Author: Yehyun Lee, Email: leey93@unlv.nevada.edu
Date Last Modified: 03/23/2025

I didn’t form any particularly close connections during the trip, but the most memorable person I met was the owner of Lake Villa Restaurant, a small spot near a lake in the Chicago suburbs. Since it wasn’t a typical tourist area, she seemed genuinely happy to have us there and asked us many questions. She proudly shared that her family had been running the restaurant since her parents’ generation and that they use only fresh ingredients for healthy dishes. True to her words, the food was the best of the trip, and her warm hospitality made our visit even more special.

In Las Vegas, I didn’t dine out often, so I hadn’t noticed this before. But after eating out more in Chicago, I realized that in the U.S., servers clear plates as soon as they’re nearly empty, even mid-meal. At first, I thought it meant the restaurant was busy and wanted us to leave quickly, but after seeing it happen everywhere, I realized it’s just part of the culture. In Korea, plates usually stay until you ask for them to be cleared or until everyone has finished eating. It took some time to get used to, but I came to see it as a sign of attentiveness rather than being rushed.

I realized that I have more stamina than I thought. During the trip, most of my friends, including Arim, started looking exhausted and became much quieter by the middle of the day. But I didn’t really feel that tired, even by the time we returned to our accommodation. I think the excitement of traveling kept me from noticing any fatigue. At the same time, I also realized that when I’m on a trip, I struggle to focus on anything other than the travel itself. Since all my energy and attention go into the experience, I find it hard to concentrate on other tasks I need to take care of. It made me realize that I’m not great at juggling multiple tasks at once.

Since it was spring break this week and I was traveling, there wasn’t any significant progress on my technical projects. However, taking a break gave me a chance to recharge, and I’m looking forward to resuming my work next week.