Seoul, South Korea

“The other night, as I was roaming around the Gangnam District, a foreigner walked up to me and asked for directions. She was looking for an expat-friendly bar in the area where she could unwind and enjoy a glass of wine. Since I’m a good guy, I decided to guide her. Walking amid the hustle and bustle of the area, we asked each other loads of questions. It turns out the lady was a PhD graduate from UB! We hollered at the top of our lungs, hugging each other, when I told her I am also a UB grad. She kept going, “Shut! Up! Did you really graduate from UB?” It was an extraordinary moment. The woman works at a cancer institute in San Francisco, and came to Korea to give a talk at Seoul National University. We had a laughter-filled, hour-long conversation at the bar and then we hugged good-bye. I wished her all the best of luck in her future endeavors and vice versa. Life is cool. It has a way of surprising you.”