[quote=“Rotalsnart”][quote=“Sko”]How much do you think it helped with your Chinese? Did you talk to them a lot? I’ll be living there for at least a year, probably, so I can imagine it being tough. What I’ve been thinking earlier though, is that if the Taiwanese can do it throughout all of their years at university, why wouldn’t I be able to do just one? Perhaps that’s naive though, thinking that I can go from a pretty high standard of living as I have at home, to living like that. Maybe they’re used to worse than I am.
I’ve actually found a couple of that kind, but want to be sure that my roommate too is a student, and so far I haven’t found anyone that I could be sure was. I’m still not in Taiwan, so I can’t go look either.[/quote]
We didn’t talk a whole lot. They were all college seniors and quite busy, so they were out a lot, as was I, and we kept different schedules. We did talk some on occasional evenings. My Mandarin was still at a very low-intermediate level, so I benefited mostly by being on the edge of (listening to) their conversations. But on the whole, I think I probably learned more from the living room conversation (and watching Mandarin shows on TV) in a subsequent shared apartment than I did when I stayed in that dorm room. And in the shared apartment I had my own bedroom to retreat to for quiet concentrated study or just plain privacy.
Also, socializing with people other than your roommates is also going to make an important contribution to your language learning, as well as being something important in its own right to the quality of your life (at least to me), and that will be easier to do if you have a place other than a crowded dorm room to bring friends (or dates).
Would it be possible to sign up for the dorm for just one semester first, and then decide whether you like it (and use that time on the ground to look around for better alternatives)?[/quote]
I think a shared apartment seems like a decent option in between, I might look around for those more.
I’m not sure the school would like me only living there for a semester. A requirement for living in the dorms is studying long-term, at least a year, and I assume that’s because they don’t want to have people moving out after only three months or so. I suppose they can’t force me to stay, but they probably wouldn’t be very happy about it.
[quote=“ironlady”]I would get your own housing.
Unless you are positive that you would never seek out people to talk to, the value of having your own refuge will be enormous. There is no shame in not “going native” and completely giving up your identity and culture as an English speaking person. A second language is just that – a second language. It’s great to take on what you enjoy, but don’t feel obligated to completely become someone else. Having seen the dorms at Fujen, I would never do a shared room (I had a single there which was weird enough.)
Word on the street is that having a Chinese-speaking SO is the most important way to improve – and that’s tough in a room with several roommates… ;-)[/quote]
I’ll probably try to find people at the university’s clubs.
From what Rotalsnart is saying, it sounds like it won’t necessarily be of much value for my Chinese skills to live in a shared room, so instead maybe being able to get friends or a SO coming over would be better. And it does sound more comfortable!
On a slightly unrelated note, I’m going nuts about the school still not answering me after three emails! Going to the embassy tomorrow to get my visa, I’ll to ask them about what I can do about it.
Anyway, all of you guys’ input is very valuable, thank you!
