S1E8: Seattle Colleges Conversations with! International Programs Housing Coordinator Olivia DeVille

In this our eighth episode, Seattle Colleges host Evan Franulovich interviews International Programs Housing Coordinator Olivia DeVille about housing and housing options here at Seattle Colleges. 

1:17 - Introducing Olivia!

4:20 - Dorm rooms and how to get one

6:26 - When to apply for housing?

8:01 - The keys and the stuff inside

10:03 - Security and the RAs

11:52 - Housing Prices

13:07 - Homestays

16:56 - El Salvador

19:12 - Advice

21:29 - Arriving in SEA

23:55 - South/North Campus

24:53 - International Housing email (intlhousing@seattlecolleges.edu)

25:47 - Trivia!

27:48 - Movie talk

30:01 - Final words and dancing

Copyright © Seattle Colleges International Programs 2023. All rights reserved. For more information about being an international student at Seattle Colleges, please visit intl.seattlecolleges.edu

The theme music 'Bounce' is an audio file pursuant to the Pixabay License as defined in the Pixabay Terms of Service available at https://http://pixabay.com/service/terms/

Also, connect with us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok) at
SeattleCollegesIntl

Transcript

Evan Franulovich: 0:05

Welcome to Seattle Colleges, international programs and our show conversations with where we talk to people that help you understand how you too, can be an international student in the United States and why Seattle Colleges should be your first choice. We'll talk to students and staff and agents and government folks, all kinds of people about what you can expect when you're getting ready to apply or travel here, what you'll experience while you're with us, and how it can all lead to an amazing life. Don't forget to check out the Seattle Colleges International Programs website at intl.seattlecolleges.edu where you can find a treasure trove of information about the school, the programs here and best of all, fill out and submit your application. Again, that's intl.seattlecolleges.edu. I'm Evan Franulovich and I'm in Seattle, Washington today where we are talking with Olivia Deville! How are ya?

Olivia: 1:17

I'm doing great. How about yourself?

Evan Franulovich: 1:18

I'm great. It's a good day. It's not pouring rain outside. It's nice.

Olivia: 1:23

I think I got a little vitamin D whenever I got lunch earlier.

Evan Franulovich: 1:27

Where'd you go?

Olivia: 1:29

Well, um, it was mostly through the window. Oh, I got I got lunch here, actually. I went and I stopped at Square One.

Evan Franulovich: 1:36

Square One. What's Square One?

Olivia: 1:39

So it's the the Culinary Academy, they cook. Yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 1:41

Sorry. I was thinking there was a restaurant outside of it... Okay. Within our thing. Yeah, it was good?

Olivia: 1:47

Yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 1:47

I actually haven't eaten there yet. So...

Olivia: 1:48

Yeah. I recommend they change their menu every two weeks.

Evan Franulovich: 1:51

Okay.

Olivia: 1:52

And I had risotto and it was delicious.

Evan Franulovich: 1:55

I like risotto. What else? Not just risotto?

Olivia: 1:59

Oh, I mean, man I think I have to pull up the menu. Um, so they have two restaurants, right. And one is a little fancier. The one I went to it's really good pricing.

Evan Franulovich: 2:10

Is it the one across the way? So there's the restaurant and then the bistro? Are they? Yeah, yeah. Cool.

Olivia: 2:17

Yeah, they're they're kind of like, almost catty corner to each other. Past The Atrium.

Evan Franulovich: 2:24

And is it fast?

Olivia: 2:25

Well, I placed an order for pickup. So I don't know how fast they normally are. But I mean, you know, I was able to get in and get out pretty quickly. So...

Evan Franulovich: 2:34

Right. So if you're an international student and you're here, you can get some great food at our culinary school. That's cool.

Olivia: 2:41

Yes, I strongly recommend,

Evan Franulovich: 2:42

Right? So you are, I think maybe my fourth interview with staff. So tell us what you do for international programs.

Olivia: 2:51

So I am the housing coordinator. And I primarily manage our on campus housing. So we have on campus housing located right across the street from Seattle Central. And I basically manage placements, manage RAs, and assist residents with whatever they may need. I also help out with other housing, like homestays. So Seattle Colleges are partnered with I think about five different home stay agencies. And I'm kind of their point of contact so if anyone has any questions about home state agencies, you can always come to me and I can refer you out to a specific agency, or a group of our agencies, kind of tell you a little bit about what can you expect, pricing, things like that. They'll take care of the rest. And then also, if you're interested in an off campus apartment, or shared home, anything like that, I can give you some resources for that. I wouldn't be able to arrange it for you, but again, I'm happy to sit down and talk with you, or email you. Whatever... Whatever's easier.

