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Traditional Japanese Experiences at BORDERLESS HOUSE Events

At BORDERLESS HOUSE, we don’t just provide a place to live—we create an experience that brings Japanese culture to life. With residents from all over the world, we’re committed to making cultural exchange a big part of everyday life here.

Through unique events and activities, we help residents dive into traditional Japanese culture, making their stay in Japan even more special.
In this blog, we’ll share some of our favorite cultural events and how they make living in a share house in Japan more exciting, especially for foreigners in places like Tokyo.

Table of Contents

Rice Harvesting Adventure in Tochigi

On September 29, residents from BORDERLESS HOUSE in Tokyo gathered in Tochigi for a unique agricultural experience－rice harvesting!

Organized in collaboration with “WakuWakuOkome,” this event gave residents the rare chance to step into the fields and harvest rice themselves, learning about one of Japan’s oldest and most valued traditions.

This hands-on experience allowed everyone to connect with nature, learn about the hard work behind Japan’s staple food, and bond with housemates through a meaningful activity.

Events like these make living in a share house in Japan even more enriching, especially for foreigners eager to dive into Japanese culture and make memories outside the city.

Asakusabashi Omikoshi Festival 

Tenants from the Borderless House Asakusabashi share house joined the local community for the lively Omikoshi Festival, where they helped carry the traditional portable shrine, or mikoshi, through the streets.

This exciting event allowed our residents from different backgrounds to experience a unique aspect of Japanese culture up close, right in the heart of their neighborhood.

For many foreign residents at BORDERLESS HOUSE who are studying Japanese or have a strong interest in Japanese traditions, this festival offered a chance to engage in real language exchange. Conversations flowed in both English and Japanese, making it a true cultural exchange.

Through hands-on involvement, residents gained new perspectives on Japanese customs and deepened their understanding of local traditions. This event goes beyond just observing; it helps foreign residents at our Tokyo share houses feel more connected to the local community and to Japan as a whole.

Summer Festival Matsuri — Cooking Event 

Inspired by Japan’s lively summer festivals (Matsuri), BORDERLESS HOUSE hosted a cooking event where residents gathered to prepare some of Japan’s most popular festival foods.

Divided into small groups, residents learned how to make iconic dishes like takoyaki (octopus balls) and yakisoba (fried noodles), gaining hands-on experience with traditional Japanese cooking techniques.

The event wasn’t just about cooking; it was also a great chance for language exchange and meeting new people. Residents from various share houses in Tokyo joined, creating a vibrant atmosphere full of conversation, laughter, and shared experiences.

This interactive event captured the joyful spirit of Japan’s summer festivals, allowing residents to enjoy a piece of Japanese culture while building new friendships in a fun, festive setting.

Celebrating Japanese Traditions at BORDERLESS HOUSE

Through events like these, BORDERLESS HOUSE give residents the chance to experience traditional Japanese culture up close. These activities are more than just fun—they help everyone learn about Japan, make new friends, and feel more connected to their community.

Living at BORDERLESS HOUSE means joining a friendly, multicultural community where every event creates memories and friendships.If you’re excited to experience Japanese culture for yourself, we’d love to welcome you!



Visit our website to learn more about our share houses, including our new house in Kyoto Uji with a Japanese garden and tea room, and our upcoming big share house in Sendai, Tohoku in 2025. Come be a part of this unique experience!

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Savoring Autumn: A Gourmet BBQ Experience with Borderless House Community

Welcome back to Borderless House!

Today we’ll delve into more exciting community information from Borderless House Kansai.

In this blog, we’re spotlighting yet another engaging event for our residents – the ‘BBQ Networking Event’ held last November. This BBQ gathering, which saw enthusiastic participation from 15 residents, including both international and Japanese members, was a resounding success!

Let’s dive into a quick recap of the day’s lively happenings.

BBQ Networking Event Report

At this event, members from five different houses came together, making it a great chance to meet new friends from beyond our own houses.

The event was truly international! We had people joining from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Mexico, France, Austria, Hungary, and many other places.

We were really happy to have our residents’ friends join in too. It made the event even more fun for everyone.

Our BBQ took place at Expo ’70 Park in Osaka. We had a lovely sunny autumn day, and the park’s fall leaves were just gorgeous. It couldn’t have been better!

Once we all said hello to each other, it was time to start the BBQ. Chopping veggies, grilling meat – everyone did a great job. Living in a share house really shows; our teamwork was amazing!

At the BBQ, while we were eating, everyone talked about what life is like in their own share houses.

It was really interesting because we all live in different houses. We shared tips on how to make living together more enjoyable, using our own experiences. This kind of chat, which is really special to Borderless House, made the day even more fun.

