Back at UB, with a Story to Share 💙🍋

It was such a joy to reconnect with the University at Buffalo community through UB Alumni’s Webinar Wednesday! As a UB alum, returning to share “Reading the Room: Nunchi and Cultural Intelligence in Work and Life” felt especially meaningful.

As a quiet international student at UB, I often had more to say than I could find the words or the moment to express. That experience still shapes how I notice and respond to others today.

Returning to UB to talk about nunchi 눈치 felt especially meaningful. Something I once experienced as pressure to read others’ expectations has become a way to practice curiosity and care: noticing who might need an opening to speak, pausing before interpreting someone’s silence, and remembering that what I see may not be the whole story. As we learn to read the room, we can also consider what kind of room we are helping to create.

When I heard that 180 people had registered, I was pleasantly surprised! 😊 I was grateful for the interest and the thoughtful notes that followed, including from people who watched the recording afterward. One person shared that the session helped them recognize nunchi’s value in creating a place where everyone belongs. Another connected my story with their family’s immigration experiences and their efforts to give students from other cultures space to communicate comfortably.

These messages meant so much to me. I was especially happy that this opportunity connected me with fellow UB alumni I hadn’t met before. It’s encouraging to hear how sharing a personal experience can invite someone else to reflect on their own.

Thank you, Arlene Kaukus, Kristi Fields, and Joy Wrona, for the opportunity and for welcoming me back! 💙

P.S. Thank you, Kristi, for the photo. You can probably tell how excited and happy I was to be there, haha! 😊

#Nunchi #CulturalIntelligence #InterculturalCommunication #Belonging #UBuffalo #LifelongLearning #DrLemon