It's my first year in university and as an international student I'm required to live on campus resident halls until my second year.
In each "house" within the halls, there's around 2 cleaners (at least for my house). The cleaners in charge of my "house" include one British 66-year-old bloke (Which I'll just refer to as "cleaner" below) and a Women.
Cleaner is in charge of cleaning mine and my roommate's room for 90% of the time. We always had a chat when he comes in and cleans my room, my kitchen and toilet etc. He normally comes on Wednesdays or Thursdays, which in normal school period, I'm probably away in a lecture. But during holidays or exam periods (when I'm writing this blog), I'm more likely to be in my room and this morning was no exception.
I was talking with cleaner this morning while he's cleaning my room, and he told me that there's this guy that lives across the hall from mainland China, not only has a room so messy that he could barely walk inside and start cleaning but was smoking in the kitchen and the walls are turning black from the fumes coming out of his cigarette.
Cleaner confronted that student a few times but all he got was laughs and giggles.
I feel bad for cleaner, having to face privileged morons like this at work. That guy probably got servants at home in mainland China to wipe his ass for him and he's got the audacity to create a shithole and expect cleaner to clean up his shit.
I felt embarrassed for him, both as a fellow Chinese person and as a man. So, as an international student myself, I hereby remind all international students, no matter which part of the world you come from, you're studying in foreign land, and your actions can easily affect the local's views of the entire race of yours. I know it's unfair that one person's actions can affect views and opinions of the entire race, but it is what it is and have always been the case. So, please, don't be a dick.
This is the least I can do for cleaner.
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do" - St Ambrose
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