Q. Why did you decide to join U Share?
In fact, due to my mandatory military service, I lived at U Share during two separate periods: 2022–2023 and again from 2025 onward. After temporarily leaving Japan for military service, there was a clear reason why I chose U Share once more. It offers a unique opportunity to learn about diverse cultures from around the world — without ever needing a passport.
In 2022, many Japanese students were living at U Share, which gave me a valuable opportunity to learn about Japanese culture — something I had never experienced before. At the same time, interacting with residents of various other nationalities allowed me to broaden my cultural perspectives.
I would recommend U Share to international residents who want to immerse themselves more deeply in Japanese culture, as well as Japanese students preparing for an overseas exchange program.
Q. Was there any interaction with other residents that left a strong impression on you?
What stood out to me most was the diversity of cultures. My interactions with Swiss residents are particularly memorable — one was a French speaker and the other a German speaker, so we communicated in English, which allowed me to naturally join the conversation. I also learned Cantonese through conversations with a Malaysian friend, and even shared ingredients such as sambal sauce with a Singaporean resident.
After moving into U Share, I went on to travel to more than 30 countries, and I believe this share house played a significant role in helping me overcome any hesitation toward multicultural environments.
Beyond learning about other cultures, I was also able to share my own — helping Japanese residents who were interested in learning Korean, and introducing them to Korean ingredients and food culture.
Q. What lessons or personal growth did you gain from dorm life?
What I gained the most was the ability to accept differences. These differences often appear in daily routines and eating habits — for example, many French people tend to eat dinner late, while Japanese people place a strong emphasis on privacy. Beyond nationality, each individual has their own lifestyle and values, making it important to adapt to one another when living together.
I also learned how to communicate with others. East Asians often tend to be reserved in interpersonal relationships, but this experience taught me to break out of that pattern — by initiating small talk and actively building rapport.
Q. Finally, a message for students considering U Share?
I would recommend U Share to anyone who needs international experience or wants to engage with multicultural environments in a more accessible way. Beyond that, it offers the opportunity to build meaningful connections — some of the Japanese residents I met in 2022 are people I still keep in touch with today. Many of them are senior to me in both life and professional experience, and there is much to learn from their perspectives. I am confident that living at U Share is a valuable experience that enhances both social skills and language abilities.