After we finished the BBQ, we all went for a walk in the beautiful, green park to enjoy the autumn scenery.

It felt like we had known each other for a long time, even though we had just met that day. Everyone was saying things like, “I had a great time!” and “Thank you for inviting me!” It was a day filled with lots of smiles.

In Borderless House Kansai, we’ve had lots of different events!

We plan to tell you more about what we do in our blog posts coming up. We’d be really happy if you keep an eye out for our new updates!

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Game On! Building Friendships at Borderless House Exciting Board Game Night

Hi there! We’re back at Borderless House.

Today’s blog is about more fun stuff from Borderless House Kansai, right after our udon-making event!

This time, we’re excited to share the highlights from our board game meet-ups, held in October and November last year. Although we’re sharing this a bit later, last year was packed with fun events in Kansai, so stick around for more stories and laughs! 

Board Game Gathering in Kyoto, Japan!

For our latest event, we aimed to not only strengthen the bonds between our residents but also to help everyone get more comfortable with Japanese in a fun way. We believed that engaging in games and various activities would naturally spark conversations, making the idea of speaking Japanese less daunting.

We chose a board game café located close to one of our houses for the venue.

At the cafe, we were amazed by the towering stacks of board games, reaching almost up to the ceiling! The owner, with a collection from all around the world, helped us pick out the perfect games for our group.

For our October gathering, we went with a card game. The fun part? We had to quickly make up stories based on the pictures on the cards. Trying to do this in English added an exciting twist!

There was a buzz of anticipation as we all watched to see which card would be played next. Everyone’s eyes were glued to the players’ every move.

At the café, one of the regulars happened to be there and was so intrigued that they asked, “Can I join in?” Thanks to this, our October event turned into a lively session with about 10 people playing and having a great time!

The best part about these games is they’re just as fun whether you’re in a big group or a small one. They offer a great mix of excitement and the chance for deeper conversations. We’re definitely looking forward to hosting more of these events!

Over the past year, Borderless House Kansai has been bustling with various activities. We’re excited to keep sharing these experiences through our blog. Stay tuned for more updates, and we hope you enjoy following along!

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Experience Udon Making: A Community Event at BORDERLESS HOUSE Kansai!

Hello there! This is Borderless House, ringing in the New Year with you!

Happy New Year to everyone! As we kick off 2024, we’re excited to fill you in on what’s new at Borderless House in the Kansai region.

We run a network of 55 share houses in Japan, with 11 of them located in the vibrant Kansai area, which includes Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. Our share houses in Kansai may be fewer in number than in Tokyo, but they offer a close-knit and lively community feel that’s really special.

In this spirit, we’re thrilled to bring you a special feature on a highlight event from last year – the Udon Making Experience, proudly hosted by Borderless House Kansai!

Cooking Up Connections: Udon Making Workshop

We had a great time hosting an Udon Making Experience in the kitchen at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto.

The idea came from one of our university student residents who loves food. Before leaving our house, they wanted to do something fun and special with everyone.

The event was a big hit! We had 20 people join us, including international students from Ritsumeikan University and friends of our residents.

Udon is a popular dish that many people, including foreigners, enjoy eating. But making udon from scratch is something not many people, even in Japan, have tried. This event was a fun chance for everyone to try making udon themselves.

The best part of making udon? It was stepping on the dough!

It was a strange and fun experience to make food by stepping on it. This surprised everyone who joined in. We all stepped and pressed the dough very hard.

After stepping on the dough to make it firm, we rolled it out and cut it into noodles. Everyone was excited to try cutting the noodles, even though it was new for many of us.

We didn’t just make udon. We also tried making inari sushi and shiratama, a sweet dessert.

There were 20 of us, and we worked in teams. This way, everyone got to taste what we made. We all helped each other and worked well together in the kitchen!

Funny thing about the event – none of our team or student members had made udon before!

We were all starting from scratch. But we really wanted to make the event enjoyable for everyone. So here’s a little secret: we stayed up late the night before practicing how to make udon. Everyone got a good laugh when they heard about our last-minute training!

At Borderless House Kansai, we didn’t just stop at udon making. Throughout the past year, we organized a bunch of different events! We’re excited to share more stories and updates on our blog. We’d love it if you keep an eye out for our future posts and enjoy them!

 

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【Important Information about Rent and Contracts】Before Reserving Your Room!

Dear tenants and those who are interested in our share house,

Since 2014, BORDERLESS HOUSE TAIWAN has been at the forefront of the share house movement, pioneering a space where diverse cultures converge. Our aim has always been to provide a platform for language and cultural exchange, fostering a rich multicultural community that thrives on global connections.