Evan Franulovich: 4:01

Cool. Well, I get lots of emails from students asking about housing, and how it works. So let's talk housing. So, if somebody wants to live on campus, and they've been accepted, and they know they're coming to Seattle Colleges, what, how do they get signed up to get a room?

Olivia: 4:20

Yeah, so the very first step is to apply for housing. And it's on our website. And there's a specific link that will take you to the application. And it also lists out the kind of requirements that you would need to be able to live in housing. So you have to be 17 by the time that you move in. You have to have a visa, of course, be a student of Seattle Colleges, things like that. Yeah, so it's all listed out on the website. And if you do have trouble finding it, again, you can always email me and I'm happy to send you in the direction that you need to go.

Evan Franulovich: 4:56

So I know that they have choices for size of rooms or how many roommates they can have. Is that on the application as well? Do they?

Olivia: 5:06

Yeah. So you can put your preferences there. So we have two-person rooms, three-person rooms and four-person rooms. Yeah. So you're able to rank the order in which that you want or which one that you want. And depending on our availability and your preferences, I will, you know, give you a placement. And hopefully it's your number one choice. But if not, I'll try to get you your second choice.

Evan Franulovich: 5:31

Okay. So if I'm a guy from say, Germany, is there a possibility that I will have a roommate that is female from say, Zambia?

Olivia: 5:41

No. So we so we have four different floors, and we don't divide the rooms, or we don't divide the floors based on gender or sex, we'll do it room by room. Oh, so that's just you know, for safety reasons. Make sure everyone's comfortable, that kind of thing.

Evan Franulovich: 6:01

Okay, so let's say I'm coming from a country and my buddy has also decided to come with me to the United States to study at Seattle Colleges. Can we request to get a room together?

Olivia: 6:13

Yeah, absolutely.

Evan Franulovich: 6:14

Oh, very cool. Okay, so how... So if I'm going to start, say, in the spring, how far out can I apply for housing?

Olivia: 6:26

So you can apply for housing, whenever you'd like.

Evan Franulovich: 6:30

Oh, really?

Olivia: 6:31

Yeah. Yeah. But I'll probably reach out to you if, let's say, you know, it's winter quarter right now, and you're applying for fall for next year, I'm not going to be doing placements right now, but you can apply. And I'll reach out to you and say, "Hey, we've received your application. And I'll let you know, whenever we do start placements for Fall quarter", or whichever quarter that you applied for.

Evan Franulovich: 6:57

Okay. Now, my understanding is, generally you are allowed a year in the housing and then after that, normally students go find an apartment or how does it work.

Olivia: 7:09

So it kind of just depends. If you've reached the end of that year, and you'd like to stay in housing again, you can absolutely apply again. You can also request an extension so we do have kind of this timeframe in between summer and fall quarter where we like for all of our residents to move out that way we can do room cleanings, maintenance, typical things like that. But if you do request to stay in that timeframe between summer and fall, you absolutely can, and we'll let you know whenever your room is going to be cleaned and checked. That way you can you know, step out, maybe go grab something to eat, hang out with a friend, go to a museum, you know, some kind of activity and then by the time you come back, you should be good to go.

Evan Franulovich: 8:01

Right. Okay, so I'm staying in my room for this quarter, we'll say, and I'm in there day in, day out. Do I get a key?

Olivia: 8:09

Yeah, yeah. So residents will be given, whenever they move in, they'll be given a room key, a mail key, a fob to get into the building and intothe elevator. And then they'll also be given a key to the trash room.

Evan Franulovich: 8:23

So four keys?

Olivia: 8:24

Yes.

Evan Franulovich: 8:24

Oh my God.

Olivia: 8:25

I know, I know. Lots to keep track of, I understand.

Evan Franulovich: 8:28

So I walk into my apartment and there is a kitchen? Okay?

Olivia: 8:35

Yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 8:36

And does it have like pots and pans already or do I need to go buy silverware and...

Olivia: 8:41

So our kitchens are equipped with a fridge, a stove, microwave, oven and some cabinets. But as far as cooking tools or any kind of eating utensils, that's something that you would have to either bring or buy when you get here.

Evan Franulovich: 8:55

Oh ok. And there are places nearby that sell that stuff?

