Author: Chris Bae, Email: baeh5@unlv.nevada.edu
Date Last Modified: 09/23/2024

I went to San Francisco to meet my friend living in SF. He’s a guy I met in army, and student of U.C Berkeley. He gave me a tour of San Francisco and Oakland, and thanks to him, I had a fun trip. Also, we went to MLB game (A’s vs Yankees), and he got a foul ball. It was my first MLB game, and I was lucky enough to catch a foul ball, plus the game itself was fun.
I spent some time sitting on a bench by the sea, drinking coffee and enjoying the peaceful view. It made me happy to have that moment of relaxation while looking at the ocean. I thought it was a shame that there's no ocean in Vegas. Meeting a friend from the military here in the U.S. felt special, and I’m grateful to my friend for giving me the tour.

I met my friend’s girlfriend and had dinner together. They have been in a relationship for about five years, and it was nice to see them together for so long.

Through my conversation with my friend, I began to reflect on the individualism of Americans. For example, in Korea, people don’t play loud music on the subway, whereas Americans tend to listen to music through speakers whenever they want. At that moment, I could sense the cultural differences between Korea and the U.S.

I’m so used to living in Korea that I think it would be difficult for me to live in the U.S., but I’ve thought about wanting my children to live here. While healthcare and public safety are better in Korea, I feel like life in Korea is becoming increasingly tough. With the rise of social pressures, displays of wealth, and negativity in the social atmosphere, I believe that, emotionally, living in the U.S. might be better for them.

Through the process of making molds using Fusion 360, I learned to use new software and learned laser cutting techniques. I had previously used CATIA for 3D modeling, but I found Fusion 360 to be more intuitive for design. Additionally, during the mold-making process, I learned the importance of paying closer attention to tolerances when working with 3D printing, especially through trial and error.