IGSP Ambassadors

Before coming to Penn, I had never really lived in an environment where English was part of my everyday life. I grew up in Korea and went to university in Japan, so studying in North America was a completely new experience for me. I was excited to join the Penn community, but I was also nervous, especially about my English.

And in the blink of an eye, my dream of becoming an Ivy League student became a reality. Since I was accepted into the International Guest Student Program this year, I could not have imagined the number of experiences that were yet to come.

Just before fall break, what should have been a relaxed day on campus felt unexpectedly tense for me. While many students were preparing to leave, I sat at my desk revising the same emails and interview outlines again and again.

When I arrived in Philadelphia, I genuinely believed I would be on my own. I came without knowing whether anyone from my home university would also be here, and I had mentally prepared myself for the challenge of starting from zero—socially, academically, and personally.

When I realized it, three months had already passed since I first arrived in Philadelphia, with fall just settling onto campus, and as I enter my final month here, I’m becoming even more aware of how meaningful each moment has been.

If there is one thing I would want future International Guest Student Program students to take away, it is this: growth does not come from comfort. It comes from standing in the middle of a place that feels nothing like home and slowly making it your own.