Olivia: 9:00

Yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 9:01

Do I have to travel?

Olivia: 9:02

Yeah, you don't need to travel too far.

Evan Franulovich: 9:04

Not too far. We're right in the middle of the city.

Olivia: 9:05

Definitely. Yeah, there's stores all around where you can purchase different things. And also, you know, there's restaurants in the area if you if you want something quick and don't feel like cooking.

Evan Franulovich: 9:15

Sure, sure. Okay, so I'm there, living there... is there a common bathroom for the floor or is there a bathroom within my room?

Unknown: 9:27

So there's one bathroom and every room. So you'll be sharing that bathroom with your roommates, but you won't be sharing the bathroom with the floor. No. Yeah, there's no community bathroom.

Evan Franulovich: 9:35

Nice. Let's see what else... Internet. Do the apartments already have internet or...?

Olivia: 9:42

Yeah, every room has Wi-Fi, and you have your own Wi-Fi router. And so yeah, if you have any issues with the Wi-Fi we do have kind of a troubleshooting process to help you with that. But yeah, every room has Wi-Fi.

Evan Franulovich: 9:56

Nice is... are there... So you have a fob, so there's probably no security guards, or anything?

Olivia: 10:03

So there is security for the whole building. So our on-campus apartments are attached to this really massive building, and it's just kind of like a small slice of it. So there is security for that building. But not necessarily campus security, if that makes sense.

Evan Franulovich: 10:21

Sure, sure. Yeah, there's someone if I have a problem, I can call.

Olivia: 10:26

Yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 10:26

They can come up. What if I lock myself out of my room?

Olivia: 10:29

So... Well, it depends. Um, I would suggest that the first person that you contact is your RA.

Evan Franulovich: 10:36

Oh, okay.

Olivia: 10:37

Yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 10:37

Tell me about RAs. Who are they?

Olivia: 10:39

So RAs are our resident assistants. They're kind of like your first point of contact, if you ever want to talk about anything, or even to hang out, you know, they're there to help you adjust to living in the U.S. Maybe answer any questions that you may have about living in Seattle. And they're there to help out. And I also am... I manage them, right? So, if there are any issues or anything that comes up, they can also report to me. And if they can't assist you, then I'll help you out. So if you do lose your key, it kind of depends. So if it's during, I guess, normal work hours, you can call, you can contact me and I'll help you. But if it's something like the afternoon, late afternoon, evening, weekend, reach out to your RA.

Evan Franulovich: 11:29

Okay, so the RAs are these students that get these jobs?

Olivia: 11:35

Yeah, they're their student workers.

Evan Franulovich: 11:36

So if you're an international student, can you apply to be an RA?

Olivia: 11:40

Yes, that's correct.

Evan Franulovich: 11:41

Cool. And you get paid?

Olivia: 11:43

So your payment is that you get housing for free. Your rent for free. Yeah,

Evan Franulovich: 11:47

That's a great deal!

Olivia: 11:48

It is a great deal because housing prices over here and not, not cheap.

Evan Franulovich: 11:52

Alright, well let's talk housing prices. So if someone's trying to make a decision about whether to go into the dorms, or do I get an apartment, or do I do homestay, what do each of those cost?

Olivia: 12:05

So, for on campus housing, pricing really depends

on two factors: 12:09

That's your unit type. So how many roommates you have two-person, three-person, four-person room. And then also, the second factor is your license period, or the number of quarters that you're going to be living on campus.

Evan Franulovich: 12:23

So you get a break if you stay longer? Is that what you mean?

Olivia: 12:28

I wish, I wish that was the case.

Evan Franulovich: 12:30

Buy two semesters, get one free. No, nothing like that.

Olivia: 12:33

I wish. I wish that it worked like that. You know, that would be so nice.

Evan Franulovich: 12:37

I could use that. So how does it work? So if... what do you mean by that then?

Olivia: 12:42

So the longer you stay, the more that you'll have to pay, so you don't get a break the other way. So, if you were to stay for spring quarter only, or winter to spring, or winter to summer, that's going to be cheaper than staying fall to summer.

Evan Franulovich: 12:58

I see. Okay. Alright, that makes sense. And then homestays... so do those vary in price quite a bit?

Olivia: 13:07

So from homestay to homestay, their pricing is pretty similar. There's usually a fee that you pay to, to basically have your placement and be matched with your family. And then there's the fee that you pay, kind of like a stipend I suppose, that you pay into for month by month, and that's usually $900 - $1,000 in that ballpark. But it does, it does vary a little bit from agency to agency.

