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No War ━ Hope for a Peaceful Future ━

The Russian military invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.

We at BORDERLESS HOUSE believe that fostering mutual understanding across national boundaries is the key to sowing the seeds of peace and deterring conflict in the world, and we have nurtured a business that provides a place for international exchange.
Since the start of our business in 2008, more than 10,000 young people from 111 countries have lived together at BORDERLESS HOUSE and fostered mutual understanding. Of course, there are many Russian and Ukrainian residents among them.

While there are various ideologies, value systems, and ways of defending one’s country, the fact is that these clashes are now taking place in the form of war. Many innocent people are suffering. We are speechless when we think of the peo[;e who must be suffering in this situation.

I am absolutely against the use of force and war for any reason. “No War”

Our hearts go out to all those who have suffered from this tragedy, and we only hope that peace will come as soon as possible.

What we can do.

Amidst the worsening situation and social unrest, the government’s border control measures against the COVID have been lifted and allowed foreign students, who had long been denied entry to Japan, to resume their studies in Japan, and many of them will return to live in Japan as foreign citizens. Although it has only been a few days since the ban was lifted, we are grateful to have received many requests from international students who want to live with various people in Japan.

We, BORDERLESS HOUSE, will continue to nurture our business more wholeheartedly for the realization of a society where foreign citizens can live in peace, and where people with different upbringings, backgrounds, and values can live together peacefully.

This may sound like mere idealism in the face of the tragedies happening in the world today. Some may think it is meaningless because of how little we can do.

Nevertheless, we at BORDERLESS HOUSE believe that we, the citizens of the world, rather than the leaders of governments and countries, should be the ones to continue to nurture the bonds of friendship that transcend national boundaries, and that this is a sure step toward world peace. We will continue to work on this.

We will continue to work for a peaceful future.
Above all, we express our condolences for all the lives lost in this conflict and sincerely hope that no more precious lives will be sacrificed.

Borderless House
Representative – Seiichi Lee
All staff members

 

Lastly, I would like to share with you our activities for “Ukrainian Refugee Admission” initiated by NPO WELgee, a partner of BORDERLESS GROUP.

Seven actions that Japan can take to help refugees from Ukraine
https://www.change.org/voice4ukrainian_refugees

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✨Rent Prepay Discount✨

Hello everyone!

Thank you for your continuous support and love for BORDERLESS HOUSE! We hope that each tenant can find a sense of home here and create wonderful memories with friends from all over the world.

In appreciation of our long-term supporting tenants, we have specially introduced exclusive discounts for those on long-term leases, making your life at BORDERLESS HOUSE even more exciting. Join us in creating more unforgettable memories and enjoy this unique international exchange experience together!

Plan Details

Prepay your rent and utilities to enjoy the following exclusive discounts:

1. Half-Year Prepayment Plan:
• Receive a half-month rent reduction.
2. One-Year Prepayment Plan:
• Receive a one-month rent reduction.
• Utilities will be a fixed monthly charge of NT$800.

Important Notes:

1. Not affected by any adjustments in rent or utilities, and cannot be combined with other promotions.
2. In the event of early termination due to personal reasons, prepaid rent and utilities are non-refundable.
3. If there is a violation of the contract or circumstances deemed unsuitable for residing at BORDERLESS HOUSE, we reserve the right to terminate the contract immediately. We will refund the remaining rent for the period, but the tenant must reimburse the discounted amount during the promotional period.

Application Process

Form Submission ▶ Contact Staff ▶ Email Confirmation ▶ Contract Signing at the office and Payment (within 7 days)

*Please proactively reach out to us after submitting the form. Thank you!

Q&A

1. After applying, when is the earliest I can enjoy the rent discount?
The effective date for the prepayment discount is the 1st of each month, and the application process takes 3-5 business days (excluding the signing procedure). Please make sure to apply in advance to avoid delays.
2. Is it possible to request the relocation of the house or room in the future?
Yes, it is possible. The discount will be recalculated based on the duration of residence in the two rooms.
3. Can I apply for the prepayment discount with a one-year contract?
Yes, you can. The contract type and prepayment discount do not conflict.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Thank you:)

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BORDERLESS MATES Program▏Mate’s Voice of BORDERLESS MATES LIBRARY (Part.1)

Until now, over 100 Borderless Mates have registered to BORDERLESS MATES LIBRARY program! In this blog article, we’d like to let you know more about this special program that is designed for our residents and help them connect with Borderless House Mates around the world by interviewing our resident!

 

What is BORDERLESS MATES LIBRARY?

Borderless Mates not only have diverse nationalities and language abilities but also have a range of international experience in specialized careers and hobbies. Undoubtedly there are Borderless Mates around the world who have the same interests or areas of specialization. Through BORDERLESS MATES LIBRARY, we would like to connect all these knowledgeable and passionate people with each other!

We imagine each Borderless Mate as a single book in the expansive Borderless Mates Library, which is comprised of both current and past residents.

Then let’s hear out the real voice from our resident, Ash about her experience of using BORDERLESS MATES LIBRARY!

