does anyone know if they put people from same countries in housing?

The living experience is one of the best parts about the program. I don't share the opinion that it doesn't matter because you only sleep in your apt.! I lived with a mexican, norwegian, french in the beginning and then had another mexican, a chinese and a canadian roomate after them They were all fab people ( I was very lucky ), I was very happy it was sooo mixed. It's definitely a challenge to live with a chinese for example, totally different traditions and everything. But it all worked out really good and we all got to learn so much from and with each other. There are so many prejudices that can be cleared up and it's the greatest way of bringing different people together.
You will be moving into an apt. where other people already live. It can happen that you have a roomie from your own country, mostly in 8 people apt.'s, but sometimes also for a 4 people apt., it's not a common thing though, they try to mix nationalities.
I loved my 4 people apt.! Could have lived in a 6 people apt., too, but 8 people was usually very crazy....and you barely can get along with 8 different people...
Well, hope you will all have some great roomies!

Julia

 

Thanks Julia... Im determined to make a really big effort to get on with my roommates... hope mine are as nice as yours were
xxx

 

Marie- you will have at least one roomie you will get along with perfectly. You will all be in the same boat. It's one of the most exciting parts about the program, meeting your roomies the first day. Hopefully you will get along great with your direct roomie ( the one you share your bedroom with ), as it would really suck when you have difficulties. But I also knew of people who just moved into their other roomies bedroom as soon as someone was leaving. It all usually works out fine.

Julia

 

Like many of you, i was very open to living with 6-8 people, i thought it would be a brilliant way to get to know people better etc etc........ and it is..........

HOWEVER

i arrived and was in a 2 person apartment, and i loved it!!!! i didnt spend huge amounts of time in my apartment, and when i was there it was usually to get a bit of rest etc after some heavy drinkin nights! lol.............but as for getting to know loads of people, well you do that anyway regardless of what sort of apartment you live in, because you work with people, you're on the bus with people, you party with people, its not just about how many people you live with.

i would not have changed my living arrangements for the world, i shared an apartment with a lovely norweigan girl (i miss you ragnhild and being in apt 1013!) and the 2 of us got on really well, like sisters, and because there was just the two of us it meant we had more fridge space and wardrobe space and mess could be controlled a little more because there were only us two to make it if that makes sense?

from speaking to others i think people generally found the 2 people or 4 people apartments better and i knew a lot of uk cast who actually moved out of large apts into 2 people apts with each other so there would be 2 uk people in same apt.

and if you dont like the people you live with????...............just go out and party a lot, get really drunk, have fun and crash on someones floor or do the walk of shame at like 6am.......great fun

any other questions just feel free to ask!

Laura
xxxxxxxx

 

You can have problems with your roommate(s) in ANY size apartment. It's all about respect and how you treat each other. Trust me...I know. I lived in a 2 bedroom and loved it...we all got along really well. There was only three of us for most of the time (Canada, UK, Norway) and things were great, but then we got a 4th one and things changed, but we made the best of it. I know people in one bedrooms that had waaaay more problems than I did...boys and girls.

Your roommates may have all arrived at different times, which is the most common, but I did know a lot of people who arrived at the same time as their roommate (usually only two in an apt.)...and lots of them were in a one bedroom...so they had the same roommate the whole year...just like Laura. Which can be good...but then you usually have to buy EVERYTHING for your apt. (like a TV)...and if you move into one that people already live in there will be most of the stuff you might want.

Shan

 

Yeah I also knew of someone living in a 4 people apt. and not getting along with one of her roomie. You can even end up in a 2 people apt. and have problems with your roomie. But 8 people apt.'s are even more difficult. I didn't know a single 8 people apt. where no one moved out sooner or later. It can be very challenging to live with 7 other nationalities. I really enjoyed my 4 people apt. It was clean ( most of the time ), we had enough space for everyone and we all got along. Just like Laura my roomies became my sisters, even if you find other friends and people to party with 2 of my roomies have grown even closer on me. We didn't spend 24/7 together and yet there was a special bonding throughout the whole year!

Julia

 

I think the 4 apt is the best imagine a kitchen for 8 :S maybe 6 its ok but the best option for me is 4 , Can I choose it ??? Is the same aptm. all the year???? And the same roomies?

 

yeah you are right olga i was in 4 ppl apt and its really nice, also 6 is cool.
The apartment is the same the whole year unless something happens o you ask for an apartment change. the roomates change because not evrybody arrives the same day as you. So if u are in a 4 ppl apt you will probably have 6-7 roomates.
See ya
Carlos
Mexico F&B
Jul 03-04

 

Olga, you can choose, but you could still end up in a completely different sized apt. It all depends on the capacity.

Julia

 

I don't think I know what size apartment I'd prefer - I can see the pros and cons of all the different sizes, although I think 8 people might be a bit toooooo crazy.

I think I'm going to be so relieved to get there lol, I'll be happy whatevr, I just hope they are nice roomies however many there are

 

Anna, I did register for an 8 people apt. and ended up with a 4 people and LOVED it! I think it doesn't really matter. You will find great, fun people everywhere.

Julia

 

So how does it work when you get there then Julia? Do you get some kind of say or is it just pot luck?

 

It's just pot luck really! It all depends what they will have available! But if it's really bad you can change apt.'s! They don't even tell you how many you will be sharing with when you get there. It's all a big surprise. I came into my apt. and there was obviously a mexican party or something. there were like 15 people in my apt. LOL

Julia

 

So how did you regsiter for an 8 person appt then?

And ooh lord, talk about overwhelming lol!! So basically you go to your appt, open the door and wham lol!!

*gulps*

 

Yeah and all I saw were mexicans all over my place. And in addition to that we got old informations from the recruiters, they sent us brochures where it said we would be living with american students, but that was already a year ago ( at Vista Way ) lol....it was funny how I passed them all and everyone was like "I don't live here" haha
They asked me what type of apt. I prefer at the interviews. ...

Julia

 

Uhuh Anna i know what u mean we just gotta go knock on the door and be like hi im your new roommate! I had to do that on exchange too... but i dont think that makes it any easier i'll prob be nervous! Especially if i walked in and there were like 15 people! Lol! u must have wondered if it was your welcome party Julia!

We dont get asked what size apts we would prefer anymore. I dont really care im sure it will work out! Though 4 person sounds good.

xxx

 

Hey it's not like they really followed my wish when they asked me which apt. I prefer lol
Worst thing when I arrived was that I had a very bad cold and was in soo much pain! My roomies were all great though, my french one offered me a tea for my throat right away...and the mexicans were also nice, it was just a little weird..

Julia

 

aww u poor thing JUlia i can imagine a colds the last thing u need when u get to florida!

xxx

 

Especially when being on a plane for 10 hours lol I always tend to get sick when flying overseas, very weird. Oh well I survived...

Julia

 

I always get a cold when I go on a plane (well the two times I have been on a plane I have) ended up being full of cold the whole duratation of both my holidays. Think I will stock up on Vitamin C before I get on the next plane!

Jess x