To all of you who have supported and contributed to this incredible international community, we extend our heartfelt gratitude. It’s your presence that has made this journey so remarkable.

In our commitment to deliver excellence, we’re making a few adjustments to our management systems and pricing. We believe these changes will further enhance the quality of service we offer to each and every one of you.

Here are the specifics of these adjustments.

Utility Fee

Summer  (May – October): 1,200 NTD
Winter  (November – April): 800 NTD

Inclusions:

●Bills: Water, Electricity, Gas, Management Fee, Wi-Fi, TV Channels

●Life support: Basic cleaning tools, kitchen wares, household appliances, A/C & washing machine cleaning (once a year)

Two types of contracts to suit your needs:

1. 【Flexible Contract】
– You can cancel the contract earlier (with a 30-day notice).

2. 【One-Year Contract】
– Contract termination before the agreed-upon duration is NOT possible.
– If you choose to leave earlier, the remaining rent will need to be settled.

Now, you have two pathways to begin your BORDERLESS HOUSE journey

▶ Starting with the Flexible Contract
(Transitioning to a One-Year Contract later incurs a 1,000 NTD fee. The new contract’s commencement aligns with the original one.)

This option is ideal for:
✓ Short-term stays in Taipei
✓ Language school students
✓ Interns in Taipei
✓ First-timers in a Share House setup
✓ New job entrants in Taipei
✓ The curious ones seeking the Share House experience

 

▶ Starting with the One-Year Contract
(From the second year onward, it transitions to a Flexible Contract with the option to cancel early.)

This option suits those who:
✓ Plan for a long-term stay in Taipei
✓ Are university students
✓ Have previous experience with Share House living
✓ Maintain a stable job in Taipei
✓ Embrace the Share House lifestyle

A life lived in a Share House becomes a tapestry of unforgettable memories. Whatever your plans in Taipei may be, we encourage you to take this chance. 

For any queries, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our tenants and we are eagerly awaiting your arrival, ready to hear and share your stories!

For more insights:

【What is Share House?】 BLOG
【Find your share house】 House Locations
【How’s the share house life?】 INSTAGRAM

 

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Partnership｜BORDERLESS HOUSE × Global Overseas Education

Global Overseas Education

Global Overseas Education was founded in 1990 as a language school offering specialized courses in English, Japanese and Korean. In addition to language courses, they also offer a variety of other services. For example, they provide admissions counseling services, introduce Korean universities and language schools to international students, and offer a variety of experiential activities to give them a deeper understanding of local traditions and modern culture.

Experience the authentic Korean culture

< Living in Korea for a month >
1. Fee: USD 3,000
2. Course Description:
    face-to-face 1:1 lecture, 2 classes per week (50 minutes per class).
    The course is adapted to the student’s Korean level, even beginners can easily get started.
3. Accommodation provided:
    Single room suites, fully furnished with air conditioner, refrigerator, microwave, etc., located in the hottest area of Korea, Bucun.
4. Learn different Korean culture every week, including Korean traditional music, traditional art, K-Pop dance, crafts and TV station visits.
5. Airport pick-up service (only upon arrival)
6. Local people will introduce various local delicious food.
● Individual activities such as admission to the royal palace, musical concert, temple stay, hanok experience, DMZ, kimchi making experience, etc. will be charged separately.
●Transportation and tour guide fees will be charged separately.

< Living in Korea for a week > 
1. Fee: USD 1,000
2. Course Description:
    face-to-face 1:1 lecture, 2 classes (50 minutes per class).
    The course is adapted to the student’s Korean level, even beginners can easily get started.
3. Accommodation provided:
    Single room suites, fully furnished with air conditioner, refrigerator, microwave, etc., located in the hottest area of Korea, Bucun.
4. Learn different Korean culture, including Korean traditional music, traditional art, K-Pop dance, crafts (only choose one) and TV station visits.
5. Airport pick-up service (only upon arrival)
6. Local people will introduce various local delicious food.
● Individual activities such as admission to the royal palace, musical concert, temple stay, hanok experience, DMZ, kimchi making experience, etc. will be charged separately.
●Transportation and tour guide fees will be charged separately.

< 2 nights and 3 days in Korea > USD 500
1. Fee: USD 500
2. Course Description:
    face-to-face 1:1 lecture, 50 minutes.
    The course is adapted to the student’s Korean level, even beginners can easily get started.
3. Accommodation provided plus the breakfast with sandwiches :
    Single room suites, fully furnished with air conditioner, refrigerator, microwave, etc., located in the hottest area of Korea, Bucun.
4. Learning Korean Culture: Once (K-Pop Dance, Craft)
5. Airport pick-up service (only upon arrival)
6. Local people will introduce various local delicious food.
● Individual activities such as admission to the royal palace, musical concert, temple stay, hanok experience, DMZ, kimchi making experience, etc. will be charged separately.
●Transportation and tour guide fees will be charged separately.

