The Dorm at ISAE-SUPAERO

created: 2020.05.17. 15:00 · modified: 2021.12.18. 18:16 ·  · license

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The dorm at ISAE-SUPAERO cost about four times as much as the one at KAIST. Even accounting for the relatively high cost of living in France, it was hardly cheap. Having a private room with its own bathroom was certainly a plus, but the inadequate heating (I slept in a zip-up hoodie and a lightweight puffer jacket for about my first two weeks there) and the laundry room in another building were definite drawbacks. Still, I didn’t mind the dorm much, thanks to its shared kitchen.

Because room assignments weren’t based on nationality or gender, I could always meet a variety of people in the kitchen around mealtimes. Watching what they cooked and listening to them talk, I enjoyed wondering where they were from and learning what their staple foods were. Sometimes we’d strike up a conversation and end up greeting each other when we crossed paths on campus.

Cooking itself was even more fun. At first, even when I shopped with a recipe in hand, I’d inevitably forget an ingredient or two and run into trouble while cooking. But over time, dishes I’d made a couple of times, like aglio e olio or kimchi fried rice, became second nature. I knew which aisles to shop in and what to cook at the same time, and everything came together smoothly. Adding dishes to my repertoire felt as satisfying as leveling up a character in an RPG. By the time I was about to return to Korea, I was even planning meals strategically so I could use up every last ingredient.

Now in my sixth year of dorm life, I’d forgotten how happy it makes me to cook whatever I want whenever I want. Living in France reminded me, and I don’t think I can go back to life without cooking. If circumstances allow, I think I’ll live off campus at KAIST starting next semester.

Exchange Student Life in France, Ep. 2

Originally posted on Instagram on May 18, 2020