※Aboved pictures are Ashleigh meeting other Borderless Mates from different share houses in person after exchanging messages through Borderless Mates Library!

Tenant’s ‘Borderless Mates Library’ Story and Experience

Please introduce yourself first!

To quote my self-introduction on Borderless Mates Library, “G’day! I’m Ash and I was in Perth Australia until I moved to Japan… I love meeting new people, traveling, photography and I want to learn Korean, Chinese, and Spanish.” I have been living in Itabashi-kuyakushomae House since I moved here in March 2018 and am currently an English teacher at a bilingual kindergarten.

Why did you sign up for Borderless Mates Library?

Being in Borderless for over 3 years, I used to go to almost every event and was even the MC at the Borderless Olympics and Christmas Party in 2019. I loved that it created a community with members from other Borderless Houses and I was able to make friends living in different houses. Everyone has their own interesting background and we can create a connection from living in the same busy city. However, since the start of the pandemic, Borderless has been unable to run these events and I was unsure how to continue creating connections with other houses. Many of my foreign friends that lived in Borderless had to go home and I was left to my own devices to find more Borderless members. I was excited when Borderless announced its Borderless Mates Program. I thought that maybe it was a way to connect with people from other houses again and hopefully have inter-house parties in the future.

Could you please explain to us how it works?

Within the program, Borderless Mates Library peaked my interest the most, as you can post a profile and also look at other people’s profiles who have or are living in a Borderless House. Only those who have created a profile can send you a message because the site is password restricted. If you want to connect with someone after reading their profile, all you have to do is click “I want to contact this mate!” at the bottom of the page and it will lead you to a google form asking why you want to contact them and to write a message to them. The message is then moderated by Borderless Staff before being sent. As I read my profile again, it looks like I might have to update it, but at least that didn’t stop people from messaging me!

Making friends!

After making my profile soon after Mates Library started in September, I was eagerly waiting for someone to contact me. After a couple of months, someone finally reached out to me. I almost forgot that I had created a profile by this time, but was glad that Eiji, who had recently moved into Kikukawa 2. Being my first time to reply to a request, I used the template that Borderless adds to help me respond. Having our interests and hobbies written on our profiles made it easier to make a conversation and we soon exchanged Line IDs to arrange to meet up at a cafe. Being the first Mate to meet, I was nervous but excited! When we met, Eiji told me he was moving to Honancho!

What do you think is the best thing about joining Borderless Mates Program?

The great thing about the Borderless Mates Program is that you can sign up for multiple activities. During the Language Exchange in February, I had the chance to talk to Moe and so I was so glad to see that she reached out to me through Mates Library shortly after! Moe was moving into the same house as Eiji had moved to and she also contacted my housemate Dani, so we arranged for the four of us to get dinner together.

The most recent Mate to contact me is Shinjuku-Nakai member, Shun. Not many Australians are in Borderless right now because they decided to go home, so he reached out to me to make an Aussie friend. We have been hanging out a lot lately and he introduced me to his housemates. Eiji and I even made a small event and I asked Shun to invite his housemates, so we had people from different houses there. It was great to meet others who were interested in being involved in the Borderless community! What I love about this program is that you don’t form just one friend, but many.

※Image of BORDERLESS MATES LIBRARY platform 

There are more interesting stories from Ash that we would like to share with you in our next article, please look forward to it!! 

About BORDERLESS MATES PROGRAM & How to join

Not just BORDERLESS MATES LIBRARY, we also have LANGUAGE EXCHANGE that allows you to brush up your language skills while having fun chatting with other Borderless Mates via 1 on 1 language exchange online, and  CLUB ACTIVITIES to meet people who share common interests and hobbies as you, also BORDERLESS TRAVEL that helps you to meet locals, start an interesting journey! You can find more details from the webpage of BORDERLESS MATES PROGRAM!

Once you become our tenants, you can join and enjoy those programs for free!

We are now offering foreigners who are currently living in Japan a rent-free room for up to 2 months with 【Trial Stay Campaign】! 
This is a great opportunity to try out living in a shared house while enjoying the special program!

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＜Program Review＞ An island where you can meet living dinosaurs !? Virtual Local Trip in Indonesia!

Hello! I am Daijiro!

I usually work as a photographer in Tokyo, but sometimes I participate in Borderless House events as a language exchange facilitator. This is my first time participating in “Virtual Local Trip”, so I will tell you about it!

“Virtual Local Trip” is an online event where the host introduces his/her hometown with various topics. This event is held in English and Japanese, and it is a great way to enjoy unique local stories! I will recommend this event not only to those who are interested in foreign cultures and international exchanges, but also to those who like traveling and eating, and those who are thinking of traveling after the Corona pandemic is over!

This time, a former resident of Borderless House from Indonesia told us many stories about cultures such as local tourist spots, popular dishes, and traditional costumes. If I tell you all of them, it will be more than 10,000 characters (lol), so I will introduce some impressive episodes!

Living dinosaurs!? Komodo island where you can meet Komodo dragons

Participants are from various countries, mainly current residents of Borderless House, and even the host’s friends who live in Indonesia participated at the last minute! It was a gathering of multicultural people.

