Vamos a la resi - Living in a Residence hall

Some programs may allow you to live in a residence hall or with a host family. I chose a residence hall and here is my guide on how to live in the residence hall in Salamanca. I personally felt as though the residence hall would allow me more freedom and personal space. Not only as a queer person but also as an introverted homebody. 

The Kitchen:

It was a bit hard to know which knob was for which place, but I figured it out. You must turn the knob on the far-right side to turn on the timer to turn the power on which is indicated by the red light being on. Then I placed a pot of water on the stove closest to the knobs. Then I turned the knob on the left side and let it heat up until I saw the water boil. This indicated that it was the right knob for that stove plate. Aside from that the microwave and refrigerator were easy. However, I did have to defrost the freezer part as there was a lot of ice built up. I also enjoyed cooking meals for myself. I quite like the fact that the kitchen has kitchenware instead of having to buy our own things to be able to cook.

Laundry:

The residence hall has a laundry service with multiple machines, all for 2.5 euros per load. It was a bit hard to figure out since they have older drying machines which take almost all day to dry. Sometimes it does not even dry after being in the dryer for 3-hours. What I have learned is that the third dryer works best, and the newer washing machines are incredible. They never need more than one tide pod and wash everything well. If you want to save on the drying and do not mind waiting you can buy a foldable clothes hanger rack. This way you save on the laundry fees and many other residence students do it too.

Cleaning:

There are two things you can do to keep your room clean. You can buy some cleaning supplies and clean yourself. Or you can pay to have your room cleaned weekly through the residence hall. It is a monthly payment and a weekly cleaning. This does not include the kitchen. However, it is quite easy to clean the small space with simple dust wipes and some disinfectant wipes.

Food:

As I mentioned, having a kitchen allows you to cook your own meals. So, it is important to have some cooking skills, but you can also resort to buying preheated meals. I personally loved the Carretilla brand from Carrefour. But Dia and Gadis also have good selections of premade meals. Some are very nutritious and not just ramen. I also love the Market & Bakery around the corner. You also get a meal card to use in three dining halls. Two of which are close to the residence hall.

Social Life:

It is quite easy to go out and hang with people at late hours. There is no curfew for the building and if you have your keys to enter the building you can come and go. This is very nice for extroverted people that want to embrace the Spanish party culture. IES Abroad Salamanca has events to meet other residence students as well which is helpful in meeting new people outside of the program.

In conclusion, the residence hall has many benefits when thinking about studying abroad. Of course, staying with a host family also has its benefits, especially to immerse yourself more in your new environment.