The East Asian Hall (EAH) has started providing accommodation for students of University of Macau (UM) in the spring semester. Some students think it is far better than the off-campus hostel. Some think that there's still room for improvement.

Kim Huo and Cecilia [no last name was given] are both students from mainland China. Huo thinks that EAH provides a better environment for reading than Hou Keng, the previous off-campus hostel of UM. "When living in EAH, I am satisfied with the amenities. The building has provided enough compartments and the environment is quiet for studying." Cecilia cannot agree with her more. "The place is cleaner and some workers clean the toilet regularly, at least once a week." They both think that its location is convenient in reaching the library and the campus.

Median Zheng, a student also from mainland China, holds different opinions instead. "I like Hou Keng more than EAH. In Hou Keng, it's like we are living in a family. Most importantly, the Internet access of broadband in EAH is even slower than the 56K connection used in Hou Keng." All Internet users in EAH share only one server. The speed of Internet access is especially slow in busy hours, for example in the day time. This problem is relatively the same as the Internet access of UM computers. When raising the problem of Internet access, other students stand by his side.

Besides the Internet access, other complaints of the dormitory are also raised. For instance, there are no stoves for cooking in the kitchen; the laundry quota is up to only 15 pounds per month; O.K., the so-called "24-hour" store, does not open for 24 hours, but only till 10:00 p.m.. Moreover, the products of O.K. are not what students really want. Huo said, "First, their prices are expensive for students. Secondly, it does not have fresh food, like meat and vegetables."

However, the living fee for EAH is the most unsatisfactory part. Cecilia complained, "It's true that the fee for overseas students is cheaper than the rent for an apartment in Taipa. But it's really unfair for us when we know that local students can get it half price."

Further improvements are also suggested, like the opening hours for activity rooms. They are always locked or require a comprehensive registration for their usage.

EAH is a jointly developed project between UM and the Macao Organizing Committee for the 4th East-Asian Games. It covers an area of 4,850.63m2, in a total of 22 storeys, providing 502 double rooms and four single rooms that can accommodate around 940 people. It was finished in mid-October last year to first serve as a hostel for EAG athletes. After the Games, the University started to use it as a permanent hostel for UM students.