Room’s pictures

Courses related photos

(K-pop Dance Course, Korean Traditional Art Course, Korean Traditional Music Course)

Contact Info

Company: Global Overseas Education 
Director: 金惠泳 KIM, Hye Young
Address: Rm. 201, Deoksoo B/D, 636-25 Yeoksam-Dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 06130 ,S. Korea (Post code:06130)
Tel: No. : +82-2-555-5332 / Mobile # : +82-10-3209-5271
Website: www.globaluhak.co.kr
E-mail : moonfeel1999@naver.com

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Towards a Society with Appreciation for Differences ▏A New Base – BORDERLESS STATION is opening!

Hello everyone, I am Seiichi Lee, the representative of BORDERLESS HOUSE Co., Ltd. Our company was founded in 2008, and the goal of our share house business is to create a multicultural society where people can mutually understand each other’s background regardless of race or nationality, and without prejudice or discrimination.

Almost 3 years into the pandemic, our business has been affected by COVID-19 due to the entry restrictions for foreigners to Japan, fortunately, the situation has gradually gotten better. Thus, we’ve started to create a place full of “Cross-cultural Understanding & Multicultural Coexistence”, which also will be a new base for people from around the world can gather together in Japan.

About the New Project


◆The approach to social problems

With the increased number of foreign tourists and foreign employees, the situation of “foreigners not being able to rent a house in Japan” has drastically improved in the past 10 years.

However, originally, the cause of this problem was because of the prejudice of people who think that “foreigners are different from us”, and I kindly ask you to think about it with us.


One of the surest ways to eliminate this kind of prejudice is to create an opportunity that allows everyone to interact with people from different backgrounds. 

We believe that through building relationships among people, we can learn about and embrace each other’s differences in values, in other words, foster mutual understanding.

In order to achieve that goal, BORDERLESS HOUSE has been offering the environment and experience of communal living.

We have also been proactive in building relationships between the residents and the local community, in order to provide local people with opportunities to encounter different cultures.

 “Share house” is our first step, but now, it’s time to take the next step with our new project.

What’s needed to create a multicultural society where people respect each other’s differences is to – not just learn about those differences but also directly interact with them. We believe that experience is necessary.

We have newly established a new center to provide this kind of opportunity to learn about “differences”. At the same time, we will create a community that is involved in different cultures.

This is our new project – BORDERLESS STATION.

The base of this new project is in Asakusabashi, Tokyo

We rented a guesthouse and cafe bar that was closed down due to COVID-19 and used the upper floors as a share house and the first floor as the base of this project.

It was a challenge for us to revive this place from the aftereffects of a pandemic with a new community and our vision.


※2For detailed information on the share house, click here＞＞

The Concept of BORDERLESS STATION

There are two main concepts in our new project.

The first one is to create a broadcasting booth to share a podcast on the theme of “Understanding the differences” and to communicate various topics on diversity.

The second one is to have a lounge space that will be used for various events and workshops that will provide opportunities to learn about different cultures.



①Broadcasting station for sharing information on the theme of diversity 

The theme of the broadcast is “Let’s start by learning!”

We will have a broadcasting channel that will help people get involved in diversity and cross-cultural understanding. We will invite guest speakers from different backgrounds and countries to share their stories.


Also, as the broadcasting booth will be facing the lounge, so it can be used for event broadcasting. We hope that this place can help the community to promote and communicate its vision and values. 

We would also like to provide an opportunity for young people who are struggling with problems of “minorities” and “identity”  to share their experiences in order to develop new values.

② Bar with a theme of Cross-cultural Understanding and Exchange

The bar with a daily theme is where people can gain a deeper understanding of diversity, arouse interest in cultural differences, and induce empathy with different values through “Participation and Discussion”

On Wednesdays and Thursdays, the shared kitchen will be operated by exotic restaurants. They would bring authentic and exotic cuisine home-cooked to BORDERLESS STATION.

So everyone can enjoy learning about the “differences” through “food”. We would like to use this shared kitchen as a gateway to different cultures. 

At the moment, an Argentinian restaurant has been selected to join us, and we are still accepting more partnerships with amazing restaurants!


Friday and Saturday will be a dining bar run by us, BORDERLESS HOUSE!

The dining bar is where you can enjoy food and drinks from various countries while adding diversity and multicultural-themed content to make it much more fun.