Evan Franulovich: 13:40

And my understanding is if you do homestay, that money that you pay also includes food?

Olivia: 13:45

Oftentimes, yes. So again, that's something that also varies from agency to agency. I know sometimes people would like for their host families to provide all the meals for their students. But not everyone will always be cooking for every single meal. It kind of, again it depends on the agency. And it also depends on, you know, that specific host family, and just the relationship between them and that student and kind of that situation.

Evan Franulovich: 14:15

Right. So, are there a lot of host families in Seattle? I mean, do a lot of people do this? Is it part of their...

Olivia: 14:22

It's definitely a popular option. Um, as far as the number of host families in Seattle, um, that's a little difficult to answer, because with COVID, that, yeah, that obviously kind of made things a little more difficult. So sometimes it can be challenging to find host families or it can be difficult for these agencies to find host families. But from the conversations that I've had with them recently, they do have enough host families for the interest that they're getting. But just with COVID I think, you know, that that's really kind of put a damper on a lot of things.

Evan Franulovich: 14:58

Right, right.

Olivia: 14:58

To say the least.

Evan Franulovich: 14:59

Well let's say, let's say I sign up for homestay... Do I just contact? I know you can help but normally I would contact the homestay organization directly...

Olivia: 15:09

Yeah. That's correct. Yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 15:10

Fill out an application or something?

Olivia: 15:13

Yeah. And then they'll take care of the rest. Yeah,

Evan Franulovich: 15:16

That seems pretty easy. What if I get into a homestay family and they're just psycho? I don't like them, they make me uncomfortable. I can't imagine that... I'm sure... there must be a vetting process. How do they know...

Olivia: 15:28

So there is a vetting process that they do. But if for whatever reason, you're not happy with your homestay family, you can always reach back out to the agency and just let them know what the situation is. Just kind of keep that avenue of communication open. And again, you can always talk to me and if you don't feel comfortable with reaching out to them, I can reach out to them on your behalf. I have no issue with doing that.

Evan Franulovich: 15:50

That's cool. Most, I mean, I haven't talked to an international student yet who has had a bad homestay experience so it seems like a pretty good, pretty good option.

Olivia: 16:01

Yeah, a lot of people really do like it because it's very culturally immersive.

Evan Franulovich: 16:05

Yeah, right?

Olivia: 16:06

Yeah, there's definitely a lot of benefits. You're kind of like a part of this family for your stay. And it's really nice. And I know from some of my experiences abroad, I didn't have... it wasn't a host family, per se. But I was living with a family in the area and it was, it was a really good situation. And I had a lot of great things that came out of that. And they would kind of travel around and go places in the country that I was in. And sometimes, you know, they would invite me with them. And so... I kind of I had someone to kind of lead me around and give me pointers and tell me about things that I may not otherwise have seen or or really picked up on without their assistance.

Evan Franulovich: 16:51

Cool. So we were talking before this podcast started recording. Which country were you in?

Olivia: 16:56

I was in El Salvador.

Evan Franulovich: 16:58

Very cool. Yeah. So you were in El Salvador. And we have students that apply from El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico... So if you're out there listening, and you're worried that no one here will know where you're from, there are many of us that speak some Spanish and have been down there, so you won't be completely lost. Actually, we have quite a few students from Mexico, and I think we've had some Costa Rican students and Panamanian. So... have you met any of the Latin American, Central American students that we have?

Olivia: 17:32

I met a few of them, yes. None of them are in housing. But I have met them a little bit.

Evan Franulovich: 17:38

Where do they usually go? They get apartments, then?

Olivia: 17:40

I suppose so. Yeah. They don't they don't always come from me. So I don't I don't know exactly where they are.. but uh, yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 17:48

Let's say you want to get an apartment. You know, the thing that most people talk about for cities in the United States is that Seattle is really expensive. And so if you're living... so if you go to school at Central, getting an apartment in this area, is it, is it as expensive as people might imagine it is or, if you look hard, you can find some pretty good deals.

Olivia: 18:09

I think if you, if you look around, you can find something, especially if you know someone that's over here, or like another another student, not necessarily like a family. But if you know someone, or if you meet someone, you know, it's definitely a lot more manageable if you have more roommates. And you can kind of split the cost of different things. But it also depends on specifically on the neighborhood or the area. I'm not from here in Seattle. So I can't I can't give you a really great breakdown of all the different neighborhoods and their pricing. But that also is a factor that comes into play.

