carlotamolinaandres-blog

[carlotamolinaandres-blog]

Erasmus daily life: pros and cons

21/11/2016. 20:30. Laundry. 5 minutes by foot from the residence. No sunlight. November in Nantes. Cold. This is the current situation from which I am writing at the moment. Does it appeal to you? Jealous? NO! Of course not. But what about if I tell you that today I had class until 18:15 and when I came out the tram service wasn’t working? Ah! Little detail I forgot: it was raining cats and dogs and the bus service was struggling. So yeah, things aren’t always as pretty as they seem, Erasmus is not the exception. I realised a few weeks ago that I am a student, a cooker and a house keeper at the same time. At the beginning is not that stressful but when you have billions of projects to do and your university has the policy of compulsory-attendance, then it’s a bit frustrating. Having said that, there are billions of other features that overbalance the disadvantages of living by your own. In fact, there are much more positive than negative aspects. First of all, many of your friends will be in the same position as you so, at least you are not alone. Second, you become less mummy-dependent and become more independent which is always good. Third, you don’t have to follow house rules; you invent your own ones. Thereby: own lunch schedule, own shower times, own menu, own messy room. No one to bother. At the end of the day, living by your own is a good experience and provides you with personal enrichment.

[carlotamolinaandres-blog]

Keep moving

In 2013, 212 208 people took an Erasmus programme. This means that we are not talking about an insignificant figure but about more than 200.000 students distributed all over the European continent. From my brief experience -and I say brief because I still have six months ahead- I have observed there are many types of Erasmus students, as there are many types of people and personalities. For instance, there are some people who want to focus mainly on their studies and work hard on languages. Others who spend most of their time jumping from one city to the other or from one country to the other. Others who take their Erasmus as an ‘orgasmus’. And, finally, we have the ones who find the equilibrium. However, there is no single formula that reveals the secret of doing the best Erasmus. One style is not better than the other. No. The one tip I can give is that you have to be yourself at every single moment and do what you feel is better for you, the same way as you would do in your country, in your city, in your house. Last but not least, NEVER STOP! Keep moving, keep doing things, whatever but don’t stop. Keep yourself occupied because there are always things waiting for you outside. Remember: what will never come back is that year, that moment, that people, that Erasmus.

[carlotamolinaandres-blog]

Erasmus

Erasmus is synonym of experience, travelling, self-growing and culture. It is an opportunity to study abroad and to meet people from different cultures but, at the same time it is a chance to switch off from daily routine and start experiencing new sensations and new ways of life. Because you are going to live in another country different from your home country- Because most likely you are going to speak another language different form your mother language. Because you are going to be living with other people different from your family and friends. So, although this is pretty obvious and logical, is the true also. So why instead of hearing always the same words coming form other people don’t you live your own experience?