First Log

As i mentioned, i have to complete a Log for Leeds University. The first question was "Did you have any problems with accommodation?"... Did I?

My arrival to the accommodation was not the best experience in the world. The entrance was dimly lit, papers were strung across the floor and the walls looked like they needed re-building. The stairwell is even more scantly lit and frankly smelt a bit. My room is boxy and bare as you expect a student accommodation room to be, however with only lino on the floor and the 2 inch thick mattress made from hard foam and a sink in the corner it all makes for a prison-cell like feel. The only redeeming feature of the room is a large window which opens wide.

Next I went to the kitchen. My first sight was a 3ft high pile of rubbish bags in various states of decomposition, an squadron of flies guarding it and smell which was so strong I was surprised that the flies were surviving at all. There are 8 hobs and 2 ovens, two fridges and one freezer. This was not too bad until I opened the fridges and the oven (I still cant decide which is worse). The fridge space is minimal considering i'm sharing with 11 others; freezer space is non-existent.

Other notable items are a lovely games room, which I have been told is permanently locked and the actual town prison; 250m away, which I hope is also permanently locked. However things can be worse, the student accommodation block next to mine (about 50m away) is having one floor disinfected due to an 'increase in cases of Legionnaires Disease'. A verification of the phrase, 'things could be much worse'.

But a building is just brick and mortor, and a few bags of rubbish. It people that make the experiances and my flatmates are lovely. Most of them are from Spain, but they try very hard to speak english which im very greatful for. There are also lads from Japan, Canada, and a few from Scandanavia, everyone is fantastically friendly, and so is everyone else that i have met, and i feel like i have met hundreds of people so far! Anyway, im off to clean the kitchen...