A relaxed atmosphere from beginning to end with surprises and laughter during the event.
The host told us the charms of the local areas with an introduction video of Indonesia and lots of photos. We could ask questions anytime during the event, so you can feel free to ask any questions you may have. By the way, I asked a lot of questions. (Lol)

When it came to the topic of Komodo Island, everyone was asking a lot about “Komodo Dragon”. It’s really famous! They say that if you go there, you’ll almost certainly see them up close! First-hand information you can get from the natives is very interesting!

Indonesian traditional costume “Batik” 

At the event, they introduced us to Indonesian tourist destinations, history, traditional food, etc., but what impressed me the most was their traditional costumes.
A specialty of Indonesia is a fabric with a beautiful pattern called “batik”. “Batik” is used in many clothing items such as shirts and dresses, and those clothes are also popular as formal wear.

Patterns range from geometric to flower motifs. On the day of the event, the presenters actually wore shirts made of “batik”. They showed us the batik clothes and told us what kind of pattern it is, which was very interesting!
This is also the information the host gave me, but it seems that there are traditional patterns and colors of “Batik” and those for young people! In that respect, it’s similar to Japanese “furisode” and “hakama”, which is interesting!

He told me that “Batik” had collaborated with Japanese kimono at international events. When a kimono fashion show with themes from all over the world was held, it seems that one kimono was made using the dyeing of Kyoto called “Kyoyuzen” and the technique of “batik”. He actually showed me the photo, and it was very impressive to see the flower pattern of “Batik” shining on the cloth dyed in red and white unique to Japan.

Cultural exchanges that connect countries take place in various places and we just don’t know about them. I think it is one of the great things about the event to know these kinds of stories.

Am I able to talk with people I meet for the first time at an online event?

Under the current pandemic situation, I talk to people online more often, but I’m still not used to it.
Moreover, this was my first time participating in this kind of event. Just between us, I felt nervous until I participated.

However, as I said earlier, the event had a relaxed atmosphere from beginning to end, and when I noticed, I was leaning forward and enjoying myself.
I cannot fully understand English, but I could still enjoy the presentation because it was explained also in Japanese!

During the event, I often wondered “How can I ask this in English?”, and found it annoying that I couldn’t say it well in English. But, it is a good learning opportunity, and it also motivates me to learn English every day like “I will definitely be able to ask questions in English by the next time!” I was relieved that all the participants were willing to listen to the questions.

If I think about it, all the participants are those who have learned a second language and they know how difficult it is to learn a new language. I think that is why we could have such considerate communication beyond words.

What makes VLT so appealing? The fun of getting to know new places through the host!

It was exciting to feel the culture of a new land I have never been to, especially when it is difficult to go out due to the Corona pandemic.
Virtual Local Trip will be held in other countries/regions in the future !!!

“Where should we go when the pandemic is over?”
This event made me feel such excitement! I will definitely participate again!

Also, please visit the website below for other Borderless House original programs such as Language Exchange I mentioned at the beginning.

<Borderless Mates Program>

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For Tomorrow ‘s Bright Future with a New Year 2021

안녕하세요! 보더리스 하우스의 대표 이성일입니다.
아직도 전 세계에 맹위를 떨치고 있는 코로나 시국 속에서 2021년 새해를 맞이했습니다.

보더리스 하우스는 해외에서 오는 입주자 여러분에 의해 유지되고 있는 사업입니다. 그리고 “교류”가 가치인 커뮤니티 사업입니다. 그러나, 끊임없이 변화하는 감염 상황과 그에 따른 입국 제한과 이동 제한으로 인해 올 한 해도 사업적으로는 고난이 계속될 것입니다.
또한 올해 1월, 일본에서의 감염이 더욱 확대되어 불안은 더욱 커지고 있습니다.

그런 가운데에서도 지난 2020년, 많은 분이 보더리스 하우스를 선택해 새로운 생활을 시작했습니다. 지금, 이 순간에도 일본, 한국, 대만 96 하우스 700명 이상의 입주자분들은 한 지붕 아래 서로 도우며 각양각색의 공동생활을 즐기고 있습니다.

고난이 계속되는 올해지만, 그렇기에 더더욱 저희가 사업을 대하는 마음가짐을 전달하고 싶어 이 블로그를 씁니다.

With 코로나 속에서 ​​바쁘게 달려온 2020년

해외에서의 입국이 금지되어 2020년 봄과 여름에 입국 예정이었던 분들이 모두 취소 또는 연기가 되었습니다.
또한 수업은 온라인으로, 근무는 재택근무로 변해, 학교나 직장 근처로 이사하는 수요가 감소해 새로 입주하시는 분들이 예년보다 줄어들었습니다.

그런 가운데 저희는 실제 교류는 못 해도 온라인에서라도 국제 교류를 체험하실 수 있었으면 하는 마음에서 언어 교류를 중심으로 새로운 프로그램을 시작했습니다.

