Hello everyone Sorry for writing the introduction too late. This article was originally written by me and posted in 2 places using the same pen name in both places:

ruk21us

yes

at

exteen

is

http://ruk21us.exteen.com

That a good child is

http://my.dek-d.com/ruk21us 

yes

If you found this article from the two blogs mentioned above. It's the same person. Sorry for causing confusion.

It's long, but I want you to read it because it's a "real, live experience."

Hello, it's actually incorrect to say that I've been gone for several days, but in the "two days" I haven't touched the internet at all, a lot of things have really happened. And I will tell you this story as a "warning lesson" for you, my brothers, and friends who want to find a dormitory. which may be abroad Or in the country, it's up to you.

I have had problems finding accommodation in “Scotland” since October of last year (2008) due to living in France. and still do not have a visa to cross to England As usual, the university (I study a double program between

Cergy-Pontoise Univetsity

in France with

Dundee University

in Scotland) Universities in Scotland normally arrange dormitories for you. But the problem arises when

The university “assumed” that I would not have a visa problem. Because the French students studying together do not need a visa, so I will contact my advisor in France. Then that way contacted Scotland. Until receiving documents confirming admission It went into early November. This is not enough to apply for a visa.

Applying for a student visa requires an "address". This is a big problem. Because the university's process is "slow", starting in December already. The university has not yet sent a dormitory application. At that time, I was feeling light-headed and dizzy. I was going to take the exam and I was going to take care of the accommodations.

So I asked a French friend. and got a website of people who wanted to “share accommodations” named

http://www.gumtree.com/  

If you ask me if this website is very useful, I would like to answer that it is very much. It is a website that has a lot of people posting with friends who share houses for rent. And the prices are various.

But for "foreigners" there aren't many options. You're a genius. I sent an email to ask for information about each of the nearly twenty people. But actually there were only five or six people who responded, and there was really only one person who was really close to the university.

This is the message from there. When I wrote to ask for details about the internet and the characteristics of your accommodation.

hi, yes the bedroom is having internet, and its a very nice flat, but the problem is if u want to take the room the rent

will start from this month, but not when u come in january because i can not keep the room empty for nothin for one

month, anyways u can think about it and give me ur answer asap, thanks

From the text and accompanying images (which have now been removed from the advertisement) It is assumed that this is because I have already found a new tenant.)

This is

Link

The ad has since been deleted.

>http://dundee.gumtree.com/dundee/90/31638590.html

If you look at the picture, you will see that it is a rental room that is "clean," "airy," "safe," and "nice to live in," and when combined with Close to university and has internet. And the monthly rent is 280 pounds, including water, electricity, and internet. and shared with only 4 people and the owner of the rental room is also a student at the same university

That was enough for me to agree. and pay rent for December along with guaranteed money for a 6 month contract

The price is around 500 pounds........ (a very face-palming price) but for people who are stressed about visas and accommodations and are confused about exams. This was everything I thought was good. Moreover, friends and Scottish officials confirmed that it was very close to the university. I was able to easily agree.

Okay, from now on there's nothing. Exchange phone numbers Certificates and student ID cards from each side, which they accepted that way (I'm a Chinese person), is fair enough. And don't act suspicious. Because all documents are real and complete.

Until last Saturday while in Thailand, I received an email saying The owner of the rental room will return to visit his home in China. So he gave the phone numbers of two other roommates. And was also kind enough to give his friend's number as well. I certainly don't have any problems. and send an email to thank you (oh

I have already paid January's rent of 280 pounds at the beginning of the month.)

From Bangkok, returned to France to pack things on Monday. and travel to Scotland on Tuesday (accommodation in France is expensive, the internet sucks, but when checking out it's very fair. Almost didn't watch anything. Got back 750 euros that was fully guaranteed)

From France, depart from your accommodation at 7:00 a.m., arrive at the airport at 9:00 a.m., depart at 12:25, arrive in London at 1:55 p.m., transfer to Edinburgh at 2:45 p.m., and arrive in Edinburgh (the capital of Scotland) at 4:00 p.m. by bus. go

Wavery Bridge

To catch the train at 5:00 p.m.

Wavery Bridge 17.30 

Waiting for the train to go

Dundee

About 40 minutes and took 1 hour 20 minutes to arrive.

