, the oldest reservoir in Korea, and the Baeronseong Fortress, an important historical site, attract many visitors because of their historic significance and beautiful surroundings. Additionally, Cheongpungho, with its exotic views, offers many facilities like cruise ships, cable cars, and monorails, making it a must-visit spot for those visiting Jecheon.

The participation period for this project is at least 4 weeks.

Who can participate

• Foreign youth aged 19 and over
• Those who want to experience living with neighbors in a relaxed atmosphere.
• Those who want to live in the countryside and carry out their own projects.
• People interested in returning to their roots and rural living.
• Those who want to create and lead the village culture.

1. This project is open to foreign participants who are 19 years old or older.

2. Once the project is confirmed, refunds due to personal reasons are not available, and participants are considered to have agreed to the refund policy at the time of application.

3. This project has a <strict> refund policy. If you cancel before the project is confirmed, you can get a full 100% refund. However, if you cancel after confirmation, a cancellation fee will apply. Please check the refund policy for more details.

4. The project schedule and details may change due to local conditions (like traffic or weather changes) or the situation with local agencies and may need to be reduced or altered under unavoidable circumstances.

5. This project is run by a partner organization. Therefore, the responsibility for the actual operation lies with the local project agency.

6. Please make transportation reservations after you receive the final confirmation and travel schedule. We will provide individual updates after confirmation.