I have gone on many trips. When I was an elementary school student, my family and relatives used to go on excursions in Kangwon-do for about three or four days. We left in a big car at 2 or 3 p.m. in order to escape traffic during the vacation season. For about four or five years, we used to go on such an excursion in Kangwon-do. And after I took the government-sponsored scholastic university entrance exam, I traveled to the sea in winter. I traveled for the first time in winter, so it made me feel fresh. But the sea in winter was very cold, so I have never once traveled to the sea in winter since.
        Especially, I remember traveling to Dae-Chun with my four friends. I was a high school freshman, and it was the first time I made a journey without my parents. The travel was really free.
        My friends and I had a one-month summer vacation, so we made plans for the trip, but our parents were against our going. The reason was that they thought it would be dangerous. So we decided to go somewhere not too far away and promised not to run around at night. Also, we promised to study hard to our parents. Therefore we studied together, but it was not easy to study together. Because we liked the singers "Seo Tai-ji and Boys," we often listened to their music, talked about them and watched their music videos. In the end, we got worse grades than before, but we didn't give up. After all, we changed our promise a little. We told our parents that we had to travel in order to study hard, and we promised to study hard after our trip, so we could leave for Dae-Chun.
        We got on a train and took lodging at a private house at Dae-Chun. We stayed for three days. We cooked light refreshments--noodles, kim-chi, soup, curried rice, etc.--and the food was very delicious. During the daytime, we went for a swim at the beach. We washed our clothes, ate our meals, and went to bed when we wanted. The most important thing to us was that we could listen to Seo Tai-ji's music all night without our parents bothering us. Cooking and cleaning were not interesting; however, it was a good experience. I usually just played when I used to go on excursions with my parents, but on the trip with my friends, I had a lot of duties.
        I learned a lot about my friends through the trip, and it was a chance for us to make common memories. My friends and I became closer through the travel. I learned the difference between diffidence and freedom. We had a chance to experience freedom in all its fullness, for instance, drinking, smoking, wandering about in the streets at a late hour, etc. But we tried to assume the responsibility for our own activities. My four friends are university students at present and everyone lives a busy life, so we can't see much of each other. When I see my friends, we talk about that summer vacation travel even now.