International Students Try Out Co-Ops

As an international student from Wales, Jess Thomas came to the United States this year looking for the experience of a lifetime.

After browsing through a number of different housing options, she decided that the experience she was looking for could best be found in a co-op and settled in Lothlorien Hall, one of 20 student co-ops at UC Berkeley.

“I decided to live in Loth because it was akin to who I am in a way,” Thomas said. “It has definitely broadened my creative and artistic perspective. It has also broadened my sense of awareness to the ways of social activism.”

The University Students Cooperative Association currently houses 75 international students from across the globe, said Jen Heller, spokesperson for the USCA.

Stebbins Hall leads the co-ops with 14.5 percent of the house being international, while Hillegass/Parker House and Ridge Hall follow with 14 and 11 percent respectively, Heller said.

The numbers are based on international students who registered for education abroad programs and/or list permanent international addresses, Heller said.

Heller noted that the co-ops tend to attract more students from Europe than from any other region, but said she could not explain why.

According to USCA information, more than 40 of the 75 international co-op residents hail from Europe, while residents from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South America make up the remainder.

Most international students said they first heard about co-ops from education abroad representatives in their native universities and said they were drawn to them for their low cost and easy access to a large social network.

Steffi Remmer, a student from Berlin, said she was first told not to live in the co-ops, but said she was pleasantly surprised with her experience at Davis House.

“I didn’t really want to live in a co-op and I didn’t really want to share a room,” Remmer said. “Now I am so glad. .... If I hadn’t lived in a co-op, I probably would have hung out more with international students. I probably would not have experienced something like a bonfire at Ocean Beach.”

Tom Williams, a student from London who is applying to live in the co-ops next semester, added that the relaxed environments of co-ops were a big draw, especially when compared to what he said was a highly studious atmosphere in the International House, where he currently resides.

“It is a very academic environment, people do work very hard there till all hours of the morning,” he said.

Some international students, however, said the transition from a small house outside a European university to a large co-op is not always easy.

“It was an adjustment, but I welcomed that change,” said Hannah Procter, a student from London residing in Cloyne Court. “What was a harder adjustment was sharing a room because you don’t do that in England. I’ve got great roommates, but it is an odd thing that I have to adjust to to have someone there a lot of the time.”

Procter said her experience in the co-op has defined her perceptions of America and that her transition back to England may be just as difficult as her transition into a shared room in her co-op.

“I really enjoy co-op living,” Procter said. “I really enjoy living with the people. I am kind of disappointed that I have to go back to England and live in a house with so few people.”

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