Evan Franulovich: 18:48

Right. I know that the orientation. So before our quarters kick off, we have a mandatory orientation that the international students come to, and a lot of them will meet at that time and then there'll be looking for roommates. So if you're listening and you're thinking about doing an apartment, that's a good place to kind of connect with other students, make new friends, but also maybe find a roommate. So that's kind of cool.

Olivia: 19:11

Absolutely.

Evan Franulovich: 19:12

Hmm. So the housing situation seems like there's a lot of good options for people. Is there anything you want students to know? Or if they're, if they're considering coming to Seattle Colleges... something that you hear over and over and over again, the same question over and over, something that you want people to know that you should tell them on this podcast?

Olivia: 19:36

This isn't something that I necessarily hear over and over again, but something that I would like people to know. Um... Look for housing options as early as you can. If you are in the situation where you come here and you don't have any sort of accommodations, again, please come to me. I'm the one that will be able to assist you. I can point you in the right direction. Give you some options for either long term housing if it's on campus, or you know, try to connect you with a homestay, or if it is something that ends up being short-term, I can direct you to some hotels in the area or hostels, that kind of thing. But yeah, just look for housing as soon as you can just to see what options are in the area. And you know, you never know what you're gonna find. And it's really good just to check things out sooner rather than later.

Evan Franulovich: 20:28

Okay, so if I'm starting in, let's just say, spring or summer, how many days before the quarter starts, can I move into housing?

Olivia: 20:39

So if you're going to be moving in for spring, for example, our orientation week is... I want to say it's the week before classes start. And so orientation week, every quarter coincides with the move-in timeframe for on campus housing, at least. Now, if you have a homestay or something like that, that's something that you communicate with the agency and with your host family, because they're going to be the ones to pick you up from the airport or arrange some kind of transportation for you. So that's something you'd work out with them. And then for off-campus housing, that's that would be your responsibility to pick a day when you think is best for you to come over and then move in depending on your your license period.

Evan Franulovich: 21:29

Right? So it was interesting. I had a student recently who's planning to come for the spring and she asked about getting picked up at the airport, and you gave an interesting answer. Can you can you tell people if you're coming into Seattle International Airport, which is probably where they're flying into, how do they get from the airport to here?

Olivia: 21:50

So there's a lot of different options. We don't necessarily provide transportation from the airport to the college or vice versa. But there are again, plenty of options. There's public transportation, you can take the bus, you can take the light rail, and you can even do like a rideshare, like Uber or Lyft to get from one place to another.

Evan Franulovich: 22:11

Right, right. Just so you guys know, though, the subway's pretty reliable and inexpensive. And buses are a little slower, but they're pretty good. Ubers are great, but they're kind of expensive. So, if you arrive in the middle of the night, you may be forced to do a taxi or, or an Uber. I think the subways stop running around midnight.

Olivia: 22:35

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's like midnight.

Evan Franulovich: 22:37

Right? So if you're flying in from say, India, and you get here at three in the morning, you're probably going to have to arrange for a taxi or something. And then if they get here, like three in the morning, they can just show up here on campus and go into their new dorm room. Right?

Olivia: 22:51

Yeah, people will most likely be asleep. No one will be able to check you in. And that's why it's important to look for housing ahead of time. That way you don't find yourself in that situation.

Evan Franulovich: 23:03

Right. Wandering the streets of Seattle. So they can just maybe get a hotel for a couple of nights while they're getting ready to move in or something.

Olivia: 23:11

Yeah, yeah,

Evan Franulovich: 23:12

Any there... I actually don't know this answer, because I'm not from here, either. But are there a lot of hotels nearby in Capitol Hill?

Olivia: 23:20

Yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 23:20

Okay. So they can stay right near the campus?

Olivia: 23:23

And the list... So we do have these resources on our website, as well.

Evan Franulovich: 23:27

Oh, Okay. Great.

Olivia: 23:28

And there are... or the ones that are listed are all within walking distance.

Evan Franulovich: 23:32

Okay. And let's not forget that we also have two other campuses besides central. We have South Seattle campus, we have the North Seattle campus. Now... People that go to North can also stay... actually any of the campuses can stay at the dorms, right? It doesn't matter which one you go to.