벽이 아닌 다리를 만들자! Language Exchange >>>

또한 보더리스 하우스에 입주하는, 그리고 보더리스 하우스를 졸업한 모든 분을 “Borderless Mates”보더리스 메이트 “라고 부르기로 하고, 새로운 커뮤니티 프로그램도 시작했습니다.

전 세계에 친구를 만들 수 있다!? BORDERELSS MATES PROGRAM >>>

그리고 2020년 10월, 일본에의 입국 제한이 일부 완화되어, 입국을 기다리던 해외의 ​​”보더리스 메이트”를 드디어 맞이 할 수 있었습니다. 2020 년 10월부터 12월까지 사이에 무려 184명의 분이 보더리스 하우스에서 새로운 생활을 시작했습니다.

보더리스 하우스에서 보내는 스테이 홈


셰어하우스는 마치 대가족처럼 사는 곳입니다. 많은 사람과 함께 사니 감염에 대한 불안이 있는 것도 당연합니다. 그러나 하우스 바깥의 사람과 관계가 줄어든 지금이야말로, 보더리스 메이트들은 하우스 안의 생활을 즐겁게 만들어가고 있습니다.

재택근무와 온라인 수업 틈틈이 하우스 메이트와 잡담을 하고 함께 요리하고. 코로나로 일이 줄어 새 직장을 찾을 때는 하우스 메이트에게 상담을 하고 도움을 받고. “하우스 메이트가 있었기에 코로나 블루에서 오는 외로움과 답답함을 극복할 수 있었다”, 그런 이야기를 정말 많이 들었습니다.
홀로 하는 스테이 홈에서는 결코 얻을 수 없는 휴식과 재미, 기쁨, 서로를 향한 응원이 셰어하우스에는 있는 것입니다.

보더리스 메이트가 하우스에서의 생활을 소상히 말해주는 블로그를 한 번 꼭 봐주세요!
입주자 기고 블로그 >>>>>

모두가 힘을 합쳐 즐거운 커뮤니티를 키워가는 보더리스 메이트, 그리고 보더리스 하우스라는 사업에 자부심을 느끼고 앞으로도 더 많은 분께 전하고 싶은 마음 하나로 전 직원이 노력하고 있습니다.

※ 저희는 일본 정부의 ‘신형 코로나바이러스 감염증 대책의 기본 방침’에 따라 입주자, 직원 및 그 가족의 안전 · 건강을 고려하여 최선의 업무 지원을 하고 있습니다.
신종 코로나바이러스 감염 확대에 따른 대응에 대해서 >>>

2021년도 꿈을 좇는 여러분의 새로운 생활을 계속 응원합니다!

코로나 시국에서의 새로운 생활에 대한 준비에는 많은 어려움이 있다고 생각합니다. 저희는 조금이라도 그 불안을 해소하실 수 있도록 최선을 다하고 있습니다. 다시 한번 일본에서의 활동을 소개해드립니다.

● 온라인 방 견학 (수시)와 온라인 설명회 (정기 개최)를 실시하고 있습니다!

보더리스 하우스는 어떤 곳? 어떤 사람이 살고 있나요? 지방이나 해외에 있거나 감염 확대에 이동 제한이 있거나 직접 하우스에 오는 것이 어려운 상황에서 온라인으로 수시 안내하고 있습니다

온라인 방 견학은 이쪽 >>>

온라인 설명회는 이쪽 (일본어)>>>

● 입주일까지 방을 무료로 킵하고 기다리고 있습니다!

감염 상황에 따라 입국 및 이사의 타이밍을 바꿔야 하는 상황이 있습니다. 그런 분들은 지금이라면 4월 15일까지 무료로 방을 킵할 수 있습니다.
봄철 얼리버드 캠페인은 이쪽 >>>

● 만남도 배움도 충실! 대학 생활 응원 캠페인(일본인 대상)

다양한 사람들과 만나, 꿈을 이야기하고, 고민을 상담하면서 절차탁마 해 나가는 대학 생활. 수업이 온라인화되어 다양한 기회가 제한되어가는 가운데, 보더리스 하우스이기에 가능한 체험을 제공하고자 체류 × 체험형 프로그램 캠페인을 실시 중입니다.
생활하며 배우는 실천 프로그램, 대학생 캠페인은 이쪽 >>>

● 온라인으로 배울 수 있는 다문화 공생 토크 세션

우리의 목표는 배경이 다른 젊은이들이 깊은 교류함으로써 상호 이해 가능한 가치관을 기르는 것입니다. 서로 얼굴을 마주하기 어려워지고, 외국과의 교류가 차단되는 지금이야말로 이문화이해 · 다문화공생에 대해 생각할 기회가 필요하다고 생각하여, 온라인 토크 세션을 실시하고 있습니다.

다문화 공생을 즐겁게 배우고 생각하는 온라인 세션은 이쪽(일본어) >>>

 

개인의 생활이나 경제 활동 모든 면에서 어려운 자숙 상황이 계속됩니다만, 그 앞에 있는 반드시 찾아올 밝은 미래를 기대하면서 우리들은 지금 할 수 있는 것을 생각하고 행동하고 있습니다.
그리고 앞으로도 많은 새로운 보더리스 메이트가 멋진 하우스 메이트를 만나 새로운 삶을 시작 할 수 있도록 노력하겠습니다.

