Fang-Wei Su (Taiwan)

I am Fang-Wei Su from Taiwan, studying MSc Marketing Management. Finding accommodation can be difficult, especially for international students. Although Bournemouth University supplies many housing choices for students, there are still some factors which influenced my decision to go through private accommodation.

Cultural considerations

I understand that Western and Eastern cultures are very different, and their lifestyles are too. I prefer living in a quiet accommodation because I am a light sleeper. Also, I wanted to avoid a problem between different lifestyles, so a studio or renting a room were more suitable choices for me.

On the other hand, the advantage of university accommodation is that you can make many friends and share responsibilities with roommates, such as cooking together. However, I still chose private accommodation because I felt it was the best option for me. I think private accommodation is an excellent choice for Taiwanese students.

Research is key

In the beginning, I conducted a lot of research on the internet and joined renting groups on Facebook. I found a woman who rents her house to Bournemouth University students. After contacting her, I discovered that she is Taiwanese too! That is great news for me because my parents worry about me living alone in a foreign country.

Unexpected treasures

I am now settled in Bournemouth and one of my hosts is a British person. This is great because I can interact with local people and practice my English-speaking skills. My roommate is also my classmate, so we can discuss our assessments easily.

In addition, I live in a quiet area and most of our neighbours are nice and have pets. Sometimes I can even play with their dogs and cats. That is a special experience for me because in Taiwan it is difficult to play with other people’s pets and the dogs and cats are not usually friendly.

There are two bus stops near my house which makes getting to university and the city centre very easy and convenient.

Finding Home

Although I live in private accommodation and not university housing, I have had a pleasant experience. I feel at home here because my hosts are nice, and the Taiwanese host will cook Taiwanese food for us. That is an excellent way to prevent homesickness. I like where I am living and I think a good accommodation can help me pay more attention on studying.

By Fang-Wei Su, Taiwan, MSc Marketing Management, 2017/18