Meet a Cohabs member: Mamadou, 23, Senegalese living in Brussels

By Kevin Martel Published 17/01/2018

Could you give us a little brief about yourself ?

I’m 23 and come from Dakar, SENEGAL. After high school, I attended Kedge Business School in Dakar, where I spent 2 years before moving to the school’s campus in Marseille to finish my bachelor and master degree as a exchange student and a double degree student. Living in Marseille was a great experience, I’ve learned a lot about people, how european people think and live, it’s really different from my home country. It also allowed me to travel a lot around Europe, discover new cultures and countries that I had not had the chance to visit before. One of the most important takes from this experience is the strong friendships I built as my family is still living in Senegal but of course, as well as the professional network I was able to develop as I prepared for working life.

My main passions are video games, I’m the king of Fifa, I challenge anyone to beat me (laughs), travelling and American football. Surprising no? (laughs)

Why did you choose Brussels ? 

I was looking for an internship in Europe and not too far from France. I wanted to discover a new country, a new city, a new culture and Brussels was for me the best place to be.

I applied for a number of jobs and finally I decided to do my internship at Cohabs.

What kind of accommodation were you looking for before your arrival ? 

Sincerely, at the beginning I was looking for a studio or a place for one person as I always lived alone. But thanks to my application for the internship at Cohabs I discovered the co-living concept, for me it was really new and I love experiencing new things and challenging myself. I saw pictures of the houses and the rooms on the website and this convinced me to start a new adventure in one of their houses.

How and why did you choose Cohabs ?

First of all, I wanted to live alone in Brussels but after getting my internship at Cohabs, they offered me to live in one of their houses. Louis, the intern at cohabs before me, told me that he had a great experience there and that I was going to love it. And today I’ve no regrets about my choice.

Cohabs is better than I expected and I’m not saying that because I work for them.

How would you describe your roommates ? 

My roommates are so nice with me. It’s like living in a family, they always ask you if you had a good day or what is your plan for the night. They are also well organized at Ambiorix, for each important task we designated a team in charge of its realisation, for example, taking out the trash or washing the dishes. That’s help a lot to live in a good atmosphere.

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What’s the most unexpected thing about coliving ? 

I didn’t expect that I could share a house with people that I’ve never met before. Maybe my open-mindedness helps me a lot because I’m always looking for new relationships and new experiences. It’s not easy when you have always lived alone as you have your own habits. At the beginning it can be difficult to adapt but at cohabs, it’s like living in your home but sharing the common spaces with unexpected friends.

Are you enjoying your life in Brussels ? What’s your favorite place and Why ? 

I’m really in love with the city but not with the weather (laughs). I need more sunny days like in Marseille or Dakar. I’m waiting for the summer season with impatience!!

My favorite place is the Grand Place, there are a lot of chocolate houses and also the most important thing in Belgium : Belgium fries !!! Doesn’t hurt either that, the place is also really beautiful.

Would you recommend Cohabs to a friend ? Why ? 

Yes, of course. The design is great, my roommates are really fun and I love spending time with them. We always have something to do together and for each situation. Also, the fact that everything is really well structured (app, cleaning lady, fixing, community events) make the whole experience super nice.

About the author Hey! I'm Kevin. Digital Manager at Cohabs