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author
Thi Quynh Anh Nguyen
Thi Quynh Anh
Nguyen
faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences
academic year of the stay
2022/2023
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author
Thi Quynh Anh
faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences
academic year of the stay
2022/2023
University of Barcelona
traineeship
study stay
short-term mobility
other
How does Thi Quynh Anh 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?
Diversity. At UB and also in Barcelona in general, I met students from everywhere in Europe, which is great for the acquisition of cultures. Also, the teachers and IO staff were super supportive
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?
Teamwork was more heavily emphasized. We did a lot of projects, presentations, etc. both individually and in groups. There were two ways of study assessment: continuous assessment and final exam. With continuous assessment, students were assessed by participation, mid-term exams, a lot of homework and individual and group activities; there was no final exam in this case. Thus, their studies could finish earlier and students needed to work really hard and seriously to have good results. On the other hand, the 'final exam' option did not count any other activities, only the final result counted. I chose continuous assessment throughout my study stay, so I did not know how difficult the final exams were.
What is student life like at university?
ESNs at UB and in Barcelona/Spain were really dynamic. There were activities all the time, ranging from culture, trips to parties; and the participation rate was high.
Did you study in English or in the language of the host country? What language requirements does the university have?
I communicated in English, as all of my courses were taught in English
about the city
What was your impression of the city? How would you describe it? What is interesting to see here?
Barcelona has a completely different vibe from Prague. It is super busy, dynamic, fun but also dangerous (due to crime rate). It is easy to make (international) friends there (local people are a bit distant, also they prefer Catalan or Spanish to English) . What I love the most is sports activities and the beach. Catalunya is also rich in culture, so it was fun attending the events here.
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?
It is very expensive in Barcelona. The scholarship covered my rent and public transport pass. Most of other expenses were paid by myself.
Please advise your classmates on how to save money—Where to shop? What services can be used to save money?
The most economical way to save money is cook at home. However it is sometimes difficult because in order to experience the most of Barcelona, you should attend a lot of events and socialise, and in Barcelona, students go out a lot.
Get a ESN card, there are a lot of discount for events/parties for the card holders.
Mercadona is the best and cheapest supermarket.
And there are a lot of free events/activities organised by local organisations, keep an eye on them
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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.)?
Private apartment- the cheapest option. But be aware of scams. It is good to ask for help from personal contact (if any) or find accommodation months ahead. Join some expat or student or ESN group chats and ask for help. If you do exchange in the second semester, finding accommodation is much easier as many students leave after the first semester and need replacement.
about experiences
Did you use Erasmus stay to travel around your country/Europe? What are your best travel experiences? What would you not recommend?
I did a trip to Valencia with ESN Barcelona, it was great, I have made a lot of friends. Other than that I also travelled to some other cities of Spain, and some neighbouring coutries.
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?
Unfortunately all courses I took were in English and I hung out with international mostly so I didnt really learn Spanish and Catalan, even though after the exchange I know some common phrases.
People in Barcelona are super open-minded and they strongly support gender equality
final rating
Why here? What makes this location special? Why would you send your friends to your country/city?
There was not too much highlight on my study experience, but culture and socialising are a must
live-saving tips
If I went again, I would definitely remember to pack...
Swimsuits
Before leaving, I would like to know that...
What surprised me most was that...
The hardest thing for me was...
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