Olivia: 23:49

Yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 23:50

But it's a little further to get out to West say, West Seattle to go to the South Seattle campus.

Olivia: 23:55

Yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 23:55

What do you people generally do if they go to South? What's there.. Are more people doing homestays? Are more people doing apartments? What do you see?

Olivia: 24:04

Honestly, I'm not too sure because most of the students I see are students from Seattle Central. Um, but yeah, I'm not really sure what the numbers are there.

Evan Franulovich: 24:14

Yeah, I don't I don't know what they are, either. But if you have... if you need help, if you're gonna go to South or North, you can still reach out to Olivia and we can answer your questions as best we can, I think... that's pretty good. Yeah, it's been great. I've sent you a couple emails and your information is always really great.

Olivia: 24:30

Thank you. I appreciate it.

Evan Franulovich: 24:31

Yeah. So we appreciate the help, because I get all these inquiries and I'm like, "I don't know the answer to these questions". It's always nice to have people to turn to... Do you recommend they go through the regional representative first and let us liaison with you, or should they send their housing questions directly to you?

Olivia: 24:48

They can send housing questions directly to me.

Evan Franulovich: 24:52

Okay, and how do they do that?

Olivia: 24:53

So, the International housing email is intlhousing@seattlecolleges.edu. And that is the best way to get in contact with me. I'm not necessarily always in the office, sometimes I'm remote, or I may not be available, I might be in a meeting, so email is definitely the best way to reach out to me.

Evan Franulovich: 25:17

And if you do, and you have a regional representative, always good idea to CC the regional representative, so they know what's going on, what questions you have. And we can also do follow up just to make sure you get all the help you need. Olivia is great, though, you'll get answers from her no problem, but it's always nice to keep us in the loop - us regional representative guys. Oh, did you hear that? Listen to that! It's the trivia round time!

Olivia: 25:46

Oh, goodness.

Evan Franulovich: 25:47

That sound means it's time for a trivia round. I'm gonna ask you five questions and if you can answer them all correctly, you'll get a high five and be added to our Wall of Fame.

Olivia: 25:56

What's the category?

Evan Franulovich: 25:58

Oh, well...

Olivia: 25:59

Am I allowed? Am I allowed to ask that?

Evan Franulovich: 26:01

I'm gonna ask you some housing questions.

Olivia: 26:03

Okay.

Evan Franulovich: 26:04

We'll see what you know.

Olivia: 26:04

Oh goodness.

Evan Franulovich: 26:05

Yeah, there may be one or two that aren't housing related. Just for fun. No pressure, though.

Olivia: 26:10

I'm feeling the pressure.

Evan Franulovich: 26:11

You're feeling the pressure?

Olivia: 26:12

I'm feeling the pressure.

Evan Franulovich: 26:13

Everybody always feels the pressure. It's supposed to be fun. So all right, here we go. How many quarters do we have each year at Seattle Colleges?

Olivia: 26:21

We have four quarters.

Evan Franulovich: 26:23

Yes, that's correct.

Olivia: 26:24

Seems like you're gonna throw in a trick question or something... Like it seems so simple, but then it's really not.

Evan Franulovich: 26:33

What is the mascot here at Seattle Central College?

Olivia: 26:37

The tiger.

Evan Franulovich: 26:37

Yes, it is! Good. How many beds are available in the largest housing unit?

Olivia: 26:47

The largest housing unit? So not in total? Is that...

Evan Franulovich: 26:52

Not in total, yeah.

Olivia: 26:53

Okay. Four.

Evan Franulovich: 26:55

Yes! You are good. And what does housing cost for those four... If you stay in a four bed unit, what is that... What does that cost per quarter?

Olivia: 27:09

Per quarter? Oh, I look at it from license period to license period, I don't look at it from quarter to quarter.

Evan Franulovich: 27:15

So what is the license period cost?

Olivia: 27:18

Could I give you the license period for, let's say like, fall to spring for next year?

Evan Franulovich: 27:22

Yes, that would be great.

Olivia: 27:24

Okay, so I think it's, I want to say... I know three person is around... It's like just under like $13,000. So for a four person, it's definitely a little cheaper. Probably closer to $12,000 or so...

Evan Franulovich: 27:42

Ok. ... Cool.

Olivia: 27:43

Did I need to give an exact... ?

Evan Franulovich: 27:44

No, no, you're good. You're good.

Olivia: 27:46

A ballpark is acceptable.

