I moved to Thailand for graduate school. The free degree I earned isn’t recognized in the US, but it inspired my side business.

So, after I graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from Oklahoma State University in 2017 and was trying to decide where to go for a graduate degree, I thought it could be the perfect opportunity.

I was open to moving anywhere and also applied to schools in Spain and New Zealand, but Kasetsart University in Thailand was the first school to offer me a full ride for the two-year Master of Engineering program.

My mom freaked out about how far away I would be. She didn’t come around until the day we went to the airport. Her anxiousness had gotten me a bit scared of going as well. But I had come up with a plan: if things went south, I would just ditch school and spend all the money I’d saved on a long vacation.

I thought my school was in the capital, but found out it was in the countryside

When university representatives picked me up at the airport and told me it would be a two-hour ride to the campus, I was confused.

“What do you mean it’s a two-hour journey? It’s only 20 minutes away,” I said. They looked at each other and started laughing.

They replied, “That’s the Bangkok campus. You’re going through the Kamphaeng Saen campus!”

My whole stomach dropped. I had no idea what I was getting into. When I applied for the scholarship, I thought Bangkok was the only campus.

It turns out that the school has three other campuses. I had misunderstood the university website, probably because it’s mostly in Thai, and had been reading the translated copy.

I felt lonely for the first few months

Since the students on campus didn’t speak English, my professor was the only person I could talk to. Sometimes, I would go for days without speaking to anybody except my mom on the phone.

Depending on the class, the professors would either teach in Thai and translate it to English for me, or I just got taught one-on-one.

I thought about quitting a few times during the first couple of weeks but decided to give myself six months and try to learn the language. My plan was that if I still hated it, then I could quit.

I tried my hardest to learn Thai. I studied it for about two hours every day on an app called ThaiPod101. After four months, I understood my first spoken sentence. Six months later, I could have basic conversations.

I made some good Thai friends, and that made life way better. I got enveloped in Thai culture because I could talk to them. My Thai friends would invite me to their houses on the weekends to have dinner with their families. They accepted me with open arms.

The university experience was different from what I was used to

In my Thai university, they were taught engineering from the ground up. For example, they would learn how to program a scoreboard and make it work because they build everything to save on cost. So, I learned more in-depth about all these technologies.

My American university felt more innovative. As an undergraduate in the US, I had to think creatively to solve engineering problems. In Thailand, they preferred that I follow procedures and instruction manuals.

The cost of living was also much lower. I didn’t cook at all for two years, as every meal costs around $1.50.

I lived in an off-campus dorm, and it was fully furnished with a TV, refrigerator, bathroom, and balcony. The cost was covered by my scholarship.

Without a scholarship, the graduate program would have still been more affordable than pursuing a graduate degree in the US.

According to Kasetsart University’s website, master’s students pay around $1,200 to $1,500 a year for tuition and an additional international student fee of $512 per semester.

In comparison, tuition for a similar program at Oklahoma State University for out-of-state students, excluding other fees, is $17,890 a year.

I’ve moved back to the US but travel back to Thailand often

After completing my graduate degree in 2020, I returned to the US. Although my master’s degree was not American-accredited, it did make for good conversations during interviews. I now work as a cybersecurity architect.

I’ve also started a side business, where I run group tours of around 20 people to Thailand once or twice a year. We visit places like Chiang Mai and Bangkok to see waterfalls and hill tribes and just experience Thailand together. I charge around $1,800 to $2,000 per person, depending on the destination.

Now, I live in Houston, and in my two years there, I’ve only met two of my neighbors.

But in Thailand, people were always outside everywhere I walked, and they talked and got to know me.

I liked that about living in Thailand — you’re never lonely there.

Do you have a story about choosing to attend college outside the US that you want to share? Get in touch with the reporter, Erin: eliam@businessinsider.com.