Settling in and Making New Friends

When I first received the news that I was accepted to the exchange program at Waseda University, my next concern was, “where will I live in Tokyo?” As a one-year international exchange student I had three options: 

1. If my student housing application is accepted, I can live in an international student dormitory with a ten to 15 minute walk to and from campus.
2. If my student housing application is rejected, I can get assistance from Waseda University to search for an apartment or private-operated dormitory with a 30 minute to one-hour train commute to campus.
3. Or I can apply for “homestay”, where I would live in the home and care of a Japanese host family with a 30 minute to one-hour train commute to campus. 

I submitted my student housing application and was accepted to live in Waseda Hoshien's international students dormitory, which is about a ten minute walk from campus. Some students prefer the homestay option because it provides constant opportunities for language learning immersion, since you get to share meals and build a friendship with the host family.

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