Anyone at BNU fall '09?

[blink]

If any of you are here yet we should get together for coffee before the whole registration debacle starts. How about Wednesday or Thursday?

[hanxue]

Hey guys, I've received a 1-semester Confucius Scholarship for BNU and will be going there for the spring semester next year. I'd appreciate if you guys could keep this thread updated with what's going on at BNU, how the classes are, and everything else!!

[blink]

FYI near the elevators in dorm 3 is a table with students who will help you with... well probably anything. When I went by there this afternoon their was a Japanese speaker and an English speaker named Clive. He went with me to the China mobile service center a few doors down to get the PUK (personal unlock code) for my locked SIM. (I tired at the wumei where I bought it and got laughed at definitely beyond my Chinese ability)

They'll be there until thursday evening and then I think again during registration.

[amazing grace]

You are lucky that you have such helpful and friendly students. The ones here at Xinsong weren't particularly helpful yesterday. Unfortunately the single rooms in No.3 and No.2 dormitories are fully booked. I have put my name on the reserve list for both. Fingers crossed that they will have rooms... Just a tip for future students who want a single room- reserve your room online as soon as you can! That being said, I have a lovely flatmate (I think so, we've only known each other for half an hour) She is Thai and her mandarin is amazing. We speak (or rather she speaks and I try) mandarin.

Blink- I would love to meet up over the weekend if you are free? (And anyone else who wants to of course!) I will pm you my phone number. Please give me a call!

[bigtops]

Yeah, this flatmate thing is a pain. I've been out of school on my own for awhile and haven't shared a double in years. Ah the joys of tiptoeing around so as not to wake the snoring man three feet away from me at 10:30 in the morning. The joys of being woken by the tiptoeing man at 10:30 at night. The joys, the joys. How I missed them. I, too, am on the waiting lists for singles because I was pre-registered for Number 1 Int'l Student Dorm as a scholarship recipient. Last year I had a friend here at BNU and he was under the impression that it would be easy to find a single, but now it seems that may not be the case. Anybody who went here recently have thoughts on that?

I may wanna think about moving out if nothing comes up, but that brings up a $$ question... What is the cheapest accomodation one's gonna get in this area? I don't need much more'n a bed, not even a kitchen.

Also, how did you new guys register for the internet? I was told by my department (Chinese language) that I have to wait until the 19th.

[adrianlondon]

It might have changed since 2006/2007 but my experience is that compared to a single room on campus, if you're staying for a year you'll save money by renting a studio or small one-bed off campus.

If you're only there for one semester then it's tricky as most lets would be for 6 months minimum and you'll pay a premium for a shorter one. It can be done, though.

You could check websites for a flatshare (such as thebeijinger.com)

[bigtops]

Yeah, I figure it'd be cheaper, too, but since I'm here on CSC money I have a housing subsidy I can use only in the dorm system--if I take a BNU simple single I'm only paying 15rmb a day, or about 500rmb a month. Before I walk into Wo Ai Wo Jia, what do locals pay for a very basic one room/studio around here? I doubt it can be what people are asking on The Beijinger seeing.

[blink]

Internet is 100Y a month. The office is in dorm one (the scholarship student's dorm) on the second floor. Take the stairs in the lobby not the ones that lead to the rooms. Its next to the Japanese restaurant. It's not wireless - you have to have a cable which you can buy at the desk in dorm 3 for 20Y.

BTW At least some of the doubles in dorm three are like mine - A/B apartments. They have a shared livingroom and bathroom, but separate bedrooms. All the good things about having a roommate without sharing a room.

[bigtops]

Hah! I love it. One of the volunteer helpers sent me to the Technology Building for internet. They sent me to my department. My department says it's a no go. Then it turns out I can get hooked up by walking downstairs? Pretty funny.

[imron]

Welcome to China

[adrianlondon]

The internet's quite slow. And it doesn't get any slower if you share a connection. I know it's only 100y but if you get a wireless router and password protect it, you can share the cost with your flatmate and probably your neighbours too.

[amazing grace]

I completely understand the room sharing thing- I shared for one night and it was ok but I can imagine it being a pain in the long run. I have now moved rooms and am at No. 3 dormitories which are much much nicer! Just decided to chance it this morning and walked in to "enquire" about the waiting list that I had registered on a couple of days ago. The lady said there were rooms available, went to see one and here I am! They were calling people on the waiting list when I was there so if you've put your name down, they may still get in touch. Although I would just just go to the dorm you want and ask as adrianlondon had recommended. The other single here is still free so I'm sure there are others in this building that are free too. I went to see the rooms in No. 2 as well and the room I saw was quite like the one I'm in now. Like blink said, you share a bathroom, living room and have your own (lockable) single room.

bigtops- Did you get the blue brochure with a breakdown of the rooms? According to that there are only 26 single rooms in No. 1. No. 2 has 96 singles. No. 3 has 292 singles and 59 apartments (2 singles, 1 bathroom and 1 living room) So it's definitely worth checking the other dorms out if you are willing to pay more.

[imron]

but if you get a wireless router

Which is probably going to cost the difference of what you would each save

[cui ruide]

how's everyone's temperature checks going? ;p

[adrianlondon]

Each person who shares the internet will save 100y a month, so 400y a semester. I can get a wireless router here in London for under £20, they must be dirt cheap in zhongguancun.

[imron]

Ah, didn't read the part where it was 100 RMB a month.

[bigtops]

Ah, you lucked out Grace. I popped in today and no luck at number three or number two... Do I take it you mean that all of the doubles in both buildings actually have single bedrooms? I've never seen that brochure and from what they said at number three it sounded like they also have doubles where you share bedrooms, but maybe I got that wrong. Guess I'll have to keep checking in.

[adrianlondon]

I don't think No3 has any shared bedrooms. There are small "apartments" which consist of two small bedrooms, a small living area (with two seater sofa, TV and fridge) and bathroom with actual bath (the individual studio rooms only have a shower).

Apart from where the cleaners live - I think they are four to a room!

[amazing grace]

No there are no doubles here in no. 3 but there are in no. 2 according to the brochure. Someone came to look at the other room today so it looks like the place will fill up. Hopefully I'll get a flatmate cos it was getting a bit lonely! Big tops- have you put your name on the waiting list?

adrianlondon- what's it like here in the winter? are the dorms warm enough or should I be prepared for the cold?

[adrianlondon]

I was plenty warm enough. The heating in winter and the aircon in summer both work well.

My Indonesian flatmate did complain about being cold and used to walk around in those horrid looking thermal underwear outfits you'll see for sale everywhere as soon as the temperature dropped. I'm from London though, not Indonesia, and had no problems at all with the temperature. It only dropped to -9C when I was there and it stayed very dry; I felt warmer than when London gets to 1 or 2 degrees but damp.

It took a few days for me to get a flatmate in Dorm 3 too. At first a Japanese guy moved in, but he ran off as soon as he saw me! Then an Indonesian guy moved in and that was fantastic. He'd come as part of a big group, some of whom had been studying at BNU for a year or more. I instantly had friends and help finding my way around.