【Feature】Housing Experience of Fresh International Students

By Anli Hung

One coin has two sides. It is both advantageous and disadvantageous to live in a dorm or a house. However, most of students choose to live in dorms even it is more expensive than living in house.

I live in The Forge, which belongs to UNITE. I choose The forge because it not far from my University, also the living function around there is completed. 84 pounds per week include water, electricity and internet. I have my own bathroom, which I care the most, and share a kitchen with four flat mates. They are all girls and British students.

This summer, I have no flat mates so I enjoyed all space, included living room, kitchen and gallery. But sometime I felt lonely. When the semester started, my flat mates gradually appeared. Two are friendly and we often shared with our lives and different cultures.

However, the others are really my nightmare. After they came here, they just threw their rubbish in the kitchen away once in five months and the basin full of their dirty dishes. From the beginning, I reminded them several times but it was still useless. Moreover, they ate my food without asking and often have parties at midnight so that it was very noisy. That was extremely awful. I have told them so many times and the reception came to ask them to be quiet. Those were all useless.

My life changed after two awful flat mates have entered.

The contract is one year so that is impossible that I moved out, and they neither. That’s my fate. If I have choice before I live in dorm, I would definitely choose my flat mates by myself.

Paul also lives in dorm and shares with some international students. He also had ever had an argument with his flat mates. He said: “Because we all from different countries, have different culture and behavior.”

Rizal shares a flat with four Malaysia students that he did not know them before. Even they all from the same country, they also have some argument. “Because of same language, it’s easy to communicate with them.” Rizal said. “If I have a second choice, I will still choose to share the flat with same country students.

Olasypo, who is from Nigeria , shares flat with some students from different countries. However, he has totally different fate with Paul. His flat mates are all very friend and they have good relationship.

“Your flat mates would decide what your UK life is.” I said.

Watch Rizal and Paul share their experiences now!