Here, I want to introduce a little bit about what it was like to live in the international dorms, and what some of the areas look like. If you decide to join the Tokiwa study abroad program, you’ll be spending a few months here, and so I thought it’d be a good idea to give you a little tour.
The international dorms are conveniently very close to the university, and it only takes about a 5-minute walk from the dorms to reach campus. The dorms are also less than 5 minutes away from two bus stops, one that will end up at Mito Station, and the other that will take you in the opposite direction, to Akatsuka Station.
When you first enter the dormitory hall, you’ll see the foyer, where you can take off your outside shoes and change into indoor slippers (they provide some, but you can also get a nice cheap pair at a Daiso). You’ll also have a mailbox assigned to you, so make sure to check it regularly. The foyer was usually where we would meet up when we made plans to go out somewhere.
To the left of the foyer is the window for the dorm manager’s office, and hanging on the wall to the left of that is an “In/Out” board, that lets people know at a glance who is there and who isn’t.
The dorm has 3 stories, and you’ll be assigned a dorm with 2 other students, most likely Japanese (though you can also be placed with someone in the program who’s from a different country). This kind of living arrangement is really great for improving your everyday Japanese, as you get to practice communicating with your roommates.
Inside each dorm suite are 3 private bedrooms, a shared bathroom, and a shared kitchen/dining area.
Your private bedroom will have a desk, a chair, a lamp, a closet area, and, of course, a bed. If there are any items you find yourself wanting, you can usually get them at a Daiso or other similar store (for example, I picked up a small mirror for 100 yen).
The kitchen/dining space that you’ll share has a refrigerator, a sink, and an IH cooker. Although the dorms don’t personally provide free microwaves, practically all of the semi-permanent residents (that is, people not in the program) have microwaves themselves, and so your roommates will most likely let you share theirs. Mine also let me use her rice cooker, her pots and pans, and her electric kettle, but not everyone will have these items, so your situation might be different.
However, the international hall also has two larger communal kitchens on the first floor, and in them you can find a bunch of bowls, cups, cutlery, etc. that you use during your time in the dorms. I have a lot of good memories in these kitchens, eating Shabu Shabu, pancakes, homecooked meals, and so on with friends. We often liked to cook for each other or with each other when we had time.
There are also a couple washer and dryer machines for your laundry that can be found on the 2nd floor (I believe there were 4 of each?). Although you’ll have to buy your own laundry detergent, there are free hangers and laundry baskets/containers you can use when you wash clothes.
Directly above the laundry room, you can find the common room on the 3rd floor. This is where you can access the dorm’s WiFi. The common room is used for studying, watching TV, playing games (video, board, card, or otherwise), or just hanging out. As I mentioned in a previous post, if a person had snacks or candy they wanted to share with everyone, they would bring it up here.
The common room is also where we had our monthly dorm meetings, as well as any parties. Some of the parties we had include: a welcome party, a cross-cultural food party, and a farewell party.
I wish I could show you more pictures of the international dorms, but I forgot to take pictures of some of the areas. However, I hope this post was able to give you a glimpse into what life is like at the dorms. It really begins to feel like home after a while. We even started calling it that after a few weeks, saying things like, “I’m going back home,” instead of “I’m going back to the dorms,” haha. Although living someplace unfamiliar can seem daunting at first, I’m sure you’ll settle in in no time.
Tokiwa University Exchange Program 