2021년 1월 19일
보더리스 하우스 대표 이성일

작성일자

【Special Program】 Joining from America at 5 o’clock in the morning?! What makes Borderless House Language Exchange so appealing?

Hello! I’m Yuuka, the most talkative staff in Borderless House!

Today, I would like to introduce Borderless House’s original language exchange program = Group Language Exchange, which I recommend as a talkative person!

Group Language Exchange is a language exchange activity between Japanese and English which a small group of 3-5 people enjoy by talking about common topics.

・ Those who want to study in Japan when the coronavirus situation settle down
・ Those who gave up studying in Japan this year
・ Those who want to practice out Japanese in actual communication

We recommend Group Language Exchange to all of you!

And, if you are wondering about #Group Language Exchange on Borderless House Instagram and want to know more details, please continue reading!

It is worth getting up at 5 am!? Group Language Exchange participants from all over the world

Now you know the outline of Group Language Exchange, and you may be wondering what the participants are like, right?

I will let you know with some photos!

This is from November 2020.

At first glance, the online screen looks like what we often see these days …
If you look closely, you will find the participant in daylight even though the starting time was 19:30 pm JST…!

That’s right! This program is open to former residents of Borderless House, so everyone is participating from various places!
Even after returning to their home countries, former residents who want to study Japanese participate regardless of the time difference!
(I’m quietly impressed by the fact that this gathering is only possible online)

In this session, we had participants from Germany, Indonesia, the United States, France, and so on. There was a participant who got up at 5 o’clock in the morning to participate! I was very happy that they enjoyed it.

“If you want to escape from dull exercises from your textbooks, why not learn it in a more natural way by speaking to native speakers of your target language? 😆 “

A message from one of the participants to those who cannot decide to participate yet.

It will be a great opportunity to output what you learn, so we would like more people to use this program for their language learning!

Demon Slayer the recent major trend can be a topic too!? Choose your favorite topic and participate!

After checking out those fun photos, now you want to know how you could participate in this program, right?

It’s easy to join!

The dates of Group Language Exchange will be announced by email or LINE @ at the beginning of each month, so all you need to do is to register using the application form there!

After registration, the staff in charge will send you the details by email, so please check it and join us online on the day.
* Held on Zoom which allows online video chatting.

When you submit this application form, you can choose the topic you are interested in!

Topics include traveling, music, what you want to do in the future, cooking, arts, movies, animation, etc …

Recently, Kimetsu no Yaiba(Demon Slayer) has also become one of the topics in response to the enthusiastic requests of the participants!
It’s also popular overseas and everyone knows it. I have a feeling that it will become a common language ….!

By the way, I have seen only two episodes so far, so I’m planning to see the rest during the New Year holidays!

Worried about online participation and your language skill? Don’t worry too much!


“I’m happy to be able to choose a topic that interests me, but I’m still worried about the online communication that I am not used to and overall language skills…”

We would like to introduce you the features of Group Language Exchange that even beginners can feel at ease!

➀ Since this program is limited to those who have lived in Borderless House, many people are enthusiastic about international exchange, and you can get to know each other immediately!

➁ You will chat with 3 to 5 members in a small group, so you can get to know each other well and talk easily!

➂ There is a facilitator who will support the group, so it will be okay even if you cannot speak well.

Above all, everyone here understands how difficult to learn a second language.
So, no one will laugh at you when you try hard to find your words or cannot speak well.

Actually, many participants are willing to help you with what you do not understand. This may be the biggest feature of this program.

There are many people who want to improve their English skills just as you want to improve your Japanese skills.
That would be great if you could join us!

Lots of original programs that you can’t experience anywhere else!

I would be very happy if this blog helped you to know the details of Group Language Exchange and to make up your mind to participate!

However!
Borderless House’s original program = Borderless Mates Program offers many more attractive programs!

“I want to connect with this kind of person!” A program where you can meet a lot of different Borderless Mates.
Club activities where you can enjoy activities together through common interests, etc.!

If you are interested, please check the website below!

★Borderless Mates Program★

작성일자

Making friends from all around world even in this pandemic situation!? Borderless House’s original program makes it possible!

Hello! This is Yuka from Borderless House!

The worldwide pandemic of coronavirus makes it difficult to travel abroad.
But, here is good news for those who feel the same way!
“I wanted to go travel around the world and interact with the local people …”
“I wanted to go abroad and study a new language …”

You can connect with people all over the world while staying at home!
Please let us introduce Borderless Mates Program in detail!

Four programs to choose according to your interests


Currently, there are four main programs.

1, LANGUAGE EXCHANGE
You can talk to Borderless Mates all around the world! Multilingual exchange program

2, CLUB ACTIVITIES
A community program that brings people with common hobbies/interests together

3, BORDERLESS MATES LIBRARY
A program where you can meet a lot of different Borderless Mates

4, BORDERLESS TRAVEL
Travel Program where you can meet local Borderless Mates while traveling

Now let’s see how you can enjoy each program! Mr. K, the current tenant who has participated in all programs, will help us here.

