Hey y’all! Today was definitely one of the more hectic days of the trip. We were scheduled to visit Yonsei University, one of Korea’s most prestigious institutions, but got off to a delayed start. Despite the rough beginning, the visit offered an insightful look into both Korean university life and advanced research.

We had lunch at Yonsei’s campus cafeteria, and I couldn’t help but compare it to the food back home at Pitt. The meals here were surprisingly high quality – fresh, warm, and thoughtfully prepared. That said, it was interesting to observe that most of the food stalls served traditional Korean cuisine, with just one dedicated to international food. This stood out to me because, in the U.S., especially at Pitt, campus dining usually includes a wide variety of global cuisines like East Asian, Italian, and Mexican. It highlighted a cultural difference: while America often emphasizes diversity through food options, Korea’s approach seems more rooted in national culinary identity.

Unfortunately, the walking tour of Yonsei’s campus was cut short due to heavy rain, but even that brief walk was meaningful. We learned that the university grounds were once a battleground during the Korean War, and there are still visible bullet marks on a statue of the founder. It was surreal to be in a place where education, history, and conflict coexist so tangibly.

We then toured the Engineering Research Building, where we met with a Pitt alum who’s now a professor at Yonsei. She and her students gave us a presentation on their ongoing neuroscience research, which was primarily focused on the relationship between glial cells and neurons, and studies related to Alzheimer’s disease. While the material leaned heavily into science and medicine, it was still fascinating to see the global collaboration in research and how Pitt’s influence carries across continents.

Professionally, today emphasized the value of international academic exchange and how global education fosters a deeper understanding of both cultural norms and cutting-edge research. It also reminded me that flexibility is a key part of working globally, especially when your plans get rained out.