The sounds of Ludacris and Everclear mingle with Brazilian, German accents and southern drawls as they waft into the long corridor of Alexander Hall’s second floor.
Residents from a variety of countries, including the U.S., pass by doorways and make dinner plans or shout a ‘hello’ in passing.
Located on Central Campus, the Alexander Global Village is home to international students, and American students as well as a budding cultural programs.
The hall became infamous across the nation last semester following alcohol violations stemming from Facebook.com photos, reported by a resident adviser.
The incident, however, has not diminished the sense of community within the dorm, Mark Horstman, a sophomore in biological engineering and biological sciences, said.
According to the University Housing Web site, the housing application renewal process is underway, with a schedule on the site. Many Alexander residents say they will reapply to live in the Village.
Interested students are required to fill out applications, but Horstman encouraged people to apply and said there were empty spots to fill.
The dorm pairs international and American students together to give students new to the country a roommate who can help them navigate the bus system, help show them around campus and introduce them to N.C. State.
Last weekend, a group from the hall set out to Washington, D.C. to introduce the foreign students to the nation’s capital.
Horstman, an Alexander ambassador, said the trip was a great experience for the residents.
“Going to the capitol of the U.S. is quite an experience, itself,” he said.
Due to record-breaking snowfall, many students were able to see snow for the first time.
“We got great pictures of the Australians playing in the snow,” Horstman said. “We also got into a snowball fight later on with firemen.”
Aside from excursions, the Village, along with CHASS, is sponsoring many cultural events onsite, such as coffee talks to discuss international social issues.
Nina Malchus, an international student in physics, came to the University from Germany through her school’s exchange program.
She described the atmosphere as a family setting, explaining that most of the residents go out together at night and enjoy sharing most of their time together.
“No one is left out, which is nice,” Malchus said. “It’s helpful to have the American students here as well.”
Before she leaves the country in May, she said she hopes to see more of the U.S. Malchus went to D.C., but said there are many other places she would like to see before returning to Germany.
Two roommates downstairs are also assimilating to a different culture. David Kiechle and Clement Le Meur, both French citizens, said they enjoy the well-rounded cultural experience Alexander has to offer.
The University paired the two because Kiechle is also an ambassador and was asked if he was interested in sharing a room with someone from a similar background.
“We have a whole lot of programs and a community that is outstanding,” Kiechle said. “You never get bored here.”
Le Meur will return to France after a semester of study in the U.S., and said he would like to take a spring break trip to Florida before he leaves.
Paul Lowe, a freshman in political science and from Hickory, N.C., said Housing placed him in Alexander due to late acceptance to the University.
“I’m really glad [University Housing] put me here,” Lowe said.
He said he enjoys the programming and has made many friends from around the world over the past year. Lowe plays on the Alexander Hall soccer team and said he was a fan of the coffee talks sponsored by the AGV.
“The pancakes during exams were A+,” he said with a smile, noting the special events promoted by the dorm.
His roommate, Dominic Scimeca, a freshman in physics, made his way to Alexander from the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“The people here are really open to make new friends,” Scimeca said. “It has been, by far, the best location on campus.”
He pointed to group outings for Salsa night at the Red Room downtown as one of his favorite activities.
“We go out dancing on Wednesdays, and that’s a lot of fun,” he said. Scimeca also pointed to group mealtime at 6 p.m. as something that is unique to the residence hall.
According to Lowe, his favorite nationality he has encountered over the past year is Dutch. “They’re not extremely serious, and they love playing racquetball.”
Scimeca disagreed, and said some of his favorite people were Eastern Europeans.
“I love Eastern Europeans,” he said. “They have a really dry, really direct sense of humor.”
Both roommates said they plan to live in the hall again, but will live with international students.