* K’s profile *
University freshmen, majoring in International Relations.
Studying English every day aiming for the exchange program to Canada.
Moved to Borderless House in hopes of stimulating daily life (as university classes are all online) and improving his English skill

Snow in Egypt!? Motivating yourself to learn new languages with Language Exchange program!

First, there is Language Exchange program K has participated in many times!
There are two ways to participate.

1 on 1 Language Exchange
A program to enjoy one-on-one language exchange.
Not only English, we can match according to the language you want to learn, such as Korean, Chinese, Indonesian, etc.!
Click here for details on how to register

Group Language Exchange
A program for small groups (3-5 people) to enjoy conversations on common topics.
Topics change every month, such as travel, music, cooking, anime, art, and romance.
* Target languages: English and Japanese
* Date: Twice a month

Yuka: “How was it when you participated in each Language Exchange session?””

Mr. K: “1 on 1 was fun! We could choose a time convenient for each other, could get to know each other well, and it was easy to ask personal questions! When I struggled to find the right English words, my partner who speaks Japanese quite well could help, so I was glad I was able to ask questions. Next time, I want to do my best to say what I want to say!”
Photo: Group Language Exchange

Mr. K: “I felt nervous talking in the group, but the supporters encouraged me.
There were participants from Indonesia and Egypt who I had not met in my share house, and I was super excited to meet new people like them!
Especially, I had this strong image of Egypt as pyramids and deserts, but I was surprised to hear from the participant that there were places in Egypt famous for skiing! “

Yuka: “I was also very surprised to hear that! Thank you for letting us know in detail!”

As you can see from his story, Borderless House is very multinational.
What Language Exchange program can provide is not just more motivation to learn languages but also new multinational encounters that you have never had!

Playing games overcome language barrier! Join Club Activities Board Game!

Next, CLUB ACTIVITIES, a community program that gathers people with common hobbies and interests!

In addition to international cuisine program which offers cultural experiences and seasonal events organized by Borderless House, it is also possible for tenants to host events and club activities!

Yuka: “Mr. K, how was it when you participated in the online board game?”

Mr. K: “It was my first time, and the game was surprisingly exciting!
Each player logged in to the board game and connected to Zoom at the same time. It was fun because we could see each other’s’ reactions!
Everyone could enjoy a sense of unity even though we didn’t exchange many words.

Yuka: “It is the unique point of CLUB ACTIVITIES that you can interact with lots of people regardless of their mother language!”

In addition to Board Game, CLUB ACTIVITIES will hold various activities such as Virtual Local Trip and Borderless Mates JOB BAR in the future.
If you have something you want to try, why don’t you try it with Borderless Mates?

Receive unexpected offers! Chance to make friends from all over the world! Register for Borderless Mates Library!

Borderless Mates Library (BML) is a large library-like platform that makes each character of Borderless Mates look like a book.
It is a matching program that allows you to connect with Borderless Mates across countries just like you find a book that suits you.

Yuka: “Thank you for registering for BML! How was it?”

Mr. K: “I was surprised when I received an offer email from Mr. V, a resident of Taiwan who wanted to hear about the curriculum and situation of my faculty!
I don’t speak Chinese, but fortunately, I was able to communicate in English, so I spoke with him on the videophone.
When I registered for BML, I didn’t think I had special skills or experience, but I was very happy someone found it interesting like this time!
I haven’t been to Taiwan yet and I don’t know much about its culture. I would love to visit Taiwan when travel restrictions are eased! “

Yuka: “That sounds good! It seems that one of the fun parts about BML is broadening your world by receiving unexpected offers!
And there is good news for Mr. K! It is currently on hold, but I definitely recommend House Travel. Please use it when visiting Taiwan! It’s free! “

Mr. K: “Thank you! I already checked the program even before moving in !! Please let me know as soon as the program starts again!”

FREE stay at Borderless House in Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo and Kansai for real!? BORDERLESS TRAVEL

House Travel (former Free House Exchange) which we just mentioned, is a program that allows current tenants to stay at another Borderless Houses abroad (Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo, Kansai) for free!
* Currently on hold and scheduled to restart in August 2021.

House Travel (former Free House Exchange)
Please take a look at the blog articles contributed by the tenants who have used this program.

You can stay in another Borderless House from the period of one week to a whole month.
Borderless Houses in Taipei, Seoul, and Japan all have locals, so you can get to know local shops, eat dinner and enjoy local life together, not just sightseeing!

Community platform made up of 10,000 people from over 50 different countries

Borderless House, as shown above, offers not only share houses but also international exchange experience programs!

There are approximately 8 to 20 housemates living together, but with Borderless House’s community platform, the number of people you can meet climbs up to 10,000 from over 50 different countries!

“Not quite happy with University life, only attending online classes …”
“I want new encounters, discoveries, and inspirations in my daily life, not just going back and forth between work and home ….!”

Why don’t you move into Borderless House and participate in our Borderless Mates Program?