Evan Franulovich: 27:48

Alright, you're last question already. You can relax. That last question is the hardest, though. Who do you want to win Best Film for the Academy Award this year? Everybody has a hard time with this...

Olivia: 28:04

I'm a big movie person.

Evan Franulovich: 28:05

Oh, yeah?

Olivia: 28:06

So, I don't know.

Evan Franulovich: 28:08

Have you seen many of the nominated films? Have you seen Banshees?'Banshees of Inishirin'?

Olivia: 28:15

No.

Evan Franulovich: 28:17

What about'The Fabelmans'?

Olivia: 28:20

No, I haven't.

Evan Franulovich: 28:21

'Avatar'?

Olivia: 28:22

Of course. Yeah...

Evan Franulovich: 28:24

What'd you think?

Olivia: 28:25

I thought it was alright. I think... I thought it was better than the first one.

Evan Franulovich: 28:29

Visually, it's crazy.

Olivia: 28:30

Visually it's great.

Evan Franulovich: 28:32

It's amazing. But story...

Olivia: 28:35

Yeah, that's kinda - meh. But it is what it is.

Evan Franulovich: 28:38

Did you see'Triangle of Sadness'?

Olivia: 28:40

I did not.

Evan Franulovich: 28:41

No?

Olivia: 28:41

Something that I've been rooting for, for all the awards, is 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'.

Evan Franulovich: 28:48

It's a great movie, isn't it?

Olivia: 28:49

I really do like that movie.

Evan Franulovich: 28:50

Very funky. Cool. Yeah. If you haven't seen that, I definitely recommend it. And you know, it's been winning a lot of awards. So there's a good chance it'll win at the Oscars.

Olivia: 28:59

I'm rooting for it.

Evan Franulovich: 29:01

Yeah. But I just saw a movie last night called 'Living'. And Bill Nighy is up for Best Actor. And he was in 'Love Actually', he played the washed up singer, you know? What a great movie. I would say it's my favorite film for last year of all and it didn't get nominated for Best Picture, but it's a great movie. I highly recommend it.

Olivia: 29:24

I'll check it out.

Evan Franulovich: 29:25

Yeah, I know it's playing it Alderwood AMC. Not that you international students care about this, but good movies here in Seattle. We are a... We're a good market for films. Have you been across the street to the... is it the Egyptian? It's part of the Seattle International Film Festival. And it's actually on our campus.

Olivia: 29:45

No, I have not, actually. This is the first time I'm hearing about it.

Evan Franulovich: 29:49

It's right across the street. We have a theater that they use for the Seattle... it's the home of the Seattle International Film Festival. So... that's another great reason to come to Seattle Colleges.

Olivia: 29:59

Yeah. Many great reasons.

Evan Franulovich: 30:01

Yeah. So you have any final words for our international audience, people that are thinking about coming to Seattle. You're not originally from Seattle. Are you glad you're here? Do you like Seattle?

Olivia: 30:12

Yeah, I love it up here. I like the... I like the weather, surprisingly. I feel like a lot of people do complain about the weather, but I'm originally from Louisiana, and it rains a lot there. So I like the rain. I like the rain here. And I like the lack of humidity here.

Evan Franulovich: 30:27

Yes. Oh my gosh.

Olivia: 30:28

Yeah, I also like the food. And I've really been enjoying all the different people that I've been meeting as well.

Evan Franulovich: 30:34

Right. When I was in the Air Force I was in Biloxi, Mississippi for a short time, so not too far from there. Oh my gosh, it was so humid. It was horrible. I'd get out of the shower, dry off and I'd be wet again.

Olivia: 30:47

The worst thing is whenever you get off the plane, and it just hits you like a wall.

Evan Franulovich: 30:51

Yes, it's true. Actually, one of the one of the scariest rides I've had in the lower 48 - I used to live in Alaska, so I had some scary airplane rides there but - one of the scariest I had was flying into...flying into Biloxi, I think it was and it was one of those storms you guys get and the plane was just rocking back and forth. Scary. You guys get some wind down there.

Olivia: 31:16

Yeah, we definitely do. Hurricanes, the whole shebang.

Evan Franulovich: 31:20

Alligators? You have alligators in Baton Rouge?

Olivia: 31:22

Yeah, yeah, we have alligators.

Evan Franulovich: 31:24

Scary.

Olivia: 31:25

They're okay. They're pretty chill. If you don't mess with them, they'll leave you alone. At least in my experience. I mean, don't go out of your way to, you know, hang out around them, I guess. But...

