Upon arriving at college a few weeks ago, my roommate turned out to be a no-show. I was excited at first, having an entire suite to myself. But after a few days, I began getting homesick and lonely, because I couldn't just walk out into the living room and my parents and cats be waiting on me. Most of my friends live in a dorm on the other side of campus, so I tried to figure out what I could do to alleviate this problem.
I thought about it for a day or two, and then I found out that the exchange students in my dorm had requested they be given American roommates, because they couldn't learn much by living with people from their home country. I decided to speak to the students, and then my Resident Advisor, and it was all set, I was to get an international roommate.

That's how I ended up rooming with Chae YuHwa, an adorable South Korean girl, and quite possibly the nicest person I've ever met. She is extremely polite, and enthusiastic about improving her English and experiencing American culture. Even when I make a blanket statement like "You can use the fridge anytime, it's not like my stuff takes up the entire thing", she still asks each time, and thanks me for letting her.

Also, my connection with YuHwa has helped me to interact with the other South Korean girls, even in situations where other students haven't been able. When she introduces me as her roommate, their faces light up, and they always smile and wave when they see me.

I've been learning about her culture along the way, too. She tells me all about day to day Korean culture, beyond what one would get from a textbook. Her mother makes her special soup for her birthday, and she loves Chinese food. "Gummy" sounds like the Korean word for "spider". She's even taught me a few words of Korean.

I couldn't have asked for a better roommate than YuHwa, and the experience has been amazing so far. I can't wait for the holidays, and to expose her to more American food and ways to pass the time. I am the only person on campus who is not a member of the exchange program who took an international roommate, and I'll never understand why.