Click here to find how to participate in our Borderless Mates Program

작성일자

Why Are Share Houses The Best Shelter Option When You Are Starting Life In Abroad?

In the present world, borders and boundaries have become fluid. These lines that mark and enclose an area to represent a city, country, or continent, and which primarily only exist on paper are in the present world not as rigid as they used to be earlier. Instead, in the present moment, these boundaries have become porous to allow people to move in and out of a country. This sits true for the borders and boundaries of almost all the countries or continents around the globe.

The Earth presently has become a global space, and all the cities and countries have become a part of its chain. Whether it is for studies or managing businesses, every year we witness people moving across borders. Because of this, it has become a natural occurrence to find citizens of different nationalities living together in a country they were not born or brought up.

But if you have ever traveled overseas, then you would know that living in a new country is not a very pleasant experience especially during the initial days. It is so because when you go to a new place you usually miss your old friends and family, and the previous surroundings terribly. Plus, when you move to a new country you feel like a stranger, and thus, it becomes difficult to blend in.

Mixing-in in a new country is not as easy as it may appear in the first place. We say so because when you go to a new place, you usually don’t know much about the culture or tradition of that place. And because of this, you always feel anxious and stressed in your new surroundings. You are always on your toes observing how other people are behaving so you would not mistakenly do that would hurt or disrespect the sentiments of the natives.

Thus, in such a time when you have freshly moved into a new country, it is considered a good idea to live in a share house. Doing so will help you in many ways. Wondering how that works? Well, in that case, read our next section to find out your answers.

How are share houses helpful in starting a fresh life in a new country?

A sharehouse is a big property that is offered on rent to tenants where many strangers share the same roof. In a share house, you can rent a single room for yourself or you can rent a room that houses 3 to 4 people in total depending upon your needs and requirements. This place is a top shelter choice for people, especially for those who have freshly shifted to a new country because-
It helps you in understanding alien customs.

As we have already established, when you move to a new country, chances are that you will be unfamiliar with its customs and traditions. This can make you anxious while adding to your stress levels. Also, there is this probability that if you did something wrong because of your unfamiliarity with the local customs that the natives find offending or insulting, then you might feel even more alienated and alone. Thus, for this reason, it is a safe choice to live in a share house at least for the initial days because there you are bound to come across many people who will be interested in international exchange.

When you will live with them, such people will help you in learning more about their local culture, while at the same time they will also try to understand your traditions. This healthy exchange will make your life significantly easier. So, if you want to know about the local customs and traditions of a place, its food, its manners, etc. in a friendly way without wasting much time, then share houses should be your top priority while seeking shelter.

It is a borderless accommodation

When you move to a new space how fluently you can speak their local language plays a very important role in deciding the ease with which you will blend in your new surroundings. So, for example, if you have moved to Taiwan for your further studies and you can fluently speak and write Chinese, then this will probably mean that you will find it easier to navigate Taiwan as compared to someone who doesn’t even understand Chinese. It is so because when you don’t understand the local language of a place, you find it hard to explain to people your queries or emotions.

Now, in such a scenario, it is wise to find a share house in your new country because in share houses you can probably find residents who are familiar with your language. In this way, your common language can help you in befriending people and it can also help you in learning the local language quite easily. We, BORDERLESS HOUSE, make language exchange easy for you by offering on our website the information about the nationality of its residents. You can even opt to talk to the residents of the share house while requesting a preview of the property.

It offers you easier access to common knowledge

When you shift to a new country, other than the customs, traditions, and language of that place there are many other things that you ought to learn about your new home town. These things include information on the common practices of the new place, knowledge about local shops and convenience stores in your locality, and awareness about the norms of living in that place such that your safety is not threatened.

Living in a share house can help you in gaining easy access to such information. It is so because when you are sharing a roof with other people you are bound to interact with them. In your conversations, you can come across the above-mentioned info without even requesting for the same. In opposed to this, if you opt to live alone in a new country, then acquiring such information may take some time.

Thus, these are some reasons because of which living in a share house should be your preferred choice. Living here can help you in settling-in easily.

 

 

 

작성일자

【Build bridges not walls】～What We Can Do Now～

Hi all, this is Lee from Borderless House.

Currently, the impact of the new Coronavirus can be seen and felt all over the world. Various individuals and industries have been hit very hard by this pandemic and its effects.

As you may know, Borderless House is a company which heavily relies on the support of tenants from overseas. In particular, March and April are commonly two of the busiest months for Borderless House as many students begin their new semester, and post-graduates begin a new chapter of life.
The impact of the Coronavirus has by no means been small, and we have been disheartened to see many long-awaited individuals forced to cancel their trips to Japan, and current tenants need to unexpectedly return home. It is a time of uncertainty for many.

However:
Even during these times, we will persist in our mission to create a multi-cultural society void of discrimination.
In light of the current worldwide pandemic, I’d like to introduce some things that I feel we can and should do to support this mission.