Dundee

I tell you all this time in order to explain that my condition that day was truly "plentiful" because two nights before I had slept on the plane. Last night, I fell asleep and woke up afraid that I would wake up late. So when stepping out of the train station into the city

Dundee

It was almost 7 p.m., and it was dark and cold and I didn't know the direction.

Then proceeded to "spread out the map" that was printed from Thailand. The result.....

“Get lost.”

Lost like that Walk around the city Ask every person who passes in front of you. In an unfamiliar city unknown people We, with one suitcase and one backpack, are both cold, hungry, have a headache, and are stressed.

If asked what impressed you? I am also impressed by the "kindness" of the people of Scotland. There are local people who help show the way. Tourists who gave free city maps Tourist police who are diligent in helping Or the policeman with a slightly lame leg who helped me walk to look at the street number.

It's 9:00 p.m.....It's 9:00 p.m. I think I'll have to find a hotel to sleep in. I have tried to "telephone" every number that the owner of the rental room has given me, but the result is that "no one answers." Every number has left a message. Emotion at that time: "I really wanted to cry but I couldn't."

Finally, because of your help, the policeman has a bad leg. I walked along the main road and found house number 59.

Dock Street 

But the problem is, where is flat 1/?

L

Because the house number there is a narrow door the size of a classroom entrance. Next to the bar is quite dangerous. And from outside it was dark. and dirty demeanor

After standing awkwardly until the people walking into the bar looked at us with rather strange looks. I noticed that Among the interphone buttons (not sure if that's the right name), there's one that says 1/.

L 

So try pressing to see.

Thank heavens. “That's right.” The automatic door opened. Along with the sound of my roommate's voice coming down.

The story should have ended well, but it didn't. "It's just begun."

Before the eyes of those who were tired, stressed, cold, it was the stairs to the second floor of the flat that were “dirty,” “dusty,” “dark,” “scary,” laughing to himself. before gritting his teeth and dragging his bag down the stairs. And think in a good way that just a staircase in the room should be okay.

When you successfully ascend I greeted my flatmates and found out that they also knew that I had called many times, but "Why didn't you think of answering or calling me back?????" Well, let's just ask about the room.

A room that is thought to be "clean to a certain extent" because normally the lessor has a duty to "deliver" it to the tenant like that. According to common sense that everyone should have.

But there was little in front of me at that time.

It is a room with orange lights and a “pile of dust”.

A bed with dust falling on it And there were bits of wood strewn around the bed. along with an army of hangers strewn across the bed and floor. There were three or four broken clotheslines piled up. The area had a carpet that was dusty with garbage in patches, as if it had never been cleaned. There was dust in every molecule of the cabinet and table, and there was "no latch on the door."

Just smiling, it's very stiff, but come on, think optimistically that with a little cleaning, it might be enough. We may be in too much trouble.....

I went to turn on the “heater” and gave up on everything. Wearing the sweater he had worn all day, he "lay down" covered in dust. He confessed that his mood at that time was "very angry" but the bad things were not over yet. When that cold night "The heater didn't work" it was as if I had spent one night surrounded by dust and cold, curled up into a ball.

The atmosphere in the room was so terrifying that it gave me goosebumps.

Asking for the internet?

It has it, but you have to share it with another friend. We have to “ go find the line.

Lan

It's 10 meters long, come and build it yourself." I couldn't help but laugh.

The next day, we decided that it was okay. “We'll try our best.” The dirty room was cleaned. If the light color is bad, change the new cable.

Lan

I probably can buy it.

That day was the first day of class. The weather was fine. The university was on a hill, but it was spacious and shady. The river was beautiful and the buildings were nice. It's said to be a very "nice" city. As for academics, it's ok. The dignity of the university is what we want.

But since this entry we will be talking about "accommodation" I would like to skip the subject of the university. In the evening, I firmly decided that, come on, yesterday's heater must have been a mistake. I'll go back and reset it today. So I went to buy bedsheets, blankets, bread, milk, water, cleaning supplies and got ready.

I'm going back. With the feeling that "I don't want to go home at all" but I had to endure it because I was so disappointed with the money. and still have no idea where to move When I get back Then he wiped down the closet, the bed, and changed the bedsheets. Take the vacuum cleaner from the storage room and vacuum the carpet. Pick up the old and broken clothes drying racks and put them in order. That night, the room was much "cleaner".