For example, on Fridays, we plan to have multicultural organizations and communities join us to share their activities and create a place where people can talk and think about how to make the world a better place together.

And on Saturdays, our multicultural residents of BORDERLESS HOUSE will be the host of the bar. There will be a place where people can encounter new values through workshops and fun activities that expose them to the cultures and values of different countries.

Speaking of the dining bar, it will be supervised by Okaneya-san, who is an explorer of the world’s kitchens, and she will offer “snacks from around the world” that cannot be found anywhere else!



※For more details about Okaneya-san, check here＞＞(Japanese only)

In this project, we wil also be working together with BORDERLESS HOUSE staff, residents, and partners to create a project that will allow us to get close to the local community. 

Based on these contents, we aim to make BORDERLESS STATION a place where anyone can easily have opportunities to learn about “differences” and get involved in the community.

(A community event planned by BORDERLESS HOUSE residents in May 2022)

※For the details of the event that is organized by Borderless House residents, check here.

*The details of the operating hours of BORDERLESS STATION will be announced later.

How to support this project (Sept 2022)

Rather than the relationship between a business owner and customers as a typical restaurant/bar, we would like to work as a community with people who can sympathize and share the same vision and thoughts with us. 

Also, this project is not just a business that expects a return on investment, but a social activity. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we would have to ask for your help to support this project.

Most important of all, we want to make it a place where everyone can make good use of it. I’ve decided to start with crowdfunding.

Click here for the crowdfunding page ＞＞＞
※We are sorry but since the webpage is only in Japanese, please click the right button on the mouse and translate the webpage to your preferred language if needed.

The support from crowdfunding will be used only for the initial start-up costs and does not cover any subsequent operating costs.

In addition to the existing business of share house approach as a place to nurture mutual understanding, this new community place – BORDERLESS STATION (abbreviated as B station) will be opened soon!

Thank you very much for your support!

Last Message

Our cross-cultural exchange project has had a very difficult time over the past two years due to borders closing. 

At the same time, in our society, we are facing the same problems as in the rest of the world, such as the hate against Asians due to the spread of COVID-19, BLM in the US, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the conflict between China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and the conflicts between countries, cultures, and ideologies.

These are big and serious problems that we cannot seem to confront, and for this reason, I believe that what we can do is foster mutual understanding among citizens, transcending each other’s values. Connecting and building relationships with people of different backgrounds and countries is more important now than ever before.

We at BORDERLESS HOUSE believe that creating such connections will sow the seeds of peace for the future, and we will continue to do so.

We look forward to your support.

 

 

 

 

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ASAKUSABASHI FESTIVAL! An event host by the tenants of Asakusabashi share house and local people from the neighborhood

Hello everyone! This is Picasso, a resident of Asakusabashi.

We held an event (festival!) at BORDERLESS HOUSE Asakusabashi on Sunday, May 29, 2022! This event is a cultural festival-like event where share house residents can enjoy eating, singing, listening, finding, and talking all at once, with the themes of “making things together” and “getting involved with the community”.

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Then, let me take you back to the event!

The event was planned and executed by all of the tenants at Asakusabashi House! 

Fun English Lesson!

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We also have an English lesson on the day that was taught by an American and an English native speakers of our Asakusabashi House residents. They were teaching English in a fun, game-like way!

There were many games that were not so common in Japan, such as games using cards and the body, but the children were very interested in them and had fun playing all of them.

Homemade smoothies

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Freshness is the key to smoothies! Vegetables, bananas, milk, and other ingredients are delivered freshly in the morning! It took some time to prepare all the ingredients, and the blender was even louder than we expected, so we had to reconsider the work area, but we still made it in the end!

We expected to serve 40 cups, and the smoothies’ popularity is beyond our expectations! Almost all of them were drunk by everyone. And after lunch, more smoothies were served.

This smoothie was very tasty, with a hint of greenery from the vegetables while retaining the fragrance of the banana.

Asakusabashi House Flea Market

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Asakusabashi House currently has 16 residents from 5 different countries.
We collected some original and interesting things from these 16 residents. When we looked through the items, we found a collection of DVDs of anime, travel books about other countries, as well as colorful clothing, and more!

We have tags attached to each item to tell you:
– what kind of people produced these items
– who donated them to us?
– what were the thoughts behind the items?

It was interesting to see the thoughts and meanings of each item.

Let’s make our own Watagashi (cotton candy)

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The watagashi machine became a trademark of this festival! This was a hands-on corner where visitors could operate the machine and make their own cotton candy and everyone enjoyed it, especially all the kids!

