Staying in Chinese University Dorms

[roddy]

I think we've had a couple of posts recently where people have been asking if it's possible to stay in Chinese university dorms - ie, the ones for actual Chinese students, rather than the 'international' foreign stduent dorms. Eg.

I suspect this isn't actually as easy as might be thought, as a) these dorms are geared up to the Chinese students and those running them aren't likely to be that keen on foreigners - perhaps perceived as being in various ways more difficult to keep happy, and B) the dorms are presumably there to provide cheap accommodation to Chinese students, and it's kind of understandable if foreign students aren't meant to be taking up those places.

There are programs (CET in Harbin?) which assign you a Chinese roommate, but that's kind of different - you're not in the standard Chinese uni dorms.

So has anyone actually managed to wangle themselves into Chinese university dorm? And how long did you last?

[nazreal]

Interestingly in my search for a room I was taken, by an agent, to view a room shared with a Chinese student at Tsinghua. The flat originally belonged to a teacher who was leasing it to the student and he needed an extra lodger. Now I don't know if all Chinese student accommodation/teacher accommodation for that matter is similar but the place was truly quite something. There was a strong stench of gas from the kitchen, unsanitary wash areas, pretty dirty and dusty.

Needless to say, with my, I guess you could say, foreign hygiene standards, didn't accept the room. I haven't seen the rooms for foreign students but I expect they'd be a far cry from what I did see....and even that is a generalisation in itself as I only saw one flat.