How to be a good roommate across cultures
Ask rather than infer. Food, shoes, guests, noise, cleaning, privacy, greetings, and family calls can mean different things in different homes. Describe your own habits plainly and invite your roommate to describe theirs.
Use direct, kind language for household issues. “Could we label food and wash dishes by the next morning?” is clearer than a complaint about someone’s background or manners. Write down shared rules when language or memory might create confusion.
You do not need identical habits to live well together. You need respect, curiosity, and a way to solve friction without stereotyping.