It was very impressive that children kept coming to the booth saying, “I want to make a cotton ball! One of our residents, Takumi carefully taught the children how to make them, and they all enjoyed making and eating their own unique style of watagashi.

Watagashi is actually difficult to make, even for adults, so I am impressed to see the kids try their best to learn how to make it! Regardless of the shape of the cotton candy they made, the event was very lively because the children seemed to be having fun with this experience.

Compost & Soil Improvers – Eco Sustainable Solutions

In our daily lives, we produce garbage constantly. With the composter, by putting food scraps into the soil with microorganisms, the microorganisms eat and digest the food scraps, then return them to the soil where plants can grow again.

In this event, we tried putting the food scraps from our daily life into the LFC compost box and putting pepper and marigold seeds into the composter. And now, we still continue doing it at Asakusabashi share house.

On the day of the event, small seedlings emerged from the seeds, indicating that the soil had actually been revived. We hope that this event will provide an opportunity for people to think about the waste produced in our daily lives.

Free Lunch!

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The lunch was a keema curry that has sticky rice and crispy edamame beans. The keema curry was super delicious, not too spicy, and very easy and smooth to eat. The lunch was free of charge on the day of the event.

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The lunch was also made by our tenants from Asakusabashi House! The curry was made with soybean meat, which is environmentally friendly. It was a satisfying yet tasty curry that gives people a chance to think about what they eat as well!

Desserts from overseas

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All the desserts were lined up for everyone to enjoy. Each of them is different and none of the sweets were left! All kinds of desserts were so delicious that once I started eating them, I just couldn’t stop.

Live Singing by Mayowa

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It was a hot and warm afternoon on the day of the festival, and the live show started with songs that make you feel relaxed.

Mayowa had performed a solo show two days prior to the festival. So he was already an accomplished MC, he performed a wide range of acts, including looper* to liven things up, and ukulele! He’s so talented! All residents danced together during the final performance called “September”, it was so fun and full of energy! I really like the energetic vibes of the house.

Lastly

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From left to right: Pikaso (reporter), Ryosuke (CM), Yuki (staff & former resident)

Until the festival was held, I wondered how many participants would show up? We were talking about what we would do if no one showed up at all… but when the lid was opened, so many people were there, and we were very grateful and had a lot of fun.

Even though Asakusabashi Share House is still very new, many people and the people of the Yanagibashi area graciously accepted us, making it a day we were much appreciated for.

This festival was the first of many we have planned, and we hope to hold more interesting events on a regular basis with the themes of “making things together” and “getting involved with the community”.

Thank you for reading this to the end!

If you want to see more details about this event, please check HERE! (in Japanese) 
Here are more blog articles that are written by our residents from Asakusabashi Share House!

 

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Language Exchange｜How should I prepare for Language Exchange and practice speaking?

Do you want to practice your speaking skills for free through “Language Exchange” and meet new foreign friends, but don’t know where to start preparing? Or have you tried “Language Exchange” before, but after encountering some difficulties in the process, and you just left it at that?

Then this article on language exchange prep will help you a lot!

What is Language Exchange?

Language Exchange is a reciprocal activity in which you practice the language that you are learning by chatting with a native speaker or someone who is fluent in that language. In addition, to quickly improve your speaking skills, you can also learn cultural knowledge not found in textbooks and make new friends, which is a great way to kill two birds with one stone.

Am I a good candidate for language exchange?

When you want to practice a language through Language Exchange, here are some tips you can check to see if you are a good candidate.

1) What is your purpose? Do you really want to practice the language? Or do you just want to meet foreign friends?

Because Language Exchange is not mandatory, there must be a strong motivation to learn each other’s language in order to be sustainable.

2) How is your language ability?

Usually, I suggest that it is better to have at least a daily conversation level, so that you can correct and improve your speech step by step during the conversation. Otherwise, it is easy to keep speaking only one language with each other.

3) Do you like to interact with people?

In fact, Language Exchange is also a kind of meeting internet friend activity, whether online or face-to-face, the first meeting will inevitably be awkward. So before participating in Language Exchange, you can ask yourself, do you want to meet a new stranger? Will you be curious about your partner?

What to prepare before Language Exchange?

The preparation content will vary depending on the length of time you work with your language partner, and is divided into early and late stages：

Early-stage：

1) Confirm meeting time and language appointment (1 hour of full Chinese conversation, 1 hour of full foreign language conversation). And set an alarm before you start so that you don’t forget to change the language when you’re having too much fun conversation.

2) Usually, the first meeting is just about introducing yourself, why are you learning this language? What are your hobbies? Where have you traveled to? What kind of music do you prefer? Basically, it’s the same as a blind date, in the process of talking to each other to find out what you have in common and whether we have a mutual connection because this part will also affect the subsequent contact.

