Dorm Life!

I am living in a VERY modern dormitory complex on the edge of campus. The buildings are 15 stories high and there are four of them connected in the middle by a public area of shops, a bank and many different restaurants. This is just one of many, many different complexes. The university has around 25,000 students and most of them live on campus.

There are four buildings in this one year old complex...two buildings for boys and two for girls. It is very modern, clean and secure. Entry is through sliding glass doors that open and say "hello" or something like that in Korean when you press your thumb to a small pad mounted at the side of the door.




There are four banks of elevators for each wing....and kids were moving in and out yesterday so you can imagine what the elevator situation was like! I took some photos this morning that show my "digs". As you can see, very modern and comfortable. Asian beds are nortoriously hard and this one is just that. I have a very nice balcony that I use for drying clothes. Interesting that they have a laundry room with about twenty washing machines, but only one dryer. Everyone strings lines on their balconies and hangs clothing there.




I have a VERY LARGE TV that is hooked to cable....but nothing in English. I was hoping for CNN Asia or I would even take Fox News....but nothing. I doubt I will use this hulking thing much.


I also have a medium sized refrigerator and inside you can see my $10 watermelon. I was surprised by the price of fruit here. But ya just suck it up and buy it. Asian fruit seems much sweeter than typical US varieties and if this watermelon is any indication, I am going to be enjoying fruit much of the summer.


My bathroom is pretty standard --EXCEPT for the shower. The shower has no curtain and the water just spews everywhere when you stand in it. The floor gets totally flooded and is wet for hours. As technically savvy as the Koreans seem to be, I can't imagine why they don't design these things better. If I was here longer I would figure out how to add a shower curtain, but since my stay is short term, I will learn to deal with it. I laugh when I say that...because those are the words I always seem to be using with my students....DEAL WITH IT.... sigh, ok--I will!



Here are some photos of the "commercial complex" on the first two floors of the dorm area. It is pretty nice and always seems to be teeming with students. It was 7am when I took these pictures so most of the places (including the coffee shops) were closed.




That's all for now! I begin my teaching tomorrow--thus I am sure my blogging will become minimal after that.