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author
Alexandra Gvozdeva
Alexandra
Gvozdeva
faculty
3. Lékařská fakulta
academic year of the stay
2021/2022
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author
Alexandra
faculty
3. Lékařská fakulta
academic year of the stay
2021/2022
University of Málaga
traineeship
study stay
short-term mobility
other
How does Alexandra rate their stay?
university
city
accommodation
financial demands
about university
What made your university special? What were the facilities where you studied and the university equipment like?
Hi everyone! I spent the summer semester of 2021/22 academic year in UMA, Faculty of Medicine. It was a very pleasant experience overall, I always wanted to try living in a city on the shore of the sea. I have sweet memories of the welcoming student community, of the salsa and bachata dancing classes I joined in the University sports center, as well as of the solid medical lectures and practices in the hospital.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about your "adoptive" university? What made it special? What were the premises where you studied and the university facilities like?
The semester starts earlier than here in CR, I arrived to Malaga already on the 1st of February. The structure of the semester is also very different. All optional courses on the Faculty of Medicine are in the first few weeks of the semester, then you get a block of theoretical lectures of the main subjects and then practices. Sometimes I had a whole free week, sometimes I had classes every day of the week. I enjoyed the class dynamic and felt encouraged to ask questions and prepare in advance to the classes. Sometimes a theoretical lecture ended with a quiz on the material studied and I found this technique very productive for the learning process.
What is student life like at university?
I was pleasantly surprised with the choice of the optional courses, thematial events and their local relevance, especially in medicine. An emphasis is put on feminism and inclusion, there are thematic events, posters, awareness campaigns and so on -- it felt like a breath of fresh air compared to my czech faculty.
Did you study in English or in the language of the host country? What language requirements does the university have?
All subjects were in Spanish, some subjects even required me to make a presentation in Spanish in order to get the credit. I took an intensive Spanish course in the beginning of my stay and was very grateful for it. I also was preparing and brushing up my Spanish appx. 3 months in advance from home. I tried to integrate and get exposure to the language as much as possible, so for instance I lived in a student dorm and shared a room with a local Spanish girl, went for dancing activities and made some local friends, but I can imagine that if one wanted it would be very possible to have a more international and english-oriented life in Malaga, too.
about the city
What was your impression of the city? How would you describe it? What is interesting to see here?
Malaga is quite big and touristy. It's main advantage is the sea, the beautiful beaches. It is lively, but maybe less local or authentic than other cities in Spain.
about finances
In your experience, how far does the scholarship go? What percentage of your expenses did it cover? What is your opinion on prices in the country in general?
My spendings were quite high even though I lived in a student dorm for 200 EUR per month. I think I'd need twice the amount of the stipend for a comfortable life.
Please advise your classmates on how to save money—Where to shop? What services can be used to save money?
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about accommodation
What type of accommodation did you choose? Would you recommend it to others? If not, what type of accommodation do you think is best based on your experience (dormitory, private apartment, private dormitory, shared room, etc.)?
I lived in the student dorm in Teatinos, it's main advantage was that it was very cheap. I wanted to live there to communicate with the Spanish students more than with the international students, but I ended up not getting along very well with my roommates. But I found other friends in the dorm who were very cool and I stay in touch with them till now. Also there were other events organised in the dorm just for the students who lived there and it was nice to feel as a part of the community. Also, there is a canteen in the dorm and you can almost avoid cooking.
about experiences
Did you use Erasmus stay to travel around your country/Europe? What are your best travel experiences? What would you not recommend?
Connection from Prague by plane is very convenient. I travelled around Andalucia by bus and by a rented car, it was a very enriching experience. I also travelled to Portugal during my stay.
Language and culture: what cultural differences did you notice? How did you cope with the national language? Was it also the language of your studies? Do you feel that your language skills improved during your stay?
I definitely improved my Spanish and became more confident in communicating in it. Spanish culture was great to be living in and absorbing. Everyone dances very well there, hehe.
final rating
Why here? What makes this location special? Why would you send your friends to your country/city?
Malaga is one of not many sea-chore locations available for Erasmus, that is a very big benefit and a reason to apply there. You won't be bored in the city, nature around is beautiful, too. University is taking care of the international students well, in my opinion, offering activities that result in building communities.
live-saving tips
If I went again, I would definitely remember to pack...
Before leaving, I would like to know that...
What surprised me most was that...
The hardest thing for me was...
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