Late-stage：

When you get to know your partner better, you will gradually start to run out of topics to talk about, so it is very important to prepare some beforehand.

1) Note down any problems of language learning that you have, such as being unsure how to translate a sentence or whether there is a more authentic way to say it. You can also bring your own textbooks or assignments and discuss your questions together.

2) If you have a grammatical problem, try not to ask a native speaker, because they usually don’t know how to explain it, either. Unless the partner major in linguistics, otherwise a lot of time will be wasted trying to explain grammar.

3) Share something interesting that happened recently, or any interesting articles, news, videos, cultural differences or interesting topics to discuss. It is better to have questions with a little depth, such as environmental protection or social issues, so that you can practice expressing your own ideas, and hear the results of your partner’s opinions from different perspectives.

4) Write an exchange diary! Language Exchange is not only to practice speaking, writing is also a very important part of it. You can write a short article about your reading experience or a movie afterthought. Gradually your writing skills will be greatly improved without you even realizing it!

5) Let’s hang out together! Hiking, movies, museums, whatever you and your friends like to do, invite your language partner to go with you as well! Since you’re going out together, you don’t have to be too strict about which language you speak for how long, so just switch between them! Be flexible!

6) Register for the language test and get certified! You can practice for the content of the exam, with specific topics and sentence patterns. When you are under pressure, you will be more prepared for each Language Exchange!

What should I pay attention to during Language Exchange?

1) When introducing to each other, observe the language level of your partner and adjust your speaking speed according to the language level, pronouncing your words as clearly and standardly as possible.

2) When practicing the language, instead of expressing yourself in your native language, ask more questions so that your partner can answer his/her thoughts more often. For example: Why? What do you think? What would you do?…etc. Try to use these questions often.

3) Use the cloud notepad to record words or sentences during the meeting, so that you can easily re-read them afterward.

Where can I find a Language Exchange partner?

Nowadays there are many ways to find language exchange partners, through mobile apps, websites, or by staying in a multicultural share house.

APP& Website recommendation：

1) Hello Talk: You can send texts, voice messages, voice calling, and video calling, and you can also help each other fix sentences, translate, and other auxiliary functions. You can also upload pictures and short articles. The overall function is very similar to Instagram.

2) Tandem: It is very similar to the function of HelloTalk, except that this app will actively send the notification about the info of other members to increase the chance of matching.

3) HiNative: It is a Q&A platform where you can ask questions about grammar, wording differences, or articles, and there are usually enthusiastic answers from native speakers.

4) BORDERLESS HOUSE: It is a multicultural share house with locals and they also organize a variety of events and provide free Language Exchange opportunities from time to time.

BORDERLESS HOUSE is an international, multicultural share house with locals. There are 17 houses in Taipei City and overseas branches in Tokyo, Osaka(Japan), and Seoul(South Korea).

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House Sharing Will Be A Good Way Of Living To Save Money

When moving to a new country, people have to start their lives out. They have a new job, must meet new people, make some friends, and they live in different surroundings. As exciting as it sounds, it can also be exhausting to adjust to everything new at once. It will also undoubtedly be expensive.

According to most foreigners that have moved to foreign countries, the biggest challenge that they faced after the move was finding accommodations. Some people end up at expensive studio apartments due to a lack of choice, others have to compromise on the locality of the apartment or pay high rents to enjoy a comfortable stay.

Not every house owner in east Asian countries is willing to rent their place to foreigners, and even then most of them ask for a local cosigner to guarantee on behalf of the tenant. The language and the cultural gap make local people feel that foreigners won’t understand them or get along with them. This is why they make no compromises on security money and ask for higher rents from foreigners.

Making a move can be an extensive and life changing task, which often disheartens people. Without friends and family around, they find it difficult to conduct an apartment search.

The solutions to all of the problems faced during apartment searching are offered by share houses. Share houses are rental houses with multiple rooms available for rent. While people have separate rooms, they also have common areas like the living room and kitchen. Share houses are mostly found in cities where the number of foreigners living in the city is high. The primary goal of a share house is to make sure that foreigners do not find it difficult to adjust to the new country.

Compared to apartments, share houses are a cheaper alternative for a comfortable accommodation. Along with clean rooms and basic amenities, share houses provide an opportunity for foreigners to make friends in the city.

People living at share houses are able to save money and have more flexibility in terms of the contract. If you’re on a small budget and are considering a move to countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, you might want to go through this article on how house-sharing could be a good way of living to save money.

