Le Huynh Thuy Vi

(Senior, Dept. of English Language and Literature, Vietnam)

Q: Did you have any difficulties staying with your roommate?

A: I lived in Residence Hall 9 in my first year at Chonnam National University. My roommate came from another country, and we had absolutely different schedules. I am a morning person, so I always went to sleep early but my roommate preferred to burn the midnight oil to study. Sometimes noise was the most common issue.

Q: What was the most memorable experience while living in the dormitory?

A: I met a friend from Taiwan who could speak Vietnamese. I was really happy to hear my mother language in Korea. We celebrated the New Year, sitting on the stairs in the dormitory and sharing small cookies. I have not felt lonely anymore since I met her. We applied to live in the same dorm room to be roommates. My dorm life became more comfortable and fun. It is truly an unforgettable memory.

Q: Do you have some tips for new students living in on-campus housing?

A: One of my tips for living in a dorm is that you should get to know your roommate. This can be very useful for mediating conflicts that may arise from personality differences. By knowing each other, dorm life can be an opportunity to make new friends and have interesting adventures. It will become like a second home to you during your university years.

Toma Vlajcié

(Exchange Student, Faculty of Economics, Graduate School, Croatia)

Q: Is there anything different from your expectations of living in a dormitory?

A: I am surprised that students could enter the dormitory with their fingerprint and their room by entering their personal password. In the evening, the CNU campus is quiet and peaceful, which was contrary to my expectations. I was positively surprised that there was a cafeteria, shops, lecture halls, sports clubs and other institutions that are really close to the student dormitory.

Q: Are there any good tips to not feel bored in the dormitory?

A: My tip is to try to learn new things, meet new people and of course, do what you love. I joined the CNC Dove Football Club, the Taekwondo club and the CNU International Community. Besides the organizations, I occasionally visit the Salesian Catholic Community and the American Corner in a nearby library, where various lectures and workshops on the topic of climate and demographic change in Asia take place. Hanging out with international and Korean students is part of my everyday life as well.

Q: What is your unforgettable memory while living in the dormitory?

A: One of the first memories that occurred in my mind is friendship and people I meet in the dormitory. We shared meals and conversation, and we had a lot of fun trying to teach each other our mother languages. Also, I like my memories of rushing back to the dorm before the curfew (1 a.m.), which always made us on edge, and sometimes we had so much fun that we stayed up late, until after the curfew (5 a.m.).

Zofia Manczuk

(Exchange Student, Faculty of Business Administration, Poland)

Q: How did you get close with a roommate with a different nationality?

A: In my opinion, it is a big advantage to have a roommate with a different nationality. I got to increase my knowledge of other cultures. Right now, I am sharing a room with a roommate from Germany. I got close with her while talking about practicing German. I had a chance to practice my broken German.

Q: What is your most memorable memory while living on campus?

A: Because of the weather, I could not leave Gwangju for the Christmas holidays last year. It was my first holiday away from my family. So, I decided to decorate my room and make pretend Polish dishes. My friends and I also had a lovely dinner and exchanged gifts at a barbecue restaurant. Although I was not at home with my parents, my dorm room felt like home to me.

Q: Did you have any difficulties while staying in the dormitory?

A: Because of the differences between the dormitories of European and Korean universities, I had a hard time fitting into the on-campus CNU dormitory. I think that the biggest issue is the lack of a kitchen. I think it would be nice if there was a kitchen for students to use. But even without a kitchen, I am now a microwave master chef.