Erasmus

Madworld

Im going abroad next year and I d llove to know where people went and thought of their host university.

funky penguin

I never did it, but every single person I know who did loved it. There's a chap on boards currently on erasmus in Czech, he'll give you the inside scoop.

Where you going?

Michellenman

Oooh! I'm going on erasmus too! I'm going to Université Rennes 2 Bretagne, France! Where you heading off to?

Norrdeth

Hey, Ben the Czech-Irish guy here.
I'm currently studying Musicology and Modern Composition (amongst other things) in Palacký University Olomouc in the Czech Republic.

All I can say is that if you try hard, you'll get most out of your Erasmus.
Culture shock can be difficult to overcome but seeing as many people are in the same boat as you, you'll be able to make friends pretty easily. It's really important that you meet as many people as possible (even if they don't become good friends) and to be open to many new ideas and different ways of doing things.

Try to get different perspectives on Europe and life in general, most European students these days are very open and glad to share cultural information and if you're the only Irish person (as I am) they'll be happy to hear what your country is like and what you think of their cultures (be nice now, some Europeans are easily offended). You're here to see their country so meeting as many local students as possible is paramount, also try to get integrated into the culture as far as possible.

Also try your best to study the language, this will greatly help your independence and people will be more welcome to talking with you if you make an effort. However as many Europeans speak good enough English, this might seem like a hard job, but a rewarding one none the less.
Some people love native speakers and are happy to let you correct them on grammar and pronunciation etc. Also you can make a bit of extra money teaching English if you're lucky.

Also try to travel as much as you can, or as much as your money allows. This will give you a better idea of what the continent is like and will probably remove most of the destructive Euro-sceptic stereotypes that people in Ireland and UK so often hear. There's cheap flights almost anywhere in Europe with Ryanair and with Wizzair(Hungarian airline) also there's some cheap bus routes throughout the continent. Czech's one is Student Agency but I'm sure that there are more.

That's all I can think of at the moment, hope it gives you a better idea of what to expect!

Ben.

Seren_

One of my best friends is over in Aix-en-Provence on Erasmus this year. She absolutely loves it! She says that it's really helped improve her French, but that that can only happen if you get out and talk to some native speakers and don't just hang around with the people who speak English.

She was really homesick at first, but I imagine that's quite normal... and there's always Skype and stuff to keep in touch for free. Or you could send letters like what we do :pac:

I'll see if I can convince her to register and write some more about it

Madworld

Michellenman wrote: »

Oooh! I'm going on erasmus too! I'm going to Université Rennes 2 Bretagne, France! Where you heading off to?

Louvain in Belguim

Michellenman

Ah savage. All the people I'm going with went there in January as part of their European studies course. Said the place is savage.

Are studying french there? If so that probably means we're in the same class.

Norrdeth

Oooh I have some friends from last semester from Leuven and still do.
I've heard that it's a really nice place, I'm hoping to visit there myself one day soon, and take a trip up to Ghent and Brugge. Plus most Belgian that I've met people are really cool and generous. They're also really good at languages, so expect alot of talking!

just wonderingg

Hi there,

I'm going to Nice on ERasmus this Sept, does anyone have any info or advice?!

thanks :P

abee1

do u need to get a certain minimum mark in your exams to be able to go on erasmus or just pass them ??

Michellenman

pass them.

abee1

thank u

dustfree

Your Text Here wrote: »

One of my best friends is over in Aix-en-Provence on Erasmus this year. She absolutely loves it! She says that it's really helped improve her French, but that that can only happen if you get out and talk to some native speakers and don't just hang around with the people who speak English.

She was really homesick at first, but I imagine that's quite normal... and there's always Skype and stuff to keep in touch for free. Or you could send letters like what we do :pac:

I'll see if I can convince her to register and write some more about it

Myself and a couple of friends are going to Aix in September, if you could get you pal to come online and give us some info it would be great.:)

Seren_

dustfree wrote: »

Myself and a couple of friends are going to Aix in September, if you could get you pal to come online and give us some info it would be great.:)

I'll see what I can do! She's living in France now, but has no internet so it might be a while before she gets back to me with info :P

Michellenman

If you need to, contact wendy in the international office and she'll put you in touch with people who've been to that university already. There were 6/7 people in Aix the year I did erasmus.

dustfree

Your Text Here wrote: »

I'll see what I can do! She's living in France now, but has no internet so it might be a while before she gets back to me with info :P

thanks your text here, hopefully she'll be able to pass on some info

dustfree

thanks michellenman, have done that, the more info the better!:)

dustfree

If anybody is back on boards from erasmus in Aix en provence could they let me know how they got on? I am off in September but am having great difficulty sorting accommodation, too old for campus
All info gratefully received....:)

Michellenman

officially too old or you just feel too old? Cause I lived with a woman in her 30s on campus accommodation 2 years ago in Rennes.

dustfree

no its actually officially too old, no over 28s in Aix. i'd happily take campus accomm, its much cheaper and all provided. i could always get ear plugs if things got tooooo noisy