When you are abroad, you will more often than not find yourself becoming a patriot. Older Koreans say people tend to develop a greater sense of unity and solidarity with their community when they live in a foreign country. Their shared sense of identity often brings them closer together and helps them maintain a strong bond. It is common to see Koreans gather to share happiness, guided by the belief that happiness doubles and sorrow is halved when shared with others. Compared with this sense of unity among people of the same ethnic background, it is relatively uncommon to see people from a different culture throw a party solely to celebrate the achievements of a Korean. The chances are even slimmer when the host is Japanese, given the two countries' long and often contentious history. Such a rare event took place in Houston, Texas, in September. Akemi Saitoh, the wife of Yasuhiko Saitoh, president of Japan's largest chemical company Shin-Etsu, invited some 70 guests — most of them people of Korean descent — to their Houston residence on Sept. 20 for a party celebrating Korean balleri