Discrimination and Division as a Result of the Coronavirus

The novel Coronavirus has been labeled as an “Asian problem,” and has lead to severe discrimination against Asian residents, particularly Chinese individuals. Human rights organizations in various countries have reported shocking cases of harassment and assault. Awareness of discrimination against Asians has been once again brought to light. However, this discrimination is by no means a foreign affair unrelated to Japan. We cannot claim with certainty that Coronavirus-related discrimination against foreigners will not be born in Japan.

The rampant virus has been kept under control by immigration restrictions as well as self-isolation and restraint measures. As a result, immigration measures have built “physical walls” and the unending stress and uncertainty has built “emotional walls.”Anxiety surrounding the invisible enemy which we are now all fighting has been misplaced as hatred and discrimination towards a specific race. Specific groups of people are now experiencing prejudice and isolation, as others intentionally make efforts to avoid these individuals. My fear is that this prejudice and discrimination against foreigners will continue to visibly increase in Japan even after travel restrictions are lifted in the future.

Now is a critical time for us to come together. Let us build bridges, not walls.
Not all recent events have been negative. The entire world has united to take action during this crisis by cooperating across various fields, exchanging knowledge and resources, as if confronting a common enemy. Here at Borderless House, we have been doing our best to decide on and implement the necessary measures which will prioritize the highest level of safety and health for our tenants, partner companies, and for our staff and their families.

※Click here for more information regarding the Borderless House Coronavirus measures

With this all being said, and given the current state of the world, we are faced with a few questions.
What can we at Borderless House do?
What should be our approach and response?
I am convinced that our current role is to promote connections rather than divisions. Our staff has summarized this sentiment with an encouraging and impactfull phrase:“Build bridges, not walls.”

Due to the Coronavirus, business at Borderless House has been heavily impacted in various ways. However, what overshadows our business worries are our tenants, a community of individuals who had been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to foster connections and make memories with people from all over the world. Our hearts ache hearing the stories of tenants who have lost their dreams of coming to Japan, individuals whose once-in-a-lifetime work and study opportunities abroad have been cancelled, foreigners who have been forced to return home due to travel restrictions, and those who have been robbed of the ability to make long-lasting memories with their housemates, never given the time needed to have felt fully at home in Japan.
Even if they are not in Japan, will these individuals be able to build up excitement for the next opportunity to come to Japan, to learn something about Japanese culture or language, or to build international friendships? Are these things that we at Borderless House are still able to provide?

We should aim to eliminate discrimination, prejudice, and division! We should strive to take our society in the opposite direction!
It is important to say these things and to put them in writing, however, arguably more important is taking direct action to support these claims. Borderless House exists to support this type of action by challenging individuals to leave their comfort zone, directly confront their own preconceptions of foreign societies and individuals, and join a multicultural environment. This is the mission, brand, and purpose of Borderless House.

 

We have taken action and started an online “Language Exchange” matching program.

This new program is based upon a simple idea.
We will be matching foreigners who no longer are able to come to Japan with current tenants of Borderless House to create a free online language exchange program! Therefore, housemates who were supposed to meet will have to opportunity to do so virtually and can still form lasting friendships which transcend borders!

By speaking with Borderless House tenants, we can use this program to provide a look into life in a multicultural environment in Japan, and reignite some of the excitement that may have been extinguished by the ongoing pandemic. We hope that these language partners will ultimately have the opportunity to meet face-to-face in the future.

Please check out the program page for more details regarding this new program!

Ultimately, we would like to extend this program not only to those who were unable to come to Japan, but also those who were unexpectedly forced to post-pone or cancel their reservations with us.

As self-isolation measures persist around the world, I, as well as all the staff at Borderless House, hope that these small and impactful actions will help restore any lost anticipation and excitement, and help redirect our focus from the dark present to a bright future.

Additionally, for tenants who made reservations with Borderless House but were forced to cancel, we have prepared personalized video messages from the staff members who coordinated their reservation details.

With the combined efforts of all members of Borderless House, we will continue to move forward with passion and heart!

 

The worldwide fight against the Coronavirus is expected to be a long battle.
If the role of the government and politicians is to build walls in order to keep the world safe, I think the response of all global citizens should be to build bridges between our hearts to overcome these barriers.
And we as Borderless House aim to be one of the engineers crafting these bridges. Although not always perfectly made, we will continue to build bridges with a smile, and take pride in our efforts!

 

Borderless House has previously experienced a similar unexpected and tragic event in the past, and was able to persevere and overcome the resulting challenges.
During the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, fears of the earthquake and radioactivity lead to the evacuation of both Japanese and foreign tenants from Tokyo, resulting in many cancellations.
Despite this, we continued to maintain the ratio of our tenants at 1:1, foreigner:Japanese, and did not abandon our mission. We held out hope that people would return to Japan again, and by standing firm, Borderless House survived this hardship, our brand grew, and we emerged stronger than ever before.

In light of the current virus situation, we will of course work to prioritize each individual’s health and safety.
We may continue to face difficulties in all aspects of our life, both in the personal and economic spheres. However, Borderless House will continue to face these challenges head-on, doing whatever we can do to help and keeping our eyes fixed on the hope of a bright and exciting future!