Avoid Long Contract Periods

Most apartment rental contracts are signed for one year. The tenants have not experienced life in those apartments before signing the agreement. This is why when they experience some challenges living there, they are unable to move as they are bound by the contract. If they have to move by breaking the contract, they might have to pay a penalty.

Moreover, if you are required to move back to your country or some other place due to unexpected circumstances, then you will have to break the contract and will be charged.

Living in a share house is more flexible in situations like these. When living at a share house, if you do not like the place you are at, you can easily move out. Share houses are rented for shorter periods of time, so if you’re moving to a foreign country only for 6 months, staying at a share house could be your best money-saving bet.

Most share houses offer a room for the minimum stay of 1 month. Even if you are asked to sign a yearly contract, it will include a clause that if you give 30-45 days notice before moving out, then you will not be charged a penalty for moving out with less than a month’s notice. This offers relief to tenants who are unsure about the period of their stay in the nation.

Fully-Furnished Rentals

When having moved to a new apartment, you will need to furnish it as soon as possible for normal life to begin. Some of the furniture and appliances that you will need during your stay include a bed, table, cupboard, refrigerator, washing machine, water heater, air conditioning, etc. Buying furniture and appliances is a big investment. These items will likely cost you around one month’s rent.

Share houses are fully-furnished to ensure comfort. Every room has a bed and cupboard, whereas the common rooms, kitchen, and bathrooms are equipped with all the required furniture and appliances.

When someone moves to a share house, they only need to carry their everyday personal belongings. They do not need to spend money on furniture or decor and therefore are able to save money. They are able to use appliances that they might not have purchased themselves if they were to rent a private apartment. For example, a washing machine.

When they move to another country, they do not have to worry about selling or transporting furniture and appliances. This takes a lot of cost load that they are already bearing, off of their shoulders.

 

Free Internet

Whether you are a student, working professional, or tourist, the internet is a necessity for everyone. It helps people stay connected, updated, and entertained. To enjoy seamless internet connectivity, most people have Wi-Fi installed at their apartments.

Setting up the internet at your apartment will be some cost to you. You will also have to pay some extra cost in the beginning. There are not many landlords that will provide free internet to their tenants. However, share houses offer free internet connectivity to all its housemates at no extra cost.

The cost of the internet is already included in the monthly rent. The internet connectivity is strong and the housemates can enjoy smooth surfing. Access to the internet is limited to the housemates to avoid usage by outsiders which would cause poor connectivity.

Less Initial Fees

Share house managers do not expect you to pay a few months’ rent as deposit or downpayment. The initial fee is comparatively much lower than what is charged by apartment landlords. This enables most people to expand their budget and rent a room at a luxury share house. They are even able to spend money on sightseeing around the new country.

The initial fee at the BORDERLESS HOUSES is more reasonable compared to a typical apartment or condominium.

It does not matter which country you move to, the brokerage costs are usually high. While brokers are quite efficient at finding accommodations, they are often working in their best interests rather than yours. When renting a share house, you can eliminate the need for hiring a broker. Share houses are easy to find as they usually have an online presence. When renting a room at a share house, you will not have to hire a broker and can directly contact the manager. This will help you save some money.

Lower Rents

With the increase in the number of foreigners coming to east Asian countries and local people moving to industrial areas, cities are getting crowded. This has led to a hike in rental prices in the city. For example, on average, renting an apartment in a good Taipei locality will cost you somewhere between 18,000NTD to 26,000NTD per month. The rent will depend on the city that you live in, the size of the apartment, proximity to the market or MTR stations, and the amenities offered.

The monthly rent of staying a share house is lower than that of renting an apartment. If you have a low budget, you can also rent a bed in a shared room or dormitory. This way, you will be able to use all the house amenities, without having to pay for a private room.

The deposit is lower at share houses and the maintenance fee is reasonable. What’s more, most share houses are located near train stations and in low-crime localities. They offer easy connectivity to most places in the city and do not empty the tenant’s pockets.

Conclusion

Quite evidently, the process of finding an accommodation in Taiwan for reasonable prices can be an exhausting task. Add to that the expenses that come with moving to a new place, like buying home appliances and paying maintenance costs. However, worry not, because you can always rent a room at a share house and save yourself some money.

BORDERLESS HOUSE is a share house company with many share houses in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. The ratio of local people and foreigners at these share houses is kept equal. The motto of the company is to welcome the people that stay there and ensure their comfort. At BORDERLESS HOUSE, the rooms are rented at affordable prices, and the company offers shared rooms and dorms for people with lower budgets.

If you have recently moved to Taiwan and are looking for accommodation to ensure a comfortable stay, you can reach out to us at BORDERLESS HOUSE.

Share House List: https://reurl.cc/nn1Mpd