Although the end of the year approaches and the weather gets colder, our hearts are warmed by gatherings. At the end of the fall semester, the Year-end Night for the international members of our campus took place. It was a networking event held on Dec. 6, in the Grand Ballroom of the POSCO International Center, organized by International Relations. Up to 100 foreign members and their families were allowed to join the event on a first-registered, first-served basis.
On the same day, before the event, three one-day classes were held for international members: a K-cooking class, a K-craft class, and a K-pop dance class. All classes were reserved through form and were free of charge. For the cooking class, participants learned how to make Tteokbokki and Bulgogi and enjoyed them for lunch. After the first class, the crafting class taught how to make handmade stamps in traditional Korean. Participants got a personalized K-style stamp by designing and carving their signatures. The K-pop dance was held in Atlas Hall on the first floor of the Student Union Building.
The event was open to pre-registered participants. There was an instant photo booth where participants and PBUD members could freely take photos together and keep memories for the day. During the attendance check, attendees were also asked if they wanted to participate in the Best Dresser competition.
The event started with the “Memoir Contest Award,” which shared some memorable experiences from the past year, letting members recall the year and communicating with each other. Participants shared their stories creatively in three submission categories: video, photography, and essay. Winners were rewarded with gift cards and presented a speech about their story.
The Best Dresser competition was undoubtedly the highlight of the event. There were a couple in traditional Indian clothing and other participants with their own stunning fashion styles. The competition’s winner was an international exchange student dressed as Santa Claus to celebrate the upcoming Christmas season. Even without special costumes, students enjoyed a festive mood with items such as reindeer headbands, Santa hats, and colorful balloons.
Another memorable part of the day was the mini-game session prepared by PBUD, who spent a semester or a year with international exchange students. The quiz show was about POSTECH and Korea, including a Korean listening comprehension quiz. Teams with high quiz scores earned various materials to decorate a gingerbread house. The team that made a gingerbread house with the best design and creativity received an advent calendar.
As the event was designed to foster communication among participants, a relaxed atmosphere allowed everyone to chat freely. Making gingerbread houses together, as well as a raffle prize-draw, added new memories. The end of the year at POSTECH, where everyone stays for their own reasons, became an even warmer time through solidarity with the international members of the campus.