I lowered my hand to unpack my bag. and arrange everything I think that if I change the light color to white as usual, it will be OK. As for the cables

Lan

I'll slowly buy it. The door doesn't have a latch. I'll slowly find one to install.

but........

That night the “heater” still didn't work.

Lying curled up until cold, still feeling very "not good" about the room. I didn't sleep all night again (I didn't sleep the night before).

Until 5 a.m., I got up and thought, “I have to change my address!!!!!” It would be a waste of money no matter what. Who would say that it's extravagant? You'll find yourself selfish. Or being a person who breaks promises and is inconsiderate of others, that's okay, but "I can't take it anymore" with this room, there's no way to live and write. The thesis will definitely be completed here!!!!

Sitting quietly typing work until 8:30 a.m. My long day has begun again......

It's raining, the sky is dark, the air is humid, there's only mud. That's the atmosphere today.....

8.30 – Hurry out of the rented house to register in order to need a student ID card from here to use to contact the accommodation.

9.39 – Sitting and waiting in front

Residence Office

of the university Waiting to ask for advice about moving into a university dormitory The answer received at 10:00 a.m. was “Go and request an application at

Admission

No, there is no application to enter the dormitory, no action has been taken.”

10.30 – Sit and stress over the application. Because the official said Our information is numb. Because even though they were Asian students, they were arrested as

Erasmus Student

who are exchange students in Europe So the staff had to transfer the call back and forth. To find someone to apply for our dormitory (too funny)

Amidst the torrential rain And the sky was dark on the morning of January 15, 2009. I received an answer from a handsome young man with a kind appearance who drove across the building to deliver the news: "Go print the application form from the email." The meaning is, if you don't Received this email before You no longer have the right to apply to live in university dormitories.

Laugh inside again Before rushing away The building that I had visited this morning was

IT Suite

For another £2, use the university's internet to print out an application. and filled out the document twice (so dizzy that I forgot to check that they asked me to use a black pen)

I don't know what time I finished filling it out. I went back.

Residence Office

And sat and waited with all my anxiety because I received information that "there are very few spaces in the university dormitory," which means that everything "depends on luck."

after waiting The answer is...........

“We have space at the dorm.

Seabraes”  

Short words that make you not know what to do. Because the emotion was "I'm about to escape from hell!!!!!" I was sent to look at the accommodation, but of course I "got lost" before reaching the tower, which I found to be a "view tower next to the city's main river." ” with slopes and sharp curves to walk up and down every day (really good exercise)

And it's a room on the fourth floor that "has no elevator."

But is there something that I will refuse? This is clearly an opportunity to escape from hell. So I agreed to accept the word. Walked up the hill and returned to

Resdence Office

It was probably around 12.30 at that time.

So I filled out the contract and "paid 300 pounds." as a deposit. At the end of the month, I still had to come up with another 1700 pounds (good thing I had money saved from France and the rest of my salary with me), but it was money that was supposed to be for food. My comfortable stay in Scotland, all here......

Then......

He ran back to the new dormitory. To get the key (run up and down the mountain many times a day)

After receiving the key, I went back to "study" and entered the room thirty minutes late for the first time in my life..... My sanity is not very good.

4:00 p.m. I finished school and ran back to my old dormitory to collect my things. My feeling at that time was "I don't want to go back at all." I could tell that "it was scary" and I didn't want to step in at all.

I found out that I had a dorm mate at the time, but decided "I won't say I'm moving" because I felt it was dangerous. What would he think if we moved out just two days after we arrived? And most importantly, our dorm mate said, "I'm a man."

I don't keep things very organized. I stuff everything: milk, water, bread, soap, toothpaste, books. It's called "stuffing" everything together. Which came as a large travel bag (must expand the size of the bag) and two cloth bags and a heavy backpack. and wear five layers of sweater Because the bag has no place to put it. But I don't want to come back here again.

So he carried everything in complete silence. Drag Tu Lu Tu Kang down the stairs. Feeling like you're "escaping something" if it's unbelievable. You can easily tell and explain what you're afraid of. If it's scientific It's that feeling of "unsafe". I left the key in front of the flat door.

