International House

<p>Has anyone ever lived in an International House instead of campus housing? </p>

<p>I was wondering about the good and the bad sides of living with such a diverse group of students? The I-House in Philadelphia has students from U Penn, Drexel, Temple and other Phila colleges as well as from all over the world.</p>

<p>^^^ bump ^^</p>

<p>My sister lived in the i-house in philly this past year. She did not like it very much because it was far from her school and creepy foreign graduate students would try to hit on her. She is getting an apartment for the upcoming year. I would recommend you use your school's dorms if they are available because you will meet more people from your school.</p>

<p>im not familiar with international house. i want to live in the international dorms next year though.</p>

<p>I stayed in Chicago's for three days. It was pleasant enough with nice rooms. But small.</p>

<p>I expected pancakes</p>

<p>
[quote]
I expected pancakes

[/quote]

Likewise .</p>

<p>^^IHOP is only good if it's like really late and you have been drinking. I had it one day at like 10:30am and it was nasty.</p>

<p>This international house concept seems odd to me because I guess it's people from different schools living there. Wouldn't that be a long commute? I think that OU has international housing or something like that, but I thought it was intended for language majors or something. It would be neat to live with people from different countries, but at the same time it would kinda suck.</p>

<p>No...no relation to IHOP (pancake house)</p>

<p>The i-house website says:

[Quote]
Here, more than 350 residents from over 80 countries, including the US, are part of a warm, friendly and supportive residential community where cultural and ethnic differences are shared and celebrated.

[/Quote]
</p>

<p>I was just hoping for the inside scoop like mymo posted above.</p>

<p>
[quote]
creepy foreign graduate students would try to hit on her.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Because they're foreign it creeped her out? I'm sure she wouldn't have minded if she found them attractive.</p>

<p>not because they were foreign, because she was a freshman and they were like 40+ years old. Sorry I left that part out.</p>

<p>I'm about to move into the I House at UC Berkeley as an undergrad this year. This I House only allows upper division undergrads to live there with the grad students. I've heard it is great place to live with very friendly people. It is right across the street from the campus, and only Berkeley-affiliated people can live there. So, I guess we are a bit luckier here in that respect, but looked at the websites for the other I Houses in the States and found them to be similar in many ways. Perhaps it would be better for a junior or senior level or re-entry student to live at one than a freshman, though.</p>

<p>MOved into Philly I-House, so far so good. Negative,- the rooms are small. No fitness center. The other students are nice but it takes effort to get to know them, some of the language/culture barriers make things go slower and the similar ethnic groups stick together. Positives, housekeeping cleans the common areas in the suites. Students only do their own rooms. Another good thing... Location, location, location, right on the edge of Penn campus and safe walking distance to EVERYTHING. Same price range or less than other campus apartment complexes (for 1/2 of a shared apt) except these small rooms are singles. 24hr in house securiity, Many activities are right in the building including a little coffee/sandwich shop. Wawa and restaurants across the street and 7-11 around the corner. Some students walk across the street to a Penn and buy a meal plan. Oh yes, fantastic view of the Phila skyline from the upper floors.</p>

<p>I'll post again if the social life improves. It's an apartment atmosphere, not a dorm atmosphere.</p>

<p>Oh, it's on Chestnut? That's not too bad at all. I'd never heard of it, though.</p>

<p>Stayed one semester and moved out. Socially - not what I expected. Ethnic groups stick together. The people running the place lack warmth. Rules, rules, rules...if you forget your key-you pay to get your door opened, deposits for a vacuum, or a cart to move stuff. i guess for a international grad student, the place is good, for a typical US undergrad looking for diversity...this doesn't cut it.</p>