What’s it like? How does one keep themselves entertained? Is Durham unsafe at all?
Note: I’ve never lived in the United States.
I don’t live in Durham but, I am close to it. It is not much of a “college town” but, the campus itself has a lot for you to do. I don’t think it is unsafe as it is in the triangle near the capital. You can check reviews on Duke, or Durham, online and see what people say.
Durham isn’t unsafe at all. It’s a great city and is one of the fastest growing cities in America.
The Triangle (Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill) is also one of the best places to look for a job. It has the highest concentration of MDs and PhDs in the United States.
http://money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/2015/05/19/best-cities-for-jobs/
Since you’re international, you will quickly find your language and cultural group. Learn from them but branch out. The Americans will most likely ignore you in the beginning if you look or act very different from others in the population. Don’t be offended–it’s not you or personal. Americans are not friendly at first, they will talk to strangers easily but not take responsibility early on for relationship. Just engage and make friends, and Americans will embrace you easily if you make the first move. Americans feel offended if you speak a language to others they cannot understand–stupid, yes, but just part of the cultural fabric in a country of immigrants. Remember: At Duke, you are not dealing with the average American, you are dealing with the socio-cultural elite, the privileged class.
If you want to stretch yourself a little, there is the religion at Duke you can explore: BASKETBALL. Then all the cultural barriers will dissolve in a heart beat. You will be one with the universe, allah, and buddha.
Thanks all 
Really helpful insight