Evan Franulovich: 31:35

Go cruising around the swamp.

Olivia: 31:37

Yeah, in the bayou. And down the rivers.

Evan Franulovich: 31:41

So people, Seattle is a great place to live. So good to have you here. Any final advice? Did I ask you that? Do you have any final advice for people?

Olivia: 31:47

You did, but I didn't give it.

Evan Franulovich: 31:48

Yeah, please.

Olivia: 31:49

Because we got we got side tracked.

Evan Franulovich: 31:50

I know, I get... I'm ADD, so...

Olivia: 31:53

No worries, no worries. I think my advice would be whenever you do get down here, just to not be afraid to try new things. Yeah, whether it's food, a new hobby, feel free to just, you know, explore. I think the best experiences that I've had in my life, whether it's, you know, here back home or abroad are just little things that I've encountered by, you know, going out there and again, trying new things and exploring,

Evan Franulovich: 32:21

Right. Yeah, some of our international students, they arrive they're a little bit timid but, you know, they start connecting with other international students or the domestic students even and they get over it pretty fast. It's cool.

Olivia: 32:32

And there's so much stuff to do up here.

Evan Franulovich: 32:34

It's true. Seattle's got no shortage of cool stuff to do.

Olivia: 32:37

Yeah. So if you like history or museums, you can do that. There's all sorts of outdoor activities, yeah. There's no shortage of different things that can...

Evan Franulovich: 32:45

What do you do for fun?

Olivia: 32:47

I ballroom dance.

Evan Franulovich: 32:48

No. You know, Gina's a big dancer.

Olivia: 32:50

Really? I did not know that.

Evan Franulovich: 32:52

I just interviewed her today. Yeah, Gina Nakamura. She's one of our regional reps. And yeah, she's a big dancer. I don't know if she does ballroom. I know she does swing. Two steppings, some country dance. I don't know. She does a bunch of dance. So how long have you been doing ballroom? Have you do it competitively?

Olivia: 33:10

No, not really. I mostly do it kind of in a social setting. But I have been in a competition before... for fun.

Evan Franulovich: 33:18

Really? Wow.

Olivia: 33:19

With my friends. And I got to travel for it. So that was nice.

Evan Franulovich: 33:23

Is there a ballroom scene here in Seattle?

Olivia: 33:26

From what I've seen? Oh, yeah. It's amazing. I love it! I love it. There's so many studios around here. And I think the hardest part was like trying to figure out which studio I wanted to go to, you know,

Evan Franulovich: 33:37

Really?

Olivia: 33:38

Yeah. Yeah.

Evan Franulovich: 33:39

Did you do ballroom in El Salvador?

Olivia: 33:41

Um, I did salsa dancing....I did that. Yeah. And then...

Evan Franulovich: 33:46

That's what Gina does. She does salsa, too.

Olivia: 33:49

I love, I love salsa. I think my favorite dances are probably salsa, American Rumba and Argentine Tango.

Evan Franulovich: 33:58

See, I took I took some Tango when... this was quite a while ago, but it was so fun. It was really great. Difficult. I mean, it took me... I'm not the best dancer in the world. But yeah, it was challenging. But super, super fun. And there's not a lot of men that do tango. So if you're a guy, and you can actually, if you get good at it, you can actually hire yourself out because there's such a shortage of male partners. Wow, I could actually make some extra money doing this, but I didn't stick with it long enough to... but it was really cool. Now I need to go to Argentina. That would be great.

Olivia: 34:34

I'd love to go to Argentina.

Evan Franulovich: 34:37

Well, so great to talk to you and get to know you. I see you a lot but I don't actually sit and talk to you this long. So that's great.

Olivia: 34:43

It's been a pleasure. Happy to be here.

Evan Franulovich: 34:45

All right. Thanks so much.

Olivia: 34:46

Thank you.

Evan Franulovich: 34:49

Take care. Conversations with! is painstakingly crafted for you by the Seattle Colleges International Programs department and supported by the lovely folks here on our Campus. This show is produced and edited by me Evan Franulovich. We welcome your emails and questions about coming to Seattle Colleges. Please reach out to us via our website or just give us a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts as this helps others discover the show. Also, don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok or YouTube at SeattleCollegesIntl. That's SeattleCollegesIntl. And be sure to check out all of the shows here on Conversations with! Thanks for listening and we'll see you next week.