I don't care about anything anymore except to "get away" (it might sound bad to leave it in front of a shared flat). But if we lower it into the door, we have a problem with the main door. We came back and couldn't get the key to go out.) (Forgot to mention that the door has two floors, namely the main door. with the flat door)

Then drag everything down to the front of the big goal. and sigh......

That evening, it was rainy, cold, dark, and muddy.

This tower is in front of the main road. I dragged everything up the hill. and dragged into the city Which is quite a few kilometers. before being dragged up another hill to the path to the university. and dragged down the hill to reach the dormitory Before dragging the bag up to the fourth floor.....It sounds short and simple, but it takes an hour. That day, the whole city

Dundee

Probably saw a woman acting like a crazy person. Wear a thick sweater like five layers of simo. push large suitcase Hanging a small bag around my neck, wearing a backpack, and dragging two cloth bags along the trail, not caring if they got muddy or torn or not.

feeling of time Throw everything into the new room (where you are now). As the saying goes, “seven times bad is seven times good.” This new dormitory is “expensive,” “far,” but “clean,” “safe.”

Two days ago (or maybe three days) Tuesday night) is an experience of "finding accommodation abroad" that will definitely not be forgotten for a lifetime. This is a lesson that I want to tell everyone who needs to find a place to stay. and was in the same situation as me, as follows

For people who are looking for accommodation

1. Don't believe the pictures in the advertisements. Even if the person posting seems trustworthy.

2. Learn to be suspicious about small points such as “You should talk to that person. rather than just talking via email.”

3. Even though the university gives details as "close", it doesn't mean everything will be okay.

But to be honest, Chan Noi said that even though we had checked everything well, in the case of Chan Noi, Chan Noi knew that he "was deceived" and that being deceived was "very stupid" because we used the common sense of "normal people" and didn't think about the other party. In this case, maybe I'm not fooling you. But he doesn't have the feeling that we need "cleanliness and safety" (

I'm being sarcastic here.)

4. In case you have never been to that country. Let's work hard to "trouble" the university dormitory until we get it. Because even though it's expensive but "safe" it probably isn't good. If we come to study and find ourselves in a place that is not conducive to studying. And people at home will be worried all the time. But of course, for people who are used to that country or have become accustomed to it

Finding a place to live on your own is usually easier (like I did in France this year).

And if "I'm stupid," how do we solve the situation??????

The advice is

1. Don't be complacent. If you know that it is not safe, not good, not suitable, don't think that anything can happen, quickly find a way to "move out immediately".

2. Don't regret the money. Now we must choose: between "money" and life, what do we want?

3. If you don't have money to find a new place, "Cry for help," quickly tell teachers, officials, or friends you know. Even if you don't have a new place to live yet, you should "escape as quickly as possible" and move to a friend's place first. And in the worst case scenario, professors or university officials probably wouldn't let us freeze to death. Or you'll die of stress, let's go first.

4. “Be brave.” In times of crisis, people will have unexpected strength. In the case of a young man, that day I intended to say, "No matter how bad or bad I am, I will definitely not sleep in that rented room for the third night!!!" Therefore, asking for information And asking for help with all your might will help you.

And this is a "close" experience of something that I can't tell what it is. The owner of the rental room also sent me an email yesterday when I was printing out an application for a university dormitory. Come and ask about happiness. And also gave a phone number in China but asked if I should be soft-hearted???? We moved out and he had to find a new tenant.

Will he lose any use????? In cases like this, I think that He probably knew what he had done. And what did we encounter? “So I want to reconcile.”

Be stubborn. Think only, "We have to escape." If you want the money, take it. If you've paid the price for stupidity, then let it be. But don't "continue being stupid" absolutely. What we know is no longer good. Don't be patient with me. Because it will make us "permanently stupid" and be deceived repeatedly.

I called my mother to tell her after I decided to move. And my mother gave me the idea that "I'm doing the right thing" because tolerating things that are "not good" is the nature of stupidity. In this case, even though I have to "lose money" (which I don't think is a big deal), we still " Better,” which I accept.

Last night I came to update the blog. Because I really want to say "still alive" and it's like "dead and reborn." The new room isn't very warm. It's still cold. But I can lie down and really call it "living in my own place."

Hopefully this experience will be useful for everyone who wants to "find a dormitory abroad" and study abroad.

Now, “I'm really glad I made that decision.”