That was my semester abroad
Laurenz Petek is studying for a Bachelor's degree in Energy and Environmental Management and spent a semester in Denmark at VIA University in Horsens.
What was it like?
Bruno Stojakovic, a student on the Bachelor's degree programme in International Business Relations, spent a semester abroad at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague and had a great experience there. "The lessons were in English and I liked the city. I got to know a lot of people and also gained a lot of other experience that I think will be useful later in life."
All beginnings are difficult. The first few months weren't easy for Bruno either.
I didn't know anyone and didn't know exactly how things worked at university, but after the first lecture everything was much easier.
As advice to students who are considering going abroad, he says: "I think it's always a good decision. After the experience abroad, you simply feel open, emotionally educated, self-confident and more ready for all the challenges that await you in life. I also believe that you can benefit greatly from your experience abroad later in your career. Large international companies are looking for and need people with an international background."
Dominika Puchla is studying for a Master's degree in European Studies and spent a semester abroad in Faro, in the south of Portugal. It was difficult for her to learn a Romance language "especially when the native speakers spoke quickly. But I had almost no problems with English," she says. She would definitely recommend a semester abroad.
I made lots of new friends, got to know new cultures and a different university system and also saw some beautiful places.
Julias Jobst is studying for a Master's degree in Information Media Communication and spent a semester in Riga, Latvia. "We had an introductory week in Riga, during which we got to know the other students and the university's procedures. It didn't take long for me to build up a small circle of friends and so the Erasmus experience could begin. So don't worry, you don't stay alone for long, you quickly find your Erasmus family."
Julia was able to do a lot of travelling and make great friends during the four months.
Here is an extract from her travel itinerary:
"If you have your eyes open and a bit of a sense of adventure during your Erasmus semester, you can discover a lot and think outside the box.
Personally, I did an arse bomb from my Austrian goldfish bowl into the European pond and I will always be grateful for that.
I have already travelled to Bratislava this summer to visit my Erasmus friend Lukas and will be travelling to Ljubljana later this year. The Erasmus semester may be over, but the friendships and travelling are far from it."
My tips:
- Make sure to check out cheap travel routes. Travelling from Riga is incredibly cheap, especially by bus
- Free walking tours in every city
- Post in the Facebook groups on the day of arrival to see if anyone wants to do anything
- Must see in Riga: Ala Bar, view from "Stalin's Birthday Cake", FIRST МИР (First Dacha - Club), Mezaparks, Tea House and all second hand shops; Lithuania Hill of Crosses
Dominik Janik also enjoyed his semester abroad. He is studying for a Bachelor's degree in International Economic Relations at the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland and can only recommend a semester at the Cracow University of Economics . "The campus has a great academic flair and I think it's interesting for every UAS student to immerse themselves in this world. There are around 15,000 students enrolled at the university." One of the first hurdles for him was coordinating the courses there. "But everyone made a great effort for us Erasmus students."
Group work has a high weighting in the performance assessment. This represents a unique opportunity to work together with international colleagues.
"You could describe Krakow as a student city. Almost 200,000 of the 900,000 inhabitants are students. As a result, there is a wide range of options for organising your free time. The I-ESN network (International Erasmus Students Network) offers a range of activities every week. These include city trips (both within Poland and abroad), parties, museum visits, career planning, etc. An absolute highlight is the week-long student festival (Juvenalia) at the beginning of May. It is impossible not to make new friends!
Food and drink are very reasonably priced far away from the tourist hotspots. The old town is very lively from Monday to Sunday. It's definitely not the last time I've been to this city..."
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Stays abroad
