Surprise Birthday Party - Blog Assignment #5

Throughout my stay in Ulsan, I have had the opportunity to make a lot of new friends. The staff of the Ulsan International Program have been amazing, always inviting us to dinner or drinks, answering any questions, and even sharing their personal lives and friends. A few of nights ago we had a surprise birthday party for Jungho, a Korean student here at Ulsan University. Because Jungho is interested in learning English and plans to study abroad next semester, it was really easy to get to know him and have a great time. A few other UIP members and Ulsan University students joined the party and it was nice to show a new friend how much we appreciated him. After hiding inside the dark club room for what seemed like forever, Jungho was finally led to our surprise attack by Gwangho, another new friend from Ulsan University. He was really touched by our efforts, explaining that he had never experienced this kind of surprise before, as usually his friends just have a meal or drink together for his birthday.

While there have been several great experiences throughout this trip, it is our personal relationships that will continue to grow and shape our lives. I truly hope that I will be able to keep in touch with all of my new friends from around the world. There is so much left to learn from the people around me, it cannot just end here. Besides, who knows when I will need a couch to sleep on when I go traveling again!

Until next time~